The most annoying thing about your X5...
 

What is the most annoying thing about it?
Interior, exterior, driving performance, maintenance or........

Its price! ;)

Having to worry about scratches everytime. ;)

Frankly, the only thing annoying I've found is the climate fan which turns itself on even if you had it off. See recent thread.

If you look at the "big picture", there's no such thing.

I love this car and there's nothing else out there that I would rather drive than the X5.

you can't open the driver door to check out the curb while reversing the car

My seat is creaking everytime I move it or hit a bump.:mad: The other thing is keeping my dark paint scratch free and clean!

When I push the rear hatch unlock button inside the car then shut the drivers door the cabin pressure causes the hatch to open a little more then close.

Having to release the seatbelt SLOWLY so I don't nick up that side panel. I LOVE everything else about the X5. This is the most satisfied I've ever felt about a new car purchase.

Mine is wierd, and borderline stupid. And I'll get over it.

But the window controls annoy me. Not only are they in the wrong place for a Bimmer(j/k), but I can't for the life of me role down the front windows on the first try...Almost every time, I first reach down towards the gear shifter, then switch hands and role down the rear windows, role them back up, then finally look down to find the front windows...I'm 6'2" and I sit with my knees nearly touching the dash and still, the front window switches seem almost out of reach.

Otherwise, I'm completely floored by this truck...

yea, i run into the same issue. drives me crazy.

other than that the only thing i find oddly annoying is that the plastic fades and a layer peels off. (noticed first on door handles and center console button)

For me it's squeaks and rattles, although ditching the runflat tires makes ride less jiggly, hence less squeaking. Also break dust is horrendous on all BMW's.

For sure dents and scratches! (I've been driving for 30 years and can honestly say I've NEVER hit another car when opening my door!!) The squeaks and rattles from the rear cargo and of course, the time it takes for the idrive screen to appear after reversing!

Yeah, brake dust is ghastly...but all German cars are like that. Just the price we pay for awesome performing brakes. BMW and Benz turn black after the first short drive.

-The key fob REALLY annoys me. MBZ came out first with these electronic key fobs in 1998/99...but their's made/makes sense. Why does BMW insist upon entering the fob, pressing a separate button to start/stop and then to boot...you have to press in, for it to release?? Either make Comfort Access standard, or use a Smartkey (one step system) like Mercedes does on models not equipped with Keyless Go (Comfort Access)!!

-The front windscreen (glass) is not thermal glass...and in hot weather (90F+) A LOT of heat is generated thru the front glass. It is very uncomfortable. The 7 Series is the same way. Ughhh!

-Interior door handles/pulls feel cheap and thin. For a car in this price range, they should be metal (as in the 7 series, S class and Porsche/Audi).

-Gas mileage is horrific. I know the car is BIG, and the V8 is big...but it still sucks!

-Rear blinkers should be Yellow/Orange as is mandated in Germany, and up until the 2006 3 Series sedan...all BMWs had yellow blinkers. I find the red blinkers to look very American, and in bright sunlight....they're hard to see mixed with brake lights. That's the reason Germany requires different coloured blinkers, compared to brake lights.

I do love my X5 though. The engine sounds great, it is VERY comfortable, looks aggressive, free maintenance and it is very safe & solid.

hate
* backup camera takes awhile to kick in when backing up
* backup camera doesn't immediately turn off when you go back to D (you have to drive a bit or hit the manual off button on the dash)
* if tailgate is left open for a long period of time the autotailgate button gets hot and doesn't close
* sound system could use some improvement..(or maybe i'm just too picky)
* temp control system comes on automatically even if you turn it off..
* welcome/warning display screen comes on first and takes awhile before you can do anything on the idrive screen
** everything is proprietary.. you can't find anything aftermarket that fits... (even descent aftermarket exhaust tips)

love
* everything else about her!!

window regulators.

God himself drives an X5.

I have driven and loved BMWs for 20 years. I have owned 9. There are more irritants on the X5 then any previous BMW. The X5 4.8 is 11 months old with 12,000 miles.

-Electronic shifter, shifts back to Park if you open the door when backing up and looking back to see. Yes I have the camera but sometimes you need to open the door to see. I don't want electronic Nannies!
-iDrive hate it hate it hate it, way too many inputs to get to simple needs. I will never buy another BMW with it. I may have to move to Porsche or Audi in the future.
-Run Flats, they are tires from my tricycle.
-Start button, give me an old fashioned key much simpler and everything happens in one step.
-CD player in glove box, can't put much in the glove box with out blocking it.
-Throttle/motor acceleration is not smooth. It is better when Transmission is in DS mode, but still not great. Guest in my car think I am trying to showoff, I cannot accelerate smoothly. They need to re-map the fuel injection. (any one know someone who can do this?)
-Warning beep for safety belt never stops.
-Gas mileage is horrible. My 6.0 Denali was 30% better. 12 in town vs 16 mpg. Dealer said it would improve.......No it hasn't.
-Plastic parts keep breaking, both visors, heater vent controls, buttons
-did I mention iDrive?.....which encompasses about 100+ things.
-Center console difficult to open, I have learned how but my wife still struggles.
-Sunroof is too complicated, in order to get it all the way open you have to press it far too many times.
-Brakes! the feel is poor and the power assist is toooo much initially. Very little pressure creates significant braking. If I am not careful friends heads are bobbing back and forth. Toooo sensitive. Hard to modulate.
-Steering a touch too heavy and dull.

I could live with this car for a long time if they fixed my three biggest complaints:
1. Dump iDrive
2. Re-map acceleration/Fuel injection/Throttle
3. Fix Brake modulation control.

The above issues should not be part of the ultimate driving machine.

My biggest peeve with the X5 is the way the door is sealed to the body. Whenever it rains out, if/when the doors are open, the water that is pooled at the top of the doors dumps into the car and onto the seats. Very Very annoying. Even my 2001 Yukon had a rubber seal at the top of the window frame allowing for proper water dispersal.

