BMW X5 Buyers guide E53 (2000-2006) Avoid buying a broken BMW X5 (3.0i, 3.0d, 4.4i, 4.6is,4.8is, V8)
BMW X5 E53 2001-2006 Buyers guide for 3.0i, 3.0d, 4.4i, 4.6is, 4.8is, 4.4 BMW V8, 3.0 litre straight six. Avoid buying a cheap broken BMW X5 SUV or BMW called it, an SAV (Sports Activity Vehicle) and find the E53 BMW X5 that can go off-road and on-road without breaking the bank. Avoid the mistakes of buying the cheapest broken BMW X5 as a project and attempting to fix the BMW E53 X5 due to valve stem failure, vans unit failure, blown turbos, or oil leaks with our review. This buyer's guide covers the E53 BMW X5 from 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006 in all trims from SE to Sport, or the Alpine and AC Schnitzer optional body kits and wheel. If you are deciding between the E53 BMW X5 or are an owner looking for a guide, but considering other vehicles, like the Range Rover then why not check out this video and others from our channel.
The issues discussed in our buyer's guide to the E53 BMW X5 include timing chain stretch, faulty tailgate failure, and door handle mechanisms, which we review. Along with the links to the L322 Range Rover 4.4 v8 and 2.9td6 that BMW designed along with the BMW X5.
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So the entire vehicle is the weak spot...
My first vehicle was a 3.0 E53 from 2001. It had 256k miles on it before I sold it for my current vehicle! They’re incredibly reliable if you take of them. Great video!
great to hear and yes, take care of your car and it will take care of you 😁
I bought a 2006 4.8is. After replacing all gaskets and removing air suspension, I can say it’s the most reliable, comfortable, cheapest, satisfying daily driver I’ve ever owned. If you’re after a sleeper to go buy milk in that will rock 100km/h in seconds - but that nobody remembers when being quizzed by police…this is your car.
Great to hear your 4.8i is performing so well. 😁 Out of interest what ride quality differences did you notice after swapping out the air suspension for coils?
Lol. I owned a 2005 4.8is and it was anything but 'reliable'. Half was in excellent condition, the other half needed constant replacing and maintenance. Was great to drive, and I didn't mind the 15mpg, but it was constant countdown to the next breakdown or repair. Sort of car I loved having for two years, but would never have again even if someone gave me it for free. 😎
So it’s a SAV betttt that’s kinda lit, thanks for the knowledge!
06 4.4i 3 pages worth of repairs in my journal 260k miles still love it.
2022 and onwards is probably the best time to get one yourself if you are considering it. Prices are ridiculously low and the M57 diesel engine is very reliable with reasonable consumption considering the weight of the car and its pulling cappacity. The V8 is also great but you have to know the flaws. The M62 has pretty much no issues except a few - chain guides, cranshaft and camshaft sensors, MAF and that is pretty much it (not considering the usual maintenance items). The later N62 is a bit worse - sensors are usually good but you can add them to the list regardless, vaccuum pump, valve stem seals (mentioned), spark plug tubes, valve covers (mentioned) and probably the worst - alternator bracket seal. A 5 USD part that will cost you 10hrs of labour or shop price easily to be done as it is difficult to access. I can strongly advice to source upgraded parts for the N62 as the "old" or simple "OEM" parts are not always the best. As well you should get a lower thermostat for the N62 if possible as it is running stupidly hot with the OEM thermostat making a lot of seals last less. The main thing is to chaing oil often as the V8 has a delicate taste when it comes to used oil (lifters need clear and unpolluted liquid as many other parts). You can stretch your changes a bit by using high quality oils or simply do it often enough and you can buy almost any brand that meets the requirements. If you have to get your car serviced then the V8 might be a nice weekend car but if you can do it yourself then any model is a perfect choice. Just be ready to throw at least the purchase price at the car in maintenance again once you get one yourself. But the reward will be a relibable car in alost new like condition serving you for a long time with little to no issues. The 3.0i engine is something I don't understand - weakest of them all, consumption like a V8 and towing is just a pain. So if you are in the market for one then get a reasonably cheap one and fix it yourself or buy something above price standards where you get proof of work done and someone who can offer you a unbiased purchase opinion. Anything in between is for those who know what they want. Like how much you wanna pay for how much work is probably coming towards you after you buy it etc.
Fantastic comment, great info, thank you 👍
Wow this is amazing! I am looking to buy the 4.4 2000 model in europe. Could you give me a indication of reparation cost of this vehicle? I would appreciate this very much thanks! (Per year basic costs)
The presentation was neat. Simple, laid out in an orderly fashion, I'm leaving a like!
