Ordering a 2012 X5M!
 

So finally pulled the triger after researching the X5M and soon enough it'll be here. Here's what I'm going with:

2012 X5M in Monte Carlo Blue w/ Silverstone II Merino interior & Carbon Leather Trim
Cold Weather Package
Rear Climate Package
Premium Sound
Active Ventilated Seats (Originally wasn't going to get this but test drove one and Oh Yeah Gotta Have it)
Driver Assistance Package
Comfort Access
High Gloss Rails
BMW Apps
Side View Camera

Got it for $1,500 over invoice on a 3 year 12K lease w/ no money down but will be doing 7 MSDs to lower the MF. Dealer is also throwing in the BMW 3M Stone Guard as part of the deal so pretty happy with all this. Deal is not signed yet cause the dealer is going to research some non-bmw winter wheel/tire options for me & get back to me on the MF so if all that comes back good then I'll go w/ it. Can't wait!

So here's a question. Originally I was thinking of the BMW X5M Winter Wheel/Tire package but the business manager said that was too expensive (over $4K) and that I should really find a set from Tire Rack. I told him I didn't think Tire Rack had anything that fit the X5M but he swears they have another X5M owner w/ winter wheel/tire they purchased at Tire Rack because the dealer actually bought it from Tire Rack & had them installed. So I need help here. What wheel/tire combo from Tire Rack fits the X5M?

seriously you are spending 100k on the car, does it really matter if you find a winter wheel set that is a grand cheaper??? Get the style 298 wheels, it can be had with tires mounted and balanced around 3.5k

Where can I find the OEM 298 wheels & tires mounted & balanced for $3.5K cause the dealer said their cost on the wheels is about $4K plus tires & that's why they suggested I go w/ an alternate since this is a lease.

Use the original rims as your winter and run another larger set as your summers!

Do a search here, one of the members had got them from the dealer for that price. If you decide to go tire rack route, beware that regular x5 wheels don't fit

Heads up - don't order the silverstone interior, it is more of a white than a grey color, gets dirty real easy, and the stitching - especially where it starts pulling apart, is really visible. I was really disapointed with it.

Cheers,

Try these guys...they give 20% off on parts. Or try dealers in Chitown area.

getBMWparts.com

I did do a search & found the poster who said he got his 298 wheels & tires for $3.5K so that's what I went in to order but that's when I was told I'd be better off getting non bmw wheels because the dealer cost on just the wheels is $4.2K and you still have to add tires so he was thinking it would be around $6K so that's why I'm scrambling now. Again this being a lease I don't want to shell out $6K for a set of wheels/tires that I may or may not be able to sell in 3 years so looking for options. I don't want to buy 21" wheels & tires for summer & use the stock wheels for winter use either because I'd have to buy 1 set of 21" wheels plus new summer tires and a set of winter tires.

Doesn't look like many options. Either pay $6K for the BMW winter solution; use stock wheels w/ new winter tires & buy a new summer wheel/tire package which probably runs about $6K as well; or mount all season tires (Continental ExtremeContact DWS) on the stock wheels with the space saver spare & run those year round and give up optimal summer/winter driving performance.

Help!

Really? I saw a leather sample at the dealer and it certainly looked gray but I was concerned about this. So you had it & had problems with dirt and the stitching coming apart???? Man between this & the winter wheel issue I'm beggining to get cold feet! The only options for the active seat are Silverstone II, Black or the Beige but I really want something other than black & haven't seen the Beige.

I`ve had a few problems, and this particular one has been a headache! This is not like the silverstone in the current M3 - but lighter - much lighter........ I would go with black IMO.

Cheers,

Man...

I can't imagine having a $1400 monthly car payment.

Leasing it through my business so a bit of a tax benefit but yeah it's expensive but what the heck. You only live once!

Wow! Congrats on your new toy! I'm driving a 2012 X5 50i myself and I can't imagine what 100 more hps feels like!

Ok so I'm feeling even better about this deal. Haven't signed on the dotted line yet but here's where I am so far...

