Hi Mate,

Well they put some more control arms in last Friday, still drives left.

Told them to fix it or give me a new X5 or my money back on Monday. Tuesday Germany came back and said they want to take out the Adaptive Drive springs and suspension pads on the lefthand front side of the X5 and put them in the rigthand front side and vice-versa. Also adjust the toe-in beyond the spec.

Problem is the head BMW tech is on annually leave until mid Sept so they cannot do the work for another month or more.

Told them they are just grasping at straws and that is not going to fix the problem plus the frontend will be out of spec. They said they will give me a new 5 series to drive for the next month until the work is done.

So went over to sales and orderred a new X5, paid a deposit and told them what I thought.

They said they have to do what Germany tells them to do and if the problem is still there then discussion regarding a replacement vehicle can start. I said I am not waiting a month & a half to see if playing with the front end works and ending up with a X5 out of spec. Then in the middle of Sept you want start talking about orderring a new X5 that won't arrive until Dec 2007, I said forget it. So I went and orderred a new X5 myself. Told them there is no way I am taking the X5 back if the frontend is not in BMW spec.

They are going to alter the toe-in beyound spec so it drives straight, changing components left to right is a smoke screen, the righthand camber is already out of spec. So the war has started.

That's awful. By trying to use that solution aren't they basically admitting that your current X5 has a manufacturing defect? Even if they did that how would you be covered by say problems this may cause with the transmission three or four years down the line. I would talk to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, a freind of mine had a problem with Audi recently....they absolutely wouldn't budge and he was looking at a £5000 bill. He got the SMMT involved and two weeks later Audi were collecting his car and doing the warranty work for free.

I would also tell them you want an X5 loan car. BMW GB must have a load of staff/press cars at their disposal right now. Tell them you want one.