European vs. Americam X5

[jigaro]

Hello, i have alway wondered about this.
I live in both continents in States and in Europe as well, and everyone over there in my country keeps telling me how better european cars are, for example they argue the folowwing.
-Eventhough american cars come with more options even in basic models, if you wanna buy a used car, american cars are usually extremely worn out.
-Also they argue that suspention in European x5 is better, the car rolls less.
-They also argue that European cars are usually free of squekes and any other sound, in otherwords the ride is free of sounds.
-Guys no desrespetc, these are my friends who all drivve German cars and all knoe cars.
-Also they admit American version has more horsepower.
-In my opinion i must agree with them because my family owns E cass mercedes S class 500, and now 4.6is and these are all american versions and i must say that usually when i ride in European versions there is something about them, sence of more quality or something i just dont know what it is but it just seems muh better, fresher, better taken care of.
-In my country usually on a car market, if you want to buy a used luxury car, if it's shipped from U.S. price usually goes down and European versions are valued more.
Do you guys have any experiences?

[AzNMpower32]

Um okay, lets set things straight here.

All X5s and Z4s are made in the US. There isn't anyone down in Spartanburg that says "Oh this X5 3.0d is for a German. Make sure you screw everything tight." The converse is true. No one at Munich/Dingolfing/Rosslyn/Regensburg is going to point and say "Diese 3 ist fur einen amerikaner. Build it poorly."

There isn't a seperate suspension for different continents. Within each model, there is standard and sport. It isn't like "this is a X5 bound for America. Lets loosen up the suspension."

If anything, the American BMWs have a teensy bit less power due to the emission regulations that we have. In the grand scheme, power is the same within each engine spec. Now, our petrol quality here isn't as good as the European petrol in many cases, but the engines are tuned to run on petrol around the world.

Differences within models are mostly due to each country's regulations. For example, Europe does not require orange reflectors in the front corners. Hence, their headlamps have clear "corners", although the turn signal bulb still flashes amber. US DOT requires yellow to be visible for some unknown reason. Hence, every car you see on the road in the US has some sort of reflector. Europe requires rear foglights; US does not. Canada and Austria require DRLs, Germany and the US do not.

[jigaro]

Originally Posted by AzNMpower32

Um okay, lets set things straight here.

All X5s and Z4s are made in the US. There isn't anyone down in Spartanburg that says "Oh this X5 3.0d is for a German. Make sure you screw everything tight." The converse is true. No one at Munich/Dingolfing/Rosslyn/Regensburg is going to point and say "Diese 3 ist fur einen amerikaner. Build it poorly."

There isn't a seperate suspension for different continents. Within each model, there is standard and sport. It isn't like "this is a X5 bound for America. Lets loosen up the suspension."

If anything, the American BMWs have a teensy bit less power due to the emission regulations that we have. In the grand scheme, power is the same within each engine spec. Now, our petrol quality here isn't as good as the European petrol in many cases, but the engines are tuned to run on petrol around the world.

Differences within models are mostly due to each country's regulations. For example, Europe does not require orange reflectors in the front corners. Hence, their headlamps have clear "corners", although the turn signal bulb still flashes amber. US DOT requires yellow to be visible for some unknown reason. Hence, every car you see on the road in the US has some sort of reflector. Europe requires rear foglights; US does not. Canada and Austria require DRLs, Germany and the US do not.

I get your points, but i do not agree with couple of things.
-If i go do a dealer in my country, i can have a special suspention for european car and also i can have even much more special suspention for CIS countries, former soviet union countries, since roads are not perfect there.
-I agree with you about the yellow small light that are required in US, everyone hates that back in my country, and i must agree with that i dont like it much.
-I also wanna point out that leather interior in general in european cars are better preserved, you know fast food drive throught and stuff here in America, but in europe you can buy a car and its almost like noone has ever set a foot in the back of the car, so thats also important.
-Also for some unknown reason almost every car arround me thats bought from america by my friends, when the cars are checked out the sparkplugs are in horoble condition.
-So the suspention is optional there are numerous you can have, but as i says before the European models have less bodyroll

[AudiBMWSX45]

I don't know specifically about the X5, but many european automakers detune the suspensions on certain models for the U.S. market, as opposed to having a sportier suspension for the European market. And of course cars destined for developing countries with worse roads also get a different suspension. It wouldn't surprise me if that were true of the X5 as well. Again, I don't know for sure on the E53 specifically.

[rastaFarai]

Didnt know the yellow sidemarker was a requirement. So if I have cleared out lights, I have to at least have yellow flashing bulbs? I actually have white bulbs on all 4 turn signals.

[jigaro]

Originally Posted by rastaFarai

Didnt know the yellow sidemarker was a requirement. So if I have cleared out lights, I have to at least have yellow flashing bulbs? I actually have white bulbs on all 4 turn signals.

I'am sure you qount be picked on, but yes you could get in trouble, you know how sherifs are.
-Don't worry i'dd do the same, keep it that way

[youry]

I've always had the feeling that the cars in US do not have that "spark" when I step in. I cannot point what is "missing" but something is different. Maybe I'm just getting old, who knows!

[Wagner]

..different type of design.

[Meiac09]

Originally Posted by AzNMpower32

There isn't anyone down in Spartanburg that says "Oh this X5 3.0d is for a German. Make sure you screw everything tight." The converse is true. No one at Munich/Dingolfing/Rosslyn/Regensburg is going to point and say "Diese 3 ist fur einen amerikaner. Build it poorly."

I also wanna point out that leather interior in general in european cars are better preserved, you know fast food drive throught and stuff here in America, but in europe you can buy a car and its almost like noone has ever set a foot in the back of the car, so thats also important.

Fast food? Thats a pretty bigoted thing to say
Since, in general, American people drive 15,000 miles (or more) per year, the cars do tend to get worn out, its simple. If you find a garage queen that doesn't get used much due to proximity to everything, serious congestion, ridiculous gas prices or public transit, which is found much more often in europe, you will find all the qualities you are looking for.

[NeaMarin]

Common guys, i rode a freakin 1.9 TDI Golf in Romania, that had a better get-up than my 4.4 x5 here in US. I agree with Jigaro