Dealer checked & the X5M winter wheel/tire (298M) package is no longer available. All units sold out so I would have to wait till Fall until this year's winter package is released but he can't guarantee me a price although he said he will certainly "work" with me & give it to me at dealer cost. This is coming directly from the business manager not the salesperson so I trust he'll stick to his word if thats the way I go. He improved my deal a bit to compensate for the "risk" of the wheels so here's where I'm at:

$1K over invoice on a custom order 2012 X5M!
Dealer is applying in the BMW 3M stone guard as part of the deal
12K mile 36 month lease w/ $0 down and 7 MSDs which will reduce the MF by 49 basis points & 53% residual
Money Factor is .00149 less the MSDs so final MF is .0010 that's 2.4% which is an AWESOME rate so payments before state tax will be $1245/mo

Now this has all been verbal so far so I'll see how the paperwork looks but so far so good!

Yeah I test drove the X5M & was like "It's just ridiculous to have this much power on an SUV" but LOVED the way it felt & looks!

more like 150hp more but who is counting. I think the 5.0 is pretty adequate due to similar torque numbers 450 vs 500lbs

I have a set of used 298M wheels and tires taken off my 2010 X5M that was recently bought back by BMW. They have approximately 10k miles on them over two winters. Contact me for more info. They cost 3.2k new.

Base rate for 2012 X5M for a 36 month lease is posted as .00195 on Bimmerfest. Is your dealer doing a below base rate deal (prior to MSD's obviously), or are May's rates that much improved?

That was the rate he told me yesterday so not sure if May rates went lower but no I did not negotiate for a lower MF rate. The salesperson never heard of the Multiple Security Deposits concept so this is new to him. It could be that the .00149 is the MF AFTER the 7 MSDs and he made a mistake so that's why I'll wait till I see it on paper.

Update...I made a mistake in the MF. Turns out it is .00195 and after the 7 MSDs it lowers to .00146 so interest rate is 3.5%.

I appreciate the update and hope to be in your shoes in a few months time.

First of all, congrats on your order. I know you'll love it.

I have the silverstone full leather with just over 14k miles and still love it. I personally wanted white leather and this was the next closest thing. Having said that, I am extremely clean and am very conscious of my blue jeans rubbing the seats etc. I usually do a quick wipe down every few months with some Zaino leather cleaner and it works great. I do agree that if you get the stitching dirty, you can't really clean it, but then it just starts to look more like "contrast stitching" where the stitching is a little darker than the leather, so it's not too bad. As far as I can see, the threads of the stitching are showing slight wear, ie they are getting a little fuzzy. I'm not sure if the black stitching would be any better in this regard, given that in any of the colors, the stitching is exposed.

Hope this helps with your interior decision.

All due respects to the Big Easy....he's a Great poster!....but I too love my Silverstone. Way prefer it to the other 2 options, and it looks perfect with the Blue. I have a dog who rides in it daily and a child who rides weekly, and after 16 months it still looks good.
BTW, mine is exactly the same as yours only a 2010, with DVD, and of course no apps. The Blue gets tons of compliments. It stands out enough but not too much. Perfect color. BMW nails the bright blues.

Thanks for chimming in on the Silverstone II interior. The brochure pictures of it w/ the Monte Carlo blue looked awesome but I've been worried about wear & staining & almost talked myself out of that color so glad to hear you guys like it.

The dealer has a sample of leather colors for ///M and the Silverstone II sample looks more like a gray than white but in some pictures I've seen it looks almost white. Can either of you guys confirm if the color is in fact more of a white or more of a gray?

Also glad to hear about the Monte Carlo blue comments. I figured if I'm going to get an ///M I might as well get a color that is unique to ///M & you won't see in any other X5 on the road.

Grayish White to me.
Any extra cleaning time (I have not needed to clean more than any other color) will be well worth it. It gives some contrast and drama without the headaches of a pure white.

Ok X5M Ordered today! Here's the options I settled with...

Monte Carlo Blue w/ Silverstone II Perforated Interiors & Carbon Leather
Active Ventilated Seats
Premium Package
Driver Assist Package w/ Multi Contour Seats
Comfort Access
BMW Apps
Side View Camera
Cold Weather Package
Rear Climate Package
High Gloss Roof Rails
Space Saver Spare
BMW Stone Guard 3M (thrown in as part of the deal)

Now the hard part begins. Waiting!

Hey I heard my name......... The contrast is great, it is just that it gets so dirty so damn quick. I had the stitching pulling apart problem too, may be less readily visible on a darker color, say black. I'm sure the truck will be awesome Netsurfr!

Cheers,

It it wasn't a lease I probably wouldn't have taken the chance on such a light interior color due to what it may do to resale value but since it is a lease I'm going with it!

