search for x5 v8 straight pipe on YT ,listen to that sound if you get chance ,been thinking of getting the 4.8is they are dirt cheap now,maybe a project car,8-15mpg is criminal tho
And this is probably why when my friend buys used cars, he immediately goes full send redlining all the way on the highway. Because surely it should be able to survive that if there's oil right?....
Mitch sounds like he's an Aussie. I wonder where he hails from? And if you think those BMW parts sound expensive in the UK, you should see how much they are here down under. Shocking!
A great change from new car reviews. This format was so interesting to watch with the master mechanics input and all the great detail covered. This is very relateable to anyone who drives an older vehicle. One of your best Mat.
Agreed. I enjoyed this video and it was nice to see the channel covering older cars. Especially as I own a BMW X5 and live in it almost fulltime, sleeping, cooking, travelling, and exploring the wild regions, on and off-road. Mine's a 2005 6-gear auto 3L diesel Sport. I've owned it for several years and can honestly say it's one of the best cars I've ever owned. The only weak point on a very solid SUV, is the weak internal door lock mechanisms (the clips are not sturdy enough for such heavy doors). It's a dream to drive and so smooth for such s heavy vehicle, sticking to the bends like glue, with no role, and very smooth on the motorway. And I've yet to ever get it stuck off-road in rough conditions. I love it! ☺️
I miss my XC90 V8 from 2006. What a fun car that was. Safe, reliable, lots of smile / mile. Same size engine, even a bit more power. Nothing beats a V8 roar when you power sliding in the mud :)
Until this week I didnt even know volvo put a v8 in their cars, and a yamaha v8 at that. Sounds sick, too bad they stopped making them and fuckin co2 tax here is insane, even if I wanted a really old one.
Hi Mat, super nice vid, make more of this format please! The rear bushings can be bought separately OEM and pressed in quite easily. Recently did it on my E65 730i. Saves you €2000 on parts! I could fix your car properly for half that bill...cheers!
Found a gem in 2020…2002 X5 3.0d, all the options, no dead pixels, 30k miles and showroom clean. Previous owner even had carpets specifically made for the rear sliding load tray.
@@welshrecon Don't know about an X5, but they're about 40 or 50 quid for X3 power folds. Don't even need to be in the same colour either, as the panel is swappable.
So typical of BMW's design to deactivate the DIY and build mechanical alliances on the (S)tealership. (Only) a God-like intervention could help BMW kill the plastic covers subliminally arranged to tell the DIY person to "keep your hands off"! However, that is not the philosophy of BMW to build a consumer-friendly automobile; that concept would hurt their bottom-line profits.
just replaced all my discs 3 hours ago with ceramic brakes and discs. $400 in total. I also repaired my engine and stuff by myself. Overall I woulda have had to spend like $3000 somewhere but I did everything by myself for only $800.
I think it’s awesome that BMW sanctioned this with one of their master techs. It’s great seeing how it’s not only new cars they’re interested in scalping you for but older classics too! But the enthusiasm Mitch shows for this E53 demonstrates that despite the real world costs associated with owning older premium brand cars, they can still put a smile on your face when you mash the accelerator! I had one of these, same motor, same issues, and I loved it!
That is the real cost of European manufactured and service products that you do not see in cars that are built with slave camp components that are ultra cheap for a reason. BMW are a luxury car and hence they will cost more to repair.
@@bighands69 The design of the car is gross. It has been arranged to drain your wallet in the hype without the real-world value benefit of a well-designed, crafted automobile. BMW has lost its competitive edge and values profit over constructive builds.
@@arvadacounselingcenterinc.7284 What's gross about it? I've done work on mine...It's not so bad to work on. I did the rear suspension, re-sealed the rear differential, and replaced the transfer case. It all came apart and went back together pretty easily. I did the front bushings mentioned in this video as well. All I had to do was unbolt the front end, drop them down, and replace the bushings with a simple press tool.
This account is so awesome! My dad owns an X3 from 2012 and it has been with us till now. It has 565'000 kilometers and it already needed 2 engines rebuilt. Classic BMW 😂
Other older BMWs would do laps around the world after a modern bmw needs a rebuild. M50, M52, M54, N52, even the n62 version of x5s have done that amount of milage without needing a rebuild.
I used to hate this generation of X5 when it was relatively new but i kinda like it now. My uncle bought one of those when they first came out around 2001 i believe, he still owns it today with nearly 290,000 miles on it and counting, he's retired and uses it to travel from Los Angeles to Las Vegas frequently.
@@martinkulik9466 These are way less complex mechanically and they don’t have the old iDrive system which is horribly dated and unusable today. Also these old X5s are future classics
Mine is almost the exact same spec, 2001 4.4l black on black with Sport Package. I've had it since 2013 with 90km on it, now at 210km. I've done nearly every bushing and joint front and rear. Rear subframe bushings were in the worst shape. Replaced the front struts with bilsteins. Radiator problems are common (I've replaced it twice!), and so is the ABS module which I had remanufactured (highly recommend). Valve cover seals have been done twice, and will be done again soon. I tow a camping trailer with it and it always amazes me how well it tows. It's a great vehicle to drive, handles extremely well and still looks great in and out.
Couple months ago I saw a fantastic example of these. Same spec, black, 4.4i, pre-facelift. Absolutely stunning inside out, and it was slightly cheaper than yours. May also have been slightly better condition than yours though haha the body work was perfect, the paintwork untouched and interior completely stock. Look forward to your adventures with this car!
I found that really interesting. The technician was really honest and its good that bmw have the faith to stand by their products. Matt has bought an interesting car which made a great video.
So I bought a 118i 2009, under 60K miles, full BMW service history, pretty immaculate outside and unmarked inside. A real keeper I thought . Put a tow bar on it. Replaced the windscreen as there were some scratches. Just loved it for a few months, into covid shutdowns etc so put hardly any miles on it and then started to hear a little knocking. Decided to take it to local BMW dealership and paid for a diagnostic survey. Cost £90, got a report and video that said it needed further investigation but torque converter was probably the problem, plus a whine from the diff needed further investigation plus suspect wheel bearing. My local garage wouldn’t touch the torque converter but a local BMW “ specialist” looked at it and diagnosed cam chain problem and not torque converter. Paid £2k to have that done and the knocking noise was still there . Told my local garage about it. They looked at it and suggested it was No 4 big end. Took off the sump and stripped it down and hey presto! They were right. I had a choice. Keep going or scrap it. Yeah, I scrapped it and that paid my local garage bill! What have I learned ? Main dealership service history is no guarantee, you can’t trust BMW main agents perhaps and paying them to diagnose a problem is also no guarantee they get it right, BMW specialists aren’t any better and it turns out your local private family run garage is probably your best bet. I’m lucky I could afford to make the mistakes but for some folk wasting a few grand would be devastating.
Great car and great video, Mat. BMW Service always seem to have great staff. I had 2003 4.6iS in Australia and it was brilliant - 350bhp and massive wide wheels as option 295/55 20 front and 315/55 20 on rear. Gripped like anything. Had issue with the pixels on the display that I managed to repair with an ebay kit myself - surprisingly. Shame I had to sell it but the garage was full - something had to go! Running boards are the best and most practical I've had.
Mat, just watched this and it made think about my own 17 year old Touareg and how it is not anywhere near the condition of this X5, so I'm going to email VW for their comments on mine vs yours. Fabulous video and what a great pick you made in getting this car. Keep up the great videos, very informative. Go Carwow!!
Those parts prices bear no resemblance to the actual cost to make and to ship to the UK. When you add in the margin for the UK importer and then the margin for the dealer on top of that you are looking a a multiple of the actual cost. My tip is to buy OEM parts from Bosch, Hella and the like or good serviceable second hand parts from eBay.
I have a manual 6 cylinder X5 this is the one to get it is very short geared which makes it very lively under 80kph and it is very surprisingly quick it will spin the wheels for 2-3 metres if you want to drop the clutch, the manual is the fun one.
