Such a nice car, just fix the coolant leak and the regular items it needs, hard to upgrade that thing really, the upgrades are making all the factory features work on a high mileage BMW! Nice!
Really cool guy! Need more videos with him. Cool nonchalant attitude! We actually need more people like that in the World. More doing less drama. By the way, I got a 2003 E53 3.0 in an auction for $1100 and did mostly the same things you did (tune up, thermostat, wheels and tires). Plus I did some rust repairs and water pump. It’s my daily driver now. Great SUV.
Mike is super cool and chill! Check out our channel, we have quite a few video series with him. He swapped a M62 into a MK3 Golf and converted it to RWD. It’s sick!
Love seeing old Bimmers, as well as other cars, getting some love. To me this is more interesting than watching a review on some new $200k exotic that I'll never own.
So cool! Got my dad into a $3250 05 3.0i with 185k and new brakes and exhaust. Close to this one, white over truffle brown. He's been insanely lucky with just alternator, intake boot crack, and a sticky caliper and is now at 205k. Eats up New England winters. The nav computer drained the battery so no more nav now but who needs that anyway? Enjoy this one, they're tanks!
I scooped an '04 3.0 off craigslist in the same color combo for dirt cheap with 180k miles. Definitely had some wear and tear but its amazing what you can do to bring these old beemers back to life. It's been such a chill winter truck and when people see it they think I spent $20k. Love the E53 - timeless looking SUV
I owned these when new. I always liked their classic good looks.I still like them better than most other high end SUV's I bought later. The E-53's were sporty, agile and had remarkable torque in real world use. Looking at this video brought back treasured memories. Thanks!
Driving my uncle's 1999 e53 this winter. Reminds me a lot of my old MDX. Things are falling apart, passenger door won't open... But she runs! And the m52 engine feels like it could run forever. Nice vid!
I picked up a 2003 Durango for $400 and drove it 85 miles home. Im now into it about $1800, but I've replaced everything, and it should last another 20 years at least.
Door handle carriers go bad because people think they pull “out” and not “up”. I’ve got the 3.0L version of this up here in Westlake. 94k miles on mine. Put a catch can system on it as it creates excessive condensation in winter as it’s not driven much or far. I put new halo bulbs, new xenon bulbs and new taillight units. Had a yaw sensor go bad, steering angle sensors go bad, passenger seat occupancy sensors go bad but these is an easy and cheap bypass unit on eBay that worked great. These things eat sensors but still a great car for the most part. Good luck with it.
i have a black on black 06 X5 as well with the POS N62 engine lol the sports package edition. so far its been quite good besides the usual alternator gasket leaks, valve cover gasket, expansion tank, coil packs, pcv, thermostat.
I mean valve cover, coil packs and thermostat goes out with any car with high milage. Things that I dislike that shouldn’t go out are timing chains and coolant issues.
@@aidenp5768 nah the fucking valve cover was leaking at 85k, the thermostat was at 73k and the coilpacks at 100k, my fucking subaru out of all cars has not had a valve cover leak or coilpacks fail and im at 136k with it. go figure lol
@@flat_life750 Valve cover gasket is nothing lol, that takes 30 minutes to do then your set for another 100k and that’s cheap to do. If you have issues like timing chains then that’s annoying to deal with but gaskets.. I personally don’t care since it’s cheap and easy and once it’s done it’s done with. Thermostat at 70k now that’s a little premature, my X5 took till 120k miles to replace. Also coil packs, I replaced mine 5 months ago and they weren’t bad I just wanted to refresh the engine with spark plugs and coils, I’m taking it chilling and changing parts when I don’t really have to lol it’s a good car (M54) the N62 can definitely be a pain but if your having issues like thermostat and coils or valve cover then that’s nothing bro, Suburu has smaller engines and they probably have lower compression ratio, this means a lot because that big 4.4 N62 engine with the amount of oil it takes and cycles is a lot for a 5,000+ SUV, there’s no excuses when it comes to maintenance but shit goes wrong sometimes. The N62 besides timing chains and a few other stuff is a good engine when taking care of and looked after. Once you replace the big things you can go a long time.