For winter wheels, find a set of X6 (the X5M has the same rear hub diameter as the X6) 20" 214 take offs on ebay and get some good winter tires of your choosing. I found a new set of the wheels and went with the michelin 275/40/20 Alpines from TR for $1,000 for the tires. Total was about $2,500 for the setup.

Came across a used set of X5M 298 wheels & tires from another forum member so going that route.

Got my production # today. Dealer said it will go into production May 20th. Not sure how long after that it will be but getting there!

So my x5m went into production today! Getting close!

My X6M just went into production yesterday as well...

Any interest in swapping wheels and tires?

Live in MI...

Ryan

X5M is in the paint shop & due to be completed this Thursday. How long does it typically take after production is complete to get these to the local dealer?

blizzacks 275's all around on oem is what i did

I bought a set of the X5M specific BMW winter wheel/tire setup from a forum member so good to go.

Dealer called to let me know the X5M was delivered today. They'll need to PDI it & install the 3M Stone Guard & then I can pick it up so looks like I'll be driving the X5M by the end of th week!

nice :thumbup:

So we will now have 2 Milwaukee members with X5M. :thumbup:

Yup I'm in Milwaukee. I take it you're referring to 998M as the other Milwaukee X5M owner? I've spoken to him & hope to meet up once I have mine.

So had a chance to see the X5M although it's not ready for pick up. Very glad I went w/ the Monte Carlo, Silverstone II & Carbon leather w/ active/vent seats. Looks freaking awesome!

So got to talk w/ the business mgr on a couple of "options" and I'll be adding the Tire & Wheel protection package for 36 months for $850 and the Excess Wear protection for $500. Negotiated it down a bit & thought that was a reasonable add-on for peace of mind considering 1 RFT is $400+ and any little thing w/ excess wear inside or out will certainly be more than $500.

Congrats on the new ride. I test drove an '11 X5M in Monte Carlo/Bamboo this past weekend. Beautiful car! I just didn't fall in love with the Blue/Beige color combo. I don't think I could live with it daily...I'm too conservative! If anyone wants an brand new '11 with 70 miles for less than invoice, give me a PM.

It's Here!
 

I got it yesterday & LOVE IT! So all in all it was less than 1 month from ordering to delivery. I'm being careful due to break in but that M-mode is incredible. I can't believe the pick-up in this SUV!

Gotta hardwire the Escort 9500ix & install the laser jammers next week cause I can already tell I'm going to need them. :rofl:

Looks BEAUTIFUL! What brand of jammers are you using?
If you could, please take a few key pics of your install. I'll be hardwiring a V1 in combination with a Laser Interceptor Dual Head unit (front only).

Thanks. I have the LI Duals as well. I'll take pics once it's done but I'm having it done so my pics won't include the detail install since i won't be doing it myself.

Are you doing the install yourself? I would but don't know about how to route the wires back into the cabin.

I went back to Minneapolis today to look at colours. I looked at a 2010 X5M in Carbon/Black and a 2012 X5M in Alpine White/Black. The alpine white was sharp. I think that is my colour combo, and if I can get the guts up, that might be my car...still thinking...

I did the V1 install in my wife's 135 vert last weekend and it went fairly smoothly. As for running the cords into the cabin from the engine bay for the LI...that will take a bit of research and exploration!

Yeah both carbon & alpine are great looking colors. I just went w/ MC because it's a rare color so it stands out from all other X5s.

So ended up hardwiring my radar detector myself yesterday. Turned out great. I don't think I'll tackle the LI install though.

J,
Here is the latest picture of my LI mounted. I think I sent you the wrong one. I had the front receivers mounted below the bumper. Just below the parking sensors. I had them moved to the location in this picture. It is the spot that Cliff recommended and I liked the look of it better.

Sorry for the confusion.

M

Thanks! That helps.

I like that location, but honestly, I don't think I would have put them there to begin with either! You don't realize how deep the front bumper fascia is until you see the jammer heads mounted back in the depths...

Yeah I was concerned about how far back the sensors would be if mounted in that upper grille too. Originally I was planning on mounting them in the lower grille as seen by the red marks in the attachment. That location would have no "blockage" from the bumber but sounds like it's a bit low although Cliff from LI said in real world scenarios that location would probably work too & considering that most laser is shot from a distance of 500ft or greater the "area" of the laser beam would be covered by that lower location as well.

