I saw your post and just had to comment, today I traded in my 2002 E430 for a 2002 X5 3.0 topaz blue with sport package... and all I have to say is boy are you right! I owned the Benz for 8 months and hated it for the past 7 and a half. I honestly believe they have to be the most overrated cars out there period, the thing was a lifeless souless heartless brick on wheels. The X5 drives exactly the way a performance luxury car should, just amazing. The interior is beautiful, elegant, yet tasteful and modern. The controls on the Benz seem as if they came out of the cockpit of a WWII fighter jet... big, stiff and ugly. The "bose" sound system was utterly crappy, the electronics all together were old school and dissapointing. Definitely the worst car purchase Ive ever made, but now Ive recitified that by buying my beautiful bmw. If youre thinking about making the jump let me be the first to tell you DO IT!!!!! I actually lost a pretty good chunk of money on the car having only owned it for 8 months, but in the end it was worth it not to have to drive a car so bland that it drove me nearly insane. I can't wait to get in my bimmer tomorrow morning and drive to work, in style