@@aidenp5768 oh yeah i hear ya, i take super care of it and now the dmtl needs replacing but i enjoy this fucking tank it rides so nice on the highway took it to oregon from socal and it gave super gas mileage.
I’ve been buying parts from ECS tuning and recommending them for years. They helped my restore a few e30 M3s. Hope they don’t go up in prices the more popular they become.
Hi Mike great video for such a cheap X5 , l own a '06 diesel 190k km's mine was a 1 owner (here in Australia ) and well serviced as per books and very clean , had the ZF full service by a BMW technician and the rest of maintenance done by yours truly .l paid $6000 AUD but no complaints , she runs like clock. Will look forward to more X5 content in your videos. thank you mate !!
I’ve got same year X5 but in far far better condition, also the added bonus of having the 3ltr turbo diesel. Load’s of power and even more torque. Getting it remapped shortly, should bring it to about 280-290 horses, up from about 222. Absolutely love the X5 extremely reliable as long as you maintain it. Good family vehicle that’s also fun to drive
I brought a 07 X5 4.8 for less than 4K CAD in Summer, fixed most of problems, now driving it everyday. Next when I need new tires I will put on an off road one.
I love this car. Did a rear suspension refresh recently after receiving it from my dad two and a half years ago. The two gripes about the car are the rear negative camber wear and oil consumption. Other than that it’s a great car.
Would be really fun on a road trip to Alaska or Labrador. Driving to those places involves lots of dirt and gravel roads. Cars and SUVs like this are perfect for this.
We had some pretty big adventures planned for the Winter Beater crew, but due to Covid restrictions, we had to dial it back quite a bit. However, next year will be epic!
@@ecstuning I'm glad to hear that. You guys really should look into visiting Labrador. Or, the sand dunes of Northern Alberta. Those are some of Canada's lesser-known treasures, and they necessitate a comfy car.
I didn't read your reply correctly 2 weeks ago, when you said you guys are uploading a new winter beater vid every OTHER thursday. I was looking forward to watching a new vid last thursday like wtf! Thought you guys lied to me. This BMW looks like a front runner to win whatever challenges you guys got planned.
Sorry dude.....the "creatives" take a long time do to anything....but you can count on a release every other Thursday! Next up, Will's Porsche Boxster.
I'd buy that heated steering wheel off of you if you ever lose your love for the X5, but I know thats a big ask. I just did my fuel pump at 255k and decided to rewatch your series!
Currently startung the same thing, just more lift. Since you already have 32" tires, would you reckon 33 would fit or would they rub when turning? Thanks 🙂
I have question for fellow car enthusiasts, i am 18 years old and I drive b6 a4 1.8t Quattro. I’ve been fixing her but didn’t really mod her, now I want to mod her so I got job but i realized to be able to mod her with my 14 dollars and hour job I have to work full time, so now I go to school from 7am-2:30pm than work from 3:00pm-11pm, it’s hard but I can do it but problem is now I have money but no time to actually enjoy my car which was the main point. What do you teen car enthusiasts do? How do you balance this two? I know it’s not related but I know many young enthusiasts watch this channel.
Had a 4.8is E53 Yeh dead door handles and regulators plus dead airbags and rear end alignment bushes, ball joints and arms. Handbrake is terrible but would be fun to have a hydro. Heated front seat burnt through the seat!! 6hp needed a rebuild. Yep, did a fuel pump too. Have fun.
@@paolo-n2000 if it’s been serviced well yep, or get it real cheap and plan to catch up on all that maintenance with rebuilds. Loved that you could fit big rubber under it compared to the E70 which has tighter limits with the front suspension on how big you can go with tyres.
@@traversw123 The guy wants 10K for the X5 4.8is. He had the valve stem seal work done on the vehicle over a year ago. I'm thinking $5 to 7K might be the price to buy at!