THe N62 will have all the leaks... for sure, but once fixed you'll be good for another 100K miles. More if you also fit a lower temperature thermostat.
A refreshing and honest way to look at "real" car ownership. There was some x-certificate stuff, like the sub 20 mpg, but all the major issues covered and I for one was relieved that Mat had got himself quite a bargain there. Nice to hear a Midlands accent as well. I've had my fill of know it all southerners boasting how they have just "stolen" a car "off of" someone who was a bit vulnerable.
I've seen enough of these over the years to always check the front axle shaft rubber boots. They're almost always cracked. $25 for a new boot and $500 for the labor in putting it on per side. The V8 is the one to stay away from as they have timing chain guide issues when they're over 100k miles and also leaking coolant transfer tubes and blown PCV valve issues. Hopefully this one has had these looked at already. The E53 6 cylinders are pretty bulletproof.
As long as you replace the timing chain guides before they go bad you're fine. The problem with the inline sixes are not the engine, but that the transmission they're connected to is even worse than the one they put behind the V8s. They're both pretty bad though!
I have a 02 x5 4.4i v8 and it’s definitely leaking coolant and needs the pcv valve. Also got a fuel tank and starter replaced. Needed wire work due to mice getting in the engine I was told. Not including a new dash display. I’m not sure what other issues I might run into
Now get a cost together of all the same work done at an independent garage + use second had parts for the door mirrors etc. I'll bet you can get the bushes for the swing arms too, they will just have to be pressed in and out.
This was a really informative video. I would like to see more content like this. As a matter of fact you can make a video of the repairs , especially if you are going to keep the vehicle for a while.
Mitch is definitely right about the rattle. I have both an 02 e46 and 03 e53. The e53 is as quiet as it gets, except for the slight rattle rear passenger door cards give when the car is at an incline due to some of the glue wearing off off the door (easy fix if Im not so lazy). Other than that, zero rattling. The e46 on the other hand has so much rattling from the engine bay, to the interiors, to the bushings, that I just dont bother anymore. I just learn to live with it. Tbf though, the e46 have double the mileage of the e53.
Servicing a 20 year-old car at an authorised garage doesn't make any sense. There are loads of independent garages and after-market parts that can reduce the cost up to more than 60%, including VAT and labour. Moreover, there are used-parts centres where one can find just about anything, especially for the X5 model which has been so popular in Europe. After-market parts come in various qualities and, more often than not, they can be better than the originals. I used to have a Golf which needed a clutch set. The official service centre asked for 1200 euros to replace it, including labour. I bought the exact same part (VWs use SACHS clutch sets) for just 180 euros. I took it to a qualified independent mechanic who charged me 120 euros to install it. EU legislation clearly states that warranty does not become void if the repairs are made by a qualified mechanic, even with after-market parts, as long as the latter do not deviate from the manufacturers' part specifications and standards. Independent mechanics can stamp and update any car's service book, without affecting the warranty.
I had one of these - 3 litre turbo diesel. Great car but had loads of issues with alloys cracking. Still did 100,000 miles in it without any major mechanical issues. Great to drive.
My '03 4.4 X5 (sport package) has over 230k miles on it, still running strong. The E53 spt pkg is a great driving vehicle that lasts a long time, IF it's properly maintained. Just installed a set of Hawk Talon rotors and Hawk 5.0 pads when I installed the 19" staggered rims/summer Ultrac Vorti tires this spring. I run P-Zero all seasons on non staggered 18" in the cold weather. Almost all the miles have been in Florida and Texas.
I’ve got a 2001 E53 4.4 which I’ve had for 10 years. Can’t find anything to replace it with that offers the same drive, rarity and value for money so it’s staying with me. Ace. I’m looking forward to seeing the repairs that aren’t needed. All I would would be to service the transmission and change the engine oil then use it. Subscription added.
Don’t. Too bloody costly and stressful to contemplate trying to revive an obsolete X5 E53. Hoovie’s Garage made an similar video with an identical conclusion from an American perspective.
I've got an E53 4.6iS, an E46 330 Vert, an E39 540i and a E38 735i and they each cost me about a months salary to buy and another months salary for parts and preventative maintenance. I could have bought one new povvo pack Kia with that money, but I don't think their options include heated real nappa leather, xenons, adequate power or timeless style.
Got an E53 3.0D myself. Really love it, despite having had a few problems but if I could start the process again I'd have bought a V8 as the economy is not that much worse than the diesel. And has V8 noise... Also, absolute revelation with the spare wheel carrier.... I've probably lifted mine in and out about 10 times now. Always been quite a challenge...
Enjoyed your content,very professional and easy to follow so well done,I had a brand new x5 3.0d sport in 2004 and had it 7 years and did 200,000 miles with just regular maintenance,a really solid car,never had one since,had an M3 then M5 then a 640 cabriolet which I still have now and will probably keep forever as i now do very little mileage,keep up the good work 👍
You have got to be bloody kidding. The long obsolete E53 X5 from 1999 is well and truly passed its economic lifespan as the repairs total a staggering £4972. It is any wonder that most E53s have been scrapped?
@@MrAndreCoutinho Mat Watson, the channel host, spent £2,700 on the BMW X5 E53 which dates back to 1999. We are now well into the 2020s, so this clunker is from _three_ decades ago back in the 1990s. The repair bill is a staggering £4,972. So the combined X5 purchase and repair cost is a whopping £7,672, which is a huge amount of money to spend on an old and obsolete late 1990s car. As any accountant will quickly attest, this BMW X5 is just not worth it as the costs are too high. Plus, at the end of the day, the driver is still left with a 24 year old car. Pointless.
@@MrAndreCoutinho Tradução. Você só pode estar brincando. O longo e obsoleto E53 X5 de 1999 passou bem e verdadeiramente sua vida útil econômica, já que os reparos totalizam um valor impressionante de £ 4.972. É de se admirar que a maioria dos E53s tenham sido descartados?
@@MrAndreCoutinho Tradução. Mat Watson, o apresentador do canal, gastou £ 2.700 no BMW X5 E53, que remonta a 1999. Agora estamos na década de 2020, então este clunker é de _três_ décadas atrás, na década de 1990. A conta do reparo é de impressionantes £ 4.972. Portanto, o custo combinado de compra e reparo do X5 é de £ 7.672, o que é uma quantia enorme de dinheiro para gastar em um carro velho e obsoleto do final dos anos 1990. Como qualquer contador atestará rapidamente, este BMW X5 simplesmente não vale a pena porque os custos são muito altos. Além disso, no final das contas, o motorista ainda fica com um carro de 24 anos. Sem sentido.
You didn't ask about the gearbox. Having had a 2003 diesel I constantly had gearbox problems I think mainly caused by BMW saying that the oil will last a lifetime, well the gearbox has a lifetime of less than 85000 miles. Good luck, lovely car ridiculous parts costs and you'll need a lot of them.
HAHAHA I love you, Mat! Cheeky roast of the BMW labour at the end was brilliant! His uncomfortable face during your shock at the costings was priceless. Please never change
Every service item basically includes a wash/vacuum, because if the customer only wants the cheapest line item done - they'd lose out on that labour cost, which makes a 2min job £20.
Thanks Matt. We had a similar 2003 pre-facelift v8 from new for 12 years. Quality engine & paintwork. Yes we had to update the pixels & other parts per service manual, but otherwise great v8 vehicle. Looking back & comparing to current generation, it's the perfect size, similar to an X3.
I own this exact same car (in LHD) with nearly 150k miles, had it since it showed 43k miles. The list of repairs, almost all diy, is a mile long. Most critically: the torque converter failed taking the transmission with it at 93k, the ABS module failed (...twice!). The suspension has been refreshed at least twice and the engine has been out to replace all the seals and do the timing and Vanos at 130k. The front drive shaft splines let go at 149k. My kids drive this car every day and I put quite a few miles on it as well. It is a great drivers' car, just gobbles up the miles. Still love it despite owning a much newer and faster Cayenne as well. I think that having the E39 DNA is what makes this such a fun car to drive!
