Your story is very interesting, and it is definitely a cautionary tale. I've had 2 different X5Ms, and before those I owned a few Jeep GC SRT-8s. My first X5M was an E70 (2010, 1-owner and no accidents) and I had it for 3yrs (put roughly 30k miles on it). I stayed up on all the maintenance and never modified it, so I never had ANY mechanical problems. I sold it at the time I purchased number 2, which was the F85 (2016, 1-owner and no accidents again). It had ~60k miles when I bought it (4 years ago). I still own it today and it has ~86k miles. The only issue I had with the F85 was the air suspension in the rear (which quit working one morning on the way to work), and the fix required replacing the air compressor and both air bags (which was about $3k). But the air suspension is a known issue with the F85, and no other mechanical problems aside from that. My 2nd BMW truck (as my first) is also very well maintained. The BMW X5M maintenance is cost prohibitive for most buyers (I suspect this is why their resale value decreases so rapidly once the warranty expires). Both trucks did have various electronics fail though (minor stuff like seat adjustment motors and cameras), which is also common in used BMWs. The major electronic components were/are still working. But my left turn indicator on my F85 dash quit illuminating recently, so I'll need to fix that eventually. Also, I'm financing my F85, and I plan to pay off the loan this year. It's been a wonderful truck to look at and drive (similar to an exotic, which it kinda is), and I'm keeping it!!
Simple as that, it was def an accident that wasn’t insured, probably a stolen vehicle taken to a “takeover” and lightly damaged and abandoned but not totaled. Some dealership saw it, had the parts or funds to dump into it and then try to resell like it’s never been in an accident 😢, what a shame to disgrace a beast of a machine. People need to have more respect for these machines.
Multiple dealers owning a unit is pretty par for the course when it comes to more exotic units like an M. Also, insurance and body shops NEVER report to carfax, for the exact reason you mentioned. The state where the accident occurred is the only source they can use
Fortunately my experience was good. Bought a low mile lease return, clean carfax, one owner...had local BMW dealer do thorough PPI and they said it is very solid. I guess I got lucky. WIth that said, I have 9 months of factory warranty and bought an additional 6 years and 75k. I doubt I will own an X5M past it's warranty.
Lmfao! It wasn’t really clean title, that car was def in an accident they didn’t report if it was “clean title” for sure it was wrecked and someone did a sh** job of fixing it. I have one and everything is prefect on it!
I’m sorry to hear it didn’t went well and I agree with your statements. It took us 1+ year to find a sutable M5 F10. I hope the next one is much better!
Buy certified, especially an M car. The requirements to certify an M car are so stringent (oil change before 1,000m, for instance), and few actually qualify, that you wouldn’t need to worry about this type of stuff. Plus you have a warranty, which for anyone with an M car is borderline insanity if you don’t.
Absolutely true Captain! I've heard this in the past, but figured maybe a previous owner/dealership did the right thing...unfortunately not. CPO is the way to go
This is unfortunately true! Not so long ago leasing was something that companies, not individuals did. The problem I see with it is that it floods the market with 3yr old harshly driven cars. And it continuously happens because individuals lease the next best thing. At some point we reach a bubble!
@@bobmac1970 seems like dealers these days are pushing free carfaxs, IMO because they are light on info; found frame damage and that same little dealership laundering you saw on an M5 this way with auto-check by not trusting their weak carfax freebie; another ok technique is simply googling the vin and see-ing if any hits; sometimes at a PPI at a 3rd party dealer they will give you national history, had a toyota stealer print hard copy for me once, but other OEM stealers just scoff at privacy-concerns[it is a wild conflict of interest-dealer service tells you the example if fine, so they can charge for repairs after the purchase][the consumer/provider COIs are sadly more like oppresive-captialism vs. fair-market][same with real-estate agency but I will try to not digress]; Marketcheck.com used to let search by VIN but I think they moved that function to API/REST only, their reports used to go deep free/open-source[I can't bring myself to learn their API yet]; eventually, vinwiki may have the kind of big data coverage we need.
@@dustinmccoy3141 The amazing part of this situation is that I track the car after not buying. After I identified this issues, they pulled the car from that dealership. Wouldn't be surprised to see it for sale in another State at some point. Honesty is going down the tube, as you've noticed with 3rd party dealers. The whole privacy thing is BS. Nobody is asking for the previous owners names, just a history on the car. I had a dealership deny providing information they had on a vehicle. Just got a "I wouldn't buy it" remark.