@@paolo-n2000 mine sold for $8k and had all new shocks, bilstien on the rear and all new oe air springs. Had good 315 rubber all round and all new adjustable rear control arms and bushes to correct the excess toe and camber in the rear, new control arms in the front too with Whiteline bushes and new ball joints
@@traversw123 - Thanks for the info! I am excited about the prospect of being a first time BMW owner! I realize the X5 4.8is can be temperamental. Just need to find a trust worthy mechanic! I've always liked working on cars, but I'm not sure I want to mess with this one too much! Looking for a great "road-trip" vehicle. I do a lot of camping trips and have always had 4Runners. This one will be a different animal for me!
we sure do! our BMW brand manager drives one. We've come out with an M57 tune and intake for the E9X platform but should have more M57 goodies on the way in the future.
I don't think the n62 deserves a lot of hate it's not the old m62tu where the guides break and the n63 where it has turbos in the center of the v8 💀. Keep up on maintenance and the engine will last 200 plus thousand miles
You're game recovering off the tow point!! I would strongly recommend not to do that anyone watching. They are not rated for that much force and the bolt can fly out and kill someone.
the song at the first 3 mins gives me ptsd when your bored tired your head hurts and you dont have anything to watch on youtube then someone uses this song it be like that
Over here, E53 X5 are completely worthless. For a good reason. The German automobile club has determined it to be one of the least reliable road cars of all times. It's apparently got an average failure rate more than twice as high as the contemporary Gen. 1 VW Tuareg
What else should Mike do to the X5?
brush guard, winch and led bar
Keep it and enjoy it 👍
Such a nice car, just fix the coolant leak and the regular items it needs, hard to upgrade that thing really, the upgrades are making all the factory features work on a high mileage BMW! Nice!
Is anybody gonna slap a europlate on? Geese.
Put a winch on it, so u can pull the Porsche out when it gets stuck!
i like these winter beater videos
Thanks, we like you too.
They're great, hopefully the tradition continues for a while to come
@@WhuDhat We have big plans for next year!
What a hero, company says we are doing winter beaters again, he sees an opportunity to get himself the newest car he’s ever had. In for the win.
Wish there was a higher time/money limit, could watch these all year :))
This needs a series on netflix !
"I was told that's ice cream"
Really cool guy! Need more videos with him. Cool nonchalant attitude! We actually need more people like that in the World. More doing less drama.
By the way, I got a 2003 E53 3.0 in an auction for $1100 and did mostly the same things you did (tune up, thermostat, wheels and tires). Plus I did some rust repairs and water pump. It’s my daily driver now. Great SUV.
Mike is super cool and chill! Check out our channel, we have quite a few video series with him. He swapped a M62 into a MK3 Golf and converted it to RWD. It’s sick!
Love seeing old Bimmers, as well as other cars, getting some love. To me this is more interesting than watching a review on some new $200k exotic that I'll never own.
So cool! Got my dad into a $3250 05 3.0i with 185k and new brakes and exhaust. Close to this one, white over truffle brown. He's been insanely lucky with just alternator, intake boot crack, and a sticky caliper and is now at 205k. Eats up New England winters. The nav computer drained the battery so no more nav now but who needs that anyway?
Enjoy this one, they're tanks!
I scooped an '04 3.0 off craigslist in the same color combo for dirt cheap with 180k miles. Definitely had some wear and tear but its amazing what you can do to bring these old beemers back to life. It's been such a chill winter truck and when people see it they think I spent $20k. Love the E53 - timeless looking SUV
I owned these when new. I always liked their classic good looks.I still like them better than most other high end SUV's I bought later. The E-53's were sporty, agile and had remarkable torque in real world use. Looking at this video brought back treasured memories. Thanks!
Were they reliable?
I grabbed one of the last M62 4.4 E53s, August 2003 production. Over 220k miles now still going strong. One owner X, bought in 2010 with 100k miles.
Driving my uncle's 1999 e53 this winter. Reminds me a lot of my old MDX. Things are falling apart, passenger door won't open... But she runs! And the m52 engine feels like it could run forever.
Nice vid!
I picked up a 2003 Durango for $400 and drove it 85 miles home. Im now into it about $1800, but I've replaced everything, and it should last another 20 years at least.
What a lovely channel this is!
