Greydog

!Removed! Kids !!

I cant comment on the E70 and newer but with the E53 the drivers window control unit had a small button allowing the mirrors to fold in. They can also be coded to fold in on locking. Something dealers were happy to take your money for!! If you dont have the power fold button on the window control then you may be out of luck. I think all the mirrors have the motors but you will be missing the sensors in the mirror mechanism and probably the power loom plus the switch unit. I totally agree that on so called "Prestige" car it is a glaring omission, though BMW have always had a thing about getting customers to pay for "extra specification" to personalize their cars. You know "windows sir of course we can add those they are just??" "steering wheel of course sir we have an excellent choice of those" For all their faults though they are good cars

Exactly! if you did have the BMW removable tow bar that is where it is stored. Just nipped out and took a couple of pictures of mine

If your X was fitted with the removable tow bar that is part of the storage mount position.

They also made an X5 E53 V12 (Vids on U tube somewhere) that would really move 5 peeps and their luggage.

If you have the eject box it is likely that you also have the rest of the kit. You can buy a snap in holder for your Iphone that replaces the pen tray it will charge your phone and use the cars antenna. On the front end of the "Pen Tray" there should be a "Pairing" button (looks like the voice button on the steering wheel) The pairing process is in your handbook, you should also have a card with your handbooks that has the pass key (4 digit number) if you cant find it it will be on the unit in the left side of the boot. Pairing is easy sit in the car key in the ignition but the ignition off, press and hold the pairing button (not the voice button on the wheel) for 3secs turn the key to position 1 continue to hold the button down the screen will say "Pairing" plus on mine the Telephone lights flash. release the button and set your phone to search and follow its instructions, when it finds the car enter the pass key. Job done ignition off then start the car your phone should be paired, if not the ULF memory in the car may be full and you may have to delete previously paired phones.

My guess would be rear sub-frame bushes a common problem around 80k upwards. They are not a nightmare job OEM will cost about £80 to £100 a set depending on where you buy, I changed mine for Polybushes £195 a set plus £45 for tool hire (bush puller) I changed the rear spherical bushes while I was under there £29 a side. I am an old bloke and an average DIY er but the whole lot took 5hrs with tea breaks. Good luck

Try www.realoem.com open the site and put in the last 7 digits of your vin number then you can scroll through the menus and find what you need. It has drawings and part numbers. Interior colour not sure, I know the paint code is on the plate inside the drivers wing maybe interior code is there also, mine has black interior so not very hard to match. I use Black shoe polish on the drivers bolster the only wear point on mine, then Chemical Guys Leather treatment. With my wifes car (cream leather interior I chicken out with interior and paint) I paid a specialist who repaired a couple of splits in seams and scuffs cleaned and refurbished all the leather and dash for £270 the result was amazing like a new interior. Hope this helps

Before buying make sure everything works correctly, an X5 is a complicated beast so before test driving I start the car and listen for any strange noises/smoke. Sit in the car and while it is warming up check all the electrical gadgets you have work as they should. When warmed up take it for a test drive make sure its over varied roads so you can give it the beans (check for smoke in the mirrors) feel how the gear changes are under all conditions. Check for creaks and groans or knocks from the suspension. Engine Gearbox and Drive train must be good if not walk away, suspension can be used as a negotiation point (not cheap but can be done DIY) If there are electrical gremlins these cars can drive an experienced electrician nuts (just check all the forums) plus the cost of changing out and repairing units can be scary so again I would walk away (a couple of hundred off wont do it) All said I am on my second X5 the first needed suspension bushes at the rear and a new FSR these items were done by the supplying dealer the car went through 2 MOT's with no advisories. The current X5 again needed some bushes this time I used it as a bargaining tool. Take care buy carefully and enjoy

First check that the disc is a BMW OEM disc these can be temperamental. Have you tried the "disconnect battery for 30mins" trick this resets everything and has fixed many strange gremlins plus make sure your battery is fully charged. If all else fails you may have failed laser head, not unheard of. You can buy a laser head replacement if you want to DIY or send the unit off for repair if not. Either is cheaper than a replacement.