Bob, Sorry to hear that it didn't work out.. thanks for all the tips. How did the interior compare to the X4's as far as comfort? Which car would you prefer making the 500 mile trip in? Miss our daily conversations so keep posting!!!!
Although the X5M was superior in 'seat' category, it just felt like it had been thrashed. The X4 actually faired well for the 500 miles, though I could feel my back after 2-300 miles. The M5 never felt worn out like that particular X5M did. On the way back I got to test drive the new X3M in Phoenix...now that's a beast!
@@bobmac1970 I saw the X3M when we had some warranty work done on my wife's 2010 X3... it sure looks awesome. We drove the X3 to Fort Bragg and back over the Labor Day weekend and the seats were not so comfortable after the first 500 miles... that's why I asked about the seats in the X5... might be time to upgrade :-)
@@henrysweeten7722 Sabine has the regular X5 and the seats are perfect! When we drove from Maryland to Arizona I would wonder why she always seemed rested...I was driving the X4, she was driving the X5.
@@amgeezy_2709 For daily driving I felt the X40i is the better way to go. The X3M is much firmer/harsher in daily driving, and the amount of extra punch doesn't get the opportunity to be used in daily traffic. The X40i, when put in Sport Mode can be just as fun....my opinion.
Sorry it didn’t work out for you, I know the feeling. The drive home is always a bummer. I buy and sell these cars for a living, I’ve learned the hard way that that are no dealers, or history reports that can be trusted completely. Always get a PPI of course, but at the end of the day, your gut feeling should always be trusted the most. If it feels off, it probably is As far as leases are concerned, it’s an unfortunate reality but 90% of used German cars will be a lease. It just is what it is
Hello, do you by chance know the vin for that x5m you were looking at. I literally gonna go look at one which is the same color combo and everything. I just checked the car fax and it says it was a lease and then a personal owner
Sorry Josh, that was a while ago. Look closely at the trunk lid. If the upper edge has a narrow gap on one side (not equal side to side), I'd start looking closer. That was the case on the one I looked at
Hey Bob, sorry it didn't work out. Thanks for the update though. I had a similar experience when looking for my 2012 MCB M5. Another great M will pop up again soon, and hopefully one you can add to the stable. I selfishly hope its another M5 for you :) :) All the best!
Do you know if there's a way to identify a leased car vs a financed car on websites for example, when searching for vehicles? I'm looking to get myself a 2018 BMW X5M with less than 10k miles on it and in almost new condition. And watching your experience makes me more careful now, I appreciate that. Its unfortunate that you went through that and that you didn't get yourself a in great condition X5M, because that car is certainly well worth it to my knowledge. Not saying the X4 M40i isn't great because it is, but the X5M is a total different animal compared to a X4. Nonetheless, I congratulate you on your new car.
Unfortunately the only thing CarFax will show is "personal lease" or "owned". My biggest gripe is that carfax only reports what has been previously been reported by an Insurance company etc. Claims against a car will show up. Some people repaint or repair without insurance which never shows up. Good luck on the X5M, sounds like a good buy an only 10k miles you should be good.
Your story is very interesting, and it is definitely a cautionary tale. I've had 2 different X5Ms, and before those I owned a few Jeep GC SRT-8s. My first X5M was an E70 (2010, 1-owner and no accidents) and I had it for 3yrs (put roughly 30k miles on it). I stayed up on all the maintenance and never modified it, so I never had ANY mechanical problems. I sold it at the time I purchased number 2, which was the F85 (2016, 1-owner and no accidents again). It had ~60k miles when I bought it (4 years ago). I still own it today and it has ~86k miles.
The only issue I had with the F85 was the air suspension in the rear (which quit working one morning on the way to work), and the fix required replacing the air compressor and both air bags (which was about $3k). But the air suspension is a known issue with the F85, and no other mechanical problems aside from that. My 2nd BMW truck (as my first) is also very well maintained. The BMW X5M maintenance is cost prohibitive for most buyers (I suspect this is why their resale value decreases so rapidly once the warranty expires).