I recently purchased an E39 sedan in what appears to me immaculate condition. From the second owner, garage kept and serviced at the same dealer since new. I will be doing preventative maintance on the cooling system as well as plugs & coils. There's just something about these "old" types of cars that you can't get anymore in newer cars. I'm very much looking forward to the experience. As a car enthousiast, I think you'll love the X5 as long as it's working properly.
@@darek4488 That's very true. I often try to tell Americans that the BMW Models they claim are unreliable all turn out to have been both produced in Germany and the USA and since they live in the USA, they got the US made BMW Model. On top of that the USA has not something like the "TÜV" as we do in Germany which basically forces you to take good care of your Car, do Oil Changes as regularly as the Manufacturer tells you and with the Oil needed as well. In the USA the Laws are much more lax regarding Car Maintenance, Oil Changes, this is why in the USA they got "Beaters" as they call them, Beaters wouldn't even be allowed on the Road here. So in conclusion BMWs here are considered super reliable and i'm sure a lot of People who claim their BMW constantly breaks down and has issues is because they didn't take proper Care of the Car, postponed Oil Changes etc.
@@chartreux1532 I am sorry, are you talking about the lifetime transmission fluid or engine oil every 30000km, including the first engine oil change in a new car? Because this is exactly what BMW recommended.
Love these kind of videos. More Mat!! My weekend car is an L322 Range Rover with this M62 engine. Lovely! 👌🏻 and yes I’ve done the rocker cover gaskets as mine were leaking too. 😂
you might say that spending that isn't worth it but a new one will depreciate while this won't and if you take it to a local garage it will probably have lower maintenance costs over time so you will still be spending way more on a new one so if you don't care about the latest tech i think this is still a good deal.
Mr.Mat Watson i will tell you one thing this mk1 e53 for sure will be oldtimer in next few days believe,i have mk1 first 7 series e23 and nowdays price went up really high specially in my country of course restored one. Best regards from:Croatia
You are missing the point. The true intention of the video piece is to dissuade unsophisticated intending BMW owners to avoid buying old and obsolete cars altogether. As expected, the BMW X5 E53 is an economic write off.
When I saw this video I got very happy since I got a facelift 3.0d lemans blue sport edition. Great car and pulls strong. I think for the money you have bought a good one I wasn't so lucky with mine the whole suspension needed doing basically and now there's this annoying squeak from the front wheels 😒
I also bought one from 2001. But it had lots of problems. I've already spent about 4000€ on mine. The electrical problems have been the hardest solve. Good choice mate.
@@BMW1M 🤔Yes point taken. Hay ,I myself run a classic 1995 Bentley Brooklands, as a weekend vehicle. Absolutely love it, but could not afford to run it as a daily car,at least at this time ,with record ⛽ petrol prices!............
Just a bit sad that it was baisic car inspection Nothing special about e53 Cause there is some problems with them Like prefl gearboxes needs remaping, that boot button and the plate lights are also very commonly damaged. Other then that, congrats! 🎉I bought the same one 3weeks ago, and now you did too. Looking forward seeing it more on the channel Take care!❤❤
For total of around 8K you get a very nice, comfortable and mechanically perfect car. Honestly I would drive the car for a month and then decide whether it will be mine till the scrapyard. If I like it, I would fix it all and enjoy it. For 8k you can buy newer car, but it will be coming with their list of issues and again nice fat bill to fix. I think it is time to start fixing and reusing, rather than buying new all the time and throwing away.
It all depends where you live. I live in Italy and just to have this car on your name the taxes wil cost you around 1000€. Also this is an Euro 3 petrol engine and here they will ban it from the road in big cities, already in Milan they banned Euro 5 diesel engines. If you want to keep it for a few years you have to buy at least an Euro 5 petrol engine
Great to see and really interesting, a welcome change from only new car reviews, especially considering it’s what most viewers have to consider when keeping their cars road worthy. Here’s a thought , how about you getting the work done, might as well do the paintwork on the front wing too, and give it away to one of the viewers, do this once a month with these type of cars (blast from the past) ps make sure the cars are always ULEZ compliant so people will still be able to use them Cheers - Hope this idea brings you lots more viewers!
Great video, you clearly used all your years of experience when picking this one out. I wonder how BMW feels when the tech basically says "This issue was common back in the day"!
I only just found this vid. Owned a 2002 E53 4.4i Sport from 2006 from 4 years old and ran it as my daily driver for over 10 years. I kept on top of it. Showroom standard paintwork & cosmetics. Anything worn or broken was sorted near immediately. No worn bushes, everything worked, nothing leaked or rattled......essentially mine was absent of ALL the issues highlighted here. But time snd money were involved. I sold for spares/repair when then (plastic) timing chain guides broke (they all do this at about 130k upwards on this engine). I paid about £20k used back in 2006 ...spent about the same in maintenance over 10 years and sold it for just £1,400 .....It would have cost me more than that to pay to have the timing chain guides sorted by someone who genuinely knows these engines. During ownership I had the following sorted .... Rocker gaskets Crank case vent pipes and PCV breather, coolant expansion tank, Power steering pump, 2 pas hoses , various belts, batteries, alternator, outer front cv boots (twice) ....Various bushes including rear subframe and front thrust bushes, taligate switch...various door handle cables and window cables, ...the list goes on. Folding mirrorrs are tempermental as the switches in the mirroes bend or break. Mirror glasses can fail if they are auto dimming...various part numbers depending on spec. Nav can be upgraded to a mk 4 unit . Cost effective map discs allegedly available as are software updates for 3D view (Mk4 nav only). I like the valvetronic 320hp 4.4i with the 6 speed auto on the facelift xdrive cars ....that has a more reliable 6HP24 ZF gearbox albeit that box had a "lurch"...The facelift 4.4i valvetroinic engine has its own issues with valve stem seals and a coolant pipe leak deep in engine. 4.8is has similar issues. The 4.6is has similar issuss to the pre facelift 4.4i engine and shares the same ZF5HP24 gearbox. Jury still put on the pros vs cons of changing or flushing ATF & replacing AT gearbox sump filter. Lots of good ownership memories....but not for my wallet or bank balance. I would confidently inspect & buy the right car if armed with a fault code reader, some heavy duty ramps & some bravery pills. As much grip as a sleigh in the snow unless decent winter or all season tyres fitted. I had a winter set on winter 17's same style as the factory spare. Not for the faint hearted or those who don't pay keep on top of maintenance. I must be insane...I also bought a 2005 V8 4.4 Range Rover Sport albeit that had a more (totally for me) reliable JLR engine. No idea if you still own this Mat ..(I heard you reference it in your 200k vs 2k Range Rover vid) ..but good luck if you still do. Mist stop ttping...even boring myself slightly now 😊
Watching this today looking for diy video as my E53 4.6is belt decided to give up and reading the comments gave me life to keep repairing the car for as long as it lives
I remember arriving in the uk, and someone I knew bought one new for about £36k, the demand was so high he was offered more than he paid they typically made £38k used, which 20 plus years ago was a hill of money
LOL. Two days ago I had a leaking front headlight fitted on a 5-Series F10 (2011). £1060+VAT for the headlamp. I declined the three control modules at £900+VAT! And then the labour on top, you have to remove the front bumper and stuff to get to the headlamp. This was at an independent BMW specialist. Boot release. Fixed mine last year. About £20 from Amazon. When you squeeze the release handle, you are actually pulling rubber that interacts with a microswitch that does the release electrically rather than mechanically. The rubber handle perishes, splits and stops hitting the microswitch. Really easy to swap from the outside of the car. No trim to remove. When you get the new one, you can see where you need to insert the plastic tools to release the old one. Would take about 10 minutes with care and a bit of masking tape over the paintwork, 3 minutes if you have done it before or three hours at BMW rates if they did it via the bonnet, remotely from Germany. Rattle can 🙂
@@aidenp5768 He still does. He bought Matts new car a couple months ago but never revealed it on his channel but on his Instagram. And I guess sold it either to matt or to someone else who then sold it to Matt. I guess Alex realised he didn't need to X5s.
