2007 4.8 Missing Brushed Aluminum?

[CaptainKirk]

Hi,

I am seriously considering a 2007 4.8 X5 and noticed in the online configurator you can't select brushed aluminum (ie: silver trim) on the 4.8... I looked at the 3.0, and it's there as an option. I did test drive the 4.8 the other day and it had the dark bamboo and it looked "ok" to me, but I hate wood ultimately and wouldn't really ever be happy with it based on the color combination I am considering. I know a lot of people out there dig the wood, but I just can't get into it, it looks like plastic to me and reminds me of a cheesy countertop you might find in a kitchen... So, the big question is...can you get them to put that trim on the 4.8? My buddy seems to think it's possible, that the kit might be available for purchase later, etc... I have a 2004 330 currently and the lease is nearly up and I've swapped out my interior trim (replaced the hideous carbon fiber with an M3 silver e46 kit, looks great...about 3 hours of work). Given the "newness" of this vehicle, even if the trim could be replaced, aftermarket and/or "extra" kits wouldn't really be available on Ebay for a while... Anybody have an opinion or input on this one?

[LeMansX5]

The dealer should be able to change the trim. I know they have done for E53 X5 for some owners before delivery. If not, you should be able to do it, after buying the parts from dealer.

[rodybmw]

I went through the same thing with my E60. The cheapest base model 525 came with silver trim, but 545's or premium packaged cars only came with brown or black wood. BMW NA did not let me change the trim so I had to order the black wood and then bought the M5's brushed aluminum trim pieces and installed it myself afterwards. So if BMW makes the trim piece in aluminum for some E70 models, then you can buy it either in a retrofit kit (if available), or just piece by piece. The only thing to watch out for is that some silver trims are painted plastic. The silver trims that came on the base E60 (and possibly the base E70) are just plastic pieces that have been painted silver, and are not real metal. The pieces I got for my E60 were not the same painted plastic but in fact real brushed aluminum. On the E60 BMW offers 5 silver trims, 4 of which are real aluminum and one is painted plastic. I suspect that it may be the same with the E70. Maybe when the performance (4.8is replacement) model comes out it will have real aluminum pieces, which can then be retrofitted on other E70's.