X5 Likes/Dislikes; Auto Tailgate Function (Video)

[jwhkc]

Well I have had my 2008 4.8i X-5 all of six days now so I thought I would list the things I really like and the things I dislike for the benefit of potential buyers (YMMV.)

Likes:

1. Power, responsiveness and a very ‘solid’ feel on the road. BMW has done a very good job in creating a sporty driving experience in this 6,000 lb beast! I test-drove a number of the competitors (MB, Audi, VW, Lexus, Volvo & Infiniti) and in my humble opinion only the Infiniti approaches the ‘fun factor’ of the X5 for the driver. I did not test out the Porsche or RR so maybe those are better.
2. I have the premium sound system with the iPod adaptor and the Sirius radio. Although tastes in audio are highly selective I am pleased with the sound. I have experienced better (although not in an SUV type vehicle) and much worse! I especially like the iPod function. They appear to have gotten the bugs out. I purchased a second generation 8 gig IPod Nano refurb via the Apple Store, filled it with music, hooked it up….and it’s all there on the iDrive menu…great feature, seamless integration and enough music for lots of driving! The Sirius radio works well also. Not a lot of ‘high rise canyons’ (or canyons of any sort!) here on the plains of Kansas. So reception is always strong.
3. Head-up display---I was uncertain about ordering this…..but the demo I drove had it and I liked it. Having driven around with it for a while I am not sure I would ever want a vehicle that does not have it. Most of my daily commute is via urban streets with lots of opportunities to collect speeding tickets (I have attracted a number over the years!) The HUD really helps remind you of your speed. I am pretty tall (6’3”) so on many cars my view of the speedometer is blocked by the steering wheel (that’s my excuse anyway!) With the HUD there is no problem. It also works great with the Nav system displaying a portion of the map with turn distances…..great feature!
4. Auto tailgate---I delayed my production to November to get this & I am glad I did. Very useful, but at least more operational ‘tweak’ would make it even better! (see Dislikes)
5. Comfort Seats. The demo I drove had sports seats which seemed a bit stiff in that short drive. I ordered the active ventilated seats. Glad I did! Very comfortable….have not really played with the ventilation function yet, but the adjustability and overall comfort has been very good. I also like the ‘look’ of the perforated leather (may not be everyone’s cup of tea however.)

Neutral

1. IDrive—I approached my first encounters with the infamous iDrive with some trepidation having seen the horror stories about this piece of ‘enabling’ technology for years. Perhaps I missed out by not interacting with the earlier versions, but so far my experience with it has been fine. Takes a few minutes to figure out how it all works, can be a bit frustrating to work one’s way up & down the menu tree looking for something you know is there but just can’t quite remember where. Overall however not a bad piece of technology considering all of the functions it encompasses. Once you have things set up the way you want there is really not much need to fiddle with it. I think a touch screen would be an improvement but that’s just my preference, others may prefer the knobs & dials.

Dislikes

1. Gas Mileage—Having selected the large engine I was not expecting much (and the X5 has certainly delivered! Around 10 MPG so far.) That will improve a bit once it’s broken in. Not sure one should expect much different given the size/performance. I think this vehicle and the turbo diesel will prove to be a strong combo, allowing the best of both worlds…..a great SAV performance experience and much improved environmental stewardship (at least from my daughter’s perspective!)
2. Back-up camera----Yep all the horror stories are true……this dog don’t hunt (but it is a dog!) Daylight performance is marginal, low light/night time performance is abysmal….What does a good CCD cost…$10, $25 or so??? Come on BMW fly one of your procurement specialists to China and find a new source that produces a decent camera! This one’s a joke!
3. Operation of the auto tailgate function. Opening the tailgate is fine, dashboard button, key fob button or rear hatch button. Closing is another matter. For some reason BMW chose not include a close function of the key fob! All the others I have ever used have this…..not really a big deal but something that is an annoyance at times and one that was easily avoidable.
4. Brake Dust---I had read a lot about this one also…..as in the case of the Back-up camera it’s all true! Why BMW expects its customers to be happy with getting their nice sporty wheels constantly covered in dirty, grimy brake dust is a mystery to me (as well as to many others I suspect!) A number of posts indicate that all the dust is due to BMW’s choosing soft pads in order to provide optimum stopping with minimal squeaking. That may be the case but it is irritating. My family has a number of other vehicles and none suffer from this dust problem (nor squeaky brakes.) So I think BMW could do better here.

That’s it to this point. Overall I am quite satisfied with the vehicle and would recommend it to others who seek to make their driving experience both comfortable and enjoyable.

Apologies for the video, I did not take time to set up a tripod, so things are a bit shaky....should give you a reasonable idea of how it works though. Note: The opening height can be adjusted via the iDrive. Mine is on the default (max) setting. I suspect both opening & closing would take less time at lower settings.