X5 Tow Hack

[MISS BM 712]

Hey Team, 

I've been out and about looking for a heavy duty tow hack/paddock basher of the sort. 
Have found a couple of E70s I really like the look of, facelift, new iDrive etc, and then also F15s...F15s in the price range are generally high KM and I'm not clued up on them at all.

I know they changed over from the M57 to the N57 in around 2010. Is there much of a muchness in terms of change? Anything to watch out for? Have 'driven' BMW diesels but never owned one... 
Are they good, long lasting motors and vehicles? I've seen a few around that 200km mark so hoping this is true to tale. 

Will be generally towing up to 2.2T max if anything, but the ability to have 3.5T is good on the off chance I need to move my house, and also the downforce weight abilities as occasionally I'll throw a Dirtbike on the back with just the rack - circa 110-120kgs of weight. 

Is it weird that I'm scared to touch a diesel BMW knowing I know nothing over my old high maintenance S54s ?

[m325i 709]

Not sure about towing, but teh 30d and 35d motors are awesome. They seem to be pretty reliable and higher KMs can be OK as they like long journeys. 

Be aware that if you get a warranty though, you have to service every year, regardless of KM. They also put up RUC recently.

[MISS BM 712]

2 minutes ago, m325i said:

Not sure about towing, but teh 30d and 35d motors are awesome. They seem to be pretty reliable and higher KMs can be OK as they like long journeys. 

Be aware that if you get a warranty though, you have to service every year, regardless of KM. They also put up RUC recently.

I'd hope you'd be servicing every year regardless of warranty ??

Yeah, not worried about RUC. This is a secondary car, I have my trusty Audi as the daily for now

[Gaz 1061]

F15s are basically a facelifted facelift e70. Share a lot of common components are more refined

[MISS BM 712]

8 minutes ago, Gaz said:

F15s are basically a facelifted facelift e70. Share a lot of common components are more refined

Thanks for that.. Just worried more electrics = more problems. Especially when looking at the higher KM/Import segment. 

[isis 16]

Had ours for over 10 year now and still going strong. Currently sitting at about 160+ks.  We have not replaced anything major, just the usual wear and tear parts. I have kept a spreadsheet of the cost to date and we're about 20k in which works out to be about 2k a year. Every second year is a bit of killer in terms of cost - this is when tyres and brakes gets replaced and it averages between 5-6k. More if you have run flats but we have the spare wheel option.

Did i say it likes eating lots of tyres?  We have the 20 inch option with the rears being 315!

RUC is about $600+ for 10,000Ks.

No issues with electronics.

Great 'trucks' and happy shopping...

[m325i 709]

3 hours ago, MISS BM said:

I'd hope you'd be servicing every year regardless of warranty ??

Yeah, not worried about RUC. This is a secondary car, I have my trusty Audi as the daily for now

Oh also 10,000 km - forgot, that was the annoying one. But sounds irrelevant to you anyway.

I wanted a wagon for family car - I'm converted to SUV - fast ones are pretty fun.

[NZ BMW 368]

Really rated my 4.8L E70. Only reason I flicked it on was that the warranty was running out. 
 

If it’s a secondary car I would go for the petrol and even the V8. On long runs they don’t use that much fuel and the cost/km differential when you buy.... that’s a lot of petrol money. 

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

4 hours ago, MISS BM said:

Will be generally towing up to 2.2T max if anything, but the ability to have 3.5T is good on the off chance I need to move my house, and also the downforce weight abilities as occasionally I'll throw a Dirtbike on the back with just the rack - circa 110-120kgs of weight. 

A point to watch out for, not all X5 are rated for 3.5t towing, car needs to have option “Increased Towing Capacity” code 223 or 233 I think it was. Usually combined with 3AC the factory tow bar.

Beefs up a few areas of the car, especially the cooling systems.

[balancerider 758]

5 hours ago, m325i said:

Not sure about towing, but teh 30d and 35d motors are awesome. They seem to be pretty reliable and higher KMs can be OK as they like long journeys. 

Be aware that if you get a warranty though, you have to service every year, regardless of KM. They also put up RUC recently.

N57 generally reviewed as being sound (much better than the 4 cyl N47) although some reports of broken timing chains on the 6's as well.

RUC's are $72/1000k now.

[MISS BM 712]

3 hours ago, isis said:

Had ours for over 10 year now and still going strong. Currently sitting at about 160+ks.  We have not replaced anything major, just the usual wear and tear parts. I have kept a spreadsheet of the cost to date and we're about 20k in which works out to be about 2k a year. Every second year is a bit of killer in terms of cost - this is when tyres and brakes gets replaced and it averages between 5-6k. More if you have run flats but we have the spare wheel option.

Did i say it likes eating lots of tyres?  We have the 20 inch option with the rears being 315!

RUC is about $600+ for 10,000Ks.

No issues with electronics.

Great 'trucks' and happy shopping...

Ahh yes, the whoppers that are tyres... Can't forget out those, and generally run flat too. Ugh. 

Thought brakes were primarily done around 40,000kms ish.. But I guess heavier vehicle quicker wear?

[MISS BM 712]

1 hour ago, E30 325i Rag-Top said:

A point to watch out for, not all X5 are rated for 3.5t towing, car needs to have option “Increased Towing Capacity” code 223 or 233 I think it was. Usually combined with 3AC the factory tow bar.

