Buying a used BMW X5 (1998-2003)

What we liked
>> Performance and diesel economy
>> Car-like handling
>> Roomy interior

Not so much
>> Heavy steering
>> Too heavy doors
>> Overly firm ride

OVERVIEW
The 1990s was the decade of the four-wheel drive -- boom time for mud-pluggers with a civilised twist as Australians discovered the people-carrying practicalities of bush bashers. Big-engined power, high seating position, plenty of room, towing prowess and that elusive -- and rarely fulfilled -- dream of conquering Big Red lured thousands into 4X4 sport utility vehicles.

Prestige brands like Mercedes-Benz and BMW foresaw a demand for upmarket sports utility vehicles (SUVs), not so much for the well-heeled Outback wanderer, but for all those urban needs. Hence the emergence in the late 1990s of the Mercedes-Benz M-class, followed in 2000 by the BMW X5.

BMW's success with X5 has been unstoppable since launching first with a 4.4-litre petrol V8, followed a few months later by a keenly priced 3.0-litre, six-cylinder model. Since then two more have joined the line-up; the high performance 4.6iS in February 2002 and the 3.0-litre diesel in January 2003. BMW's off-roader, it seems, has come full circle.

FEATURES
The BMW X5 will appeal to those looking for a four-wheel drive for urban duties. It's combination of high driving position, tonnes of interior space, efficient diesel engine and car-like driving dynamics make it possibly the best and most frugal prestige SUV on the market at the time of writing.

The BMW X5 is based loosely on the BMW 5 Series wagon. It's taller (740mm) and wider (72mm) externally, which reaps rewards inside. The X5 is shorter front-to-back than the 5 Series wagon, though most of this is in front and rear overhangs because the wheelbase difference is marginal (10mm).

It's limited wheel travel, low-impact all-wheel drive system and road biased 17inch tyres rule against it conquering any truly rugged terrain. The X5's suspension, unashamedly tuned for on-road performance, is another strength, as is the vehicle's big, roomy interior.

The X5 3.0 and X5d are specified to the same level, which includes electric windows and mirrors, remote central locking, cruise control, CD player and trip computer.

COMFORT
The interior is a definite highlight of the X5, it feels at once cosy and airy. Cosy because all controls are barely an arm flex away from the driver, and airy because there's ample room in both rows of seats and even the luggage area. The polished aluminium highlights on the trim are another feature of this modern, comfortable cabin.

BMW is renowned for its drivers' cars, so it shouldn't be any surprise the X5 SUV is no different. The driver's control centre is intuitively laid out, with most frequently used dials and buttons falling readily to hand. The driver's seat is multi-adjustable, as is the steering wheel.

All passengers get loads of legroom and headroom, and there's enough width in the rear for three adults. The luggage area is deep enough and long enough to hold a regular sized suitcase, and the back seats fold down for more carrying space.

Walk your way through the model range and the luxury levels rise in time with the dollars. The 4.4-litre V8 model, which lobs around $110k, carries more than enough equipment for even the most extravagant tastes -- such as leather and vinyl, electrically adjustable front seats, one-touch electric windows, remote central locking, heated exterior mirrors, cruise control, climate control air conditioning, 10-speaker stereo with CD stacker... you get the picture.

In case you don't, the $152k 4.6iS adds TV, satnav, full leather interior, sunroof and 14-speaker, surround sound with DSP system to the opulence. Add a bed and a bar fridge and we'd move in.

SAFETY
Typical of BMW, the X5 is equipped with a plethora of safety features. No less than 10 airbags permeate the cabin, including side and head airbags for both front and rear passengers. Four wheel disc brakes are ABS-equipped, and the car's dynamic stability is kept under close scrutiny by an army of electronic aids which monitor wheel slip, steering angles and underfoot conditions to provide optimum grip.

Some can be turned off, like the ASC-X traction control, others can't, like the Dynamic Brake Control (DBC) and the Corner Brake Control (CBC). Our advice is to leave well enough alone and let the computers do their job. BMW's approach to driver aids is better than most and you'll be hard pressed to pick the interventions when they happen.

The X5's superior handling ability compared to almost all similar-sized SUVs is a major advantage in emergency situations. Independent crash testing carried out in the United States a few years ago ranked the BMW X5 ahead of its main rivals.