First thing I do when I buy a second hand car is replace badges/centre caps etc, unless they have been done recently. Oh and number plates, can really change the appearance of a car.
12:25 "Is it going to be easy to fix..... or hideously expensive?" "Ummmm.... probably a combination of both" So it's not too difficult to fix, but they do tend to charge an arm and a leg for that one?
Nice car. I spend my freetime with my project E53.. to be fair those reat bushings on mine were totally ok when I took them off even they "seem bad" from the edges" and you can get them seperately, price is about 20-30e or so. Steering seems to be fixed with a pipe maybe inside of the leaking spot = causes hole to get smaller = worsens the power steering and makes it weaker. With the current prices of fuel I would not buy one of these without a diesel engine, unless it's a decoration for the yard or garage 👌🏻
These are great cars I’ve had these for years the E53 everything He said is pretty was much spot on Obviously the prices at BMW dealership are crazy but I suppose they have to pay the bills but you can get it done a lot lot cheaper plus you can change them bushes separately with other German part suppliers anyway it was great to see the e53 again many thanks
if everything does go wrong, I suggest you use what's left to engine swap something like a volvo 240 or a bmw e30 and race it against the GR yaris to see what happens 😁
My first BMW was e39 and I loved it... Oil leaks are pretty common... I bought it at 220k km (real) and by the time it made 300k km it started to need a lot of grand repairs, which costed half of the value of the car - engine oil leak, gearbox oil leak, dashboard pixels, thermostat, some electric faults, etc... And I was still removing OEM BMW parts... So tbh, the break point of that generation of BMW seems to be that mark, which is not bad at all...
Hi Mat. Check out MStyle in Romford if you ever have the time. They're BMW specialists who mainly deal in car upgrades but do service and maintenance work as well. They're much cheaper than a main dealer as you'd expect and they're an awesome bunch of people to take your car to. 👍
I live in Honduras and my Bmw X5 2011 went into the shop and they wanted to charge me 2500 $. Keep in my nothing seemed wrong with the car it was just a regular visit to the shop. This was back in 2015. So when I saw Matts total I was like "eh, its not that bad"
Be sure to let it idle for a few minutes and then rev it to check for valve stem seal leaks. Big puffs of smoke for most of the N62 engines of that era.
I love that you have access to these extremely expensive modern cars but you choose to buy something like this. I’m in the same boat and I’m looking for a 15-20 year old car that I can fix over time as a project.
I love that generation of X5. It'd be interesting to see what the cost would be for all that work from a good independent BMW specialist for comparison.
The independents run their own small shop where as BMW have to manage thousands of centres and keep them all to a high standard. Independents are hit-and-miss with many of them not being that good.
I have a 2004 X5 v6, I know exactly what your going through mat, like you I need to fix a few things on it to make it as good as it once was, BUT & I have made the calculation it would cost more than what I've paid for it, so I'm conflicted, I'm trying to mend it to the best of my ability & let me tell you, it is a continuous personal suffering on an economic level. The thing is, I like my car & I refuse to give up on it regardless of everyone's advice to do so
Hey Mat, don't go to a BMW dealership with a car of that age. ) As a former owner of several BMWs of that age, in the UK, and looking at the things that need to be done on this particular car, they can be done for around 1,000 GBP in a decent garage, with decent OEM parts. ...And, don't try to fix the motor oil leakage, it's impossible to fix it on those cars. I've tried a few times. )) Just top up the oil from time to time.
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Can we please have the Hyundai getz sx on carwow please day 98
Mat Watson. What will it take for the Hyundai getz to get on carwow
any updates on your tesla
I don't think it's a mistake but I think if you got a 3.0 diesel is more reliable than the V8
search for x5 v8 straight pipe on YT ,listen to that sound if you get chance ,been thinking of getting the 4.8is they are dirt cheap now,maybe a project car,8-15mpg is criminal tho
I would be more worried if it doesn't leak oil because that means there's probably no oil in it at all.
And this is probably why when my friend buys used cars, he immediately goes full send redlining all the way on the highway.
Because surely it should be able to survive that if there's oil right?....
makes me think that youve owned more than one BMW with that comment
😂
😂😂
The timing chain is gonna be pain in the a**
Do more videos with Mitch! You guys are brilliant together and his knowledge is amazing
Mitch should BMW repair videos. Would watch that all day.
Mitch sounds like he's an Aussie. I wonder where he hails from? And if you think those BMW parts sound expensive in the UK, you should see how much they are here down under. Shocking!
A great change from new car reviews. This format was so interesting to watch with the master mechanics input and all the great detail covered. This is very relateable to anyone who drives an older vehicle. One of your best Mat.
Agreed. I enjoyed this video and it was nice to see the channel covering older cars. Especially as I own a BMW X5 and live in it almost fulltime, sleeping, cooking, travelling, and exploring the wild regions, on and off-road. Mine's a 2005 6-gear auto 3L diesel Sport. I've owned it for several years and can honestly say it's one of the best cars I've ever owned. The only weak point on a very solid SUV, is the weak internal door lock mechanisms (the clips are not sturdy enough for such heavy doors). It's a dream to drive and so smooth for such s heavy vehicle, sticking to the bends like glue, with no role, and very smooth on the motorway. And I've yet to ever get it stuck off-road in rough conditions. I love it! ☺️
100% agreed.
Mitch seems like a stand up guy...that's a great trait in a car repair scenario.
Aussie..
@@petesmitt plenty of bad Aussies, especially in Aus. i've met a fair few
He's only doing it for the cameras
I miss my XC90 V8 from 2006. What a fun car that was. Safe, reliable, lots of smile / mile. Same size engine, even a bit more power. Nothing beats a V8 roar when you power sliding in the mud :)
Until this week I didnt even know volvo put a v8 in their cars, and a yamaha v8 at that. Sounds sick, too bad they stopped making them and fuckin co2 tax here is insane, even if I wanted a really old one.
@@dwade3202 I still got my S80 V8, as I had both. Tax is crazy, even if its a weekend car you still pay full.
My friend has one..I love it..( I have an xc70)
Finally a real driver that knows how the car drives nice
@@dwade3202 Noble used the same engine in the M600, they gave it twin turbos and it made 650bhp
Should do more videos with this guy, great chemistry between you both
Mitch is just tolerable guy
Hi Mat, super nice vid, make more of this format please! The rear bushings can be bought separately OEM and pressed in quite easily. Recently did it on my E65 730i. Saves you €2000 on parts! I could fix your car properly for half that bill...cheers!
Actually now he's made a video about it he can claim the repair costs on his tax bill.. Basically the only reason he made the video lol..
your missing the point this video is just for content its probably from auction and straight back he ain't ever going to fix it
@@MrTomo89Na a days wage to buy then a days wage to sell just for one video?
@@robert7622 for a channel with over 790k subscibers? I'd say yes.
You are welcome to come and fix all my bushing 😂
Found a gem in 2020…2002 X5 3.0d, all the options, no dead pixels, 30k miles and showroom clean. Previous owner even had carpets specifically made for the rear sliding load tray.
A lot of this stuff is DIY-able. Go on Matt, do it. BMW quoted me £1,265 for discs and pads for my X3. I did it myself for £350 in parts.
@@welshrecon Don't know about an X5, but they're about 40 or 50 quid for X3 power folds. Don't even need to be in the same colour either, as the panel is swappable.
So typical of BMW's design to deactivate the DIY and build mechanical alliances on the (S)tealership. (Only) a God-like intervention could help BMW kill the plastic covers subliminally arranged to tell the DIY person to "keep your hands off"! However, that is not the philosophy of BMW to build a consumer-friendly automobile; that concept would hurt their bottom-line profits.
just replaced all my discs 3 hours ago with ceramic brakes and discs. $400 in total. I also repaired my engine and stuff by myself. Overall I woulda have had to spend like $3000 somewhere but I did everything by myself for only $800.
