Really late intro
 

Hello
I’ve been reading the forum for some time and decided it was time to post. You guys helped me a lot in the process of choosing my X5M and what I wanted for it.

I had a hard time deciding what options I wanted for my car so I settled for everything available here in Canada except for the rear DVD entertainment system and trims.

• Executive Package
• Comfort seats
• Active LED Headlights
• BMW Individual Full Merino Criollo Brown

I tried to get the comfort seating package (451-453-456) but I could only get the 456 comfort seats with the Individual color contrary to what was said in the brochure. I wonder if others around the world could get active seat (451) and ventilated seat (453) in addition to the individual color. Maybe it was because of the short time frame.


The thing puts a smile on my face every day.
I really enjoy driving her but there are a few things that bug me. These are just the little things

• The window switches are too far up front when you want to lower the front windows. I always lower my rear window instead on the first try. There are still at least 2 or 3 inches before the seat goes all the way back.
• Same kind of thing, I hit the B pillar a lot getting in and out of the car because the seat is behind it. I’m not that tall at 6’1.
• The power goes off on the 12V sockets exactly 30 minutes after stopping the vehicle. I had the dealer install a bypass directly to the battery for the socket in the armrest to be able to charge my phone while the car is parked.
• The cruise control is disabled when DSC is off. Is there a coding for that?
• There’s a bug with the iDrive. Sometimes, when you come back to your car, it forgets on what Siriuxsm channel you were. You’re stuck at the beginning of the list even though you’re listening to the correct channel but it doesn’t show the good one in the display.
• I haven’t found how to rename a specific song in iDrive, only the album.
• I hate a lot of details that can be corrected by coding from what I understand (iDrive disclaimer, speed underreported, seatbelt warning, fuel warning at ¼, etc)
• I want the steering wheel volume control to be on the right side instead of the left side, to switch it with the scan.
• I want to be able to completely disable the speed volume.
• I want to be able to specify the speed of my intermittent wipe manually or automatically. I hate when the rain sensor goes berserk even when adjusting the sensitivity.
• I hate that X5 owners have options that we don’t have. Lane departure warning and active cruise control are examples. I believe that the paddle shifters were the reason because there wasn’t enough room for the vibrating steering wheel.
• The car is a pain to tank. The nozzle clicks but the tank isn’t full yet. You have to go to 4 or 5 clicks slowly before the car is full. The height of the fuel filler flap is too high.
• ROCK CHIPS, ROCK CHIPS. Nothing more to say.

These are small issues but I wanted to make a list. Don’t be mistaken, I really love my car but it’s important to always improve a product.
Here are some pictures. She was built 1 week before the last day of production of the E70 in June 2013.

A big thanks to RTC for the idea of Criollo Brown.
Can any acute observer tell me the 2 unusual cosmetic particularities of mine?

nice!!!!!

welcome aboard!!!!

A few more pictures.

seatbelt chime, speed reporting, speed volume can be adjusted with NCSExpert... before venturing into programming, you need to read a lot about it, or have someone who knows what to do, just do it for you...

wipers... not so sure on the E70... if you disable the rainsensor (along with light sensor, as it is one unit), your wipers could be controlled as old fashioned intermittent wipers, where you assign speed by the movement of the stalk... but i don't think it is a good idea to disable the rainsensor, as it can cause whole bunch of other, undesired things...

i love the fact the the volume controls on mine are on the left side of the steering wheel... on my wife's 2012 335 they are on the right side of the wheel - when i drive, i steer with the left hand and the right hand is next to 4-way flasher and gear shifter, in case if i hit the brakes hard, i throw on the 4-ways to warn folks behind me, or if i need to overtake somebody, i throw the gear in S or manual... (old manual shift habit). while the left thumb takes care of the volume... on the old 4.6 the volume was along the left edge of the spoke, on the 4.8 the volume is along the top edge of the spoke... the older one was more convenient... on my wife's ride i find that if i am lifting my right hand to adjust the volume, it is easier to go directly to the radio knob, instead of to the steering wheel... so, it is totally underused... same was on her C300 MB - the volume was on the right... if I am rowing the gears in a manual, my left hand is on the wheel, not my right one...

but, this is personal liking, not really a plus or a minus...

again, very nice ride...

what is the answer to your riddle? what is different about your ride?

Well, I posted about the volume side thing but it's true that as the months go by, I find myself getting used to the left side. On my previous car, it was on the right hence my initial grudge.

As for the riddle, it's quite simple. I have painted front mudflaps to prevent rock chips but sadly it doesn't seem to be enough even with the 3M tape.

The second one is the upper rear spoiler which is painted blue instead of black. I had a broken section on each side. It was weird like if it had been closed by hand too hard. The dealer replaced it on warranty but mistakenly painted it...

I've searched around and I guess that the 30 minutes delay before shutting down completetly might be explained by the turbocharged engine.

Here's a spy shot from 2007.

The translated note says something like

The note says: switch on pump for engine and after a longer drive leave it on for 30 minutes and only after that switch it off, otherwise engine will be broken!

Looks great. Same exterior color as mine. Welcome aboard!

Thanks
I really like the color MCB.
There are 431 vehicles with that color out of 4129 in North America according to
X5 M production #'s