[Tacticool]

Hi guys,

I am hoping to get some insight and advice on my considering of an X3MC or X5MC. I currently own an Explorer ST and got it for the potential of how quick they can be with mods. However, after seeing what an X3M and X5M does with a tune, really makes me wonder.

Are X3M/X5M's reliable?

Outside of a couple of oil changes per year, what kind of maintenance am I looking at? Are brake jobs really 10K? Are motors 30-40K as I have seen?

Should I go X5M over an X3M? Size is not a deal breaker as they are both smaller than my ST. I want something that rides smooth, but handles very well. Cost is a huge difference, as I have seen X3MC's with les than 30K miles for around 50-60K (2020 models) and X5MC's still close to 100K with the same miles and year. I am leaning toward X3MC's.

Over the course of racing for the last 15ish years, I have always heard BMW's are unreliable, worthless German POS cars (damn fanboys) and I am hoping to prove this wrong.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

-Chris

[BlkGS]

A 2025 Explorer ST was kinda at the top of my list prior to getting my X5 M50i. I ce from a Trailblazer SS, for context.

First off, X3M is tiny. X3 is small, but something about the M seats, I could not fit myself behind myself (6'2), and more importantly I couldn't fit a car seat behind me. If you don't need space, that's not a factor, but coming from an explorer, the X3 will be tiny. X5 will be smaller in the back row than explorer, and obviously no 3rd row.

Reliability... Given all the issues with the Explorer ST, I'd call them about the same. The aftermarket support for the X5 is nothing like what you find with the ST. ST has honestly really incredible support from companies like Steeda and Whipple, you're not gonna get that for x3 or x5.

If you just care about performance, the BMWs are gonna crush the ST. You don't even have to go full on M, I went in just like you to drive an X3M and an X5M and ended up buying an X5 M50i. The "not M" still rips a sub 4 seconds 0-60 STOCK, plus has a ton of luxury features, plus costs a ton less, plus has a less expensive motor, and the 520hp it claims to make is what it puts down at the wheel. Oh and if you want more, you can always tune it. Get one with Dynamic Handling Package and it has a crazy mix of performance and handling and comfort.

I was like you, coming in looking at the Ms, drove the M50 on an off hance, and it absolutely fit the bill for me. Plus, you don't have to get a Whipple, a ZFG tune, rear diff brace, deal with some stupid E50 mix, etc.

[BlkGS]

As an extra point to comfort, people universally pan the rise comfort of the X3M and X5M. They say "they're too stiff" and blah blah blah and say to get the M performance version instead of you care about ride comfort. They said the same thing about the WRX STI, and I thought mine rode great, so YMMV, but my M50 even with steel.springs and 22" wheels rides amazing.

[aussieintexas]

About to get out of a X3MC and into a X5 M60 (in about 2 hours actually).
I really have enjoyed the X3MC and it has a great motor and sound and is very stylish. End of rhe day just too rough a ride for me and I absolutely love driving my wife’s X5 45e. I still want power and performance so went for Adaptive pro and the V8.
I don’t think it is tiny - it is just a wee bit smaller - and guzzles gas 😉

[Tacticool]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

A 2025 Explorer ST was kinda at the top of my list prior to getting my X5 M50i. I ce from a Trailblazer SS, for context.

First off, X3M is tiny. X3 is small, but something about the M seats, I could not fit myself behind myself (6'2), and more importantly I couldn't fit a car seat behind me. If you don't need space, that's not a factor, but coming from an explorer, the X3 will be tiny. X5 will be smaller in the back row than explorer, and obviously no 3rd row.

Reliability... Given all the issues with the Explorer ST, I'd call them about the same. The aftermarket support for the X5 is nothing like what you find with the ST. ST has honestly really incredible support from companies like Steeda and Whipple, you're not gonna get that for x3 or x5.