I think it’s awesome that BMW sanctioned this with one of their master techs. It’s great seeing how it’s not only new cars they’re interested in scalping you for but older classics too! But the enthusiasm Mitch shows for this E53 demonstrates that despite the real world costs associated with owning older premium brand cars, they can still put a smile on your face when you mash the accelerator!
I had one of these, same motor, same issues, and I loved it!
That is the real cost of European manufactured and service products that you do not see in cars that are built with slave camp components that are ultra cheap for a reason. BMW are a luxury car and hence they will cost more to repair.
@@bighands69 The design of the car is gross. It has been arranged to drain your wallet in the hype without the real-world value benefit of a well-designed, crafted automobile. BMW has lost its competitive edge and values profit over constructive builds.
@@arvadacounselingcenterinc.7284
You can try and make excuses for cars containing slave labour all you want.
@@bighands69 Do you not look at all the tube videos of the assembly of BMW, like some of the Volvo's. Really?
@@arvadacounselingcenterinc.7284 What's gross about it? I've done work on mine...It's not so bad to work on. I did the rear suspension, re-sealed the rear differential, and replaced the transfer case. It all came apart and went back together pretty easily. I did the front bushings mentioned in this video as well. All I had to do was unbolt the front end, drop them down, and replace the bushings with a simple press tool.
This account is so awesome! My dad owns an X3 from 2012 and it has been with us till now. It has 565'000 kilometers and it already needed 2 engines rebuilt. Classic BMW 😂
Other older BMWs would do laps around the world after a modern bmw needs a rebuild. M50, M52, M54, N52, even the n62 version of x5s have done that amount of milage without needing a rebuild.
@@aidenp5768 hopefully the B58 can prove to return to the reliability routes of BMW
I didnt know the X3 had two engines
@@S58985 I have a feeling the B58 will definitely bring back the reliability.
@@S58985 definitely, the B series range in general are showing early signs of being extremely reliable
I used to hate this generation of X5 when it was relatively new but i kinda like it now. My uncle bought one of those when they first came out around 2001 i believe, he still owns it today with nearly 290,000 miles on it and counting, he's retired and uses it to travel from Los Angeles to Las Vegas frequently.
My old car 😉
Oh yeah I remember you used to have this car in one of your videos
Why did he chose this vs newer models tho. Didn't hear him. Newer models are supposed to drive better and be superior in about every category no?
@@martinkulik9466 nostalgia
@@martinkulik9466 These are way less complex mechanically and they don’t have the old iDrive system which is horribly dated and unusable today. Also these old X5s are future classics
That’s why nothing has been repaired yet!
I ❤ this gen steering racks and pumps, there is no better feeling, u can actually feel the road and tires.
Looks like a fun project car! Would be nice to see some more content on it as you sort through some of the repairs.
Mine is almost the exact same spec, 2001 4.4l black on black with Sport Package. I've had it since 2013 with 90km on it, now at 210km. I've done nearly every bushing and joint front and rear. Rear subframe bushings were in the worst shape. Replaced the front struts with bilsteins. Radiator problems are common (I've replaced it twice!), and so is the ABS module which I had remanufactured (highly recommend). Valve cover seals have been done twice, and will be done again soon. I tow a camping trailer with it and it always amazes me how well it tows. It's a great vehicle to drive, handles extremely well and still looks great in and out.
Good to see an Aussie representing BMW in the UK. Keep up the good work mate! Cheers
I'm not even Australian but I was so proud of Mitch!
He sounds Kiwi, not Australian.
@@numbereightyseven He said in the video he was Australian, so what he sounds like is irrelevant lol
@@numbereightyseven The accent is most definitely Australian. No doubt.🦘🇦🇺
Couple months ago I saw a fantastic example of these. Same spec, black, 4.4i, pre-facelift. Absolutely stunning inside out, and it was slightly cheaper than yours. May also have been slightly better condition than yours though haha the body work was perfect, the paintwork untouched and interior completely stock. Look forward to your adventures with this car!
@@AL-PAKA And why is that?
@@Thisath100 have a guess, duh.
@@AL-PAKA I really can't buddy.
I found that really interesting. The technician was really honest and its good that bmw have the faith to stand by their products. Matt has bought an interesting car which made a great video.
If you throw money at them, BMW will keep it running.
So I bought a 118i 2009, under 60K miles, full BMW service history, pretty immaculate outside and unmarked inside. A real keeper I thought . Put a tow bar on it. Replaced the windscreen as there were some scratches. Just loved it for a few months, into covid shutdowns etc so put hardly any miles on it and then started to hear a little knocking. Decided to take it to local BMW dealership and paid for a diagnostic survey. Cost £90, got a report and video that said it needed further investigation but torque converter was probably the problem, plus a whine from the diff needed further investigation plus suspect wheel bearing. My local garage wouldn’t touch the torque converter but a local BMW “ specialist” looked at it and diagnosed cam chain problem and not torque converter. Paid £2k to have that done and the knocking noise was still there . Told my local garage about it. They looked at it and suggested it was No 4 big end. Took off the sump and stripped it down and hey presto! They were right. I had a choice. Keep going or scrap it. Yeah, I scrapped it and that paid my local garage bill! What have I learned ? Main dealership service history is no guarantee, you can’t trust BMW main agents perhaps and paying them to diagnose a problem is also no guarantee they get it right, BMW specialists aren’t any better and it turns out your local private family run garage is probably your best bet. I’m lucky I could afford to make the mistakes but for some folk wasting a few grand would be devastating.
Great car and great video, Mat.
BMW Service always seem to have great staff.
I had 2003 4.6iS in Australia and it was brilliant - 350bhp and massive wide wheels as option 295/55 20 front and 315/55 20 on rear. Gripped like anything.
Had issue with the pixels on the display that I managed to repair with an ebay kit myself - surprisingly.
Shame I had to sell it but the garage was full - something had to go!
Running boards are the best and most practical I've had.
Mat, just watched this and it made think about my own 17 year old Touareg and how it is not anywhere near the condition of this X5, so I'm going to email VW for their comments on mine vs yours. Fabulous video and what a great pick you made in getting this car. Keep up the great videos, very informative. Go Carwow!!
Love the E53. Had one myself but with the 6 cyl 3 liter petrol engine. Was a good and solid car for me.
Those parts prices bear no resemblance to the actual cost to make and to ship to the UK. When you add in the margin for the UK importer and then the margin for the dealer on top of that you are looking a a multiple of the actual cost. My tip is to buy OEM parts from Bosch, Hella and the like or good serviceable second hand parts from eBay.
I have a manual 6 cylinder X5 this is the one to get it is very short geared which makes it very lively under 80kph and it is very surprisingly quick it will spin the wheels for 2-3 metres if you want to drop the clutch, the manual is the fun one.
Yep been there. Remapped 3.0d was like a subaru impreza
As James May saying. Love that STANDARD geniune shop and the guy is so pro and calm. Shoutout mat for this video !
THe N62 will have all the leaks... for sure, but once fixed you'll be good for another 100K miles. More if you also fit a lower temperature thermostat.
May do this. Thanks for the advice. After filming this the passenger door handle failed tho.
It's an M62 actually. Supposedly better.
@@MatWatsonCars yep, but not much :)
@@MatWatsonCars And I was wondering, how all the doors are working still.. XD
This is a M62 unfortunately these suffered timing chain issues
A refreshing and honest way to look at "real" car ownership. There was some x-certificate stuff, like the sub 20 mpg, but all the major issues covered and I for one was relieved that Mat had got himself quite a bargain there. Nice to hear a Midlands accent as well. I've had my fill of know it all southerners boasting how they have just "stolen" a car "off of" someone who was a bit vulnerable.
Someone else who hates the term “off of”. It seems to have wormed its way into every day parlance. 😖
“Bargain”? This obsolete X5 E53 from 1999 is an out and out economic write off.