I am aware of Rule 57 in the Highway Code, I am also aware that the police can prosecute if an animal is able to distract the driver in any way. I am also aware that Northern Ireland is considering a law, but as far as I am aware In the UK, the Welfare of Animals in Transport Order prohibits owners from transporting their pets in any way that 'causes, or is likely to cause, injury or unnecessary suffering to that animal'. In the case of dogs, the RSPCA recommends that they are kept both secure and comfortable during transport, using a harness, travelling crate or a container. 'It is important that a dog is suitably restrained in a vehicle so that it doesn't distract the driver or injure them if the vehicle stops quickly,' As I understand a seat belt harness or lead secured to a suitable anchor is acceptable in all the recommendations but currently there is no law. The biggest concern I would have is the dealer you have brought your car from!!! Ask them to check BMW part No 51476972712 (this is for the integrated luggage cover and luggage net) the last two digits may change to match interior trim. It could be the original owner didn't specify the guard so the roof mountings are not there?

History is everything not just a stamped service book but reciepts for work done and MOT history. What advisories etc have they been corrected. 2 years ago I brought an X5 mainly to pull our horse box, my choice was a 2001 4.4 with LPG 85k on the clock the history was all BMW plus a file of MOT's and receipts a brilliant car plenty of power and at 70p a litre easy on the pocket, big plus it doesn't sound like a taxi!! Sadly in January it got squashed by a tree (not a mark on the tree) so I have just replaced it with another X5 this time a 4.6is.

Does your Sat Nav have the right disc? Mk1.2.3 are CD Mk4 DVD? With the CD Changer check the cartridge is the right one and the discs are in correctly. When you load the CD cartridge in the boot you should hear it cycle the first disc.

40 mpg out of an X5??? Your driving like a big girl, come on you know what your right foot is for.

I have several V8's over the years a couple of early Range Rovers 10/12mpg tops, and 3 AMG Merc's 15/17 mpg average (easy to get single figures though) My X5 is a 4.4 but converted for LPG I get about 17mpg around town but at £0.69 a ltr and after reading this thread it looks like it's cheaper to run than a Diseasel Yahoo.

The Mk3 is CD based and the Mk4 DVD I believe, I was told they are interchangeable I looked at this upgrade and the cost of the Mk4 units second hand is silly I also wanted Bluetooth again a silly cost for BMW units, both would have been over £600. In the end I brought a Hualagin unit fitted for just over £500. It looks standard but provides easily updated good sat nav with full postcode search across Europe, rear view camera, DVB TV, DVD/CD, full Ipod connectivity, Bluetooth, aux in etc etc oh and a radio. I have the original BMW kit which I must get around to selling but should more than balance the cost. My advice would be consider a Dynavin/Hualagin type unit as a replacement.

Welcome I brought a 4.4 petrol X5 last year primarily to tow a horse box (we had just sold the horse lorry). What influenced me? As both my wife and I have other cars I didn't want to spend a fortune on a car that wouldn't get used that often. It had to be capable of pulling 2 large horses and everything that goes with them. I wanted something that was comfortable and reasonable on the motorway. After trying several different marques Mercedes ML, Range Rover, Audi Q7, Toyota Amazon we tried an X5. The X5 on the road is a far better drive than any of the others, equipment levels are comparable all had nav, phone etc, all could pull 3 tons with ease. Off Road ability what a load of rubbish is talked here!!! The furthest off road most of them go is a muddy track or slippery field. Then I looked at prices, now I have never owned a BMW before and expected prices for a premium marque would be high what a pleasant surprise. On average prices were 2 or 3k below RR and Merc then I saw the X5 we brought, low-ish miles full history tax and MOT blah blah the thing was the price due to it being Petrol bargain, it seems no one wants a gas guzzler but this one was LPG converted. Yes I did the research I knew suspension bushes are suspect around the mileage we were looking at so that went into the negotiation. Since purchase I have had the suspension re-bushed with polybushes £480 and the car didnt have bluetooth and I kept forgetting to divert calls to the car or cancel it?? So I had the headunit replaced with one that has Radio, bluetooth,DVD, DVB TV, Ipod, Rev camera, CD changer and more all in £430 fitted. I enjoy the drive so much it has ended up being used just about everyday, it's quick enough it's cheap to run and tax great when the snow came (Shooting is a hobby and it went everywhere without problem) I am so pleased I am selling my CLS and will upgrade the X5 later this year.

