Jay:

The link you show is for RHD. Did you find one for LHD?

I decided not to go cosmos due to the scratch factor. Cosmos looks good new but I have two kids that I would freakout if either of then accidentally scratched it. I came across the gray smoked poplar wood set and it looks stunning in the vehicle. A wood with a smoke like haze across it. Very few of the X5's came with it even though it was readily available with the other wood trims.

^pics look amazing! That trim is super rare where did you get it and how much?

Oh yeah its "Big Baller Wood". It came from Germany and I had to trade a few things to get it.

Confirming: this is not from the Ebay seller then?

Looks like you did the center console too - any details on removal? Did you need to pull the shift lever?

You have to pull a lot more than that. See my Avin Avant install thread.

Correct the wood that i decided on was not from the Ebay seller. Completely different transaction.

The center console wood is where all the time has to be spent to change the wood. Let me just say I spent a couple of hours dismantling the console, removing the wood and installing the new set.I also had to install the new cup holder in the console due to the malfunctioning cup holder cover/lid. There are tons of screws in the console. You will need a set of small torx bits to remove the smallest of screws. In the end its all worth it to get the look you desire. I decided that I would be installing the new wood in the X5 when I competed the AC evaporator repair since I would have everything forward of the front seats removed from the vehicle.

This is true. The center console is a pain, it will take time, but unlike most of the DIYs out there, you DO NOT have to remove the dash to take the console out. It just take a little finesse.