Buying a used BMW X5 (F15) - 2013-2018, Buying advice with Common Issues

The still very fresh looking 3rd generation BMW X5 was available not only with the xDrive 4WD system, but also as a RWD car, unlike the predecessor which had only 4WD. Of course, we can speculate if the RWD only X5 makes any sense, but I don't really have time for this. So let's move on. The depreciation already done most of its job, so currently you can find earlier 2013 or 2014 models for around 25 000 euros. But if you want an extended warranty, then you have to increase your budget to around 32 000 or 33 000 euros to get an extended 2-year warranty, at least in Europe. The interior of this X5 is basically the same as in the other more luxurious BMWs from that time, so the iDrive system is great, the optional equipment list is infinite, and there are no problems with noticeably worn materials in the interior. The build quality is on a good level as well, but there are some cases of rattling noise from the trunk or tailgate area, which was usually solved by readjusting the tailgate latch. Plus, it's good to check the leather on the side of the driver's seat, because it can be cracked even in lower mileage cars. In the early stages, just small cracks will appear on the side of the seat, but over time you can end up with this kind of a ruined seat side, in the worst case of course. And actually, some owners even got a new seat-based leather cover under warranty. As in the previous X5, you can find cars equipped with only the standard seats, or with the optional sport or comfort seats. Obviously, if you are using the car for longer distances, then it's a good idea to choose a car with the comfort seats. There are also 7-seater versions, but the space in the third-row seat area is strictly limited for children only. Except the usual stuff, you should definitely pay bigger attention to the keyless entry, soft-close doors, and like in the other newer BMWs, the parking cameras can occasionally fail too. Then there is the electronically adjustable steering column, which can stop working, since there are numerous cases when only half of the adjustments worked. Which can be caused by a faulty steering column adjustment motor, but sometimes it will magically fix itself. Also listen for various strange noises while turning the wheel or while adjusting the steering column. It seems like that a simple fix like re-greasing the damn thing won't solve these and that's why owners who experienced them got a new steering column under warranty. If you are regularly cruising at higher speeds, then it's definitely good to check for excessive wind noise. So mainly, if you are traveling at 140 or 150 km per hour or more, then you can hear either a continuous or just a short occasional excessive wind noise from doors, mainly if the windy as well. All of this is usually caused by the improperly adjusted door, mostly on the driver's side. If you experience this wind noise, then you can try to adjust the door latch striker plate a little to the inside, which will mostly fix the issue. But you can actually check this another way, just accelerate to highway speeds and then try to push the door slightly out. If you can't hear the excessive wind noise, then the door is adjusted properly and if the wind noise significantly increases, then you have a badly adjusted door. As in the other cars, check for water leaks in the interior and avoid cars with the panoramic sunroof, unless you don't forget to occasionally clean the sunroof water drains, because there are already cases of clogged sunroof drains which will obviously cause water leak into the interior. Make sure that the area under the windshield and near the bonnet hinges is clean as well, since it can accumulate leaves and dirt over time. This X5 was available with various variations of suspension types which were usually in packages. So first, there is the standard suspension which is simple, reliable and fairly cheap to replace. On the other side, owners complained that the ride on bad quality roads is more bouncing, mainly for the rear passengers. Then there are the electronically adjustable shock absorbers, which can be adjusted from comfort to sport settings. So they are better than the standard suspension in terms of handling, but they are also more expensive than the regular shocks. After this, there is the self-leveling air suspension only on the rear axle, which can be combined only with the electronically adjustable shocks. And lastly, there are the active anti-roll bars, which can be, again, combined only with the electronically adjustable shocks and also with the air suspension on the rear axle. This last combination is obviously the best. So the car can be very comfortable in comfort mode and in sport mode it has great handling with minimal body roll in corners thanks to the active anti-roll bars. On the other side, you have to be prepared that the air struts are not made to last a long time, so they can leak even after 4 years or after 40,000 or 50,000 miles. And it's good to occasionally check the plastic height sensors on both sides if they are not seized up. The active anti-roll bars should be still in a good condition since the car is still young, but as in the other BMWs, they are not cheap to replace. There are numerous cases of prematurely worn front lower control arms even after 30,000 miles. In this case, you will hear clunking or creaking noises from the front suspension, usually while acceleration from standstill or slowing down. Occasionally, also while driving on bad quality roads. All of the petrol engines can have occasionally more or less issues with the misfires, which are caused by faulty ignition coils, injectors or by the faulty high-pressure fuel pumps. Although there should be an extended warranty for at least the injectors on the 4.4 V8 in the US for 10 years or 120,000 miles. Some plastic hose here and there can crack as well, but more often on the V8 engines. And actually, you should specifically check the plastic crankcase vent hoses on this V8, which are located under the plastic engine cover, right above the two turbochargers. Since the turbochargers produce a big amount of heat, these hoses can crack and cause misfires, whistling sound and small oil leak. BMW actually updated these hoses so they are not made from plastic anymore, but from rubber and replacing them is not hard. On the other side, they are also not very cheap. It's also good to check for oil or coolant leaks, mainly on the 4.4 V8, because in some rare cases, they can appear even after 40,000 miles. It's of course important to maintain the correct oil level all the time, since, again, mostly the 4.4 V8 can consume smaller or bigger amount of oil. When it comes to diesel engines, it doesn't really matter which one you choose, but to minimize most of the issues, you should use the car mainly on longer journeys and it's also very important to use high-quality fuel. Then you should keep in that there is a recall related to the possibly faulty EGR cooler which can leak coolant. The coolant can mix with carbon buildup and in very rare cases, this mixed deposit can catch fire. So make sure that the EGR cooler was replaced under this recall and if not, then ask the dealer about this. Then rarely, the infamous CP4 high-pressure fuel pump can fail mostly because of the different fuel used in the US or Eastern Europe. If it fails, it will throw small metal particles in the whole fuel system, including the fuel tank and injectors. So in this case, the whole fuel system, including the injectors and the high-pressure fuel pump, of course, has to be replaced according to BMW. Fixing this costs around $12,000 at the dealer, but there is an extended warranty for the fuel system in the US for 75,000 miles. There are some cases of this failure in the US as well as in Eastern Europe, but as I said, they are still not extremely common. The high-pressure fuel pump can fail even after 25,000 miles, but also later, after 75,000 or 100,000 miles. If you want to know more about this issue, then visit my website, you can find the link right under the video. All of the engines are equipped with a timing chain, but as in the other newer BMWs, after 124,000 miles, you should be prepared to replace it. On the other side, with the proper oil change interval, it can withstand a lot more, mainly in the 6-cylinder engines. This BMW is equipped with only the 8-speed automatic gearbox, which is usually in a good condition, so just change the oil in it and check it before buying. Obviously, check for all those strange howling or whining sounds from the suspension and also for shuddering at acceleration. The car has to ride smoothly and quietly. It's also good to look at the rear differential, which can rarely leak. In this case, you have to remove the differential cover and put new silicone sealant on it, so it's not very expensive to fix this. To summarize things up, if you want the most reliable version and you want to keep the car for a longer time, then choose the 6-cylinder petrol model with the standard suspension, avoid cars with performance upgrades, buy only a car with proper maintenance history, and keep extra money for the additional repairs if you are buying a car outside of warranty. If you have personal experience with this car or more information about it, then you can write it into comments. Thanks for watching.