Thanks for the post LCSCPZB
I can't see your attachments mate - very keen to see your pics of the leather dash option - my dopey salesman didn't know about it so I missed out on it by about 1 week. I was checking the bmw website practically daily for new options while I was waiting for my order - I'd heard of the auto tailgate on this forum so managed to slip that in, but the leather dash didn't appear on the site until just after I'd been told my vehicle had been built

Your options list sounds a lot like mine, except I didn't get rear dvd player or heated steering - or the leather dash as mentioned. I did go with ruby black individual paint and adaptive drive + adaptive steering though, and I'm one of the ones who raves about them My vehicle has been in at the service centre twice (once to get 21" style 239 wheels fitted and once to get power steering pump replaced) and both times they gave me an X5 without adaptive drive/steering... all I can say is ouch... feels awful, I mean really awful by comparison. One of them had only 1200k's on the clock and the other 5500k's - so it's not like they were old and weary. They had 17 or 18" tyres on them so you'd think they'd feel more cushy than mine with 21" run flats, but no, mine feels far nicer in spite of the low profile run flats. And I nearly ran up the kerb on the other side of the road as I drove away because I had to turn the steering wheel so much further without adaptive steering But now after reading your post, I'm interested to drive an X5 without adaptive drive, but with sports suspension to see the difference. I didn't think about it at the time but now I'm guessing that the loaner vehicles I was given probably wouldn't have had sport suspension. Seriously though, it feels like mine is on rails around corners at high speed, it's so far from what you'd expect in a vehicle this shape and weight.

Totally agree with your comments about some of the options not being standard - problem is, by giving them my money I am telling them it's ok to have it that way

Like you I am loving this vehicle. The computer/electric glitches can be a bit annoying but for the most part it's nothing but fun driving around in this car. I took delivery in early April and drive it every day to/from work and even now I still look for any excuse to have to drive it somewhere. The fuel consumption is brilliant, I'm only using around 9.5-10L/100k's commuting to/from the city each day including lots of generous right boot (it's fun to hear that beautiful tuned roar) and it's such a zippy car considering it's weight.

The dealings I've had with (Brisbane) BMW since I took delivery have been excellent, really feel like they're looking after me and making it as easy as possible. As mentioned it was in once to get 21's fitted and then one more time because a warning came up on the computer about the steering, although there were no discernible symptoms. They replaced the power steering pump. Both times I was given a practically new X5 loaner.

I've put 9000k's on it so far, and here's to many more.