Very big annoyance!!!

The backup camera at night, a complete waste and a safety flaw if a driver uses it at night.

So, when are you dumping your X5? Sounds like you absolutely hate it.

Run flats only. It's the best X5 sins begining, I drive 3-d one for past 7 years. :thumbup:

selflevel susp inact :banghead:

:iagree: Yellow/orange is so much easier to see and safer. Also, some e39 wagons had red signals. Other than that, I cant think of any other modern era BMW's with red signals besides current models.

Oh have to agree with pushing the rear window down when intending to push down the driver's window. The buttons are placed way too far forward.

Also have to agree with managing the brakes... too sensitive at the lightest touch and I cannot seem to adjust to it. At least it's minor stuff for me.

internet forums.:rofl:

I wish the outside mirrors folded automatically instead of manually activating each time at startup and shutdown.

My wife hates the running board and never stops expressing it and I'm already getting annoyed :rant:

It uses more fuel than a jet fighter taking off with its afterburners at full power.

Otherwise, nothing to complain about.

Initially, I thought the same as you.
Now, I consider that as a worthy design:
Just in case parking in a crowded or spaceless place or someone parked very close to you, keeping the side mirrors folded until getting to a "safe" place is beneficial.

Has she tired stepping on them when she gets off? Heard that helps out a lot. Or is her problem with them when she is getting on?

:iagree: :thumbup: :banghead:


Oh my god, you are SO right. I am honestly shocked at how bad the gas mileage is. Even our 2007 750Li is horrible with gas (I think they share a similar engine!). I know our fuel is dirt cheap compared to Belgium, but it still pains me everytime I pull into the fuel station!

Just curious. What are you guys getting? Around 13 MPG or worse?

Same feeling, especially in a place where 100% tax (or almost, I'm not very clear about that) is imposed.... No kidding.

I just picked up about 1 week ago. Drove around 350km.
The gas milage is 10mpg!!!!:wow:
I wonder it will improve and hope so!

Brand new my mpg on a 3.0 was 12 and nearly 1k miles later it's crept up to 14-15 driving the same local roads. I'm expecting 17-18 in the future.

Worst thing is no temp guage and the run flats.

Interesting interpretation. The question of the post was regarding what annoys me. I listed what annoys me.

I will turn it in in two years when the 36 month lease is up. There are many things I enjoy about the X5, but I did not feel the need to justify what annoys me with comments about what I DO like.

iDrive I DO Hate! I track BMW M3s and every single guy and lady I know who has driven BMWs for years, also Hates iDrive. In fact many of my friends tried to talk me out of buying the '07 because they said I would not like iDrive. I bought the 07 X5 with an open mind and thought "the engineers and designers at BMW certainly must have thought iDrive out". Boy was I wrong. Simply the fact that it makes you take your eyes off the road for the simplest of tasks is not just annoying but dangerous!

A friend owns a 4.8is and I loved it! I thought the addition of the third row seats would make it perfect! I would happily trade my 07 for an 05 or 06. If you want to pick up my lease you are welcome.

I was at the dealer today for a list of fixes,mostly broken or mis-functioning plastic pieces, and they acknowledged that many folks who owned the previous generation X5 have been disappointed by the new one. I do believe that for 70k, there should be more pleasure than pain. Cheers.

My wife gets 11.2 mpg normal commuting, I average 12.3 commuting, 15 hwy.

but how does it drive?

i average 16 or 17 DD. consistent since december, with almost 8k miles. must be the humidity.

Drives great, except for throttle pick up around 10-15 mph, and overly sensitive brakes. I think I could fix the braking with a higher temp pad.

On a curvy twisty road it drives like a Sports Car. Hides its weight.

just checking there Hoss. i wanted to be sure i wasn't the only one.

-iDrive is a bit slow. The Audis and our previous Lexus are much faster.
-Backup camera... useless.
-Stereo.

Other than that, I love it.

Have averaged 16.3 MPG for 12576 miles. About 50% highway (normally 80+MPH) and 50% around town.

Pretty much 8-10 mpg in the city (35-40 mph on average), not speeding and with light to moderate traffic. Highway (60-75mph) yields about 15/16 mpg.

Up even the slightest hill, and the mpg easily dips to 6/7 mpg. AWFUL!!!

Hmmmm interesting thread.

I guess my only complaint is that i wish someone else could pay for it.

GPS sucks, iDrive is way inferior to touchscreen that comes on a 12k honda civic, rear camera sucks

I don't hate anything about it - I like lots about it. I'm a pretty satisfied owner - I can even reach the window switches - and I'm only 5ft 6.

I've often wondered about the praises for touchscreen.

- do people like all the fingerprints on the screen visible in the light of day?
- do people like to be locked out of the 'idrive' while the vehicle is in motion?
- do people like taking their eyes off the road, so they know exactly where to physically move & point on the screen? Oh wait, they don't have to do this since they're locked out...

Idrive is a bit slow and there are menu options that go too many levels before you get to what you want, but touchscreens aren't perfect either. Are they?

I couldn't agree more. :rofl:

When I had the E70 loaner, the RDS on the radio annoyed the hell out of me! I want it to display the name and artist of the song, but it really screws up the preset station IDs. When I first set the RDS to "on," a Kenny Chesney song was playing on the one station, so the station ID is showing as "KENNY" and not WPOC, like it should. WIYY is showing as "MICKEY" because that is part of the name of the morning show.

UPDATED 11/3/08:

I had an E70 loaner last week and I found the fix for this issue.

If you program the radio presets with RDS turned off, it will display the station information - normally their call letters - once RDS it turned on. It's not 100% correct (one station showed as LOCAL-44 instead of HOT99.5), but it was a BIG improvement over the artist names or song titles that would show when the presets are programmed with RDS turned on.