Door handle carriers go bad because people think they pull “out” and not “up”. I’ve got the 3.0L version of this up here in Westlake. 94k miles on mine. Put a catch can system on it as it creates excessive condensation in winter as it’s not driven much or far. I put new halo bulbs, new xenon bulbs and new taillight units. Had a yaw sensor go bad, steering angle sensors go bad, passenger seat occupancy sensors go bad but these is an easy and cheap bypass unit on eBay that worked great. These things eat sensors but still a great car for the most part. Good luck with it.
i have a black on black 06 X5 as well with the POS N62 engine lol the sports package edition. so far its been quite good besides the usual alternator gasket leaks,
valve cover gasket, expansion tank, coil packs, pcv, thermostat.
I mean valve cover, coil packs and thermostat goes out with any car with high milage. Things that I dislike that shouldn’t go out are timing chains and coolant issues.
@@aidenp5768 nah the fucking valve cover was leaking at 85k, the thermostat was at 73k and the coilpacks at 100k, my fucking subaru out of all cars has not had a valve cover leak or coilpacks fail and im at 136k with it. go figure lol
@@flat_life750
Valve cover gasket is nothing lol, that takes 30 minutes to do then your set for another 100k and that’s cheap to do. If you have issues like timing chains then that’s annoying to deal with but gaskets.. I personally don’t care since it’s cheap and easy and once it’s done it’s done with. Thermostat at 70k now that’s a little premature, my X5 took till 120k miles to replace. Also coil packs, I replaced mine 5 months ago and they weren’t bad I just wanted to refresh the engine with spark plugs and coils, I’m taking it chilling and changing parts when I don’t really have to lol it’s a good car (M54) the N62 can definitely be a pain but if your having issues like thermostat and coils or valve cover then that’s nothing bro, Suburu has smaller engines and they probably have lower compression ratio, this means a lot because that big 4.4 N62 engine with the amount of oil it takes and cycles is a lot for a 5,000+ SUV, there’s no excuses when it comes to maintenance but shit goes wrong sometimes. The N62 besides timing chains and a few other stuff is a good engine when taking care of and looked after. Once you replace the big things you can go a long time.
@@aidenp5768 oh yeah i hear ya, i take super care of it and now the dmtl needs replacing but i enjoy this fucking tank it rides so nice on the highway took it to oregon from socal and it gave super gas mileage.
I’ve been buying parts from ECS tuning and recommending them for years. They helped my restore a few e30 M3s. Hope they don’t go up in prices the more popular they become.
Hi Mike great video for such a cheap X5 , l own a '06 diesel 190k km's mine was a 1 owner (here in Australia ) and well serviced as per books and very clean , had the ZF full service by a BMW technician and the rest of maintenance done by yours truly .l paid $6000 AUD but no complaints , she runs like clock. Will look forward to more X5 content in your videos. thank you mate !!
Good watch! I just got a 2004 X5 3.0 170K miles. So far, so good knock on wood
Make sure ya change the front bearings there usually shot...good luck it’s fun..
Very cool! Love the X5 off roading.
I love the series and the music in this video.
Underrated show by far. Try click bait style thumbnails and it might get more attention.
Share it with friends, let people know about it!!
This pile is amazing! Keep it up guys!
I’ve got same year X5 but in far far better condition, also the added bonus of having the 3ltr turbo diesel.
Load’s of power and even more torque. Getting it remapped shortly, should bring it to about 280-290 horses, up from about 222.
Absolutely love the X5 extremely reliable as long as you maintain it.
Good family vehicle that’s also fun to drive
I brought a 07 X5 4.8 for less than 4K CAD in Summer, fixed most of problems, now driving it everyday. Next when I need new tires I will put on an off road one.
The heated wheel 🥰
I love this car. Did a rear suspension refresh recently after receiving it from my dad two and a half years ago. The two gripes about the car are the rear negative camber wear and oil consumption. Other than that it’s a great car.
Some manufacturers recommend to rotate the tyres around (from front to rear and vica versa), helps even out wear
Would be really fun on a road trip to Alaska or Labrador. Driving to those places involves lots of dirt and gravel roads. Cars and SUVs like this are perfect for this.
