M Buyers Guide
Inspection checklist
X5 M F85, 2015 to 2018
Before you go
- Open recalls. Run the VIN through NHTSA or a BMW dealer and ask for proof every recall was done.
- History report. Check the title, accidents, owners and mileage record.
- Service records. Ask for them in advance, ideally from a BMW dealer or specialist.
- Independent inspection. Book a pre-purchase inspection with a shop that knows this engine.
Known problems on this car
- Oil and coolant leaks around the hot vee about $2,000 to fix
Look under the engine cover and beneath the car for wet oil or dried coolant, check for a burning-oil smell after a drive, watch the coolant level, and ask which gaskets, lines and pipes have been replaced.
- Rod bearing wear about $4,000 to fix
Ask whether the bearings have been replaced or inspected and whether the engine has been tuned, look for oil analysis reports, and walk away from a knock from the bottom of the engine.
- Carbon buildup on the intake valves about $900 to fix
Listen for a rough idle, scan for misfire codes, and on cars past 60,000 miles ask whether the valves have been cleaned.
- Battery wear and low-voltage faults about $450 to fix
Ask when the battery was last replaced, and treat a string of unrelated electrical warnings as a sign it is due.
At the viewing
- A complete service history with oil changes every 10,000 miles or sooner.
- No oil or coolant leaks on top of the engine or under the car.
- A clean fault-code scan.
- Receipts for any gasket or coolant pipe work.
- A level stance with no air suspension warnings.
- Tread and brake life left.
- A VIN check for open recalls.
Notes
From the X5 M F85 guide at M Buyers Guide. Repair costs are the guide's estimates, not quotes; the guide says where each comes from. Problems and costs as of the date printed.