Gresch - Thank you for passing this along to me. :thumbup: :hug:

:thumbup: Yeah, fingerprints are horrible on touchscreens. And yes, who wants to be locked out, since the vehicle is in motion? I might have some gripes with my 4.8i, but i-Drive is not one of them. Yeah, on the 2003-2006 7 Series...i-Drive was beyond horrible (a nightmare!!), but it's easy now & simplified!

To the contrary, we have a 2001 x5 in the garage and replaced our 2005 x5 in Feb. with an 08 3.0 x5. The new one is WAY, WAY better than the previous generation x5's in our opinion. There are SO many improvements. The most important is drive comfort and handling. We just finished a drive from SF Bay area to San Diego and back. We arrived much less tired after the 8 hr. drive each way. The new x5 is SO much smoother, more power on the road, hugs the turns better, the comfort seats are awesome. The back is a little deeper and wider so we can get more stuff in when traveling. The ipod interface is great, premium stereo is worth it-the 05 had standard sound and the new one is a huge improvement. The much maligned backup camera is a significant plus for us. Love the lighted door handles, idrive is great-so much more control. The quality of the interior finish is much improved. And, I almost forgot...the navigation system is MUCH, MUCH improved and the screen larger!! I could go on and on. Best of all, it is just really FUN to drive. Never really had that feeling to such a degree in the earlier generation x5's.

What I don't like: gas mileage, of course. Got 18.5 mpg combined on trip. Hopefully it will continue to improve, only have 2000+ miles on it so far. Dislike NOT having a 3rd key. Miss adjustable seatbelt height in older x5's plus electric reclining back seats.

All in all, the 08 X5 is quite an amazing car. I have almost no complaints.

myself, i sit up under the wheel with my heel planted on the floorboard. i have found with practice the stock pads are easy to modulate. the throttle also. it surely does tend to be choppy if i lose concentration.

i have about 8k on mine, so some days i romp on it a little. much fun. short of the disparity in torque it makes my Z06 feel pedestrian.

That's odd. Both my 2007 & 2008 X5 had great radio/satellite information.

On Sirius, it will say for example "90's Alternative" Jane's Addiction with the Song Jane says.

For the radio it will say (for example) STAR 98.7, Plain white T's with the song Hey there Delilah

Giving the current 4.8is to the wife
My new 4.8i is not here for another 4 days!

Seriously though, the current 4.8is has the following annoying little issues;

Passenger side head rest rattles a little - it gets looked at every service and I lube it regularly, but when it dries out it rattles again.

Glovebox configuration, small and awkward to get into

mine must be broken. lame music such as listed above won't play.:rofl:

Just noticed a definite annoyance today!!

I now remember it being mentioned in other threads: metal seat belt latch makes small nicks on door pillars. This was not the case with the first generation x5's. When you unlatch the seat belt and don't hold on to it, it flies again the door pillar and there is a little indentation left! Argh!

Judyd, see post #9 of this thread.

Totally agree, my old C240 MB standard system sounds much better. Plan to mod the system in near future.

I'm with you on this one...

Heat/AC/Fan controls. It's either automatic climate control with little control of distribution or a convoluted adjustment via iDrive to control distribution and temp. :dunno:

The defrost/mid/low vent button, temp adjustment and fan speed buttons on the M3 were simple, effective and quick.

The seat belt chime is annoying too. :damn:

The only annoying thing about my X is that the height of the seat belt is no longer adjustable. Why did they change that?

I agree. The earlier models were adjustable. Here's the fix, costs $6.04 for two clips. The clip holds the belt out a bit so it doesn't hit your neck. We've found the clips really helpful for that problem.

http://www.amazon.com/Heininger-Auto...1644749&sr=8-1

It's big...

You just noticed this thread? :nanana:

No, actually I just realized that the seat belt annoys me and I searched for this thread instead of starting a new one :nanana: to you :rofl:

I second the Window Controls
 

I too m over 6' and you can't even see the switches hidden under the door grip.:dunno:

The near side mirror doesn't dip sufficiently to see the curb which is annoying because it did on both my previous BMW's (E46 M3 and E60 535d).

Why can't you prgramme the folding mirrors to fold automatically when locking the car? Again this is somethign that worked fine on my previous cars.

In general I think the ride is exellent....those of you complaining about the run flats should have driven some earlier models like my 2004 535d that had run flats fitted. Indeed I would say my E70 rides better on RFT's than my 535d after I had changed back to regular tyres from the RF's that were fitted as standard. For some reason the E70 isn't great with speed bumps....have to drive really slowly over the otherwise it kind of slams down coming off them. Much worse than previous cars...I would have thought it would have been better.

Is the rearview camera as bad as ppl posted? I test drove my friend's '07 Honda Pilot and I was able to see 10-15 feet on rearview camera at night on a street lamp-lit street. With no lights in the back, I can see up to 5 feet. How's the X5 camera compare to this? Any superior aftermarket replacement available?

Yes, it's hopeless in the dark (you can see nothing) and is subject to glare in bright conditions too.

That's a real shame. I was going to buy it this week. The rearview is important to my wife. The crash ratings are great and I really like the PDC when I tested it on my 5-series rental. I guess I'll have to settle for a MDX.

-my back pack + passenger seat = annoying seat belt sound.
-the headrest makes a noise when i'm driving.
-my left tail light LED isn't working.
-the radio station switches to the weather broadcast whenever i start up the car again.
-the steering wheel vibrates and makes a weird squeaky noise whenever i move it.

When I put stuff on the passanger seat, it beeps (or chimes) to tell my stuff to put a seat belt on. ;)

y5choi that problem can be solved by replacing an electrical sensor in the seat make a trip to your dealer but yes it was one of the annoying things about my x5

all of these can be fixed with a trip to your dealer

When I open my doors -- If it's raining outside, a lot of water comes pouring down onto my seats because there is no rain guard system on the doors. Very very very annoying.