That Plate looks brilliant never thought about such a simple mod making a big difference, but then I never normally mod my cars just change them? Not a 4.6 or 4.8 but my 4.4 on LPG goes around 280 miles on 60 litres of LPG (mixed and proper motorway speeds) at £0.73p a litre (Cheaper if I can find a Morrisons) = £43.8 the equivalent in petrol would be about £85. So £ for £ I think it works out cheaper than a 3.0D. A friend has a 3.0D and he reckons the same distance costs him about £50

I brought my X5 primarily to pull a horse box and it was originally going to have low usage just like you (both my wife and I have other cars). I brought a 4.4i with LPG conversion and I have driven it almost everyday !! There goes the low usage, on the road I don't think there is any 4x4 that drives/rides better. I read the comments about the suspension bushes so had them checked and upgraded to polybushes (actually cheaper than OEM all in) I couldn't get on with the BMW in car phone (I kept forgetting to put a divert code into my mobile) so I changed the headunit I now have bluetooth DVB TV I-pod and all the other stuff for less than the cost of a BMW bluetooth upgrade. I shoot and the X5 has carried us over some pretty snotty snowy and slippery tracks this season without once even feeling like it would get stuck. With LPG at 74p (thats the dearest I have found on the motorway) I think it's one of the best cars I have owned.

Seems to be a common fault with the FSR, mine went the day I was picking the car up (stroke of luck for me) It took one of the service guys about 10 mins to change he said it was fiddly not hard. He removed the carpet trim in the drivers footwell, the FSR is right at the back behind the heater. He un-clipped it removed the plug and put the new one in. The new one was a different design (I am assuming an upgrade) all has been well since.

Swap it for a 4.4 or 4.6 petrol running LPG you don't get anymore MPG but at 73p a litre it's easy to live with, I get around 200 miles on a tank of LPG (better on the motorway with cruise control in) and a tankful costs between £40 and £45 dependent on where I fill up. Plus no potential turbo or EGR issues.

OK the headunit is swapped Wow, what a difference the biggest and best improvement for me is the bluetooth (includes phonebook transfer) no more fiddling with divert codes. Just get in start up and go, the unit it's self has Radio, GPS (really excellent full European 3D maps and post code search speed camera and speed alerts) DVB TV, I-pod connection, plus it plays CD's DVD's has USB and memory card inputs (tried but not used) sound quality is great in all functions and steering wheel functions are retained. Just to much to mention really and all for less than the cost of upgrading the BMW phone system to bluetooth. The car is still going well, I have been onto a number of shoots recently where mud has been a big problem but the X5 has got us around and not got stuck (yet), even drove around a stranded Disco (I think if I had stopped there would have been two of us) He needed two Landrovers to pull him out.

Such a shame that the attitude of some main dealers can do so much damage. Sadly it's not just BMW I have had the same arrogance problems from Mercedes (Gearbox issue with my CLS hard erratic changes) the dealer told me it was my driving style!! Volvo who think it's fine to keep changing parts at the customers expense and still not cure a misfire, finally cured in 1 hour by an independent. Come on BMW a respected company of world standing listen to your customers. Good Luck with the Audi

4 months and 3600 miles have flown by, still really pleased with the X5 the suspension creaks were the dreaded rear subframe bushes on their way. So I had them upgraded to the poly bush replacements, so no more creaks and groans. I can't get on with the in car phone/nav/TV in the car. I keep forgetting to put the divert code into my moblie and the cost of upgrading to BMW bluetooth is just silly, so I am going for an aftermarket replacement with it all in the headunit I have seen and tried one and was very impressed. So anyone want the old system PM me.

Hi I have seen these codes on Mercedes it happens when the fuel enrichment exceeds parameters. The codes are normally caused by a Vacuum or air leak, or it could possibly be a dodgy O2 sensor. My first checks would be looking for any air/vacuum leaks on the inlet/servo side, check and clean the MAF then reset and see if they return. Good Luck Dave