Introductions are in order

[andrewwynn]

Newest member of the andrewwynn clan: her name is Lumba N° 2.

https://youtu.be/LIOKSvCyw8M

Years of savings and a little help from the Small Buisness Administration and hours and hours of searching finally over.

We picked her up today.

Officially wife's new ride. We sold her e53 to pay tax and title on the replacement. I still have my '01 e53.

About 400 miles shy of 74,000. I was anxious of going turbo with anything approaching 100k.

Missed out on a 35i with adaptive drive and 57,000 miles by literally 20 minutes, I took it as a sign from the universe we're supposed to have the 50i.

And introducing myself as the newest member of the E70 family.

It was an inevitable thing and I've been posting on E70 for a year or so to be in tune with what to expect to go wrong etc.

I worked hard to find a clean example that the engine runs liked new with few enough miles I can do preventive maintenance before things break.

I bought my car right at the beginning of the shit starts to break window, so I'm thrilled to find an exempla that was apparently not driven like a rental car and seems to perform like the day it came off the production line.

First impressions:.

1) I definitely prefer the steering on my e53, but the speed sensitive steering will be nicer for road trips no doubt.

2) The N63 is a work of art, praises to the powers that be that made that a thing. It makes the X5 an absolute joy to drive. I never notice the turbos at all. The base power of the V8 gets you though the start, plus my driving style is a rolling start at half throttle until I get second gear and then hammer down.

3) The original owner maxed out every internal package at the expense of leaving stock 255/18s which is just plain silly but has a nice trade-off as this will be our road trip car. 255/55/18 are far more comfy at 75-80 on the Freeway. (Added bonus of stealth: it will be a lot of fun watching sporty cars in the rearview mirror caught by surprise)

4) thrilled like a kid on Christmas for sure. We were aiming for 2009 3.0 and with a little help from SBA suddenly able to pull off 2012 50i

5) Back to inside options: as John Conner said when his mom asked how many cops were outside: "all of them, I think". Four zone digital climate, third row "Asian woman sized" seating. (wife goes on trips with her Indonesian friends where they usually have to take two cars and now can use one.

It has the DVD player and reading lights like planes have heated steering wheel and heated rear seats. The front heated seats have bias setting to balance heat between seat and back.

Very happy I decided to stick to my guns and stay with the X5 platform. We are already planning ahead that when my 3.0i 2001 finally gets retired I'll probably take over Lumba N° 2 and find a lower miles something for wife.

I'll get more pictures posted as I find time.