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BMW X5 Maintenance and Repair
I have recently purchased a new X5. Since
ownership (8 weeks), the car has
been back to the dealer 4 times for the same
problem - remote locking only
works intermittently.
Have you heard of anyone else having the same
problems? - I live in Chicago
and they think it may be a frequency interference
with the antenna. At
least 5 other cars are known to have this problem.
It seems that the BMW Series 7 also has this
problem in Chicago.
Otherwise, this is a great car!
ownership (8 weeks), the car has
been back to the dealer 4 times for the same
problem - remote locking only
works intermittently.
Have you heard of anyone else having the same
problems? - I live in Chicago
and they think it may be a frequency interference
with the antenna. At
least 5 other cars are known to have this problem.
It seems that the BMW Series 7 also has this
problem in Chicago.
Otherwise, this is a great car!
Tagged:
0
Comments
motivation to pull one off the assembly line.
This problem relates to the mechanism/valve that siphons gas from one side of the tank to the other.
Issues for a buyer to be aware of when purchasing a first year model year - this kind of
delay is disappointing.
Any other owners with similar problems?
I am not sure what that means, that you have to have FORD reliability as back up for the superlative MB ??
The defects are a whine when the AM radio is on (need to hear trffic reports in the SFBay Area) and the phone installation: the hands-free mike doesn't work, & they are supposed to fix it tomorrow.
My Service Dep't fell down on the job in several ways; fortunately the sales side helped save the experience.
I agree with the stereotype that Japanese-built vehicles are generally more dependable. Also, in my experience, they lack a certain "soul" that provides more driving enjoyment. Many people don't care about this--a car is another appliance, so it must just do its job & be reliable. If you also subscribe the the "slow in, fast out" school though, then German heritage is hard to beat.
My 3.0's workmanship, fit and finish was just perfect, though. I think the mirror memory glitched once, but I'm not sure. Today, I had to do a turn-and-cut in a small parking lot; full steering wheel lock, a/c running, no hint of engine bogging down or stalling. It has never done anything surprising like that.
Wow! I thought I was the only one! I was ready to buy a 3.0 X5 "cancellation order" the dealer had right on the spot. I took a test drive, and I found the "booming" sound caused by the open sunroof to be really annoying. The sound went away when I opened at least one other window, but then the wind through the cabin was just as irritating (at approx. 35mph).
From this forum, I had heard of the AM radio "whine" problem caused by the alternator. The X5 I tested had the same problem. The sales person tried to persuade me that "no one listens to AM radio anyway", but then let me know that BMW plans to issue a fix shortly that would be covered under warranty.
Also, I noticed that the rear seat headrests don't allow for a full "flush" fit with the backs of the front seats when they are folded down to increase storage space. Did I just miss something, or are these headrests permanently fixed in position?
I've owned BMW's before, and I've always found the standard sound systems to be only adequate. The same is true in this car. Inside the dealership, I sat in another X5 with the 12-speaker DSP option, and the sound quality was definitely much better (if costly.)
Other than that, I thought the car was great. The drive was way, WAY better than my JGC Limited. I may still buy one of these, but I plan to watch this forum closely for awhile before I do.
Take a closer look at my message. I think the X5 is great, but not perfect. Even with the flaws I noted, I will probably buy one. However, I figure anyone planning to pay $50k-$60k for this type of car ought to be aware of some of the issues. If I didn't need a new car now, I'd probably wait until the next X5 model year to make my purchase.
By the way, I also checked out the MB. IMHO, it's the ugliest car on the road, and it lacks the interior look & feel I would expect from a Mercedes. My neighbor owns a Merc sedan, and he states that his mechanic has confided that the ML is (or at least was....) a bucket of bolts.
All I asked of our new vehicle (actually hers) is that it would have adequate towing capacity for my boat. Although rated for 5000 lbs. the 3.0 does it with mirrors(gears). No way I'm setting out on a road trip pulling my boat with only 215 ft. lbs. of torque. That's downright wimpy for towing.
I found that I could get a loaded ML430 for about $1,500 less than a comparably equipped X5 3.0. My wife is disappointed, but seems to understand. Taking delivery tomorrow. But, I know I'll look at every X5 I pass and wonder "what if?"
I have been told by a supposedly reliable source that BMW will change its margins to more closely equal MB next year (2002?) They will keep the price equal to or greater than the current price by including more standard features. But, to me that means that a 2002 model will be less expensive than a loaded 2001 model. Something to think about.
"The
drive was way, WAY better than my JGC Limited"
Okay, I may be biased, having just bought a '00 JGC Ltd, but comparing it to the X5? For a minimum of $5k more based on the "TMV" (for a stripped '01 3.0), plus the sacrifice of off-road capability, I would expect a WAY better ride. The "SAV" is basically the manufacturer's way of saying, "Okay, we know your never going off-road, so we'll give you a fabulous ride with the added benefit of a high seating position and extra cargo space (relative to a sedan)."
I compare the JGC's ride to my last car: an 88 Suzuki Samurai. It is WAY better, but what wouldn't be? For a truck, the JCG is great. IMHO, the X5 and RX300 are not trucks. They are not marketed to people who want trucks. Did you buy a JGC solely for its comfort and handling (i.e. you had no need or desire for off-road or towing ability)? Then you probably didn't really want a Jeep, and the X5 better meets your needs.
I guess the point of my rant is; you can compare the JGC and the X5, but they are not comparable.
Of course, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.
Steve.
Here's what it is: a butt-kicking, great handling four door sedan that sits high off the ground with a high tech four wheel drive system built for the ROAD. BMW originally marketed the X5 under the slogan "anytime, anywhere", and this is exactly accurate. It is well built and powerful, and it drives better than (and unlike) anything else out there.