I've seen enough of these over the years to always check the front axle shaft rubber boots. They're almost always cracked. $25 for a new boot and $500 for the labor in putting it on per side. The V8 is the one to stay away from as they have timing chain guide issues when they're over 100k miles and also leaking coolant transfer tubes and blown PCV valve issues. Hopefully this one has had these looked at already. The E53 6 cylinders are pretty bulletproof.
As long as you replace the timing chain guides before they go bad you're fine. The problem with the inline sixes are not the engine, but that the transmission they're connected to is even worse than the one they put behind the V8s. They're both pretty bad though!
I have a 02 x5 4.4i v8 and it’s definitely leaking coolant and needs the pcv valve. Also got a fuel tank and starter replaced. Needed wire work due to mice getting in the engine I was told. Not including a new dash display. I’m not sure what other issues I might run into
Now get a cost together of all the same work done at an independent garage + use second had parts for the door mirrors etc. I'll bet you can get the bushes for the swing arms too, they will just have to be pressed in and out.
This was a really informative video. I would like to see more content like this. As a matter of fact you can make a video of the repairs , especially if you are going to keep the vehicle for a while.
Mitch is definitely right about the rattle. I have both an 02 e46 and 03 e53.
The e53 is as quiet as it gets, except for the slight rattle rear passenger door cards give when the car is at an incline due to some of the glue wearing off off the door (easy fix if Im not so lazy). Other than that, zero rattling.
The e46 on the other hand has so much rattling from the engine bay, to the interiors, to the bushings, that I just dont bother anymore. I just learn to live with it.
Tbf though, the e46 have double the mileage of the e53.
The BMW chap was good content.. he knows his stuff 👍
Servicing a 20 year-old car at an authorised garage doesn't make any sense. There are loads of independent garages and after-market parts that can reduce the cost up to more than 60%, including VAT and labour. Moreover, there are used-parts centres where one can find just about anything, especially for the X5 model which has been so popular in Europe. After-market parts come in various qualities and, more often than not, they can be better than the originals. I used to have a Golf which needed a clutch set. The official service centre asked for 1200 euros to replace it, including labour. I bought the exact same part (VWs use SACHS clutch sets) for just 180 euros. I took it to a qualified independent mechanic who charged me 120 euros to install it. EU legislation clearly states that warranty does not become void if the repairs are made by a qualified mechanic, even with after-market parts, as long as the latter do not deviate from the manufacturers' part specifications and standards. Independent mechanics can stamp and update any car's service book, without affecting the warranty.
I had one of these - 3 litre turbo diesel. Great car but had loads of issues with alloys cracking. Still did 100,000 miles in it without any major mechanical issues. Great to drive.
as in the wheels?
My '03 4.4 X5 (sport package) has over 230k miles on it, still running strong.
The E53 spt pkg is a great driving vehicle that lasts a long time, IF it's properly maintained.
Just installed a set of Hawk Talon rotors and Hawk 5.0 pads when I installed the 19" staggered rims/summer Ultrac Vorti tires this spring. I run P-Zero all seasons on non staggered 18" in the cold weather. Almost all the miles have been in Florida and Texas.
I’ve got a 2001 E53 4.4 which I’ve had for 10 years. Can’t find anything to replace it with that offers the same drive, rarity and value for money so it’s staying with me. Ace. I’m looking forward to seeing the repairs that aren’t needed. All I would would be to service the transmission and change the engine oil then use it. Subscription added.
Brilliant video. Perfect car, matts banter and an aussie mechanics banter. The little sly dig at the labour charge of the badge fitting 🤣🤣
The great thing about these old BMWs is you can do most of the repairs yourself. So many videos / blogs out there!
Lemförder makes those swingarm bushes separate you can replace but thats not what BMW will do, only DIY or independent.
As someone looking to buy and older BMW myself, this was a great review. Mitch was a great guest. His knowledge was👌
Don’t. Too bloody costly and stressful to contemplate trying to revive an obsolete X5 E53. Hoovie’s Garage made an similar video with an identical conclusion from an American perspective.
I just love this man! so funny and yet, at the same time, giving good informations in his videos!
I've got an E53 4.6iS, an E46 330 Vert, an E39 540i and a E38 735i and they each cost me about a months salary to buy and another months salary for parts and preventative maintenance. I could have bought one new povvo pack Kia with that money, but I don't think their options include heated real nappa leather, xenons, adequate power or timeless style.
Got an E53 3.0D myself. Really love it, despite having had a few problems but if I could start the process again I'd have bought a V8 as the economy is not that much worse than the diesel. And has V8 noise...
Also, absolute revelation with the spare wheel carrier.... I've probably lifted mine in and out about 10 times now. Always been quite a challenge...
Enjoyed your content,very professional and easy to follow so well done,I had a brand new x5 3.0d sport in 2004 and had it 7 years and did 200,000 miles with just regular maintenance,a really solid car,never had one since,had an M3 then M5 then a 640 cabriolet which I still have now and will probably keep forever as i now do very little mileage,keep up the good work 👍
Thanks for explaining so well why old expensive cars end their life in the crusher even though they’re still repairable.
You have got to be bloody kidding. The long obsolete E53 X5 from 1999 is well and truly passed its economic lifespan as the repairs total a staggering £4972. It is any wonder that most E53s have been scrapped?
@@user-kc1tf7zm3b I don’t understand what you said.
@@MrAndreCoutinho Mat Watson, the channel host, spent £2,700 on the BMW X5 E53 which dates back to 1999. We are now well into the 2020s, so this clunker is from _three_ decades ago back in the 1990s.
The repair bill is a staggering £4,972. So the combined X5 purchase and repair cost is a whopping £7,672, which is a huge amount of money to spend on an old and obsolete late 1990s car.
As any accountant will quickly attest, this BMW X5 is just not worth it as the costs are too high. Plus, at the end of the day, the driver is still left with a 24 year old car. Pointless.
@@MrAndreCoutinho Tradução. Você só pode estar brincando. O longo e obsoleto E53 X5 de 1999 passou bem e verdadeiramente sua vida útil econômica, já que os reparos totalizam um valor impressionante de £ 4.972. É de se admirar que a maioria dos E53s tenham sido descartados?
@@MrAndreCoutinho Tradução. Mat Watson, o apresentador do canal, gastou £ 2.700 no BMW X5 E53, que remonta a 1999. Agora estamos na década de 2020, então este clunker é de _três_ décadas atrás, na década de 1990.
A conta do reparo é de impressionantes £ 4.972. Portanto, o custo combinado de compra e reparo do X5 é de £ 7.672, o que é uma quantia enorme de dinheiro para gastar em um carro velho e obsoleto do final dos anos 1990.
Como qualquer contador atestará rapidamente, este BMW X5 simplesmente não vale a pena porque os custos são muito altos. Além disso, no final das contas, o motorista ainda fica com um carro de 24 anos. Sem sentido.
You didn't ask about the gearbox. Having had a 2003 diesel I constantly had gearbox problems I think mainly caused by BMW saying that the oil will last a lifetime, well the gearbox has a lifetime of less than 85000 miles. Good luck, lovely car ridiculous parts costs and you'll need a lot of them.
HAHAHA I love you, Mat! Cheeky roast of the BMW labour at the end was brilliant! His uncomfortable face during your shock at the costings was priceless. Please never change
To be honest every single main dealer is like that and the workers know it's a rip off but they don't price the repairs lol
@@rg6982 yeah, it’s why a service costs so much for 1.5 hours (listed) of work. They are charging over £100 an hour
Every service item basically includes a wash/vacuum, because if the customer only wants the cheapest line item done - they'd lose out on that labour cost, which makes a 2min job £20.
Thanks Matt. We had a similar 2003 pre-facelift v8 from new for 12 years. Quality engine & paintwork. Yes we had to update the pixels & other parts per service manual, but otherwise great v8 vehicle.
Looking back & comparing to current generation, it's the perfect size, similar to an X3.
