5 series buying advice.

[drpellypo]

Have had the X5 for a year and a half now and it's been brilliant. Great family bus, comfy, fast, and hasn't cost us anything in repairs - just proactive maintenance costs which have been around £800, £360 of that being gearbox service.

Absolutely love the car however a house came up a month or so back which was an extra bedroom and two extra bathrooms and we decided to go for it. Only problem is, becuase of the different times the two girls will have to start school come September, and because the house is out of walking distance (which we've been doing previously) it's going to mean the X will be used for 8 4 mile journeys a day, 5 days a week. This is both going to costly in terms of fuel and not particularly good for a V8 petrol. So.. I'm thinking it might be a good idea to start using the Fabia for the school run, and for me to get another, somewhat economical car for work. Something large enough to also ferry the 3 kids around when we on family outings/holidays etc. I'll be doing around 10,000 miles a year in it, all the journeys being long, straight runs of 20 miles each way.

I've loved using the Fabia for work because it's been rock solid and cheap to maintain, so I guess I'm probably looking for a BMW that's the most reliable and easy to work on of the pack.

The X5 is 2004, 98k 4.4 with Sat Nav and cream leather. It's been looked after by a indi for the time I had it, and previously had about 3/4 main dealer history, with a small gap in between, before I got it, being maintained by it's owner who was a mechanic. Online websites value it at around 7k, and £6.5k trade in, so I'd be looking at a 5 for around the same, if that is an accurate price? Can anybody suggest something that fits within that bill? I have no issue with getting older models etc, for less money, if they are more likely to be reliable.

Thanks!

Edited April 6, 2015 by drpellypo