My bmw e53 x5 3.0l I've had it for 6 months I think it wasn't taken care of but I always wanted a x5 so went ahead with it, Replaced the following parts, Suspension air sensors x2, Air suspension pump, Air suspension Relay, Air flow sensor, Gearbox serviced, X6 ignition coils, Rocker cover gasket, Heater resistor, Coolant tank, Thermostat, X2 Front stabiliser link bars, Both headlights lens replaced, Off side front driveshaft, Battery , And its got 119k miles onit, I'm keeping it for life
U probably have the v8 thoses are not reliable at all
The steptronic transmissions are water cooled, and if the cooler fails,it allows coolant to mix with the transmission fluid.The water in the coolant is especially bad for the 5L40E gearboxes because it damages the electronics inside the gearbox
I purchased a BMW X5 2005 e53 4.8is 98k on the clock, last January, so far I've tinted the windows, 4 new tyres, xtrons head unit, id4motion instrument cluster, and converted it to run on LPG, this is the 1st e53 X5 I've owned and i have to say it's simply stunning, I'll never part with it. This is the best X5 by far!
Great ownership feedback, do you notice any difference in power or torque running between LPG and petrol? 👍
Great accurate info. Impressed
An excellent presentation! Thank you. My 2005 3.0 X5 is still running strong.
Thank you for the comment, great to hear yours is going strongl, hope it has many good years ahead 😁
That’s the one I have my moon roof won’t open there’s no sound in my radio and I can’t see the display
Is there any fix to these
@@nicarpeart766 The malfunction of the moon roof is apparently a common issue. An independent BMW repair shop should be able to address the issue, but it is probably expensive. Do you really need it? As far as the radio is concerned, I would recommend purchasing one from Xtrons. The performance, fit, and finish are simply outstanding. They also included a backup camera.
@@nicarpeart766 moon roof problems are after replacing the battery/akumulator. During replacement the car needs to be join to another battery. If you do not do this, the roof needs new inicialization in the BMW service. It is not broken, I suppose.
I have a 2001 x5 3.0 and a 2004 x5 4.4i e53s that I bought cheap and did a little work on them and I really like them. For being 20 years old there's no rust on them and they've been in Michigan since new. E53s are awesome.
The CCV valve has been a constant bugaboo with my 2001 X5, in-line 6 cylinder, E53. Short trips during cold weather (sub freezing) result in a mayonnaise-like foam build up with the result being an eventual plugging and near-hydrolocking event. I have had more than one blown valve cover. The prevention cure has been a long warm up (ten minutes) on these cold winter morning. However I still own it and am at about 157,000 miles. I do all the preventative maintenance suggestions including frequent oil changes. It handles like I just drove it off the showroom floor.
I have had many e53 over the years now I drive a g30 but seeing this makes me want another one many thanks
Great video, subscribed. Got a '05 3.0d for 13 years, utterly reliable, 400k km on clock still everyday workhorse. No big bills, door handles only repeat problem. Keep good oil in engine and gearbox. Bought another '05 3.0i over a year ago 230k km on clock, more thirsty but bought for the price of a pair of shoes. Well specced, all works great, love them both.
Thanks for adding you ownership experience and welcome to the channel 👍
Very thorough and useful info, thank you!
Thanks for the comment 😁
Very professional film Great work. One minor thing. On the 4.4 v8 it's the plastic timing chain guides that fail not the chain. The plastic goes brittle. I did mine diy at 180k miles big job. God bless
Great comment! and an oversight from us, thanks for sharing 😁
How much did this cost to resolve?
Cost about £300 in bits including the kit you need to time the vanos and the tool to hold the crank pulley, big 3/4 drive breaker bar to remove etc. It is do able but allow plenty of time.
@@drtomoyah8805 mine cost $4k Australian dollars by a private bmw technician.
Love the e53 ❤
I have the 03 version and been dealing with replacing the door handle carrier breaking constantly . Extremely frustrating.
5yr X5 4.6is V8 owner - still In love .... * Cam Chain Tensioner (advise to change if car rattles on a cold start) * Bushes, advise to upgrade to polyurethane * Grease inside rubber door seals ahead of winter * Final blower stage fuse failed (heater system) * Use 5w30 or 5w40 oils if over 100k miles * Solenoid change if under performing * Gaskets seal to be check replaced (oil leaks) * Tailgate lock failure * Exhaust brackets failure, replace or veld * Window regulator failure (windows dropping in door) * Alternator failure ETA 2yrs ,(get a lifetime warranty one) * PDC failure - use wd40 * Coolant system, check yearly for cracks, leaks and correct torque * Petrol cleaning/injection system additives e.g stp5in1 or Lucas etc. * Doors letting in water ,(check door panels and membrane) Happy driving......
