Observations

[Daka]

I started to search for a specific, manual 06 CPO X5, and here is what I found.
Less tan 10% of them are manuals, (only 3.0 had a manual available)
Probably 90 % are some color of Grey, White or Black..just drive by any new car lot and see what they have...A SEA OF GRAY
BMWNA limits the choices when they offer what THEY want to.
Dealers choose to order cars from the limited choices BMWNA offer.
Then the dealers don't want to stock anything that won't move quickly...I guess you can't blame them.. WE ("enthusiasts") on the other hand probably only represent less than 15% of the market...most are what I call the Gucci loafer crowd...BMW is a status car to them that they LEASE for 3 years.
So I'm looking for a "hens tooth" Green, Burgundy, Kalahari 6 speed with P/P, S/P and heated seats as they say LOL.
Seems I remember that Henry Ford said that you could have any color model T as long as it was black...hmmmm...
Here I am and if I want EQUIPMENT" on my car I guess I must fall in with the "crowd" and SETTLE for being shiftless.
So much for my "new" 06 X5 then again the X70 comes with the dreaded i Drive...grrrr....
OK RANT OVER.....

[TwinsPoppa]

Okay now that you've calmed down ...

Get your X, mod the hell out of it and enjoy!

[JCL]

BMWNA limits choices to keep inventory costs down. You pay less for an X5 in the US than in any other country. When US customers go into a dealership they expect to discuss invoice cost instead of MSRP. It all adds up to cost pressures and low margins. Those pressures compete with choice, which costs money.

Henry Ford moved to black paint because it dried faster, speeding production, and lowering cost. Same economic drivers.

You are severely limiting yourselves by selecting an exterior colour, an interior colour, a manual transmission, a year of manufacture, and a specific geographic location. You need to decide what is flexible in that equation. Some would suggest that a reasonable approach would be to target a preferred year (+/- 1), a model, a price bracket, and condition. Everything else should be flexible, or you are going to be paying a lot and not even thinking about vehicle condition, which will have a huge impact on your ownership experience.

You shouldn't be mad at BMW, you should be mad at the person who didn't go out and buy that exact truck in 2006, and then post it for sale in your neighbourhood this week.

[Daka]

JCL,
I'm not "mad" at BMWNA, it is a business...the name of the game is maximising profit...
From what I hear the European dealers evidently do not have much in the way of "stock" cars, you need to order one and wait for production...you can pretty much get whatever you want...
As far as finding an X5, if I can't find what I like I'll just keep my wagon.
Sooner or later one will catch my eye.
I have pretty much given up on a manual, but I do want an 06 if possible to get the balance of the warrantee...
We'll see what happens !

[sprocket1200]

nearly sounds like we are talking about finding women here....

[ZsX5o3]

Just keep waiting. nothing will be more fun than that 3.0/6MT.

I had a 3.0 and now I'm in a 4.6

Let me tell you honestly, the 4.6 does not beg to be rev'd like the 3.0 and does not handle as well, and my 4.6 is set up PERFECT. 3.0+Sport package is just more fun (to me) to hammer around, and smoother.

I don't know if I would take the 6MT over the sport package though, that's a tough one.

Originally Posted by Daka

..Then the dealers don't want to stock anything that won't move quickly...I guess you can't blame them..

[mtX5]

Originally Posted by sprocket1200

nearly sounds like we are talking about finding women here....