The X5 has such a large front that it is difficult to protect. I suppose you have to split the difference between the plate and the lights. Are you running a WI front plate?

It is a large front but I'm confident the LI's will do the job based on feedback. May not be perfect but better than no protection whatsoever.

No I don't run WI front plates. Only time I ran into an issue w/ that was traveling to Oshkosh so I don't worry about it.

I usually don't have a plate on the front either. Unfortunately, the new one I am looking at already has the front plate mounted, I imagine drilled into the plastic....

With two LI receives there is no issue of coverage. I have had it installed since 1/10. Lasered many times with no issues.

Yes, you would think the top spot is to far back. But the issue would be getting hit from the side. We moved receivers in a couple of inches. As you can see from my picture they are easily seen from the side.

The other issue with below the bumper is that the underside of the bumper has a slight upward tilt. So if you use double sided tape then the receivers point up more than they should. They receiver should be level with the road. So if you mounted it under the bumper you would have to do a lot of work to get them level.

M

LI & 9500ix Installed!
 

Well got my Escort 9500ix (love this new radar w/ GPS) & my Laser Interceptor Dual installed. Decided to do it myself afterall & it was't bad at all. Figured noone would care about doing it right as well as I would.

For the 9500ix I started w/ the fuse box but ended up hardwiring to the overhead light panel. Quite easy to do BUT the wire I tapped was different than the posts I found on this this. It's a switched 12V so the RD turns on/off when you start/stop the car. I got the smart hardwire kit which has a remote display & button that I mounted to the rearview mirror. This switch allows me to view alerts as well as mute & add fake alarm locations to the GPS database w/o having to fiddle around w/ the buttons on the RD so like it. I mounted the 9500ix up high which is, in my opinion, better for picking up radar signals & longer distance Laser hits & scatter. Not such a good location for short range laser BUT I have the LI for that!

I came across a wireless kit for the LI that allows you to avoid the hassle of having to find access to the cabin throught the firewall & also not deal w/ finding switched 12V power & finding a good spot to mount the LI power switch. Since this is a leased car I did not want to do anything permanent. The Cheetah Wireless Kit for LI basically allows you to keep all the electronics in the engine compartment & you have a remote display unit & on/off switch inside the cabin. The remote display connects to a power outlet or can be hardwired. Since the X5 lighter/power outlets are switched (bonus) I just plugged it int the power outlet under the center armrest unit & ran the wires so that it came up through the steering wheel column & mounted the remote display by the tach & the remote switch is velcroed to that spare change hole. As a bonus I don't have to listen to the LI Voice alerts (which I did not like). I used 3M molding tape to mount the heads against the upper grill & made sure they are level & routed the wires to the LI CPU & Cheetah components, which I put in an electronics project box from Radio Shack so they stayed clean & protected from moisture & elements, & put the box in the engine compartment back towards the windshield so it's out of the way & nice & secure. I got power from the remote battery terminals & the nice thing about the Cheetah kit is that it has a sensor that will only draw power from the battery when it senses the engine is running so no concerns about battery drain (well thought off idea). All in all I would say it took me about 3 hours to do everything & pleased w/ the results.

Seems to be working fine but I have to find an LEO w/ laser now! Here are some pictures.

Looks great! Let me know how the Cheetah works out. I have heard of those, but have had some concerns...

These are the new LI sensors (version 8.8) so yes they are smaller so I didn't need to cut into the grill.

The cheetah wireless kit has been working perfectly so very pleased with it so far.

+1, though I went with Pirelli Scorpions on stock wheels. (I bought the wheel/tire guard for $650 or something).

This combo works fine unless you literally live on a mountain top, which if you live close to Milwaukee, you don't :D

Congrats on the new ride.

I second what Net said above. The older front sensors were larger (deeper) than the new.

Hmmm. Can you say "upgrade"? Might have to look into what the new version has.
One issue with all laser receivers I have found and spoke with Cliff at LI about this is durability. The cost to manufacture to military specs is prohibitive. I have had several other laser receivers start to fail after a year or so. My LI receivers are currently at a year and a half with no issues. But it is an issue I am concerned about.

Good to know. How do know if the sensors are starting to fail?

Not sure with LI but my last one you could tell it went bad when I got a ticket.

You can (and I suppose you should) test the sensor/jammer with a laser source. I have not heard an official recommendation as to how often...good questions for Cliff or the LI forum.