We had some pretty big adventures planned for the Winter Beater crew, but due to Covid restrictions, we had to dial it back quite a bit. However, next year will be epic!
@@ecstuning I'm glad to hear that. You guys really should look into visiting Labrador. Or, the sand dunes of Northern Alberta. Those are some of Canada's lesser-known treasures, and they necessitate a comfy car.
Black X5, Phantom!
White x5 look like a panda, panda, panda, panda, panda
I have a blue 2001 e53 5speed and I love it
I’d love the X5!
I didn't read your reply correctly 2 weeks ago, when you said you guys are uploading a new winter beater vid every OTHER thursday.
I was looking forward to watching a new vid last thursday like wtf! Thought you guys lied to me.
This BMW looks like a front runner to win whatever challenges you guys got planned.
Sorry dude.....the "creatives" take a long time do to anything....but you can count on a release every other Thursday! Next up, Will's Porsche Boxster.
That engine would be nice in an e30 😁
So this is why my ECS order takes so long🤔😂
Haven't heard that one before.....*slow clap*
Definitely my favorite of this years winter beaters 👍
great video series! sadly i feel like winter will be over by the time we see the rest of the fleet
I see yall hit up the brickyard 👀
Whatchyou know about the brickyard?
ECS Tuning ha, as local hooligan, a good bit 😂
@@vapoodyne8249 Hell yea!
Spent a lot weekends out there! Wish the buildings wouldn't have burned down.
What are the tire size used in this video and lift.?? 235/80R17.??
Damn putting out a lift kit! Sign me up for one on my 04 4.4i!
I'd buy that heated steering wheel off of you if you ever lose your love for the X5, but I know thats a big ask. I just did my fuel pump at 255k and decided to rewatch your series!
This makes me want to buy an X5
DO IT!!!
Good Evening. Great 👍. VIDEO
Currently startung the same thing, just more lift. Since you already have 32" tires, would you reckon 33 would fit or would they rub when turning? Thanks 🙂
They would likely rub, especially without a lift kit. The 32's are close with a one inch lift.
I have question for fellow car enthusiasts, i am 18 years old and I drive b6 a4 1.8t Quattro.
I’ve been fixing her but didn’t really mod her, now I want to mod her so I got job but i realized to be able to mod her with my 14 dollars and hour job I have to work full time, so now I go to school from 7am-2:30pm than work from 3:00pm-11pm, it’s hard but I can do it but problem is now I have money but no time to actually enjoy my car which was the main point. What do you teen car enthusiasts do? How do you balance this two? I know it’s not related but I know many young enthusiasts watch this channel.
Keep working towards your goal and don't give up! Help him out fam, how do you guys keep your passion funded?
pleasure to watch, love it!
Glad you enjoyed it!
This deserves a sub I just got one with the same engine 271k miles
best e53 video ever.
Wow, thanks!
Yeah buddy 💥💥💥
Had a 4.8is E53
Yeh dead door handles and regulators plus dead airbags and rear end alignment bushes, ball joints and arms.
Handbrake is terrible but would be fun to have a hydro.
Heated front seat burnt through the seat!!
6hp needed a rebuild.
Yep, did a fuel pump too.
Have fun.
would you buy one again? I am considering buying a 2005 X5 4.8is with 102,000 miles on it...any advice? LOL
@@paolo-n2000 if it’s been serviced well yep, or get it real cheap and plan to catch up on all that maintenance with rebuilds.
Loved that you could fit big rubber under it compared to the E70 which has tighter limits with the front suspension on how big you can go with tyres.
@@traversw123 The guy wants 10K for the X5 4.8is. He had the valve stem seal work done on the vehicle over a year ago. I'm thinking $5 to 7K might be the price to buy at!
