Transmission Failure In A Bmw X5

[RX in NC]

I learned last night that the transmission in my sister's BMW X5 SUV (I believe it's a 2003 model) failed earlier this week at about 165,000 miles. She drives the hell out of her vehicles and I would be very surprised if she ever bothered to change her transmission fluid. In fact, she probably never even took a dipstick reading. It's a company-owned car so I believe she'll just turn it in and not bother with any estimates or repairs.

Many of us who own or have owned early RX models would be thrilled to get this kind of mileage out of our original transmissions, particularly if the fluid had never been changed....

[wwest]

I learned last night that the transmission in my sister's BMW X5 SUV (I believe it's a 2003 model) failed earlier this week at about 165,000 miles. She drives the hell out of her vehicles and I would be very surprised if she ever bothered to change her transmission fluid. In fact, she probably never even took a dipstick reading. It's a company-owned car so I believe she'll just turn it in and not bother with any estimates or repairs.

Many of us who own or have owned early RX models would be thrilled to get this kind of mileage out of our original transmissions, particularly if the fluid had never been changed....

According to Toyota a well designed, properly designed transaxle should NEVER need the ATF drained/flushed/refilled....!!!!

[edbro]

Many of us who own or have owned early RX models would be thrilled to get this kind of mileage out of our original transmissions....

Many of us would be thrilled to get a BMW as a company car!

[tmastres]

I understand your point of view but I'd take an RX over an X5 any day. And if you're talking about 03 models, I don't see any failures from that year or the newer versions so basically your comparing apples and kumquats. I don't consider 165k mi to be spectacular mileage out of an AT. Good, but not special. Also as a company vehicle I'd be inclined to believe there was some type of maintenance schedule o keep warranty coverage..

[RX in NC]

I don't want a BMW X5 in my garage any more than I want my wife's RX. I'd be much happier with her back in a Grand Cherokee. More power, more room, true all-wheel-drive, and far less costly to maintain and insure. Plus, I can comfortably drive it for hundreds of miles whenever I need to. At 6-foot-7, I can't drive her crackerbox RX for more than an hour without my legs and lower back begging for some relief.

I'd say that 165,000 miles with no transmission maintenance at all (not even checking the fluid level or condition) is pretty damn good, especially when compared to an early-model RX AWD.

And no, there was no company-required maintenance schedule that she had to follow. She and her husband own the company, so they can maintain their vehicles as well or as poorly as they choose. Knowing my sister, she basically drove the hell out of the vehicle and thought she was maintaining it every time she filled up at the pumps....