Options/Features I wish were available

[DWill]

Yep, go buy a Ford so you can air in the driveway and play with all those useless toys that work only when your Ford isn't broken.

Which isn't very often. Oh and don't forget after that POS Ford for a year it'll be worth about 60% of what you paid for it.

Which is still too much.

[nynd]

Originally Posted by DWill

Yep, go buy a Ford so you can air in the driveway and play with all those useless toys that work only when your Ford isn't broken.

Which isn't very often. Oh and don't forget after that POS Ford for a year it'll be worth about 60% of what you paid for it.

Which is still too much.

OUCH!! On Ford. Come on really, I would honestly suggest you go and sit in a new 2011 Edge Sport when they hit a dealership near you. Its not a BMW, but at nearly half the cost, the 60% depreciation you cite is not really far off what you'll be loosing as well on the X5.

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by DWill

Yep, go buy a Ford so you can air in the driveway and play with all those useless toys that work only when your Ford isn't broken.

I just had my Z4 flatbedded 95 miles due to a bad coil. My X5 is going in on Monday due to a check engine light.

My 2005 Ford Focus has 63,000 miles on it and has never been towed or had a check engine light. My 2004 Z4 with 33,000 miles on it has had three check engine lights requiring service (cracked intake boot a year ago, bad coils).

The only engine work my 1992 Ford Explorer has had in 198,000 miles is replacement of leaky valve cover gaskets once. The Auto Tranny needed a rebuild at 150,000 miles, but if you get a BMW auto to go that far, you're lucky.

Now, I did buy an X5, so I am not "trashing" BMW, as the handling and overall experience, excluding towing, is worth it. But the fact is that Fords are more reliable and nowadays have more advanced electronics than BMWs.


P.S.

J. D. Power is generally considered the most honest and reliable source of data regarding automobiles. When I was in the industry, their data was very respected:

Most reliable cars | JD Power

[rh71]

I've lately become annoyed at having to push the fan-down button to turn off the A/C when I want to. Sometimes the fan would be high from the AUTO setting, so I'd have to hit the lower button about 7 times to turn it off completely. Where's the OFF button?!

[mtech8]

Originally Posted by rh71

I've lately become annoyed at having to push the fan-down button to turn off the A/C when I want to. Sometimes the fan would be high from the AUTO setting, so I'd have to hit the lower button about 7 times to turn it off completely. Where's the OFF button?!

+1. There should be a OFF/ON button like in Mercedes models that turns the AC off with one push and returns it to the previously used fan setting with one push. Helps people that like using the same fan setting (ie: 3 notches) all the time without having to push so many buttons.

Alsoagree with O8X5 on being able to fully control the rear climate control from the front.

Being able to fully control the RSE. Even making it a feature that is only available when the car is completely stopped is ok. Helps people that are driving alone with a kid in the back that doesn't know how to use the controls yet. Then we don't have to get out of the car and go to the back to play a DVD.

Would like a setting to automatically close the ears (side-view mirrors) when the car is parked and locked. We can keep the button for those that still want to control it manually.

Really like to be able to control the front passenger seat from the drivers side. Think the 7 series has it and is called "Gentleman's" features or something like that. I would find this more useful in the X5 than the 7 since the leg room in the X5 is less, thus when I don't have a front passenger and my wife wants to sit in the back with the kid, I can accomodate her request for more leg room without having to reach over the chair.

Hideable cup holders on the rear passenger doors would be awesome too. When you have a full car and everyone has a drink. The back three are often stuck holding their drink. Accomodating two would be nice. Can't think of how to accomodate the 3rd guy in the center though.

[TahoeM3]

Ok I'll throw in a couple more:

- Cooled steering wheel for the hot Florida sun.
- Insulated cup holders.
- Active glass that can auto tint areas where the sun is brightest.
- Brighter idrive screen with better color spectrum, touch screen, and greater customization through "apps" or "widgets.". For example, a dash screen with a big clock, weather, and song playing, with traffic alerts that pop up.
- Auto venting feature whenever the interior temp goes over 100 when the car is parked.
- Increase the size of the slot on the center console to be able to fit a smartphone.

[JCL]

Originally Posted by TahoeM3

Ok I'll throw in a couple more:

- Cooled steering wheel for the hot Florida sun.

Interesting. Does any manufacturer have one? I understand the logic, but was trying to figure out how this would be accomplished. I googled it, and found a patent application for a heated and cooled steering wheel with a heat pump in the engine compartment, and lines coming up the steering column, with the fluid going through slip couplings to the heat exchangers mounted on the steering wheel rim. The mind boggles at the complexity.

[jasonrhcastle]

Alcantara headliner for M sport and M versions. Miss this in my X5M from my 08 M5.

[BMWenvy]

I agree with most of the items on the list.

One of the biggest annoyances off that list is the generic TPMS. A vehicle of this caliber should display individual tire pressures. Hell, even my '08 GMC Sierra does that.

[syhr]

Originally Posted by TheX5

The X5 is an awesome SAV; however, there are a few options that I wish were readily available. Anyone else agree or have their own favorites?

- real row 3 seating (sized for adults)
- comfort seats row two (and row 3)
- adaptive drive and adaptive steering options in LCI diesel models (this is now removed, at least in Oz)