New (used) X5 Owner, plus questions!

[RamVA]

Hey all -

I just picked up a X5 in Chicago earlier today, and I'm in the midst of driving it home to Northern VA. I haven't taken any pics, but here's an old ebay listing of it with loads:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...MEWA:IT&ih=002

It's a 2002 3.0i with a manual gearbox, 40k miles, decently equipped. I've got a bunch of random questions formulated over the last 500 miles of driving - sorry if they're stupid:

1. It has 19" BMW wheels which look like the 4.4i Sport wheels, but I was under the impression that these weren't available on the 3.0i. Were they available as a factory option or accessory, or did the owner just switch them?

2. All four manual X5s I drove had absurdly short gearing. Has anyone made any changes to the final drive to make first more usable and to relax the highway RPMs?

3. The clutch pickup in first gear is a real PITA. How hard is it to remove the Clutch Delay Valve. Is this a DIY? A messy one?

4. If the car doesn't have the factory phone is it possible/easy to connect my Razr through the handsfree?

5. The wood on the bottom of the sport wheel has gone all milky. Anyone experience this? How hard/expensive is this to repair or replace?

6. How can I tell if this vehicle has a self-leveling rear axle?

Thanks in advance!