BMW Sales Figures
 

Interesting facts

http://www.autospies.com/images/user...mw%2003-08.JPG

significant decline all around but noticeably so in the SUV realm... looming $4 gas prices anyone?

I think that is the general trend for all manufacturers, not just BMW. With fuel getting more and more expensive, people are considering fuel consumption as an important factor. Just this morning, Toyota announced record sales for their Yaris, a sub-compact that gets amazing gas mileage and is priced below $15,000.

Not to sound conceited, but I would drive and buy any Bimmer a million times over than buy something as ugly as a Yaris. Fuel economy is important to me, but not to the point where I buy something with hardly any style and luxury.

Just by 2 cents.

X5 V8

Quick, unrelated question: what size are your rims?

the rim looks like is an 18 incher that comes standard on 4.8

Yeah, their the 18"ers that come standard, didn't get the sport pkg.

It's not being conceited at all. I would buy and drive any BMW over a Toyota Yaris, Honda Civic, Hyundai, Kia, etc..., just due to the safety aspect. In 2004 (on my B'day to boot!), I was t-boned in my X5 4.4i, by some teenager doing 50mph+ in a truck. The emergency crew said the X5 saved my life for sure (side and head curtain airbags). If I was in a Yaris, I would be dead!! I consider myself a "leftie enviornmentalist", and driving an X5 4.8i is not enviornmental....but it's my life. I do other things to make up for it...huge solar array @ home, buying carbon footprints, volunteering, etc..
Here's a pic of the accident. I'm on my 4th X5, NHIS says the X5 is one of the highest rated cars ever, for crash safety!
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...0/deadx5-1.jpg

Yeah...that looks pretty bad, glad your ok. What a bummer that it happened on your birthday. I can understand about your point about safety, I always feel safe and secure in my X5. I was in a little fender bender about 4 years ago with my 04 and the woman hit my front bumper and it only put a tiny scratch in the plastic, while doing more damage to her 80's Caddy. We have quality built super machines here.

Wow Deutsch, that is an EXCELLENT pic and great info, thanks for posting:thumbup:. Glad you're OK first of all. Second, I'd be very curious to get more details on the physics and damage of this accident.
1) Is that the head curtain airbag that we're seeing stretching from front to back?
2) What is the airbag visible in the rear right seat? Is that the side airbag?
3) Did either of the 2 front airbags go off?
4) Were you belted in?
5) Any other passengers in your vehicle?
6) What trim level did you have: 3.0, 4.4, higher?
7) Was this considered "totalled" for insurance purposes?
8) Was the other guy really doing 50 mph? You're not exaggerating?
9) Describe his vehicle and what damage and injuries he sustained?

Sorry for the bunch of questions, but this could really shed some light on a topic rarely discussed on this board: collisions!:wow: