i've said it before.. for every need is a certain type of vehicle.

i bought my '01 3.0 years back not because it was cheaper then a 4.4 (before the 4.6 and 4.8 were available). i bought it because it fit the bill. it had everything i wanted. i don't speed recklessly on the street and people who know me know this to be true. they also know that the cost difference between a 3.0 and a 4.8 is not a big deal for me. its just i never found the use for a 4.8 and i'm not into bling or status of having the top of the line model.

if i were to chose another x5 today, i would still not get a 4.8. i would get the 4.4 for tow capacity for my race car. the 4.6/4.8 is tuned to be a sportier vehicle and imo is not the ideal setup for my purposes of a tow vehicle.

if i had josh's needs of a daily commuter, i would get the 600 over the 1000. if i were to race the bike, i would get the 1000.

in the end, to each his own...