07_X5 : Where's the itch ?

[billjet]

I've owned 3 4.4 SP X5 so far ( 2001, 2003, 2005 ). I leased each time for two years and I am due for 02-08 ... I hope by then that some irritants will have been taken care of, namely :

1- Nowhere to be foud is the possiblity to install an OEM icth for 07.
How come there is no towing package available after all those years?
Have you lookked at the 07 rear bumper - No " door " for the itch !
New bumper needed ? Come on ! This must be a joke.
Is this a truck or what ... S'cuze me ... It's an SAV !
2- In Canada this SAV comes on run flat tires exclusively ... WOW !
Almost no availabity. Those tires are "city tires". If you ever have the
bad luck to puncture one of those babies in the boundocks you'd
better pray to I don't know who to have it change or be close to a big
city to have it fix , otherwise here comes the flat bed and a lost day
waiting for a fix ... And I am not talking $$$ ... I know, those are for
my security!
Option : Install conventional tires for 1.5K and eat those
run flat and get a latex can cuz there's no room for a spare !
3- I won't talk about the outrageous 07 price of that SAV in Canada.
The difference in price between the US and CDN is hard to swallow.
4- If you order the SP you'll have to do W/O the overdue double wishbone
suspension ... among other things. Well done BMW.

Hope all those will be adressed before the 08 model year otherwise my garage might be host to a MB ML63 AMG with the towing package installed
but no hand brake ( It's a US like pedal ) !!! You can't win them all ...

[Denalio]

Are you saying that if you order the sport package you don't get the double wishbone suspension?

[billjet]

Well ... if you "build" an 07 X5 on www.bmw.ca and choose the SP it will tell you that you must forget about the double wishbone suspension !
Dealer confirmed ! That is that ...

[Denalio]

Yes I did notice that. When I asked the dealer he told me that you still get the double wishbone suspension with the SP. I checked on the bmwusa site and there is no mention of the deletion of the front DWS??? Seems to be some confusion still. I agree with you on the hitch knockout, seems like a huge oversight to me especially when BMW state the accolades DSC and the trailer stability program in the marketing materials.

[xdrive]

Originally Posted by billjet

4- If you order the SP you'll have to do W/O the overdue double wishbone
suspension ... among other things. Well done BMW.

So the sport package will delete the double wishbone suspension, does it mean the mcpherson struct is better than the double wishbone suspension for sporty drive? Also, if without the double wishbone suspension, can one still get the Adaptive Drive option? This is really confusing. Does it mean that if you want the style 214 wheels, then you can't have the double wishbone suspension setup?

Btw, isn't 24 Nov the big D-day for the E70? Shouldn't BMW have the official brochure (with the proper explanation as to how the sport susupension is different from the normal suspension) and accessories catalog ready by now?

[JCL]

Originally Posted by xdrive

So the sport package will delete the double wishbone suspension, does it mean the mcpherson struct is better than the double wishbone suspension for sporty drive? Also, if without the double wishbone suspension, can one still get the Adaptive Drive option? This is really confusing. Does it mean that if you want the style 214 wheels, then you can't have the double wishbone suspension setup?

See, this is what is wrong with reading a single line in a web-based configurator, and deciding that it is the bible on suspension design.

Yes, the BMW web site says that the sport model deletes the double-wishbone suspension. It doesn't say what replaces it (assuming this single line is correct, which means we really really trust web page designers). Perhaps the replacement is a performance-tuned double-wishbone suspension? I don't know. Who said it had struts?

BMW has used struts for years, including on the M models. They are generally assumed to not be as good a design as the double-wishbone, but it isn't black and white. There are many advantages of struts. Also, a good strut is better than a bad wishbone.

Why would you pick a vehicle on whether it had a double-wishbone suspension? Does it really matter?

[Denalio]

If what you say is true about the hitch in the pics, then if you look at the picture of the hitch in the accessory book it looks nothing like one another. The hitch in the pic is a "J" design the hitch in the book is a straight reciever. In the book design there would really be no reason for the "j" cause the reciever would "recieve" the ball straight on. Am I missing something?

[JCL]

Originally Posted by Denalio

If what you say is true about the hitch in the pics, then if you look at the picture of the hitch in the accessory book it looks nothing like one another. The hitch in the pic is a "J" design the hitch in the book is a straight reciever. In the book design there would really be no reason for the "j" cause the reciever would "recieve" the ball straight on. Am I missing something?

See my post #10, above.

The "J" design is used on current European models. The 2" square receiver is used on current North American models. The accessory catalogue shows a North American-style 2" square receiver.

My simple deduction is that the picture shows a European model. Given that it is a cloaked test mule with additional cladding, I don't think we can assume it is representative of the new E70 for details like the hitch.

[LeMansX5]

Originally Posted by JCL

See my post #10, above.

The "J" design is used on current European models. The 2" square receiver is used on current North American models. The accessory catalogue shows a North American-style 2" square receiver.

My simple deduction is that the picture shows a European model. Given that it is a cloaked test mule with additional cladding, I don't think we can assume it is representative of the new E70 for details like the hitch.

the one shown in catalog is more correct representation.

[Denalio]

Here is a picture of the hitch installed on a new 2007 X5. This was a vehicle at the Ride and Drive with all accessories installed. The bumper was cut and a metal trim peice is installed to clean it up.