Anyone come up with a solution for this?

Keep the door closed.......;)

Take the car immediately to the dealer. Tell them you don't understand why rain gets in an open door, ask for an immediate lemon law replacement. Talk about a flawed design, opening a door in the rain and the rain actually gets in the car....

Meow!!! Ouch, how angry!

Angry, more so over-run by the "duh" factor.

Looks like he knows exactly why it happens. I experienced this for the first time yesterday, never in any other car before, and I immediately thought about the few times this has been mentioned on these boards. Certainly qualifies for this particular thread. Annoying flaw.

:iagree: :iagree: :iagree:

Water leaking in was originally posted on page 2 of this thread.

I washed my E70 outside yesterday (no rain) and once I dried the car, it is annoying when you open the door to park the car .... the water from the roof/top door seal drips onto the seat. Does this happen to everybody?

drink holders behind the joystick
i find it a pain to twist my hand around it to reach in a grab a drink - the olf E53 was better positioned for drinks. With my coffee everyday on the way to work - this is important people!!!

I mean honestly people. Some of this stuff belongs right here.
Some of you folks need to return your vehicle and catch the bus.

http://www.xoutpost.com/lounge/43361-...dumb+questions

BMW mounting the door ulock button in the middle of the dash. Everytime I need to open a locked door without the key I need to crawl into the front seat to hit the button. Why not mount it on the drivers door like everyone else?

Because if you mount it on the drivers door it would be more difficult for the passenger to get to it. Women especially like the convenience for safety. It's called being centrally located.

The lock button is in the right place. The window switches should be in the middle too. After owning many older bimmers, the switches on the door really threw me off for a while.

I thought I was being anal...makes me feel better to know that at least someone agrees...

My comfort access works 50% of the time at best? Dealer has looked at it three times before and said all was O.K. Took it in last month for service and the dealer said that there was definitely something wrong since they were having problems as well. Started a PUMA case and still have not heard anything back!! Extemely frustrating, this has been from day 1 last year.

Most annoying things are..

Important guages dumbed down (TPM) or eliminated all together (battery Voltage, Oil temp).

Simple Features that did not need impoving on evolved into complicated or annoying ones like the climate settings on i-drive, changing stations on sat radio or cd tracks (when you want to change stations or tracks, you have to select it, then a menu comes down and you need to click on "Play")

When I turn on my A/C, it smells like dirty socks for 5 mins. (Common problem where mildew or mold forms in vents)

Run flat tires

Brake dust.

Seatbelt making nick marks

Going to car wash, or valet parking and the attendant spends 5 mins trying to figure out how to change gears lol (Although I like the shifter)

I love my E70, so the list of annoying things is short. Most have already been listed by others above, so it looks like I'm not alone.

Don't take this as negative against the E70, it's overall a great car, but everything can be improved so here's the list:

#1 Brake Dust - With all their technology, why can't BMW develope pads without black carbon in them? Wheels look like $hit one day after washing.

#2 Slow I-Drive - Unlike some, I love I-drive, but sometimes it is just too damed slow and unresponsive.

#3 Inablity to use I-drive memory buttons to call up screens

#4 Lack of Water Temp Gauge - When is it warmed up? When is it almost too hot?

#5 No volume control on PDC beeps

#6 Rear Camara at night - Come on guys, even Toyota and Honda have much better rear view camaras.

#7 Unpainted Black Trim - Looks OK, but a pain to maintain. When car is waxed, it always gets on the black trim and looks bad.

#8 Run Flats - Can't wait to replace them with non-run flats. Anyone interested in buying a slightly used set of 20" run-flats?

My Comfort Access works 99.5% of the time...the only time I have issues are when I have my cell phone and key in the same pocket. Could it be that your cell phone is too close to your key fob?

If it only works 50% of the time I would be living at the dealership...somthings not right!

You would seriously settle for an MDX because of the rear camera? Big mistake...I own both and they are not equal.

Check this out:
http://www.xoutpost.com/x5-e70-forum/...ght=bought+MDX

seat belt beeper

Needless to say rain drops will be hitting the inside of the car when the door is open. However to have a big blob of water drop onto the seat (picture 1/2 cup of water) when you open the door is wrong. If this does not happen to your X, then perhaps I DO have a faulty truck!

Hope bmw guys are reading this! I HATE GARAGE DOOR OPENER.

Why? Is there a problem with it?

The response is much slower than my 15 bucks opener from Home Depot, the range is much smaller too :(

Gotcha. Thanks.

Its the same as every garage door opener in every vehicle. At least in the US

Actually, not all openers are equal. Don't understand why. But clearly my BMW 3-series is able to open my garage door as I pass my neighbor's house approaching my driveway. On my MB S-Class, I have to actually be on the drive way for it to reach (worse opener in any of my cars).

RVAS69. Why don't you mention it the next time your car is in service. Maybe they can replace the opener.

or you can try this:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...ht=garage+door
(no idea if this works. But it's a funny/cool post)

Thanks for the tips! Sometimes it does indeed open normally, sometimes I have to be in front of the door and press the button several times before the signal is accepted.

That mirrow btw was a part of $4K premium package, I wonder how much does it actually cost as stand alone. Probably several hundreds bucks.:yikes: Compared to what you can get in Home Depot and how those openers work - that's annoying.

4K for the premium? The premium package here in the US is only $1850 for the 4.8 and $2850 for the 3.0. Plus if you negotiate properly is really much less $$$.

The opener and mirror as an accessory is listed at $635.00 + labor. Still a hefty price.

