Motoring advice

[bingobus]

Any petrol heads out there?

Have a chance to buy a BMW X5, 2005 Sport model with all the extras. Lovely looking yoke, price very good and can prob get it even cheaper.

However, the one thing holding me back, and its a big one, is that its a 3L petrol model. Automatic to boot.

Would the running costs take the value out of the intial purchase. Tax is almost €1300 a year and the seller sayd that his current reading on MPG is 23 but he does a fair bit of urban driving which drags it down.

Is it madness to even consider it?

[Hardy]

Just remember the similarity of BMWs and porcupines and if you still want to buy one, go ahead.

[bingobus]

Just remember the similarity of BMWs and porcupines and if you still want to buy one, go ahead.

Lost me. Something about pricks?

[Hardy]

That's it - porcupines have them on the outside.

(Just a joke - nothing personal).

[bingobus]

That's it - porcupines have them on the outside.

(Just a joke - nothing personal).

I'll ring the PC police on you 

[the Deel Rover]

the x5 sport is a fine bus however i seem to recall on another thread that one of the lads on the board got one as it was his dream car but that it gave him nothing but bother and he couldn't wait to get rid of it . The 1300 a year car tax is a ball breaker and i'd say you would be lucky to get 20 mpg out of it . on the other hand it should be a great time to buy one of those as i'd say that market has dried up and their value has dropped to the floor. What would they cost new around  80-90k ?
Just checked on carzone a 2009 bmw x5 sport for sale €115k

[bingobus]

the x5 sport is a fine bus however i seem to recall on another thread that one of the lads on the board got one as it was his dream car but that it gave him nothing but bother and he couldn't wait to get rid of it . The 1300 a year car tax is a ball breaker and i'd say you would be lucky to get 20 mpg out of it . on the other hand it should be a great time to buy one of those as i'd say that market has dried up and their value has dropped to the floor. What would they cost new around  80-90k ?
Just checked on carzone a 2009 bmw x5 sport for sale €115k

The price on this one will be about €17k or bit less. Its a full service history with BMW and mileage on the clock is just under 90k, high enough.

I'd be on it like a rash, as I really like them, but its the whole running costs including service if something went wrong that has me saying no at it.

It is a buyers market and seller is very keen to keep me interested.

[the Deel Rover]

the x5 sport is a fine bus however i seem to recall on another thread that one of the lads on the board got one as it was his dream car but that it gave him nothing but bother and he couldn't wait to get rid of it . The 1300 a year car tax is a ball breaker and i'd say you would be lucky to get 20 mpg out of it . on the other hand it should be a great time to buy one of those as i'd say that market has dried up and their value has dropped to the floor. What would they cost new around  80-90k ?
Just checked on carzone a 2009 bmw x5 sport for sale €115k

The price on this one will be about €17k or bit less. Its a full service history with BMW and mileage on the clock is just under 90k, high enough.

I'd be on it like a rash, as I really like them, but its the whole running costs including service if something went wrong that has me saying no at it.

It is a buyers market and seller is very keen to keep me interested.

well the running costs will be high Bingobus , as for servicing the main part is to change the oil and filter every 8000-10000 miles . If i was buying it i'd ask for the timing chain to be done as well or make sure it has been done coz if that goes the engine is fcuked . I'd say the price of the 4 * 4 's will drop a lot more but as they say bingobus the decision is yours   

[Trevor Hill]

Do not touch a petrol X5 with a barge pole. The reason that you are getting a good deal is because no one wants it, buy it and you will be married to it, you will not be able to sell it on. It will have horrendous running costs, you would be lucky to get 20mpg and petrol is now a lot dearer than diesel.

[bingobus]

the x5 sport is a fine bus however i seem to recall on another thread that one of the lads on the board got one as it was his dream car but that it gave him nothing but bother and he couldn't wait to get rid of it . The 1300 a year car tax is a ball breaker and i'd say you would be lucky to get 20 mpg out of it . on the other hand it should be a great time to buy one of those as i'd say that market has dried up and their value has dropped to the floor. What would they cost new around  80-90k ?
Just checked on carzone a 2009 bmw x5 sport for sale €115k

The price on this one will be about €17k or bit less. Its a full service history with BMW and mileage on the clock is just under 90k, high enough.

I'd be on it like a rash, as I really like them, but its the whole running costs including service if something went wrong that has me saying no at it.

It is a buyers market and seller is very keen to keep me interested.

well the running costs will be high Bingobus , as for servicing the main part is to change the oil and filter every 8000-10000 miles . If i was buying it i'd ask for the timing chain to be done as well or make sure it has been done coz if that goes the engine is fcuked . I'd say the price of the 4 * 4 's will drop a lot more but as they say bingobus the decision is yours   

Don't think I'll go with the petrol model. A good Friend, a mechanic, is looking a new BMW as well and we're talking about going to UK to look for a pair and take them in. He'll be servicing them on a regular basis and gets the parts cheap as he still works in the industry.

Cheers.

[tyronefan]

the transmission on the automatic x5 gives trouble

I know a few lads who have had to get it replace  around € 4500 and not covered by warranty after 60k

bmw mechanic told one of the lads that it is a common problem with the x5

also the fuel system gives trouble, pressured system and another couple of grand to replace, very sensitive to dodgy diesel which a lot of the garages on the border are selling

if you have 80-90k miles on it you will start having problems with all the other parts, computer, electrics etc

also the tyres are couple hundred euros each

buying them is the cheapest part of it

[Over the Bar]

Get a Landrover and none of your fancy-dan X5s!

[EC Unique]

Any petrol heads out there?

Have a chance to buy a BMW X5, 2005 Sport model with all the extras. Lovely looking yoke, price very good and can prob get it even cheaper.

However, the one thing holding me back, and its a big one, is that its a 3L petrol model. Automatic to boot.

Would the running costs take the value out of the intial purchase. Tax is almost €1300 a year and the seller sayd that his current reading on MPG is 23 but he does a fair bit of urban driving which drags it down.

Is it madness to even consider it?

If you bought a petrol one you could convert it to gas for about 2000 euro and as far as I know gas is about half the price of petrol.

[The Real Laoislad]

There is some amazing deals on cars at the moment.
I was looking at a '08 Audi A4 2.5 TDi  in a garage the other day for 18k....Thats just unreal value
I bought a 4 year old '02 Audi A4 TDi in 2006 for 21k and now a one year old Audi will only cost 18k...
In the same garage a '08 Avensis was selling for 12k

[Big Puff]

Looking a bit of advice from those in the know please,

Im currently driving an 8 year old car with 80k on the clock, which i want to trade in against a 1/2 year old motor.

My current car's mot is up at the end of the month, and i reckon it will be 3-400 to put it through this.

It is worth my while/hassle putting this car through the mot before trading it in? i.e. will a car with no mot be worth considering less than a car with mot when trying to trade it in against a newer model?

thanks