Fantastic info. Thank you for taking the time to add this comment 👍
Love my X5 I have 2004 x5 4.4 sports with 294k Miles on it everything original and looks brand new. Only issue is burning oil smoke few times
Interesting. The E53 4.6is is a bit of an anomaly. At the time it was a sort of M car but not badged as such. Yes, it has larger wheels and body kit add ones but it also had larger disc brakes and different callipers. It also had a different interior (or could be optioned as such) which was a sort of dog tooth cloth pattern and different tailpipes on the exhaust. I know. I had one. Regrettably I sold it but now I drive an early 4.4 but still on the lookout for another 4.6. If looked after, the X5 is one of the best suv / sav’s in terms of value, rarity and looks. The 4.8 is good but most had a pano roof which generally fall to bits and are costly to repair. The 4.8 is also prone to valve stem seal failure. I’ve driven a few 4.8’s and I didn’t find them much quicker than my 4.6 or 4.4 for that matter. They do sound good though..
Great insight, thank you for the comment. Miles had an extended drive of a 4.6is years ago and said it still stands out in his mind as it was quite unique at the time, bizarre when so many SUVs have big engine hot variants today. Agreed on the sound 😁
Can bmw please work on their cooling system! Put the temperature sensor for the radiator fan to keep running as long the engine is hot! This solve lot of problems on cooling system
Just bought my first car, e53 x5 4.8is, hope it will give me joy for loooong time🔥 2023
Great to hear, enjoy your new car 😎
How is it? I'm picking mine up today yeehaw
@@joetaylor1459 I've only drove it from The Netherlands where I bought it, to my country Latvia, about 2000km, felt really good, but in my case I bought it waaay below market price and I am going trough full engine restoration (about 10k euro) so yeah I can't tell much, but it is a incredeble machine
Thanks for replying so soon, that's a bummer for you. All the best,it will be back to the Beast in no time!
@@joetaylor1459 Thanks, I appriciate kind words.
Excellent summary of all the E53 models. Lets see if I can find a good X5 i6.
Thanks for the comment, and all the best with your search 😁
I’ll sell you mine in about a month. 2006 3.0 auto with panoramic roof. 100k miles. Upgraded with apple carplay. Most, if not all sensors replaced.
@@jeadie2273 Where is the car located? What color? I'm pushing out my purchase to 1 to 3 months, depends..
@@jpadicecoffee9812 Cleveland Ohio. It’s grey, black leather.
@@jeadie2273 Do you have an ad running yet? What are you looking to sell it for? Likely I won't be able to pay top dollars as I'm looking for good but old high mile x5. No lock stock currently: the locals X5 here are either low mileage going for $9k that don't sell fast or high miles with minor issues $6k that get snatched up same day..
They did a manual gearbox in 3.0D also
transfer coolant pipe with n62 anther issue and the Vacuum pump been oil lube the one way vavle can fail allowing oil into the brake booster
Excellent bit of information for anyone searching for an E53 X5 👍
@@themilesdriven Own E53 4.4i with N62 for 2 years now agree there heavey for maintance but worth it for power . Curenty have Individual Maritime . If search common issue you have there quite few DIY fixes from the Nav Screen though.
I can’t make out the words on the audio system it’s not the screen it’s the one with the orange lights is that fixable
Hi Nicar, if its the stereo we found this video for dead pixel replacement on the X5 stereo. Hope it helps. kzhead.info/sun/d6Z6gNWfnXaeeIE/bejne.html
Facelift have XDrive but pref have full 4x4
Great spot 👍
Myt
Unless you have a serious need for the 4wheel drive( bearing in mind E53s are not true 4x4s) or perhaps some extra weight for towing purposes then the E39 Touring is a better bet. The Touring loses almost nothing in load capacity and the E39 LCI Touring has the higher powered engine giving better power/weight and torque/weight ratios. The fuel economy and maintenance costs are much less on the E39 Touring. When looking for my two E39 530D Tourings I compared the maintenance and running costs with the 530D E53. Frankly no competition, the E39 has much cheaper running costs even when doing DIY maintenance. I've watched E53s and Range Rover L322s having to be towed of mud slick fields because their road tyres couldn't get decent grip whereas rwd and fwd cars were able to get off unaided. Of course it might have been down to the skills of the drivers. BTW, a blown turbo isn't a big deal to change, a moderately simple DIY job.
Thanks for the comment, we are planning an E39 5 series buyer's guide in the future, and agreed a blown turbo can be a job for the home mechanic 👍
Nice video. Isn't it utterly ridiculous though that 120k to 150k is "how long they should last" Toyota and many others last basically forever. Bmw are definitely not a quality marque and never have been.
Great video my guy. Cheers 🤜🤛
I Really appreciate comments like this 👍