My dad is in the market for an AWD X5. He's looking for a 00-up. Were the early AWD reliable? And downsides? What do we need to look out for? Did the 4.4 engine come in manual? Wheres the best place to shop for off road suspension for the X5 like suspension parts, etc. Thank you in advance and sorry for the dumb questions. Nik
I go to www.X5world.com for most of my X5 information. This is a great X5 forum. As for the reliability of the xDrive (BMW's AWD system), the early ones were reliable. I own a 2003 3.0 X5 and it has been great. The guys are always amazed at how well it does off-road. I believe in 2004 they went to a newer verison of the xDrive, but I am not sure what all the differences were.
it'll be extremely hard to find a manual X5, but good luck (only 3.0 came with the manual option). the reliability of the AWD system is fine, its the tranny thats a problem. after 90k, they tend to breakdown (mine just did) with the 4.4 more highly susceptible. cant really address an offroad suspension. x5world definitely will give you more info especially if you wanna read my issue with the damn tranny.
Did your dad find his X5? As I have an '01 E53 4.4i and (before the accident) an '01 E53 3.0i 5-speed I would say that unless he really must have the slushbox that the giddyup is markedly different between the two. The 3.0i manual was great, but I always found the power-to-weight ratio in the original X5 3.0i somewhat lacking. Now of course we have no manual option...sign of the times.
Awesome that he found a 5-speed and I hope he keeps it for a very long time. I would still have my blue/tan X5 3.0i 5-speed were it not for a nice lady blowing a stop sign and hitting me in the left front wheel well going 40mph.