MECHANICAL
The BMW X5 is built with an integrated (monocoque) chassis which allows more car-like handling and better body control. It also keeps weight down compared to a separate chassis vehicle. On the road, this bias to car-like handling is obvious from the independent suspension's very firm, controlling nature, allowing little body-roll in corners at the expense of a more floaty, supple ride.

The diesel engine, a 3.0-litre inline six, is one of the more advanced diesels currently in the automotive world. It's the first diesel engine BMW has offered in Australia and is up with the world's best for performance, economy and emissions. A new version of this engine has just been seen in the 2004 5 Series sedan, though its Australian future is unsure.

The six-cylinder engine features common rail fuel injection and four valve technology. It's fitted with a turbocharger and intercooler and belts out 390Nm of torque from just 2000rpm. Peak power is 135kW at 4000rpm. BMW claims the X5 will accelerate from rest to 100km/h in just 10.5 seconds.

The X5 petrol engine range includes a 3.0-litre six-cylinder producing 170kW, a 210kW 4.4-litre V8, and the big daddy 255kW 4.6-litre V8 in the 4.6iS. All come with five speed automatic transmissions with tiptronic manual mode; only the 3.0-litre petrol is available with a five-speed manual transmission.

The X5's all-wheel drive system conveys 62 per cent of the power to the rear wheels and 38 per cent to the front under normal conditions. Electronic watchdogs monitor wheel slippage and change the power delivery or brake wheels accordingly.

BMW also rifled the Land Rover parts bin during its short time as owner, snaffling Hill Descent Control for its X5 range. The system effectively lets you crawl down the steeper hills at a controlled 6-25km/h without the need for a low range transfer case.

COMPETITORS
Immediate competition for the BMW X5 essentially consists of the Mercedes-Benz M-class. The cheaper Land Rover Discovery offers a rival for some models, while the more expensive Range Rover features the same diesel and 4.4-litre V8 engine as the BMW.

Mainstays like the Nissan Patrol and Toyota LandCruiser can't match the X5's refinement or car-like performance, and while the Audi AllRoad TDi certainly can, it can't equal the X5's 2700kg towing capacity.

Since the start of 2003, the mid-sized SUV market has exploded. Rivals for BMW and Benz now include Honda MDX, Volvo XC90, Lexus RX330, Volkswagen Touareg and even Porsche Cayenne.

ON THE ROAD
Piloting the X5 in suburban traffic is not as daunting as you'd expect for a vehicle of its physical size. The 2225kg behemoth responds lightly to driver inputs, switching lanes and taking corners with the control we've come to expect from the German luxury car maker. The BMW sheer driving pleasure mantra has clearly not been forgotten with the X5.

The X5 self levelling suspension provides a ride with the plush, bump-soaking ride of a true luxury vehicle, and yet retains sporty handling ahead of any other 4WD its size.

And that German efficiency will also pay dividends at the fuel pump when filling the 93-litre tank. Admittedly, if you're unkind to the throttle, it's easy to drink more than 20-litres for every hundred kilometres travelled, but we managed with little effort to get that around the 15s - a figure the six-cylinder Patrols and Land Cruisers can only dream about.

Gear changing is unnecessary, the smooth 5-speed automatic always choosing the right gear and ready to kick down for a sudden burst of acceleration. For those who like to play, BMW's sequential style tiptronic gate allows you to select gears rapidly and accurately. Antilock-equipped brakes play their part in pulling up the X5 time after time, four massive discs (332mm front and 324mm rear) never whining at having to haul in the hard charging X5.

Think of this vehicle in terms of a real off-roader and you may be disappointed. It doesn't have the go-anywhere ability of the Range Rover, even though it is a constant four-wheel drive. The drive is split 38:62 with a bias to the rear to enhance that 'sporty' feel, and a myriad of electronic aids -- including hill descent control, tractional control and corner brake control -- conspire to weed out any wheel spin. This system is at its best on the bitumen where wheel spin is not your friend, keeping the wheels on a tight leash and the vehicle going in the right direction.

Drop it onto a soft, sandy beach, or a rocky goat track -- where constant power to the wheels is more important than controlling wheel spin, and you're likely to find the high-tech systems working against you. That said, how many people are truly going to throw a six-figure vehicle into the deep end? Gibson Desert bash, anyone? Maybe some Kakadu cruising? Nope, not really.