To small fot this kinds car
I own this exact same car (in LHD) with nearly 150k miles, had it since it showed 43k miles. The list of repairs, almost all diy, is a mile long. Most critically: the torque converter failed taking the transmission with it at 93k, the ABS module failed (...twice!). The suspension has been refreshed at least twice and the engine has been out to replace all the seals and do the timing and Vanos at 130k. The front drive shaft splines let go at 149k. My kids drive this car every day and I put quite a few miles on it as well. It is a great drivers' car, just gobbles up the miles. Still love it despite owning a much newer and faster Cayenne as well. I think that having the E39 DNA is what makes this such a fun car to drive!
It's basically a e39 In SUV form and I want one now lol
I recently purchased an E39 sedan in what appears to me immaculate condition. From the second owner, garage kept and serviced at the same dealer since new. I will be doing preventative maintance on the cooling system as well as plugs & coils. There's just something about these "old" types of cars that you can't get anymore in newer cars. I'm very much looking forward to the experience.
As a car enthousiast, I think you'll love the X5 as long as it's working properly.
E39 was made in Germany while all E53 were made in USA. There is a huge difference in quality between the two. Even the E46 feels better put together.
@@darek4488 That's very true. I often try to tell Americans that the BMW Models they claim are unreliable all turn out to have been both produced in Germany and the USA and since they live in the USA, they got the US made BMW Model.
On top of that the USA has not something like the "TÜV" as we do in Germany which basically forces you to take good care of your Car, do Oil Changes as regularly as the Manufacturer tells you and with the Oil needed as well.
In the USA the Laws are much more lax regarding Car Maintenance, Oil Changes, this is why in the USA they got "Beaters" as they call them, Beaters wouldn't even be allowed on the Road here.
So in conclusion BMWs here are considered super reliable and i'm sure a lot of People who claim their BMW constantly breaks down and has issues is because they didn't take proper Care of the Car, postponed Oil Changes etc.
@@chartreux1532 I am sorry, are you talking about the lifetime transmission fluid or engine oil every 30000km, including the first engine oil change in a new car? Because this is exactly what BMW recommended.
@@chartreux1532X5 also produced in Mexico
Love these kind of videos. More Mat!! My weekend car is an L322 Range Rover with this M62 engine. Lovely! 👌🏻 and yes I’ve done the rocker cover gaskets as mine were leaking too. 😂
you might say that spending that isn't worth it but a new one will depreciate while this won't and if you take it to a local garage it will probably have lower maintenance costs over time so you will still be spending way more on a new one so if you don't care about the latest tech i think this is still a good deal.
if you fix this it will fail again. its a never ending circle
18.3 miles per gallon might get a bit expensive though. 9:15
Na something else will then break. Thats the way of old cars, every inspection bill will be higher then the last one.
Mr.Mat Watson i will tell you one thing this mk1 e53 for sure will be oldtimer in next few days believe,i have mk1 first 7 series e23 and nowdays price went up really high specially in my country of course restored one.
Best regards from:Croatia
Nice to see older cars getting a look in. Good purchase Mathew
You are missing the point. The true intention of the video piece is to dissuade unsophisticated intending BMW owners to avoid buying old and obsolete cars altogether. As expected, the BMW X5 E53 is an economic write off.
When I saw this video I got very happy since I got a facelift 3.0d lemans blue sport edition. Great car and pulls strong. I think for the money you have bought a good one I wasn't so lucky with mine the whole suspension needed doing basically and now there's this annoying squeak from the front wheels 😒
I also bought one from 2001. But it had lots of problems. I've already spent about 4000€ on mine. The electrical problems have been the hardest solve. Good choice mate.
"It has lots of problems"
"Great choice mate"
I can feel that something is wrong.
So its full of problems yet its a good choice?
@@obamalore No. The car had problems because the previous owner didn't take good care of it. But now it's almost ready, and it's awesome.
How much did you buy it for Joao
@@grimekitty3381 Hi. I payed 11k €
I just sold my old X5 4.4i from 2002 after owning it for more than 10 years and still love that car. 😊
V8’s are never a mistake😂
🤔No,just bloody expensive to run! Especially with ⛽ petrol prices at record levels......
@@alancrisp1582 to be fair, my V8 745i averages 12.1L/100km (23mpg UK) - my 1M is 18L/100 (15.7 MPG) and my E63 M6 is 26L/100km (10.9 mpg)
@@BMW1M 🤔Yes point taken. Hay ,I myself run a classic 1995 Bentley Brooklands, as a weekend vehicle. Absolutely love it, but could not afford to run it as a daily car,at least at this time ,with record ⛽ petrol prices!............
@@alancrisp1582 oh wow!
I’m a total sucker for old school luxo-barges - I can only imagine! ❤️
Rover V8: allow me to introduce myself
I love your reviews . Especially of this car, my favourite car. Great review this way, with the mechanic next to you.
That first generation X5 is a timeless SUV, and still has a nice presence on the road to this day :) Also gotta love that 4.4L V8~
It's absolutely hideous. It looks like a cockroach
Just a bit sad that it was baisic car inspection
Nothing special about e53
Cause there is some problems with them
Like prefl gearboxes needs remaping, that boot button and the plate lights are also very commonly damaged.
Other then that, congrats! 🎉I bought the same one 3weeks ago, and now you did too.
Looking forward seeing it more on the channel
Take care!❤❤
For total of around 8K you get a very nice, comfortable and mechanically perfect car. Honestly I would drive the car for a month and then decide whether it will be mine till the scrapyard. If I like it, I would fix it all and enjoy it. For 8k you can buy newer car, but it will be coming with their list of issues and again nice fat bill to fix. I think it is time to start fixing and reusing, rather than buying new all the time and throwing away.
He can get all the work done at a local garage and buy non bmw parts just as good , £1000 most
@@sahmedt9 A bit more than 1000£ but less than 2k£
It all depends where you live. I live in Italy and just to have this car on your name the taxes wil cost you around 1000€. Also this is an Euro 3 petrol engine and here they will ban it from the road in big cities, already in Milan they banned Euro 5 diesel engines. If you want to keep it for a few years you have to buy at least an Euro 5 petrol engine
Great to see and really interesting, a welcome change from only new car reviews, especially considering it’s what most viewers have to consider when keeping their cars road worthy. Here’s a thought , how about you getting the work done, might as well do the paintwork on the front wing too, and give it away to one of the viewers, do this once a month with these type of cars (blast from the past) ps make sure the cars are always ULEZ compliant so people will still be able to use them
Cheers - Hope this idea brings you lots more viewers!
Great video, you clearly used all your years of experience when picking this one out. I wonder how BMW feels when the tech basically says "This issue was common back in the day"!
Yep same for overly complex Audi's of a similar era such as the known issues on A6 allroads 😆
I only just found this vid.
Owned a 2002 E53 4.4i Sport from 2006 from 4 years old and ran it as my daily driver for over 10 years.
I kept on top of it. Showroom standard paintwork & cosmetics. Anything worn or broken was sorted near immediately. No worn bushes, everything worked, nothing leaked or rattled......essentially mine was absent of ALL the issues highlighted here. But time snd money were involved.
I sold for spares/repair when then (plastic) timing chain guides broke (they all do this at about 130k upwards on this engine).
I paid about £20k used back in 2006 ...spent about the same in maintenance over 10 years and sold it for just £1,400 .....It would have cost me more than that to pay to have the timing chain guides sorted by someone who genuinely knows these engines.
During ownership I had the following sorted ....
Rocker gaskets
Crank case vent pipes and PCV breather, coolant expansion tank, Power steering pump, 2 pas hoses , various belts, batteries, alternator, outer front cv boots (twice) ....Various bushes including rear subframe and front thrust bushes, taligate switch...various door handle cables and window cables, ...the list goes on. Folding mirrorrs are tempermental as the switches in the mirroes bend or break. Mirror glasses can fail if they are auto dimming...various part numbers depending on spec. Nav can be upgraded to a mk 4 unit . Cost effective map discs allegedly available as are software updates for 3D view (Mk4 nav only).
