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      01-29-2016, 12:40 PM   #1
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Looking at 2001 X5 3.0i

Found a smoking deal on a 2001 X5 with 115,000 miles for $1800. Issues are:

~ Needs rear airbag
~ Needs tuneup/oil change
~ Needs to convert kilometers to miles
~ Needs brakes soon

The X5 has a AC Schnitzer front bumper and Type 3 Schnitzer wheels. What else should I look for? It has the same N52B30 engine as my 128i. Can I drive a blown bag 68 miles home or should I just flatbed it? Any idea what I can flip this for?

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      01-29-2016, 01:11 PM   #2
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2011.5 BMW M3  [10.00]
2004 BMW M3  [10.00]
The model year you listed (2001) is of the E53 generation X5.
The engine should be M54B30 not N52.
X5 didn't receive the N52 until the E70.

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      01-30-2016, 12:23 AM   #3
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Thx for the clarification.
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      01-30-2016, 07:17 AM   #4
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Sounds like an okay deal. Check the suspension and bushings out. X5s are notorious for not being reliable but the 3.0L is the better of the bunch.
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      01-30-2016, 11:26 AM   #5
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Is the air springs unreliable, like the Audi allroads?
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      02-02-2016, 01:06 PM   #6
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Yep, air springs and all other suspension components are likely shot. Thrust arm bushings, ball joints, CV Boots, etc. I guarantee one or a combination of those are needing replacement unless it's been well maintained.

M54 is a pretty reliable engine but check the oil out (has a dipstick) and coolant. Make sure there's no mixing of the two (headgasket - not common). I'd be concerned about past oil change intervals as I've seen some seriously sludged M54s from people who don't maintain them.

The cooling system is the weakest point. Check the water pump and fan clutch, they're common issues. The fans are known to seize and even blow up. You can check the water pump by wiggling the fan back and forth - it shouldn't budge much back and forth but lots of play indicates a failing / failed pump. The coolant should be blue and not black or green. The fan should spin freely and not be loud when driving around / accelerating. If the fan goes they will shart all over the engine / sever your belts effectively leaving you with a brick.

Check that the tailgate operates properly, the latches used to break.

Make sure all the windows work - regulators were a real issue then.

Make sure HVAC fan is steady - resistor goes pretty often. Make sure it has all its "steps".
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