Think of the BMW X5 strictly as a passenger vehicle, or only as a 4WD and there's better options on the Australian market. Think of the BMW X5 as a suburban 4WD offering opulent levels of luxury, a high driving position, plenty of power, and good ride and handling and you're on the right track. Think of the X5 as a 'crossover' vehicle and you'll be fully justified in your purchase.

BOTTOMLINE: Proves diesels can have performance and manners.

The X5 diesel may seem at first to be a strange combination of prestige and agricultural, but one drive of this new generation diesel engine and you'll understand how BMW can get away with it. Unlike just about every other diesel engine we've driven, the BMW 3.0-litre inline six cylinder engine, turbocharged and intercooled, produces its pulling power from the absolute doldrums of the rev range. There is a slight delay as the engine winds up in response to your throttle prodding, but acceleration is surprisingly aggressive right off idle.

The engine cranks out 135kW of power at 4000rpm, but it's the 390Nm of torque -- on the go from 2000rpm -- that's the real gem. Driving is effortless, acceleration is seamless and immediate. Caress the throttle and the turbo-diesel builds speed quickly, the gearbox dropping a cog smoothly and without fuss. BMW claims the X5d is capable of flying from rest to 100km/h in just 10.5sec.

The X5 we tested came with the optional five speed automatic gearbox -- with tiptronic manual selector -- and it's a gearbox perfectly in tune with this engine. Gear-changes are imperceptibly smooth, even under full throttle and only the subtle drop in engine note gives away the change points. It does take a second to change in semi-manual mode, and the throttle is a little sluggish immediately off idle. The smoothness, though, makes the X5 good for those who require smooth, trailer-towing progress.

Noise is usually another sore point with diesels and from outside the cabin it is a factor. Once behind the wheel, the vehicle's sound-deadening eliminates most of that telltale diesel clatter.

CarPoint put the X5 diesel through its paces over seven days, clocking up more than 600km -- a fair few of those with a jet ski and trailer on the back. The X5 returned a very impressive 10.9lt/100km over the distance, and we drove it hard -- probably because we were addicted to the engine's punch. BMW claims 8.0litres/100km is achievable in real world driving, which means a Melbourne to Sydney trip on one 93-litre tank is possible.

The car we tested started life at $78,200, and comes with a bucket-load of standard equipment -- from remote central locking to six-stack CD player. More than $20,000 worth of extras, including 5-speed automatic transmission ($2600), electric sunroof ($3100), high power Xenon headlights ($2500), parking distance control ($1680), running boards ($550), TV Satnav ($6990), Bluetooth mobile phone with voice recognition ($3100) and tow bar kit ($1500) bring the 'as-tested' total to $100,220.

Like to buy your BMW by the kilogram? Well, step right up to the X5 section of the deli, because do we have a bargain for you. The original 4.4-litre V8 version was already pound-for-pound the best value vehicle to hit the streets wearing a Bavarian propeller badge.

To quantify that, look at it this way: weighing in at 2195kg yet costing just $107,850, that works out to $49.13 per kilo of X5. Now BMW has gone even better, delivering a 3.0-litre, six-cylinder X5 that, at just $79,750, costs $37.62 per kilo. Compare that with $63.52 for a 530i sedan, or a whopping $112.93 for the M5 and it's obvious you're getting a whole lot of BMW for your money.

Stay with me for a moment on this one, for this seemingly frivolous exercise does actually have a point. That is, the X5 might not go as hard as an equivalently priced sedan nor make a convincing off-roader, but thanks partly to Australia's extremely favourable import duty rates regarding 4WD wagons, it is pretty sensational buying if size, interior space and equipment levels are any yardstick.

To be brutally frank, this is a stripper version of the X5, coming with 1.4 litres and 40kW less than the 4.4 in the engine department, and in standard trim misses out on goodies such as power seat adjustment, self-levelling suspension, parking sensors, the on-board TV monitor and a few other odds and sods.

That's the bad news. Apart from the sub-$80,000 price tag (that's for the five-speed manual, by the way; the five-speed auto version 95 per cent of buyers will opt for costs $82,350), it's actually a lot better to drive than all of its two-tonne kerb weight and relatively small petrol engine might suggest.

That engine is the most recent M54 straight six, as fitted to models as varied as the Z3 3.0 and 530i, and the expectation is that bunging it under the bonnet of a beefy 4WD might have stretched its job description just a little because it is totally unchanged. Not a bit of it. The performance figures speak for themselves -- 0-100km/h in 10.7sec and a standing 400-metre time of 17.5sec; slower than the V8 as is to be expected, but not ridiculously off its pace.

