Used BMW X5 (00 - 07) review

A BMW X5 will chew through your cash. Fuel bills on any petrol model will be enormous and only the diesel offers sensible economy.

Spares cost a packet, too. Remember that, for a specialist car like this, meticulous servicing and specifying the correct brand of replacement tyres and so on are vital if you're to sell it for its maximum.

All of this means you're locked into costly BMW dealer servicing and labour rates, although most franchises offer discounts for vehicles once they reach four years old.

Insurance is hefty, so only those over 30 with an accident-free driving history will find premiums are at sensible levels; we'd pay extra to protect that no-claims discount.