An annoying thing about the X5 is that a lot of things come in packages where most of the time there are items I don't want. (Though this is probably true about other manufacturers as well). But I wish we had the refinement in choosing as Europeans do.

ie: I want the universal garage door opener (only because I like the integrated look and rather not have a remote taking up the little storage space available in the car! There is no under seat storage (like in MB cars) where I can hide an compact umbrella or safely, keep a small spare jacket for days that suddenly turn cold or to conveniently store my sunglasses), but I don't want the auto-dimming rearview mirror!

I don't like how the rearview mirror is so small. I like the size of the clip-on aftermarket mirrors (like the Broadway ones sold at those small Asian auto accessory shops). Though the current rearview mirrors are sufficient for it's use, common in most cars and probably preferred by the enthusiast. But I just like to see more. Kind of like the BIG side mirrors. Some don't like it for the looks, but I like them for their functionality. Seeing more is better.

So getting the premium for the universal garage opener forces me to also get the auto-dimm small mirror. And though I can simply put the clip on over it. The fact that I paid for this auto-dimm mirror + the cool digital compass on it just makes it not feel right. To spend another $10-$20 bucks on a clip on, to lose the use of auto-dimm + the compass which I paid $$$ for in the premium package. Sorry for the pretty stupid rant.

Just wish BMW didn't combine the opener with the auto-dimm (like in the old 3-series), gave us more refinement in our choices of options rather than packages and/or made the rear view mirror larger!

i get frost buildup on the inside surfaces of windows and windshields

My 05. I love everything but the OBC/Nav. The list, knob and enter way you input info into it reminds one of the first projects by Jobs and Gates in their parents' garages. The GPS isn't nearly as good as my Garmin. BMW needs to design the vehicle, which they do very well indeed, and sub out the interfaces.

Maybe Apple is interested since they supposedly parted from VW. I would like to try Microsoft's Synch system in a Ford product to see how that actually works.

There will be a time in the future where some expensive brand, maybe BMW, advertises that you can change the temp by merely twisting the intuitive dial...!

Have the big concave mirror on my other ride and love it. It helps with blind spots tremendously (even behind you on the driver's side!) and you know what's around you from just peripheral vision all the time. Can't beat it.

But just like you, I didn't want to "waste" the auto-dim and compass so I've left the smaller BMW mirror. Have had to learn to live with it. Funny thing with the compass is that with the NAV map up all the time anyway, you never look at that directional. ;)

I really only got the premium package for the cool door handle lights and the garage opener. Have to have those toys.

:iagree::iagree:

I hate that the pick up on the 3.0... It's really hard for me to make a quick lane change. This is solved when I'm in manual mode, but then the Miles Per Gallon goes down and that's no fun. That REALLLLY annoys me about the X5 but maybe that isn't so with the 4.8. Other than that, the fact that I have to be so close to my gate to open it with the garage opener annoys me.

i bought my 2008 with only the basic features (no packages), in fact the only add-on option i included was the ipod adaptor. so mine doesn't have alot of the features that have been talked about (i/e complained about) here, but from the sounds of it that may be a good thing.
i've only been driving my x5 for a week now and i'm impressed with it mostly, granted there are some things i still need to get used to (and/or find out how they work). so my small list of annoyances include:
1) the turn blinkers (the quick ones - well they are just too quick for me, they turn off before i can make a complete lane change, thus i have to push all the way)
2) for some reason i still find it hard to physically get out of the vehicle, i guess i'm just used to opening the door and putting my foot down like with every other vehicle i've owned, but can't do that with the x5, not even with the running board. so i guess this one is for the non-functional running board
3) i'm somewhat dissapointed in the sound system, i know its the base package but i expected more out of a bmw. maybe i should have gotten the premium sound package. ;)

but honestly, the above is me just being very nitpicky - i truly love my x5 and i'm happy to finally be a bmw owner.

-emilio

Oh i also don't like how fast the lowest setting on the windsheild wipers is

Anyone know if driving it in manual-shift mode is the same gas consumption as DS mode (without the manual shifting)?

I've been doing some manual shifting and obviously the acceleration is a ton better with the allowable late-shifting. Is this exactly the same on gas as DS mode? I ask because DS still feels more powerful.

It depends entirely on when you shift it, and where your foot is on the accelerator.

In standard mode, there is a certain shift algorithm programmed in.
In DS mode, the shift points are higher, so you consume more fuel.
In manual mode, it is up to you. If you shift at the same time as the standard mode would have, you will get the same fuel consumption. If you shift at the same time as the DS mode would have, you will get the same fuel consumption as the DS mode. In practice, you will likely not shift at the optimum point so your fuel consumption could be worse than either.

Take it another way: I live at the top of a long hill, and in standard mode it wouldn't quite shift, it hung up just before the shift. DS mode didn't help on that hill. It is a residential area, so I didn't want to go faster. Manual mode allowed me to shift up one gear higher, dropping revs, and it pulled just fine. That improved my fuel consumption over either standard or DS mode, but it isn't the usual use of manual mode based on what I read from other posters. The exception is withidl, and his posts about pulling a large trailer. He used manual mode to optimize the torque converter lock-up point, saving fuel and his transmission.

The only thing I do find annoying with the X5 is the lack of spare tyre when you order third row seat.
The wife loves it and I honestly prefer driving the X5 to my little 330i- one of the reasons why I won't be getting the M3 but the X6 as a replacement.
Back to the lack of spare tyre, I believe if the engineers had thought hard about it, they would have fitted one in the boot and still accomodate the third row seat.

+1!!!

Really like the convenience of having the 3rd row seat. But really not sure about the run-flat with all the negative feedback on them. I want to go with the non-run flats. But don't know if I should just risk not getting a flat. I've only gotten 2 flats in the past 17 years! But still I have a feeling that if I risked it. It's just gonna happen.

-1, I keep a spare in the garage - that's good enough for me.

But what happens if you get a flat? Just have someone else drive to pick it up and bring it to you? Could easily be a 1 hour+ wait before getting on the road again. Probably the same amount of time required to get the car towed to a dealership by BMW roadside, no?