Both trucks did have various electronics fail though (minor stuff like seat adjustment motors and cameras), which is also common in used BMWs. The major electronic components were/are still working. But my left turn indicator on my F85 dash quit illuminating recently, so I'll need to fix that eventually. Also, I'm financing my F85, and I plan to pay off the loan this year. It's been a wonderful truck to look at and drive (similar to an exotic, which it kinda is), and I'm keeping it!!
The F85 is certainly arguably the best looking X5M. Great one to hold on to.
Simple as that, it was def an accident that wasn’t insured, probably a stolen vehicle taken to a “takeover” and lightly damaged and abandoned but not totaled. Some dealership saw it, had the parts or funds to dump into it and then try to resell like it’s never been in an accident 😢, what a shame to disgrace a beast of a machine. People need to have more respect for these machines.
Multiple dealers owning a unit is pretty par for the course when it comes to more exotic units like an M. Also, insurance and body shops NEVER report to carfax, for the exact reason you mentioned. The state where the accident occurred is the only source they can use
Fortunately my experience was good. Bought a low mile lease return, clean carfax, one owner...had local BMW dealer do thorough PPI and they said it is very solid. I guess I got lucky. WIth that said, I have 9 months of factory warranty and bought an additional 6 years and 75k. I doubt I will own an X5M past it's warranty.
Shade difference is because of the materials used for body panels
Lmfao! It wasn’t really clean title, that car was def in an accident they didn’t report if it was “clean title” for sure it was wrecked and someone did a sh** job of fixing it. I have one and everything is prefect on it!
I’m sorry to hear it didn’t went well and I agree with your statements. It took us 1+ year to find a sutable M5 F10. I hope the next one is much better!
Thanks! There's definately too much false sense of security with Carfax...
When a car is moved from state to state so quickly. In most cases they are title washing. Happens a lot with flood and frame integrity vehicles.
It definately gave me that strange 'gut' feeling that something isn't right. The sad part is that it was a reputable dealer
Buy certified, especially an M car. The requirements to certify an M car are so stringent (oil change before 1,000m, for instance), and few actually qualify, that you wouldn’t need to worry about this type of stuff. Plus you have a warranty, which for anyone with an M car is borderline insanity if you don’t.
Absolutely true Captain! I've heard this in the past, but figured maybe a previous owner/dealership did the right thing...unfortunately not. CPO is the way to go
Your mic volume is way down.
I'm still learning :)
Half, or more, of BMWs are leased.
This is unfortunately true! Not so long ago leasing was something that companies, not individuals did. The problem I see with it is that it floods the market with 3yr old harshly driven cars. And it continuously happens because individuals lease the next best thing. At some point we reach a bubble!
carfax seems easy to hide things; autocheck pulls more dirt IMO
Good to know! I'll have to try them in the future! Thanks!
@@bobmac1970 seems like dealers these days are pushing free carfaxs, IMO because they are light on info; found frame damage and that same little dealership laundering you saw on an M5 this way with auto-check by not trusting their weak carfax freebie; another ok technique is simply googling the vin and see-ing if any hits; sometimes at a PPI at a 3rd party dealer they will give you national history, had a toyota stealer print hard copy for me once, but other OEM stealers just scoff at privacy-concerns[it is a wild conflict of interest-dealer service tells you the example if fine, so they can charge for repairs after the purchase][the consumer/provider COIs are sadly more like oppresive-captialism vs. fair-market][same with real-estate agency but I will try to not digress]; Marketcheck.com used to let search by VIN but I think they moved that function to API/REST only, their reports used to go deep free/open-source[I can't bring myself to learn their API yet]; eventually, vinwiki may have the kind of big data coverage we need.
@@dustinmccoy3141 Yeah, it's too bad. The whole reason these companies began was to endorse integrity in the car business
@@dustinmccoy3141 The amazing part of this situation is that I track the car after not buying. After I identified this issues, they pulled the car from that dealership. Wouldn't be surprised to see it for sale in another State at some point. Honesty is going down the tube, as you've noticed with 3rd party dealers. The whole privacy thing is BS. Nobody is asking for the previous owners names, just a history on the car. I had a dealership deny providing information they had on a vehicle. Just got a "I wouldn't buy it" remark.
Always do a pre purchase inspection before heading there and make sure the inspector takes very detailed pic and inspects everything thoroughly.
