I thought that the suspension was pretty compliant too. A lot of the roads in my area are pretty rough (typical Aussie country roads) and the ride is surprisingly good.

While I still surprised how compliant the ride is on 20s, if this M50d was mine, I'd be putting 18s, and taller, narrow rubber on it. Too much bump-steer from the 20s and too damage prone for mine, in my neck of the woods on these s**t roads.

Regardless, the 50d engine is sensational. In terms of the performance/economy trade-off, it's the best engine ever to grace an X5.

Think the problem is BMW put Bridgestone on it instead of Dunlops which are the better tyre.

You may well be right that the Dunlops are better than the Bridgetones but regardless, the 20s and their W-rated 275/40 and 315/35 tyres aren't what you want on rough, poor-quality roads, more so if the road is unsealed. This is not so much a criticism of the M50d's tyre and wheel package but more a comment on what's best in my neck of the woods - out in the boonies!

That's the problem with the M50d, you are stuck on 20" and only some of the 20" will fit also? they are a tight fit not only in depth but width as well.

PS. I cannot even get my finger between the spokes of the rim to the face of the caliper?

Yep, I know exactly what you mean. I'd be happy with the 20s in a different driving environment (smoother, better roads) just not ideal down here.

My M50d has now done a little over 5000klm, and my 70% city & 30% country driving is giving me now 9.3ltr/100klm. I am calculating this by actual klm driven to litres used by the fuel pump purchase not the computer readout. I do not reset my ltr/100klm readout on the dash with each new tank full of fuel, I do reset the trip meter thou.

I am hopeful that by the time the X5 has been run in I can achieve around the 8.9ltr - 9.0ltr/100klm>

Before I returned the 50d I did one tank with easy, light-throttle, no-fanging driving on country roads and it got down to 7.9 litres/km (calculated, not off the OBC).

Overall average while I had the 50d was 9.2 litres/100km, which is pretty good given I gave it the boot ... too much fun not to! Pretty much all country driving though.

I'm still torn between this of the X5///M :confused: This is cheaper, and better fuel economy, but its not as big a thrill as the ///M :( I will see when the time comes, I like the new cayenne turbo S :)

If you buy the X5M 50d, then chip it you get well over 850nm of torque, that would put it below 5 sec to 60kph, at 746nm standard it does 5.4 sec.

This thing is great for a DD, remember you cannot hoon around all day long, this thing kicks a**e and more people will buy a secondhand X5M 50d than the X5M V8.

I recieved my special X5M book from BMW Australia, there is not to much difference other than Diesel 3 turbo to V8 2 turbo Petrol. Both are designated as X5M's. Its is not a M-Sport and there not many around?