I bought a spare tyre and carry it about. I like RFT but I am not going to fall for the "call BMW assist" marketing BS.

Exactly what I have done with my 3 series and the X5.

You drive home on your RUN flat

I also have a spare in the garage, dont really know what the gripes are about the run flats, I dont have any issues with mine.

btw- what is the "bmw assist" marketing bs?
I have only used it once, but it works just fine.

My original comment was if non-run flats were installed and there wasn't a spare in the car, but in the garage.

Don't know what the BMW Assist marketing bs is. I would like to know too.

My comments about the BMW marketing BS was in regards to what BMW sales persons often say when they are trying to sell you the idea of a car equipped with RFT without a spare.
Whenever the question is posed to them about the eventuality of a flat- their typical response is "BMW assist" to have the vehicle towed to the shop. This typically takes at best an hour for them to get there and which often implies that you will be quite delayed.

Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of RFT but only from a safety point of view. The RFT allows me to manuerver the vehicle to a safe area to change the errant tyre. I can imagine going on a road trip and having a flat tyre without a spare, how far can you go without a spare before you ruin the tyre and be forced to stop. And to be quite frank not every city has a BMW dealership to get a new tyre.

BMW assist will provide other services if a dealer is not near...and the runflats are rated for 100 miles.

That depends on the weight of the vehicle.

i've been getting some rattles from the back, it might be the tailgate.

I have the OEM 20" on my 4.8 and will be driving 3K fully loaded. If I had a flat would it be better to use that little spare?

Either way, how long might I drive? There will be many part of the trip where the nearest BMW dealer will be at least 150 miles away.

For safety's sake, use the spare. Run-flats have their limitations, and the more weight, speed and distance you subject a RF without air in it, the greater the change of catastophic failure!!

Run-Flats are great for the initial loss of air, but not so great to drive on after.

At reasonable speeds, you should be able to go several hundred miles on your spare tire. If you take it very easy, you could even make it home from your trip on the spare. The RFTs are rarely in stock.

Thanks, but as a novice I am confused. The spare is a different size than the 20" OEMS (2008 4.8) so I would have thought that would present it own set of problems.

The spare is the same circumfrence as the regular tires, so it will not damage your differential. It is much narrower with less contact patch, so you should avoid high speed or spirted driving. But again, the spare will handle and be much safer to drive on than a deflated RFT.

I had an E70 loaner last week and I found the fix for this issue.

If you program the radio presets with RDS turned off, it will display the station information - normally their call letters - once RDS it turned on. It's not 100% correct (one station showed as LOCAL-44 instead of HOT99.5), but it was a BIG improvement over the artist names or song titles that would show when the presets are programmed with RDS turned on.

Gresch - Thank you for passing this along to me. :thumbup: :hug:

I haven't had to set stations in a while but I'll have to try that on the e60. I usually wait till the station cycles the call letters then press set. But this suggestion may be the ticket.

HAHA....yeah...this will do it.

I just turned off RDS, went through the preset list, and reassigned them to their same spot. I was able to do all of them while waiting at a traffic light. :thumbup:

The most annoying thing about your X5...

....people starting negative inflamatory thread titles on forums..... ;) I love mine, nooooo problems and so many great features.

Sounds like ya need a new resistor:stickpoke

Glad I'm not alone in hitting the rear window controls instead of the front.

Biggest complaint for me is "boot up" time. If I want to use the back up camera, I start the car and have to wait up to 20 sec for the BWM logo to go away and for the camer and sonar screen to come up. Sometimes it overlaps the legal warning with the back up camera which looks terrible.

Second would be crappy back up camer resolution. I've seen better cameras on $50 cell phones.

Salt stains on my pants.. because of the d*** running boards.
They do look good but it's very annoying when you get in/out...

pseudo annoying ...
 

I agree w/ Rh71 & Dawgbone ~ the climate fan comes on a lot when not needed & I also roll down the rear window a lot by mistake instead of the front window (when I'm not looking & just reach down) ... But, the big picture ~ performance, etc still remains the same .. awesome. Especially when it allows you to smoke an agressive Audi A8 driver on way into NYC like I did early this a.m. ...

I've always had an issue with the two MB's I had with opening the rear windows by mistake on multiple occasions. I guess one way to get around it would be to have the front row a different size than the rear row. In fact, I think that my Lexus from 2000 was like that.

Otherwise, the slow responding iDrive is the most annoying thing about my X5. Actually, the iDrive in general. Entering navigation destinations is especially maddening. However, if things worked faster and immediately, I could look past the other shortcomings of the system. Well, besides the lousy rear camera :nanana:

is "northern" NJ different from "regular" NJ? sems to me it is still "northern", and as such....... well i digresss.

As stang knows, it's the back-up camera :stickpoke

It means I live in the northern portion of the state. It "sems" to me that you just like to start trouble.

drats!!!! i have been found out. i will need to rethink my grand scheme. ;)

Wish the rear fixed windows could be opened. With the panorama roof opened up all the way and the windows closed you get the wind buffeting.

My MB ML430 had a similar roof and you could crack open (power) the rear windows which would eliminate the buffeting when you had it all the way open and the windows up.

Others have commented that the windows should all be open if the roof is - yes, that does eliminate it. However, on the highway that won't always work for me.

The other option is to install an air deflector.

Does anyone know if an air deflector eliminates all the wind buffeting when the roof is all the way open and the side windows are up all the way?

Thanks

My bad.... I didn't realize this was E70 Forum. I've got an E53.

