Today i got up and looked at the X and said (out dated?)

[oztme]

Hi Guys,

I've only had my E53 for a few weeks, but I am in love.I can see a whisker of truth in the the "starting to date" view, especially when I look at an older model with the 15" (?) rims, but it is still a GREAT looking car IMHO.

I actually bought the X5 for non visual reasons mainly. I went on a 3 hour ride with a mate in his 2005 3.0d, with him towing his rally car on my trailer, me as passenger. His car had so much pull I was seriously worried it would pull the drawbar off my trailer. At cruising speed, the car was so quiet and smooth, I forgot that there was 2.25 ton weight being pulled behind us. The X5 (with the possible exception of the auto transmission) is an exceptional piece of engineering.

After that trip, and a bit of research, I went out and bought a 2005 3.0d. I drove other brand diesels, and they all clackety clacked so much I couldn't consider anything else except the X5.

I also *love* the look of the X5. I think designing an SUV/SAV that doesn't look like a box is a real challenge and BMW did a class-changing job with the E53. I don't MIND the look of the E70, but I think they went backwards in exterior styling IMHO.

Some designs are just classics (as I think the E53 will be remembered in the future). Other classics, like the Porsche 928 started looking dated to me in the late 80's (20 years after first released), but still looks nice to me. 356's also look terrific but are very dated. Same goes for Porsche 944's. (Sorry for all the Porsche references, I had Porsches before the X5 which is my first BMW).

I think the E53 is a classic design that MIGHT start to date soon, but will always look good to me. The other features of the car are so good too (I always thought BMW's line about being a driver's car was just marketing BS, but with the X5, I'm convinced).

Maybe some small mods will resurect your love for the car?

[DoubleA]

I think if you bored with your X5, just sell it and move on to something that better suite your need or taste. Beside that, it's kind of strange that you bought an X5 that you'd like at the beginning, to me it seam obvious that when you first bought it you did it for the wrong reason otherwise would still like the truck. No offend here I'm writing this with a bit of humour, but to me you look like a spoiled person that is in the mid 40 crisis. Lol

I mean you got the top of the line X5 and now it's like you dont like it anymore, here we call this the rich person disease, some other would say it look like a bipolarity problem, where you have up & down ( dont get pissed, one of my best friend has been diagnosed and since he's on medication he is feeling much better ).

I will end-up by saying put the X5 in the garage for 2 weeks and go rent POS, Ford or GM or whatever you want and drive it for 2 weeks, trust me you will fall in love again with you X5, if not sell it and call it a day.

Have a good one.

[dsm2925]

last night i cleaned her up and shined her tires... and drove her.... she still has it!





It might just be me........

[x5yankee]

Just think about the poor guy that has to get up and drive a Kia

[Damager]

I love my X - the front and sides are classic. The one part that DOES sometimes look dated to me is the rear - it's too round or something.

[DoubleA]

That is an awesome truck, and like x5yankee said imagine driving a pos Kia or anything like that.

Cheers

AA

[mtX5]

Originally Posted by Damager

I love my X - the front and sides are classic. The one part that DOES sometimes look dated to me is the rear - it's too round or something.

i hope your talking about an e70, because the e53 rear is not round at all..

[StanF18]

Don't despair:

A well-maintained, well-modded E53 has a VERY modern look to it. I would also argue that the E53 design was YEARS ahead of its' time!

Case in point: if you look at the styling elements of some SUVs that came out in just the last two years, they have borrowed HEAVILY from the E53 look. The new Acura MDX, and the Acura RDX, or the Audi Q7. See that rear roof spoiler? Our X5s pioneered that look. And all have that forward-aggressive slant of the side windows, as well as the "roided"-up rear haunches around the wheel arches. Their attempts to be "like" the E53 are not that subtle. Hell, the Chinese didn't even bother with patent protection and copied the whole goddam thing! BMW wound up having to sue them for coming out with a "poser" X5.

Finally, take a look at the new X5///M. It looks scary similar to my E53 4.4i, from the overall styling down to the placement of the quad tailpipes in the back. If the E53 look was dated, BMW would have gone down a different path for the ///M.

Bottom line: slap on some quality rims (19 or 20-inchers), get a Supersprint or Dinan exhaust, polish up the X at a car wash, and the E53 will look more ultra-modern than most of the SUVs on the road. BTW, have you seen the boxy, un-inspired Mercedes GLK compact SUV? It looked VERY dated before it even hit the showrooms. Very un-imaginative. It's almost like they're purposefully trying to go back to the 1970s. Whereas the E53 was a future-oriented design.

[RichiRich]

Originally Posted by StanF18

Don't despair:

A well-maintained, well-modded E53 has a VERY modern look to it. I would also argue that the E53 design was YEARS ahead of its' time!

Case in point: if you look at the styling elements of some SUVs that came out in just the last two years, they have borrowed HEAVILY from the E53 look. The new Acura MDX, and the Acura RDX, or the Audi Q7. See that rear roof spoiler? Our X5s pioneered that look. And all have that forward-aggressive slant of the side windows, as well as the "roided"-up rear haunches around the wheel arches. Their attempts to be "like" the E53 are not that subtle. Hell, the Chinese didn't even bother with patent protection and copied the whole goddam thing! BMW wound up having to sue them for coming out with a "poser" X5.

Finally, take a look at the new X5///M. It looks scary similar to my E53 4.4i, from the overall styling down to the placement of the quad tailpipes in the back. If the E53 look was dated, BMW would have gone down a different path for the ///M.

Bottom line: slap on some quality rims (19 or 20-inchers), get a Supersprint or Dinan exhaust, polish up the X at a car wash, and the E53 will look more ultra-modern than most of the SUVs on the road. BTW, have you seen the boxy, un-inspired Mercedes GLK compact SUV? It looked VERY dated before it even hit the showrooms. Very un-imaginative. It's almost like they're purposefully trying to go back to the 1970s. Whereas the E53 was a future-oriented design.

Well - Leave it to Stan to hit the goshdamn nail right on the head!!!

Very well said my friend!

Rich

[BGM]

I agree that the e53 is sportier looking than the current e70. I only like the e70 in the 4.8 model with the 20" wheel option--very aggressive looking. I think most people can't really tell the difference from the e53 to e70--the e70 retains the same body shape for the most part.