Is it me, or is the dipstick REALLY hard to read?
 

Okay, I'm a newbie, but I'm not a retard. Yet I have real difficulty reading the X5's dipstick. Is there a trick to it? Could the stick be buckling a bit in the tube, thus getting an inaccurate reading? Just seems like I get variable readings, and the oil line is not perpendicular to the indicator.

You need to provide some more info about your procedure.

Are you wiping off the dipstick each time?
Are you pushing the dip stick all the way down past the click point each time?
Are you parked on level ground?
Is your engine running or off?
If it's off, how long did you wait before checking the dipstick?

I also find it hard to read. I liked the red plastic ends better than the black ones. Plain old steel w/cross-hatching in it to designate the min to max range are the best for readability, in my limited experience.

i think the wait of 5 mins before checking the level after driving for a whlie is the most accurate.

I tried several methods and finally learned to wait approx 5 mins after car is at normal temp. the dipstick shows accurate reading..

Wiping off the dipstick. Parked on level ground. Engine off.

Checking soon after I shut off the engine. Oil doesn't take that long to get back to the crankcase, does it? Never had that problem with other cars.

I THINK I'm pushing the dipstick all the way in. I'm pretty sure it's all the way it. The top of the dipstick cap appears to be fully engaged to the tube. What is this "click" of which you speak?

I agree, I have always had a tough time reading the dipstick on my X5.

same here...I have a hard time reading as well.. I wish there were aftermarkets that are easier to read..

what i did this morning was wiped the oil from the dstick, put it all the way back in, wait 10 seconds, pull it out and check against daylight for the shiny oil level whether it is still in the safe zone (between the two lines). if i didn't see the shiny oil level within them lines, i would put more 5W30 in it. i know it is difficult to see because the plastic tip is black, genius.

Those 8-9 qts of oil don't drain to pan, in two mins...

Mine click's/snap's: it has two rubber O-rings around the top of hosel under pull ring.
My tip w/markings, is a burnt red color, bordering on brown; a bit hard to see, but wipe
it clean and look in indirect light.
But, I would wait more than a min or two, for drain-down.
This is oil level checking, not engine rebuild...;)
GL, mD

For what its worth I to had trouble reading the oil level until I painted the bottom yellow! Much better now. Why couldn't it be made that way... ?