:iagree: I changed my location to "South East ..." but he didn't seem to notice that...

actually Brian i did see you listed SE but i didn't realize it was for my benefit. thanks for thinking of me. i actually changed my to BF for a period of time but decided to not boast of my prime real estate location. :bustingup

sorry guys it gets kinda boring 'round here some times. :D

:D Hey, I wasn't losing any sleep over it. Wasn't aware of a BF in NC. Sometimes it is a little slow around here...

it's somewhere between Podunk and Jerkwater on the Road Atlas. :thumbup:

Do you know why you are moaning about your fuel? Because you HAD to buy the 4.8i. Get a diesel 3.0 for god sake. What do you expect?

the only thing i don't like is that the X gets dirty... LOL

:iagree:

The auto wipers, on my Disco you left the wipers on and it then kicked in when required, seems strange to have to activate every time. When you press the button it does a wipe which is a pain if the screen is not quite wet enough.

- related: seems the rear wiper will squeak during the 1st pass as it doesn't get wet enough when trying to spray-clean the window.

More, but minor:
- exhaust drip onto the rear aero kit turns it blackish after just a couple trips out. Must wipe it off soon or it will require a clay bar instead. :dunno:

- slow loading idrive in cold weather

The Start/Stop engine button while you have to press the brake pedal!
I curse every time!! I just don't get why you have to press the brake pedal??? It is like 3 steps to start your vehicle! ridiculous!
It should just be one step, push the fob key in the slot and press deeper to start/stop (like the Audi's). The start button is useless imo.
They should've made the comfort access standard for the price we paid.

Also the steering wheel tilt and telescope resets to default position after every time you shut-off the engine and re-activates to the key memory position when your statup again. I would think this could cause excess wear on the two motors.
But if you have any diff shape and size of people driving the vehicle it could be a benefit but not that much.

The 3rd row center console ventilation is just a fan, no heat or A/C.
So the kids/adults would freeze or melt depending on the season.

The 3rd row seat is cramish, too tight. I wouldn't want to sit back there for long trips.

Man! I am on a roll....
What else...

The iDrive boot up warning screen (not that much but still...)

The back up camera, always have the phrase "do not rely sole on camera" blocking half the screen, defeating the purpose of the camera, which is the see what is back there.

The automatic/artificial intelligent! windshield wiper mode, its just not that intelligent! Just give me back the manual mode of delay wipes.

Since they gave up some buttons on the steering wheel, give us more! :-)

BUT, I still love it!!! and would still buy it again with comfort access pkg for sure.

Is someone going to start a "The most pleasant thing about your X5..." :-)

Can't that be turned off in iDrive?

Nope - can't disable steering wheel positioning.

seat memory when my wife uses her key then i go to use
 

mine and it doesnt go back to where it should be... how do i fix that?

you have to set your seat and steering wheel position to your liking and press the lock button on your fob key. That will save those positionings on that specific fob key.
The other key can be set to your wife's positionings.

This goes same for all your programmable buttons on the steering wheel and dash.

only thing annoying me is the rear wiper, since its been raining here. will need to change out the wiper blade. other than that, I love it =)

Are you not supposed to use the M1 and M2 memory buttons on the side of the driver's seat too?

You can but your individual key remembers your personal settings so you don,t have to use the M1 & M2 buttons.

Unless you are that much taller/bigger than your partner and can't get even get in the vehicle.

if i press the "trunk open" icon inside the car, then go out and close my door, the trunk hatch closes due to the vibration

Annoying things... 1) Auto wiper setting even at it's lowest is still too sensitive.. give me an "infinitely" adjustable setting any day.
2) No source Mode memory for audio... Volume is not saved for each Audio input...this includes bass and treble...3) No temperature gauge.... 4) delay time for reverse camera to activate ... 5) No microphone mute for handsfree :stickpoke

Hi Jamesboags,

Time to upgrade to a March 09 production X5!

Gotta find me a big puddle !!!!

I need a loaner for the weekend, are you offering!

Same here is there a fix for that otherwise I have to always have my key or have my wife hit the button!

when i let off the gas it feels as though the car has way too much engine braking. its like going from 3rd gear into 1st gear, IF i was driving it in manual. never had a automatic tranny feel that way. ( caddy srx, 2 lexus rx, 07 tahoe ltz etc etc). guess the other complaint is cleaning the 20" rims, what a PAIN!!!!!! and lastly, wish i new what in the heck to clean the dash with

There's no outside temp gauge ? Or do you mean engine temp ?

Yeah they look like they would be. I'm waiting until Sept for MY2010 if they make facelift changes they will change the wheel style, too. :popcorn:

I think the transmission braking is supposed to make the auto act more like a manual so there is some engine braking. BMW would call that a feature, not a bug. I kind of like it myself. I also absolutely hate cleaning the rims.

Do you drive mostly in SD? I find that the effect is less pronounced in D. And also less pronounced if, in SD, you give it a little gentle gas after the slowdown instead of, say, just coasting around a curve.

i drive in D. its just a very big difference when you compare my new tahoe that has undetectable downshifts to the x5 that has very pronounced down shifts.

I'm in the process of buying an X5d, previous X3 owner, and thanks for all of that info above. Two questions to you X5 gurus or just daily commuters,

1) I just couldn't find a clue why many people hate Run Flat Tires.
2) Why not 18" wheels and why 20" are the best ones? Cornering? How about comfort?? (20" not available for 09 but 21" AFAIK, but out of curiosity.)

Thanks in advance...

What's your mileage? I have very little feel of that engine braking in my 4.5k mi. 3.0. when just cruising to a stop. Regular car-like.

Early run flat tires tended to ride more harshly, were hard to repair since the dealers and tire stores weren't trained to repair them, were more expensive, and if you got a flat they weren't in free supply, ie it was hard to find a replacement.

Many of those issues have been resolved. In some areas it is still difficult to find a replacement tire. The bad reputation lives on, and people love to hate them. Not sure why any more. Yes, some are noisy, but that has more to do with the tread pattern these days than the fact that they are RFT. There are lots of non-RFT that are as noisy as some RFT. I have had several vehicles with RFT and have no issue with them.