@@paolo-n2000 mine sold for $8k and had all new shocks, bilstien on the rear and all new oe air springs. Had good 315 rubber all round and all new adjustable rear control arms and bushes to correct the excess toe and camber in the rear, new control arms in the front too with Whiteline bushes and new ball joints
@@traversw123 - Thanks for the info! I am excited about the prospect of being a first time BMW owner! I realize the X5 4.8is can be temperamental. Just need to find a trust worthy mechanic! I've always liked working on cars, but I'm not sure I want to mess with this one too much! Looking for a great "road-trip" vehicle. I do a lot of camping trips and have always had 4Runners. This one will be a different animal for me!
When will the X5 lift kit be available on your website to purchase? Will you make one for the E70s as well?
We're still in the prototype stages. Keep checking our social media feeds to get the latest updates on products!
More of this!
More on Winter Beater is coming!
I just love these videos
question for you about the transmission?
Put a safari roof rack on it. Love the tires and lift.
Schrader valve is not so bad if you use a rag.
Did you have to reset your transmission adaptation after the fluid change? Thinking about doing it on my 3.0 soon.
It's recommended for smooth operation.
Awesome video and very informative 👏
Hmm... there is a manual X5 for a bit more than 3000 euros a few miles from my place. Running and n ialright condition. I am way too tempted now
O love this car
can u weld the diff?
I’ve been wondering the same thing!
who did you get it from, some trailer park baller?
Do you know much about the Diesel X5? I've been looking at the E70 with the M57 and 6 speed and the F15 with the N57 and 8 speed
we sure do! our BMW brand manager drives one. We've come out with an M57 tune and intake for the E9X platform but should have more M57 goodies on the way in the future.
@@ecstuning That sounds pretty sweet, in your shops experience is the diesel or the N55 I6 turbo on the 2011+ better/less of a pain in the ass to own?
I will buy it from you when you're done with it.
Does ECS sell that fluid transfer pump?
We sure do! It's the Schwaben Fill/Suction Pump: bit.ly/2RLGqtc
Don't these engines have the valve seal leak issue? While you there replace every single gasket. Car would be good for another 100k lol
What size are those tires
The older x5s are better for offroading like the pre 2003 ones
Love all bmws
2004 e53 3.0 sport package 6-speed 😎 lemme just flex on ya’ll
💪
My neighbor has an 08 passat thats engine wont start...makes me want to fix it up...i feel like it might be a similar issue to this...fuel pump...
Doesn't hurt to dive into it and check it out. We have a huge catalog that will help you out with parts you need. (yes, shameless plug)
@@ecstuning hell he might just give me an ecs tuning budget to get it out of his driveway!
What's the tire size?
Only vehicle I gave up on!
Why?
Do you guys still sell the running board kit for this car?
They are currently back ordered for the e53, without a estimated delivery date. Check back for updates.
How many miles on it now ?
Any lift kits for the e70?
What should Mike do? Develop a lift kit for an F25 X3!
I don't think the n62 deserves a lot of hate it's not the old m62tu where the guides break and the n63 where it has turbos in the center of the v8 💀. Keep up on maintenance and the engine will last 200 plus thousand miles
Süper 💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯
You're game recovering off the tow point!! I would strongly recommend not to do that anyone watching. They are not rated for that much force and the bolt can fly out and kill someone.
Too bad they don’t have lockers for these vehicles! That would make these so much more worthwhile imo…
What tire size?
Does Mike still have the lifted 944?
He does! He is in the process of transforming it into something big! New series coming out in the Spring!
Send link for lift kit.
They are only in the prototype stages right now. Watch our other social media channels for updates on it!
5 fuel pumps disliked this video.
Tires Size ?
the song at the first 3 mins gives me ptsd when your bored tired your head hurts and you dont have anything to watch on youtube then someone uses this song it be like that
X5's aren't shxt boxes or junk things, they're "mechanically challenging".
😂
i has one. M54!!!!!
I just paid $2500 for a roof tent for a can that can't go off road :/
Bummer.
@@ecstuning Chorni bumer
I came here to tell everyone to not but this car.
first person to see/ watch this!
Over here, E53 X5 are completely worthless. For a good reason. The German automobile club has determined it to be one of the least reliable road cars of all times. It's apparently got an average failure rate more than twice as high as the contemporary Gen. 1 VW Tuareg
Second 😎
The N63 is the worst engine lol