BMW X5 Problems

Consider the campaign officially launched, although all of the CarsGuide team have been complaining about harsh riding from low-profile tyres for a long time.

For maximum space and tow rating you should definitely be going for the Touareg V6 TDI. It will do both your jobs with a 3500kg tow rating and 280kg ball weight.

Range Rover does not have a great reputation for reliability or resale but the Sport is a great drive. So the X5 is the safe choice but the Range Rover is likely to give you more enjoyment.

Your budget limits you to older models, such as 2008/2009, which will have done 120,000 to 180,000 km. I am loath to recommend buying one of these cars with such a mileage on them; you would be heading the period of pain when you are quite likely to face increasing and expensive repairs. If you were to choose to buy one I would go for the Discovery. I would also urge you to have the car you choose checked over by a specialist mechanic who knows the brand intimately. Instead of the European models you are considering I would suggest you also look at something like the Toyota Kluger, which would likely to be more reliable and less expensive going forward, and your budget would stretch to a later model.

The Range Rover is fantastic and a personal favourite but the BMW also gets The Tick. Neither will be cheap if something goes wrong after the warranty. I would have a Range Rover badge every time.

I wouldn’t recommend a used BMW with that sort of mileage on it if you plan to keep it for an extended time. They are expensive to service and repair, something you must be prepared for in the future as the kilometres climb. I would definitely recommend that a dealer, or preferably an experienced BMW mechanic check it if you did decide to buy it. Go for a 7-seat SUV from a Japanese brand.

It sounds as if you want a sporty SUV and, with that budget, I’d be advising a late-model BMW X5.

Fantastic news. Pay it forward.