The only reason to get 20" or larger is if you like the looks. Unless they are a very light specialty wheel, acceleration and braking is slightly worse with larger wheels. Larger tires tend to get damaged more easily with the lower profile. Larger tires also tend to be expensive. All that gets traded off for looks by those who like them. They look best when parked. Perhaps that gives away my sentiments :rofl:

donald_duck: I've got 19' wheels on mine and have not noticed any problems. All family vehicles feel bumps. Blame the roads not the car.
People just try to sound all important by creating issues that would only bother the most sensitive of mind. The X5 is a GREAT SUV.
I think the overall problem with run flats is that they are slightly more expensive than ordinary ones and that's it. Shop around and you'll be fine. Apart from this, I've not had a problem with my X5 at all and would recommend one with any size of wheels.
Try not to listen to the moaners and wannabe critics they are just trying to sound important and to justify why they spent more money getting bigger wheels. The fact is that they ONLY bought bigger wheels because in their minds they look better. ABSOLUTELY Nothing to do with ride quality etc etc...FACT!

I'll add my 2c on this... I'll be honest, from the side profile view, the 20" 214s look very bling... too much in fact, with the large gaping holes. But at certain angles like this one, it looks very sporty and not overdone. In motion, I think it looks best. When I still had my 19" 212s, I saw another set of 214s in motion and decided I had to have it. The "thrashing" look while following the vehicle is probably its best look in my opinion.

On the issue of ride quality switching out of runflats. There was a noticeable difference going over speed bumps - that was a good litmus test. Surely that doesn't happen everyday, but the difference is night and day - undeniable. It felt like I had no shocks at all with RFTs. Perhaps it's better now with new RFTs but it's only been a year since I've gotten those Michelin Latitude Tour HP ZPs out.

i have the 19s with Bridgestone RFTs. all seasons with over 22k miles and tires are holding up fine. i should get at least 30k out of them. and i always toss tires before they reach wear bars.

19 '' wheel size seems to me to be a good everyday wheel. i would ask what difference the low profile summer only tires have on performance and ride quality rather than only wheel size. the combination of 20"+ wheels and sticky tires has some trade-offs apparently.

when i do finally switch tires i think i will try some non-RFTs as they are lighter and cheaper. i may go with the same brand and style even.

20"s
 

Run on flats are newer unconventional tires with it's own pros and cons. I personally believe that they are good products and I plan to keep on using them. Everyone does not love change all the time.


With the 20;s the profile is wider. The ride feel and handling is definitely different and I prefer the 20's for that reason.

to get back on track with annoying things... I always forget this one but when you wash the E70... the area between the lift tailgate and lower manual drop-down remains dirty. In other words, if you're going to wash the car, you have to open the tailgate to get it all.

My complaint about my 4.8is:

interior door handles curve out too far and eat up leg room. I have considered removing the driver side handle. I would gain 3+ inches of valuable leg room and loose the annouying rubbing sensation on my knee.

Panoramic roof - thusfar, cannot figure out how to open roof and glass simultaneously so that the leading front edges are lined up. The double button press in the manual results in the roof liner retracting several inches before the glass retracts. I have always enjoyed driving with my sunroof open 4-6 inches, not 4-6 inches of the glass retracted, then another 6-10 inches of the liner retracted as well......still love my ride though!

Oh...and a third (this makes me an official complainer): The ski/pass thru arm rest never stays up and tighly closed. The material from the protective sock that is connected gets bunched up and prevents a nice tight closing. (I am lazy enough not to figure this one out!)

Love the forum!

edit...whoops..posted on the E70 board on accident.. thanks michelle. I'm a moron.
-

Thanks for the answers on tire issue, I'll stick to standard ones I guess.

Don't you have an E53??

:bustingup

To that, add universal remotes, smart phones, computers, digital thermostats, digital cameras, digital clocks and watches, digital auto heating/cooling controls, home theater systems... at least your wife is willing to ask questions and will eventually be good at it. Some aren't!

Someday, the latest and greatest vehicles will have analogue controls as a selling feature. Look, just twist the dial to the right for more heat, turn the radio dial down for less volume, etc. I see all devices working like this some day, the next hot trend in technology. Yeah!

Or, how sucky is the "automatic" climate control system on E53s? Automatic except for turning the AC on when it was 100 degrees inside.

My automatic climate control worked great on my E53. Turned it on the day I picked up the vehicle, and hardly touched it again for four years. Hot, cold, didn't matter. I regularly used the rear defrost, occasionally I did use the fast front defrost feature, and I adjusted the temperature two or three times, but that was it.

i fold the mirros while waiting in traffic lights if i see motor bikes trying to squeaze in

hold the brake slightly and it will not automatically put it in park

Why don't all of the models have painted bumpers and trim. Its frankly ridiculous it might as well be a saturn.

Because people have the choice of painted or 'less' painted. If you live in NYC, it would be wise to choose the one with less paint.

This way all those who complain there is a good reason to upgrade to the M-Sport or Aero kit. Kinda makes good marketing sense, to appeal to the largest market possible. This way for those on a tighter budget can still afford an X while those that have the extra $$ can pony up and upgrade.

Besides, the bumper provides great constrast for lighter exteriors with the aero kit. :)

Related - on our first distance drive [with the ventilated/comfort seat options] the wife spent the better part of ONE HOUR fiddling with her passenger seat settings. I couldn't resist commenting once she stopped adjusting, "honey dearest, this is a SUV, not a GD carnival ride!"

I totally would but I have the diesel and its not an option.

My Two Cents
 

I have to stop every once in awhile to sleep. Or my wife driving it to work.

draws reactions from jealous people and a-holes who wag the finger because it is not made by gm or ford.

you need a 'made in america' license plate surround.
dopes dont know its from SC.