If you just care about performance, the BMWs are gonna crush the ST. You don't even have to go full on M, I went in just like you to drive an X3M and an X5M and ended up buying an X5 M50i. The "not M" still rips a sub 4 seconds 0-60 STOCK, plus has a ton of luxury features, plus costs a ton less, plus has a less expensive motor, and the 520hp it claims to make is what it puts down at the wheel. Oh and if you want more, you can always tune it. Get one with Dynamic Handling Package and it has a crazy mix of performance and handling and comfort.

I was like you, coming in looking at the Ms, drove the M50 on an off hance, and it absolutely fit the bill for me. Plus, you don't have to get a Whipple, a ZFG tune, rear diff brace, deal with some stupid E50 mix, etc.

Fantastic info, thank you for that.

I do care a lot about performance. I want a DD that is comfortable for my size (6'1, 225ish) and also flys like a bat out of hell. I have seen a few videos of X3M's running low 10's and now even high 9's with a tune and bolt-ons.

Problem for the ST is that the absolute fastest they have gone is 10.56 with upgraded turbos, suspension mods, intercooler, aggressive tuning, weight reduction, built trans and the funky fuel mixing. The fuel mixing doesn't bother me, but having to dough out 20K in mods to run mid 10's vs what I have seen out of the M's is nuts.

I remember my old boss had a 4.4i X5 (2006 or so) and it was in the shop every other week and they spent tens of thousands maintaining it and replacing parts.

What are the main differences with the M and the 40/50i models? Is the potential the same, just different motors and creature comfort differences? I have seen the 40/50i's priced less, but I am a huge fan of the M appearance, M badging and those dang seats that look oh so comfy.

The ST is great, coming from a bolt-on Durango R/T, it is quicker stock. However, the 360 camera bugging out 7/10 times I use it, the rattles, the boat handling and worrying about the trans going at 500hp.

[TurtleBoy]

Originally Posted by Tacticool

What are the main differences with the M and the 40/50i models? Is the potential the same, just different motors and creature comfort differences? I have seen the 40/50i's priced less, but I am a huge fan of the M appearance, M badging and those dang seats that look oh so comfy.

A night and day difference between an M and the M-performance/MSport/Sport. Obviously the engine is different (in the LCI models the M-Performance and M use the same engine but tuned differently) but the biggest difference is the suspension, anti-roll, etc. The M will get you as close to a sports car that you can get in an SUV.

This link will give you some of the differences: https://g05.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...0&postcount=10

[BlkGS]

That was what put me into a TBSS over an Explorer ST in 2020. The explorer chassis is great, but the quality was garbage.

Potential is a loaded question, there's guys running built B58s that make 1200hp. But they're putting 50 grand plus into their motors. There are likely not any 40i X5s like that, because they're the base model, and people would be more likely to try to make that kind of power in a smaller, lighter vehicle. There likely are B58s built further that make more power than the most built N63s. Then talking S58 and S63 (M motors), the S58 is in M3 and M4 and so again likely has motors built to a higher level to make more power.

I think you gotta decide how fast you want to go. None of these vehicles running 10s or less are gonna survive without super expensive built motors. Are you a consistent drag racer, or is that sort of just a "target" in your mind?

The M50I is a 3.9 to 60, 12.5s 1/4 mile car stock. It obviously down from that with a tune, but there's not a TON of options beyond that. If you really want to build a fast SUV, a Hellcat Durango or Trackhawk is probably the right place to start. Those are mid to upper 800hp range with a pulley, tune, and injectors. Before I bought my X5, that was at the top of my list. After driving the M50i, I realized that it was all I needed from a performance standpoint, and I didn't need to spend the extra 30 plus grand for the Hellcat plus mods of want to do to it.

Drive them all, go from there. It's really easy to get deluded by videos of people with their crazy built cars online. But unless you're going to the track or trying to run a YouTube channel, the performance that's gonna satisfy you is gonna be a LOT lower than the internet would have you thinking.