How capable is the X5 offroad?

[np2004]

I am about to close a deal on a 2008 X5 4.8 and wanted to know everyones honest opinion on how capable this truck is at going off road? I have heard and been told that the awd system will not do much in deep snow, on muddy ground, or rough terrain compared to 4wd since the tires will just spin and I will be stuck. I understand this truck isn't built to be taken off road like a Hummer H2, Range Rover, or a Jeep but how well can it do in your experience off road with its ground clearance? Would you recommend it when driving in deep snow or muddy wet terrain when taking back trails? I just question how good X-drive is when I have heard of people in X5's getting stuck in the sand. Just looking for honest opinions from those who have X5's because I love the X5 4.8 but everyone tells me to get a 4wd truck for the snow we get in Ohio.

[AzNMpower32]

Provided with the proper tires, any BMW SAV is a capable vehicle. In the winter esp. where you live, winter tires are recommended for optimum traction and control. However, once fitted with the proper tires, the X5 pretty much plows thru snow that might leave other SUVs spinning their wheels.

Last Feburary when our area had a foot of frozen snow (it was snow, then sleet, then freezing rain to make sure it was really frozen), our X3 with winter tires went straight thru unplowed roads without much trouble. It never got stuck, ever. I drove through snowdrifts and the X3 was willing. The steering is communicative to the point where you can feel whether it has traction or if the front wheels are slithering.

As for the off-road part, use your judgement. I took it on a dirt ATV course in August in the mountains in Western MD (vehicles permitted). It did not get stuck as it clambered over boulders and uneven mounds of dirt. And this was no walk in the park; Hill Descent Control was necessary on most of the downhills I experienced. However, I imagine it would be impossible if it was wet or muddy. But I highly doubt anyone is going to actively go seek out trails of this nature. Your average farm or dirt road is fine.

[trueX5er]

XDrive is pretty capable. I haven't had any issues at all with snow, the X5 will plow though ANYTHING in the snow. You will not have a problem at all in Ohio. The 4WD system, along with stability and traction control, is very good at keeping traction. Your wheels will not spin in snow starting out (usually)

[film1623]

Originally Posted by np2004

I am about to close a deal on a 2008 X5 4.8 and wanted to know everyones honest opinion on how capable this truck is at going off road? I have heard and been told that the awd system will not do much in deep snow, on muddy ground, or rough terrain compared to 4wd since the tires will just spin and I will be stuck. I understand this truck isn't built to be taken off road like a Hummer H2, Range Rover, or a Jeep but how well can it do in your experience off road with its ground clearance? Would you recommend it when driving in deep snow or muddy wet terrain when taking back trails? I just question how good X-drive is when I have heard of people in X5's getting stuck in the sand. Just looking for honest opinions from those who have X5's because I love the X5 4.8 but everyone tells me to get a 4wd truck for the snow we get in Ohio.

What you heard is right, the x-drive is poor in deep snow.I experienced this just today in snow.I had to get out my shovel to to get out .I have pirelli winter tire as recommended by BMW.

[JCL]

Originally Posted by film1623

What you heard is right, the x-drive is poor in deep snow.I experienced this just today in snow.I had to get out my shovel to to get out .I have pirelli winter tire as recommended by BMW.

Hmmm, not my experience. How deep was the snow, higher than mid-grill? Which Pirelli winter tires? I went through drifts up to bumper height quite easily, without X-drive but with proper winter tires. Did you try disengaging DSC to permit limited wheelspin?

[watrob]

HI,

I have a beach house and the only way to get to it is by driving on the beach for 14klm, there is no road and I do it every weekend.

At low tide the beach is like a national highway, smooth as but when the tide comes up and the beach sand becomes powdery & 12" deep because it's all churned up, you need to turn the DTC/DSC COMPLETLY off.

You also need 19" or 20" wheels to help spread the weight and keep the X5 on top of the powdery sand. Also as the ground clearence of the X5 is not all that great the Adaptive Drive which keeps the X5 level is a must as this actually keeps the X5 more upright when a wheel drops into a deep track of a previous vehicle, the wheel actually drops down into the hole but the chassis stays up giving more ground clearence so the X5 does not bottom out so much.

I find if the sand is really deep you have drive it a little hard to keep it going, because it bottom out your stuck.

I have been bogged twice, once because I forgot to turn off DTC and as soon as the wheels start to spin it takes the power away and come to a stand still. The second time I came onto the beach at full tide and there is only enough room for one car between the surf and the sanddunes, I came through the cutting onto the beach and right there front of me was a bogged 4x4, could not pass so I had to stop. When I went to move off the X5 was seating on its belly.

There easy enough to get going once your bogged but you need another 4x4 to hook up a tow strap, once the the bottom is clear the X5 just drives away.

The biggest mistake BMW did was to take away the air adjustable ride height that was on the old X5 but that said the Adaptive Drive X5 handles alot better than the old X5 ever did.

[X5audi]

Originally Posted by watrob

Also as the ground clearence of the X5 is not all that great the Adaptive Drive which keeps the X5 level is a must as this actually keeps the X5 more upright when a wheel drops into a deep track of a previous vehicle, the wheel actually drops down into the hole but the chassis stays up giving more ground clearence so the X5 does not bottom out so much.

Yep, that's called axle travel, and it's a must on all off-road-focused vehicles (RR, Wrangler, etc.). I'm surprised the X5 even has it.

[watrob]

Originally Posted by X5audi

Yep, that's called axle travel, and it's a must on all off-road-focused vehicles (RR, Wrangler, etc.). I'm surprised the X5 even has it.

Hi, Its not the axle travel I am talking about, its the fact that the sensors of the Adaptive Drive keeps the X5 body level so when a wheel drops into a hole the body does not follow it. This actually gives you a little more ground clearence which the standard X5 does not, that maybe only a little but it all counts.

[film1623]

[quote=JCL]Hmmm, not my experience. How deep was the snow, higher than mid-grill? Which Pirelli winter tires? I went through drifts up to bumper height quite easily, without X-drive but with proper winter tires. Did you try disengaging DSC to permit limited wheelspin?[
/May be a foot an a half of snow with Scorpion Pirelli tires.The DSC was on. I am living in quebec city and snow is present every day.This morning we had 12 inches...quote]Mario

[JCL]

Originally Posted by film1623

May be a foot an a half of snow with Scorpion Pirelli tires.The DSC was on. I am living in quebec city and snow is present every day.This morning we had 12 inches...Mario

There are five Pirelli Scorpion tire versions, according to Pirelli Canada. Four are rated all-season, and only the Ice and Snow version is a full winter tire. That tire is biased more towards performance than snow traction, again according to Pirelli. We have them on our new X3, and they work well, but the X3 is quite a bit lighter than the E70, and weight is the enemy.

Apart from that, you may want to disengage DSC to permit limited wheelspin (as recommended by BMW), if you are stuck in a drift

Good luck