I like the valvetronic 320hp 4.4i with the 6 speed auto on the facelift xdrive cars ....that has a more reliable 6HP24 ZF gearbox albeit that box had a "lurch"...The facelift 4.4i valvetroinic engine has its own issues with valve stem seals and a coolant pipe leak deep in engine. 4.8is has similar issues. The 4.6is has similar issuss to the pre facelift 4.4i engine and shares the same ZF5HP24 gearbox. Jury still put on the pros vs cons of changing or flushing ATF & replacing AT gearbox sump filter.
Lots of good ownership memories....but not for my wallet or bank balance.
I would confidently inspect & buy the right car if armed with a fault code reader, some heavy duty ramps & some bravery pills.
As much grip as a sleigh in the snow unless decent winter or all season tyres fitted. I had a winter set on winter 17's same style as the factory spare.
Not for the faint hearted or those who don't pay keep on top of maintenance.
I must be insane...I also bought a 2005 V8 4.4 Range Rover Sport albeit that had a more (totally for me) reliable JLR engine.
No idea if you still own this Mat ..(I heard you reference it in your 200k vs 2k Range Rover vid) ..but good luck if you still do.
Mist stop ttping...even boring myself slightly now 😊
Yesss mattttt. Upload regularly please on this one 👌👌👌👌
Watching this today looking for diy video as my E53 4.6is belt decided to give up and reading the comments gave me life to keep repairing the car for as long as it lives
I remember arriving in the uk, and someone I knew bought one new for about £36k, the demand was so high he was offered more than he paid they typically made £38k used, which 20 plus years ago was a hill of money
Yeah I recall this being an issue in 2006 I think also, in the end we got a 7 series instead as the wait was too long for the X5
24:25 , Any mechanic knows, you don't go changing parts just based off of fault codes.
Lovely purchase I remember when these used to be the top notch cars back in the day 👏
LOL. Two days ago I had a leaking front headlight fitted on a 5-Series F10 (2011). £1060+VAT for the headlamp. I declined the three control modules at £900+VAT! And then the labour on top, you have to remove the front bumper and stuff to get to the headlamp. This was at an independent BMW specialist.
Boot release. Fixed mine last year. About £20 from Amazon. When you squeeze the release handle, you are actually pulling rubber that interacts with a microswitch that does the release electrically rather than mechanically. The rubber handle perishes, splits and stops hitting the microswitch. Really easy to swap from the outside of the car. No trim to remove. When you get the new one, you can see where you need to insert the plastic tools to release the old one. Would take about 10 minutes with care and a bit of masking tape over the paintwork, 3 minutes if you have done it before or three hours at BMW rates if they did it via the bonnet, remotely from Germany.
Rattle can 🙂
That's a very nice car u bought Mat,it's a proper drivers car,congrats cheers
E53, E39, E83, E46 petrol versions are great cars for the DIY mechanics
Ayyyy! That's Autoalexs old V8 X5! I was wondering what he did with it!! Now I know!
Yup
Alex had a red e53 x5 though?
@@aidenp5768 He still does. He bought Matts new car a couple months ago but never revealed it on his channel but on his Instagram. And I guess sold it either to matt or to someone else who then sold it to Matt. I guess Alex realised he didn't need to X5s.
First thing I do when I buy a second hand car is replace badges/centre caps etc, unless they have been done recently. Oh and number plates, can really change the appearance of a car.
I agree with you on that point.
12:25 "Is it going to be easy to fix..... or hideously expensive?"
"Ummmm.... probably a combination of both"
So it's not too difficult to fix, but they do tend to charge an arm and a leg for that one?
yes
@6:14 Fun fact. It was never a propeller as almost everybody thinks, it was the Bavarian flag 😀
Matt: So if I need to smoke I'll just jump into the back.
Master technician: Yes, yes, it's good for the kids.'
Me: O_o'
Now take it an independent specialist and save up to 30% on labour costs
Hey Matt love your videos on this channel keep them up.👍
Nice car. I spend my freetime with my project E53.. to be fair those reat bushings on mine were totally ok when I took them off even they "seem bad" from the edges" and you can get them seperately, price is about 20-30e or so. Steering seems to be fixed with a pipe maybe inside of the leaking spot = causes hole to get smaller = worsens the power steering and makes it weaker. With the current prices of fuel I would not buy one of these without a diesel engine, unless it's a decoration for the yard or garage 👌🏻
I think you might found something here!🎉
More videos like this pls!
Very informative and entertaining😊
These are great cars I’ve had these for years the E53 everything He said is pretty was much spot on Obviously the prices at BMW dealership are crazy but I suppose they have to pay the bills but you can get it done a lot lot cheaper plus you can change them bushes separately with other German part suppliers anyway it was great to see the e53 again many thanks
I love that X5! I would love to own the 4.8is Facelift of the E53 😍
Good video this one and explains a lot about Park Lane BMW.
if everything does go wrong, I suggest you use what's left to engine swap something like a volvo 240 or a bmw e30 and race it against the GR yaris to see what happens 😁
E36 would be cheaper option i think. Mate of mine has an e30 and he spent my whole Miatas worth on just some engine and trans parts last year.
My first BMW was e39 and I loved it... Oil leaks are pretty common... I bought it at 220k km (real) and by the time it made 300k km it started to need a lot of grand repairs, which costed half of the value of the car - engine oil leak, gearbox oil leak, dashboard pixels, thermostat, some electric faults, etc... And I was still removing OEM BMW parts... So tbh, the break point of that generation of BMW seems to be that mark, which is not bad at all...
I love these so much, I hope you fully restore this one.
I borrowed a new one 4.4 V8 back in the early 2000’s , drove to France and back, very impressed 👌🏻😎
Hi Mat. Check out MStyle in Romford if you ever have the time. They're BMW specialists who mainly deal in car upgrades but do service and maintenance work as well. They're much cheaper than a main dealer as you'd expect and they're an awesome bunch of people to take your car to. 👍
I wouldn't worry, matt can afford it.....
I live in Honduras and my Bmw X5 2011 went into the shop and they wanted to charge me 2500 $. Keep in my nothing seemed wrong with the car it was just a regular visit to the shop. This was back in 2015. So when I saw Matts total I was like "eh, its not that bad"
I'm looking to pick a 2006 4.8 iS V8 soon and cant fathom why I love this era of BMW. A good video.
It’s just a solid era of cars
Be sure to let it idle for a few minutes and then rev it to check for valve stem seal leaks. Big puffs of smoke for most of the N62 engines of that era.
I love that you have access to these extremely expensive modern cars but you choose to buy something like this. I’m in the same boat and I’m looking for a 15-20 year old car that I can fix over time as a project.
I have always liked these, despite hating SUV's as a whole. Seems a decent one for being in a wet environment.
I love that generation of X5. It'd be interesting to see what the cost would be for all that work from a good independent BMW specialist for comparison.
The independents run their own small shop where as BMW have to manage thousands of centres and keep them all to a high standard. Independents are hit-and-miss with many of them not being that good.
I had a 2006 x5 it would cut out when I'd stop, real pain in the ass but loved how it looked and drove
I have a 2004 X5 v6, I know exactly what your going through mat, like you I need to fix a few things on it to make it as good as it once was, BUT & I have made the calculation it would cost more than what I've paid for it, so I'm conflicted, I'm trying to mend it to the best of my ability & let me tell you, it is a continuous personal suffering on an economic level.
The thing is, I like my car & I refuse to give up on it regardless of everyone's advice to do so
Hey Mat, don't go to a BMW dealership with a car of that age. ) As a former owner of several BMWs of that age, in the UK, and looking at the things that need to be done on this particular car, they can be done for around 1,000 GBP in a decent garage, with decent OEM parts. ...And, don't try to fix the motor oil leakage, it's impossible to fix it on those cars. I've tried a few times. )) Just top up the oil from time to time.