Then you have people like me. I wrecked my avalanche Chevy avalanche hit a deer. I rebuilt it myself
Bob, Sorry to hear that it didn't work out.. thanks for all the tips. How did the interior compare to the X4's as far as comfort? Which car would you prefer making the 500 mile trip in? Miss our daily conversations so keep posting!!!!
Although the X5M was superior in 'seat' category, it just felt like it had been thrashed. The X4 actually faired well for the 500 miles, though I could feel my back after 2-300 miles. The M5 never felt worn out like that particular X5M did. On the way back I got to test drive the new X3M in Phoenix...now that's a beast!
@@bobmac1970 I saw the X3M when we had some warranty work done on my wife's 2010 X3... it sure looks awesome. We drove the X3 to Fort Bragg and back over the Labor Day weekend and the seats were not so comfortable after the first 500 miles... that's why I asked about the seats in the X5... might be time to upgrade :-)
@@henrysweeten7722 Sabine has the regular X5 and the seats are perfect! When we drove from Maryland to Arizona I would wonder why she always seemed rested...I was driving the X4, she was driving the X5.
@@bobmac1970 was the x3m that much of a beast over the x4m40? Kicking around x3m, x3m40 or x5m in the future. Haven’t gone to drive them yet
@@amgeezy_2709 For daily driving I felt the X40i is the better way to go. The X3M is much firmer/harsher in daily driving, and the amount of extra punch doesn't get the opportunity to be used in daily traffic. The X40i, when put in Sport Mode can be just as fun....my opinion.
Thank you for such a amazing video
Thanks for watching :)
Crazy Bob I have a problem with my 2003 bmw x5 3.0i. My dashboard and tail light are flicking. What do you think?
Sorry it didn’t work out for you, I know the feeling. The drive home is always a bummer. I buy and sell these cars for a living, I’ve learned the hard way that that are no dealers, or history reports that can be trusted completely. Always get a PPI of course, but at the end of the day, your gut feeling should always be trusted the most. If it feels off, it probably is
As far as leases are concerned, it’s an unfortunate reality but 90% of used German cars will be a lease. It just is what it is
Good info. Hate those rides. Haven’t done one 500 miles but have done a few.
It’s ok Bob we all know you wanted to go to Vegas this was the excuse for the wife. I’ve done worse. Ha Ha I’m kidding my friend.
Oh man...I been caught! :)
Hello, do you by chance know the vin for that x5m you were looking at. I literally gonna go look at one which is the same color combo and everything. I just checked the car fax and it says it was a lease and then a personal owner
Sorry Josh, that was a while ago. Look closely at the trunk lid. If the upper edge has a narrow gap on one side (not equal side to side), I'd start looking closer. That was the case on the one I looked at
@@bobmac1970 thank you. In your video you said it sounded or felt like it was sick. Like rough idling
Hey Bob, sorry it didn't work out. Thanks for the update though. I had a similar experience when looking for my 2012 MCB M5. Another great M will pop up again soon, and hopefully one you can add to the stable. I selfishly hope its another M5 for you :) :) All the best!
At some point I definately want another F10 M5. I think they were the best even if the newer models perform a tad better
I agree w you sorry about your experience
Thanks. I really wanted to be back in the real 'M' world, but not at the condition of that X5M
Thanks for that info. Do you miss the F10?
Every other day!...I felt like the car was a custom made suit that fit like a glove to my driving style....now you got me crying again!....lol.
Almost daily!!....thanks for reminding me! lol.
Do you know if there's a way to identify a leased car vs a financed car on websites for example, when searching for vehicles?
I'm looking to get myself a 2018 BMW X5M with less than 10k miles on it and in almost new condition. And watching your experience makes me more careful now, I appreciate that.
Its unfortunate that you went through that and that you didn't get yourself a in great condition X5M, because that car is certainly well worth it to my knowledge. Not saying the X4 M40i isn't great because it is, but the X5M is a total different animal compared to a X4.
Nonetheless, I congratulate you on your new car.
Unfortunately the only thing CarFax will show is "personal lease" or "owned". My biggest gripe is that carfax only reports what has been previously been reported by an Insurance company etc. Claims against a car will show up. Some people repaint or repair without insurance which never shows up. Good luck on the X5M, sounds like a good buy an only 10k miles you should be good.
Did you actually drive the car ? Interesting review sort of
I did drive it. Coming from an F10 M5 in the past, it felt tired and abused. I wish I could have filmed the drive...it felt like a tuned x35i