Just wanted to divert from my usual questions and problems that I ask of you guys and heap some praise on the X5. I drove on icy/snowy roads for 100s of miles in sub-freezing temperatures this past weekend, and the 18 year old car showed no signs of any misbehavior. It was the first time I have taken it on ice, and it handled marvelously with normal highway tires, no chains.

For any other first timers, stopping on ice was the hardest part. It took probably double the distance, and don't be startled when the ABS kicks in. Just remember to take things slower than you would normally. Thick snow was a walk in the park and slushy ice sometimes would give an inch or two sideways motion but the X5 always recovered smoothly and virtually instantly. Of course driving a good 10-20 below the posted speed when visibility was poor also helped make for a smooth journey too.