Having 170kW at 5900rpm and 300Nm at 3000rpm helps, but BMW's brilliant auto accounts for more of its fair share of the workload. Up changes are crisp and clean, down changes virtually telepathic and it'll even hold third gear while slogging up a hill when the driver's on and off the throttle.

Tossing the 4.4's self-levelling suspension, chopping the V8's weight out of the X5's nose and adjusting spring and damper rates accordingly hasn't harmed the balance of the 3.0-litre version. In fact, it seems much better balanced for all that. It sits flatter through corners than anything this tall has a right to, only understeers under extreme provocation and the ride over rough and broken ground is close to sublime.

Corrugations? Forget about the chatter of live axles and the creak of body-on-chassis: BMW has built a very rigid monocoque body, applied its damper magic to the suspension and come up with a waterbed ride without the wallow.

The X5 3.0i is only distinguishable from its bigger brother externally by the badges on the front guards and smaller 17in alloys. Lack of low range gear ratios mean that it won't ever be seen scaling the highest peaks, even if electronic hill descent control (HDC) could get it back down again. You will, however, get to go far further into the bush than any 7 Series owner.

Okay then, we've been over the X5's qualities in detail before, so what do you get from the 3.0i? A spare $28,000 to spend on optional extras (and BMW has a massive list to help out there), less grunt but not a dearth of it, and, if anything, rather better road manners. Fuel consumption is appalling, similar to most other petrol-engined, large 4WD wagons.

All the potential customer has to do is decide whether they really need to be in a semi off-roader. But what is far more likely now is that they can buy a big BMW for $80,000 and have the mucky bush bits thrown in for free. The price dictates this is so. Happy shopping.

BOTTOMLINE: A great engine, BMW build quality and plenty to offer the safety conscious parent, the X5 works well for the small family.

Luxo-four-wheelers are the flavour of the month right now. But how do they cope with the pressure of long-distance, real-world usage? Given a freshly minted, significantly new X5 is due very shortly, we thought we’d take a look back at the ground-breaker. We sent a typical family of two adults and two kids on a 2300km trip aboard a 4.4-litre V8 BMW X5.

Our test saw the car face climatic conditions best described as extreme. Hundred knot winds, torrential rain and a great mix of surfaces all conspired to offer an overview of the car in a real-world scenario. Packed to the gunwales, with both the people and the necessary luggage for four days away, we were set to find out any practical shortcomings in the X5 package. The route saw us leave Melbourne via the Hume for an overnight stop in Wagga, with the second day taking in potholed dirt roads from Yass to Bathurst. Following the obligatory couple of laps of Mount Panorama, we set off for Batemans Bay (once again mostly off-road) and back to Melbourne.

The X5 is quiet but for a delightful induction roar from the fuel-injected bent eight. During the worst of the aforementioned weather, the four-year old strapped securely into his booster seat in the rear of the X5 never stirred, sleeping through conditions that would have found out a lesser vehicle when it comes to NVH.

The drive-train is a highlight, with power on hand from just about anywhere in the rev range. With the redline set at 5800rpm and the car ticking over at just 2000rpm at 100km/h, the engine is willing and ready for spirited going. Pull out to pass a truck and it will find the ratio required in quick fashion, a big plus in tighter going and for frazzled Dads.

There are loads of electronic gizmos as standard, including electrically adjustable seats with three ‘memory’ positions for the driver’s seat, a ten speaker sound system with ten-stacker CD, switchable parking distance control, full leather upholstery and a navigation-ready on-board monitor complete with TV and on-board computer. While the nav is handy, it’s a long way from perfect. On more than one occasion it picked a route that was puzzling to say the least. It is at its best when indicating a particular address in a particular town, however. Minimising family fuss at the end of long days, it’ll happily take you right to the door when tired kids need to get to bed.

Handling is very car-like. To this end, there’s a thing called DSC and it’s switchable. It is off in default mode and is activated via a button on the lower console. What is it? Well, it stands for Dynamic Safety Control and, in short, helps stabilise the vehicle in severe or critical cornering or avoidance manoeuvres, via the application of braking and power to the wheels best able to deal with righting the ship.