My X5 has just rolled over on 8000 miles (had it since 12/99) and I am happier with it than any other car I've ever had (included the other 5 BMWs). No problems except AM engine whine. Love it, love it.
Let's be honest: the only thing that truly compares to the X5 in purpose is the RX300. They are both on the road vehicles by design, but I won't even address why the BMW beats the hell out of the Lexus. (But it should, given its much higher price).
As for reliability, if you're worried, but an extended warranty (I did). As for cargo capacity, I bought a roof rack and cargo box.
If you like to drive fine cars, and are willing to pay the price, I am fully convinced you will no go wrong with the purchase of the X5.
PS: pick up my X5 this Friday.
Oinick, we're saying the same thing. The X5 wasn't designed to do the things that SUVs do, even though (technically) it is an SUV. Because it can't do the things that other SUVs can, it's a purely emotional purchase (especially at $60,000+ for a fully loaded model). Speaking of that, there's no way that I'd pay $45,000 for a 3.0i. It's a nice car, but hey, for that cash, I think that an Audi S4 oir A6 2.7T would be right nice indeed.
I just have always wondered... if it uses the abs brakes to brake the slipping wheel... how does it continue to know if the wheel is still slipping? How does the car apply brake and test slippage at the same time? I know it all happens very fast... but i'm just trying to figure out how it really works. I wish there were more in depth article we could read about how all the systems in the car truly work (i.e. awd, traction, etc.).
On a side note... has anyone here driven the 19" tires with sport suspension in the snow? Do you think they are adequate, or will I have to purchase all new wheels and tires?
The X5 has a similar system, but uses a 32%/68% difference for a more traditional RWD feel. The problem with this disproportional ratio is that the vehicle can be tailhappy, something that is noticable on snow/icy slippery surfaces. Since the split is 32/68, 16% of the power can be routed to each of the front wheels, and 34% to each of the rear wheels.
The only vehicle that can deliver 100% of the engine's power to an individual wheel is the Jeep Grand Cherokee with the QuadraDrive system and the Vari-lok axles with the auto locking differentials. The problem with this is that the components need to be strong (and hence heavy) to deal with the power. This weight adds to more unsprung weight, and is detrimental for handling.
These systems use the ABS wheel speed sensors to monitor wheel slippage. I don't know about the X5's activation threshold, but the ML's 4ETS kicks in when it detects a 3 mph difference (in high range) or 1.2 mph (approximately a quarter turn of the wheel - in low range) between the slipping wheel(s) and the other wheels.
I've driven the Sport Package in snow, and I think that you should follow your salesman and BMW's advise. These are definitely NOT suitable for those conditions, and you'll be putting yourself and others in danger if you do. Not only are the Sport Package Bridgestone Turanzas' rubber compound not suitable for snow, but the close threads clog up extremely quickly with snow. I don't think that any tire company in North America makes winter tires for those 17", 18" or 19" wheels, so you may be stuck with the all-seasons. The all season Michelins MXV4s are also highly street biased with close threads, however they are much better than the Turanzas in the snow.
Secondly, there IS a 17" snow tire available now... I just forget the brand but will look it up later. There may even be an 18", but not a 19", YET! I am sure there will be.
ML owners in the M-class mailing list have been discussing this system extensively since 1997, with the help of the MB technicians, and a pro-offroader (who has written a book about the ML and owns the 4x4abc.com site). We've pretty much figured out with this system already.
Since BMW uses an identical system, everything applies as well. So, my previous comments still stand. Each of the front wheels on the X5 will only get 16% of the engine's power, and the rear wheels, 34% of engine's power.
What do you have to say about that now?
Really, BMW priced themselves out of the market with the X5. If they really wanted to compete, it should have been AT LEAST $5k cheaper, if not $10k cheaper. The LandCruiser or ML makes more sense. If you're concerned about "handling and performance", get an M3 and a used SUV.
I think Audi is taking the right "road" with the upcoming "allroad". Height adjustable suspension (with up to 8" of ground clearance), 250 hp Twin Turbo, lighter weight, better fuel economy, more room, and very subjectively, better looks.
If BMW wants to really "fix" the X5, send it to Jenny Craig to lose 500 lbs, get a 6-12" stretch job and take $5k off the price. They wouldn't be able to make enough of them.
If "pierceja" would open her eyes and look carefully, I was merely pointing out "racecar3"'s mistake in saying that the X5's (and ML's, which HE brought up) system could directly 100% of the engine's power to one wheel. Why didn't anyone mention anything about going to another topic when racecar3 brought up the ML? Hmm, a double standard perhaps? YOU were the one who started with the "less than perfect" comments in post #48. I've often brought up the MB technology in the Subaru topics to explain how other similar Subaru technology works. NEVER have I received the response that you and pierceja have given me, in fact, it's just the opposite.
I suppose now that bostonwhalr has brought up Audi, you and pierceja will be directing him to an X5 and Audi topic now.
Hey, if you think that's how my "true colours" are, so be it. Believe me, I won't lose any sleep over it.
attention to the M-class topic and the X5 topics. I really have to say that I was very surprised to
read pierceja's and imfree00's comments to aling1.
There were really quite unnecessary.
Aling1's posts regarding the four wheel drive systems was really quite informative (and answered some of my own questions), and in no way more off topic than what others here have posted in posts number 37 through 39. Since no one squawked at those posters, I think that we should extend the same courtesy to aling1. If I could've answered those onick1's or racecar3's questions, I would've. But I couldn't and I'm glad that aling1 did.
Peace all!
-Todd