Beefs up a few areas of the car, especially the cooling systems.

Yup, and the 7seaters are the ones that come with self leveling... Am looking for one with factory as also want the beefed up cooling on gearbox. 
I've just realised however that factory towbar may not be able to take the bike rack. Grr. Needs to be tongue type vs the Westfalia style they offer. 

[MISS BM 712]

19 minutes ago, balancerider said:

N57 generally reviewed as being sound (much better than the 4 cyl N47) although some reports of broken timing chains on the 6's as well.

RUC's are $72/1000k now.

Used to be $64.10 back in the day... (last year... haha)
Not too bad considering on a casual driving day you might get 800+ out of the tank. 

[MISS BM 712]

1 hour ago, NZ BMW said:

Really rated my 4.8L E70. Only reason I flicked it on was that the warranty was running out. 
 

If it’s a secondary car I would go for the petrol and even the V8. On long runs they don’t use that much fuel and the cost/km differential when you buy.... that’s a lot of petrol money. 

Currently have the V8 Touareg as the secondary car... Diesel for towing is cheaper and so much nicer torque wise when towing moving ponies in the back. I've got my heart set on the diesel at this stage.. but you're dead right about cost difference, pretty crazy. 

[MISS BM 712]

1 hour ago, m325i said:

Oh also 10,000 km - forgot, that was the annoying one. But sounds irrelevant to you anyway.

I wanted a wagon for family car - I'm converted to SUV - fast ones are pretty fun.

The Audi is 15,000kms or 12 months, whichever comes first. I thought BMW was similar but maybe not... I know in the UK on the diesel cars they are 2 years or 30,000kms. Makes me wonder why NZ is different, are we that abusive to our rides? haha

[NZ BMW 368]

8 minutes ago, MISS BM said:

Currently have the V8 Touareg as the secondary car... Diesel for towing is cheaper and so much nicer torque wise when towing moving ponies in the back. I've got my heart set on the diesel at this stage.. but you're dead right about cost difference, pretty crazy. 

It’s not really far off at all. The 5.0 has more torque than anything except the M50D but both those top end models seem pretty hard to find. 
 

I dunno, I have a diesel now and they are great but a lot of the stuff on the used market seems to be really high mileage and pretty clapped out. 

[balancerider 758]

1 hour ago, MISS BM said:

I've just realised however that factory towbar may not be able to take the bike rack. Grr. Needs to be tongue type vs the Westfalia style they offer. 

If it's the standard Westfalia detachable you can buy a tongue type bar with swappable 50mm + 1 7/8" ball with a flat surface to mount a bike rack on. I've just bought one from Coombes Johnston

[Gaz 1061]

10 hours ago, MISS BM said:

Ahh yes, the whoppers that are tyres... Can't forget out those, and generally run flat too. Ugh. 

Thought brakes were primarily done around 40,000kms ish.. But I guess heavier vehicle quicker wear?

Most customers with f15s were getting 70-100km of driving but it all depends on how you drive. Same with tyres, some getting 60+ others getting 20km

If you check the servicing menu in the idrive will give you an approximate distance left on the brakes

Edited May 12, 2020 by Gaz

[MISS BM 712]

10 hours ago, NZ BMW said:

It’s not really far off at all. The 5.0 has more torque than anything except the M50D but both those top end models seem pretty hard to find. 
 

I dunno, I have a diesel now and they are great but a lot of the stuff on the used market seems to be really high mileage and pretty clapped out. 

Yeahp agree there. I'm trying to find something between 35-45k and they are all pretty up there. But the diesels do tend to go and go and go. 

[MISS BM 712]

9 hours ago, balancerider said:

If it's the standard Westfalia detachable you can buy a tongue type bar with swappable 50mm + 1 7/8" ball with a flat surface to mount a bike rack on. I've just bought one from Coombes Johnston

Are you able to grab a picture if at all possible?
I'm talking dirtbike rack vs bike rack... You wouldn't happen to know downforce weight either by any chance of it?

[Gaz 1061]

https://www.trademe.co.nz/2620070240

[MISS BM 712]

9 minutes ago, Gaz said:

https://www.trademe.co.nz/2620070240

Oooh that's nice.. I didn't even see it because I had capped my search at 100kms. 

This is currently top of the list: https://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=2609205018

[NZ BMW 368]

38 minutes ago, MISS BM said:

Yeahp agree there. I'm trying to find something between 35-45k and they are all pretty up there. But the diesels do tend to go and go and go. 

Yeah, it's the rest of the car (interior etc) that always worries me. 

I am somewhat more interested in this thread because I am dipping my toe in the market for a SUV again - I can wait though... I am interested to see what prices do. 

That would be my advice - if you don't need to make a decision right now, wait. I bet prices (especially on E70's) will come back a bit more. 

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

2 hours ago, MISS BM said:

Are you able to grab a picture if at all possible?
I'm talking dirtbike rack vs bike rack... You wouldn't happen to know downforce weight either by any chance of it?

The tongue load isn’t that great on the factory swing away due to the design unfortunately.

[m325i 709]

13 hours ago, MISS BM said:

The Audi is 15,000kms or 12 months, whichever comes first. I thought BMW was similar but maybe not... I know in the UK on the diesel cars they are 2 years or 30,000kms. Makes me wonder why NZ is different, are we that abusive to our rides? haha

This is third party Autosure - all diesels are 10km