We gave it a try on a good dirt surface, but found it a little disconcerting. Yes, it stabilises the car when it breaks loose, but given its brief, it waits for a mistake before correcting it. This manifests by allowing the car to understeer into a bend then using its 'brain' to rectify the situation. While it does everything right and does indeed bring the whole shebang back under control, the 'removal's of the operator from the experience may alarm some. Having said that, it performs the task well, it just takes some getting used to. For most, the level of grip available is such that it will never be required, thus rendering it a non-issue.

You don’t have to look far to discover from where all this road-holding capability originates. The 19inch Michelin tyres -- a whopping 285/45 on the rear and 255/50 up front -- fitted to the car do their job very well indeed on the blacktop, but are also surprisingly good off-road. It has to be said that they lean towards the bitumen side of the equation, but the pay-off is in a distinct lack of road hum of which more dirt-focussed hoops are guilty.

The car just keeps on making sense. In typical BMW fashion it is infinitely well thought out. Things that seem strange at first become obvious over time. In short, every time the car is called upon to clamber over an obstacle of natural physics you’ll be soundly reminded of the reason you parted with the readies.

So how does it stack up? Well, the compromise of driving a four-wheel drive is certainly minimised in the case of the X5. While there are many better road cars and indeed off-roaders that will go places the X5 will not, there are few that do both as well.

As a family truckster it represents a fairly big spend at $124,850 as tested (the base model 4.4i is priced at $109,500), and kids are tough on cars. If you can live with the fact that they will smear ice cream, spill drinks, leave the lids off pens and generally care a great deal less than you about the car, it is infinitely comfortable and useable. Luggage space is reasonable but not great, economy only middling at 12.5km/lt over the course of our trip and it really is only a four-seater.

BOTTOMLINE: Fast, furious and... really hard to understand. As mega-fast four-wheel drives go, X5 4.6iS is one of the best.

It was inevitable, really, that Australia's -- and indeed the world's -- love affair with four-wheel drives would spawn such automotive monstrosities. Not really a sports-car, yet too performance-focused for the bush, BMW's X5 4.6is takes unnatural hybrid theory to the extreme. Now there's no need for the wealthy to choose between the practicalities of a Range Rover and the lifestyle reward of a Porsche at purchase time because the BMW X5 4.6is offers a highly attractive compromise.

Now let's be clear about a couple of things; don't get carried away with the great 4WD dream if you're shopping for the X5 4.6, because it's a highly dubious choice for your next Simpson Desert crossing. For starters, the X5's electronic four-wheel drive system is not designed to cope with soft sand. Secondly, it'd be pretty hard to find replacement 20inch tyres should you stake one in the Outback. Thirdly, $150k is a lot of money to invest in desert storming; and fourthly, think of what that coarse, scratchy Simpson sand will do to the leather.

From the slightest throttle opening it's apparent that the bonneted beast is having a seriously bad day. That low, bone chilling rumble emerging from twin oval-shaped exhaust pipes speaks volumes of the potential waiting to be unleashed. Blip the throttle with the five-speed sequential auto in neutral and the engine spins up so quickly and with such immediacy your brain may as well be hard wired into the engine management.

Slot the 'box and floor your foot and 100km/h will fly past in just 6.5-seconds, those enormous 20-inch tyres scrabbling to convert 2.2-tonnes of resting metal into blurred motion. Flick manually through the gears, or let the 'D'gate do it for you, and the X5 accelerates seemingly without blinking, each gearchange falling almost dead centre back into the power band. Mid-range mumbo is an X5 forte with roll-on acceleration for overtaking manoeuvres coming in effortless, surging waves.

Slightly narrower front tyres help cornering turn in, though the X5 is never going to be compared to a 911 for apex attack. The firmer suspension endows the 4.6 with more nimbleness and responsiveness than it has any right to possess, making for a enthralling, entertaining strop along windy backroads. There is an amount of bodyroll in the chassis, to be expected given the taller body's higher centre of gravity.

The standard X5's brakes were replaced with the M5's high performance discs and pads to help soothe the savage beast, and is accompanied by ABS, DSC, CBC, DBC, ASC-X and ABD-X with HDC, all on a sesame seed bun. Conversations in BMW corridors must be riveting indeed.

It's hard not to be impressed with the BMW X5 4.6is, yet it's equally hard to recommend it unreservedly. Performance-wise it'll trounce any other 4WD currently on the market, yet BMW's own similarly priced M3 will leave it for dead.