May be ordering a '09 X5 30i
 

I currently have an '08 535i, and it is being lemmoned. I would really like to get an X5 (probably should have gotten that to begin with). I already have all my options picked out and would like some advice. We live in Los Angeles, so we don't deal with crazy weather here. But we do own a home in the mountains that we go to 1-2 times a month, and in the winter there can be some very bad road conditions. For this reason, I have decided against the sport package but now I am questioning my decision. Is there a reason to not get the sport package due to weather conditions, or does it not make a difference? Are the tires on the sport package still decent tires for snow?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

They will still be all-season tires for the 3.0. The sport package mainly adds electronic damping control (suspension), the sport seats, and bigger wheels (which do just as fine in the snow). The rest as you may know is aesthetics.

Only the 4.8 with sport pkg & upgraded 20" tires will yield the summer tires you're probably thinking about.

Can you tell me if anything in the sport package makes this worth the $3700? (keep in mind that I am ordering comfort seats separate so I wouldn't be getting sport seats).

• Electronic Damping Control
• Anthracite headliner
• Sports leather steering wheel
• 19" Light-alloy wheels Star Spoke with run-flat all-season tires
• Sport seats
• Shadowline trim

I had the sport package on my old 3.0 and enjoyed the the handling and the larger 18 inch wheels that came with it back then. The '09 I got in November I chose not to get the Sport. The '09 3.0 without sport comes with 18" that look and work well. The 4.8 comes with 20" on the sport model.
One important thing to remember in California is that chains are required almost all of the time when there is fresh snow that is if you do not have designated winter tires on your car. The X5 (e70) only takes chains on the rear wheels and only up to 19" according to BMW.

Yeah, I am aware of the chain requirements up there. Although, I tend to ignore them. We have had our home for 4 years up there, and I have been going there since I was a kid. I find their chain requirements, most of the time, to be ridiculous. If they have checkpoints going up the hill, we will put them on. But once we get there, we take them off.

Thanks for the advice. I think I will skip the sport package. I have it on my 535, but that is a whole different animal that I think is lost without the SP. I think I can live without it on the X5.

Anyone have any experience with Tobacco leather? According to bmwusa.com, saddle brown is no longer available and my salesman said that Tobacco looks almost purple and advised me against it.

Not sure why saddle brown is no longer available. I really dislike the Tobacco, saw it in person during a test drive. I had to fight my guys and push a lot to get them to put in the saddle brown request for me when it was just offered in Canada (before January 2008 came). I would persist... it is a lot better than Tobacco in my opinion. Ask another dealer about it.

About the sport package, I couldn't tell ya about the performance difference as I've never driven a BMW without it. I'm not even sure if the sport button behind the shifter turns off EDC or if it's just tighter suspension settings (which I don't even feel on or off). I really don't like the 18s on such a large/sporty vehicle though so that would be my first upgrade. I do also hate that they don't give "money back" for getting the comfort seats and not needing their sport seats when you go that route.

I bought my 3 without sports package and always regretted it, though it was easy to upgrade the suspension on the E36. I decided then, never to get a BMW without sports package.

I got the sports on the X5 and it handles just amazing. I have taken it up to Tahoe with chain control in place, they let me through without chains at the checkpoint. The X5 handled amazing without the chains in heavy snow. The only issue was on the way back there was a lot of snow stuck in the wheels which caused the wheels to go off balance and gave a weird bouncy feel to the X.

With the sports package you also get the torsion bars along with EDC. EDC actually makes the ride smoother specially on rough pavement by automatically adjusting suspension on even just one side based on the surface feedback. The X corners amazing and I think looks better than the non-sports suspension X. I think though the price is a bit high, it is totally worth it.

Saddle brown is still available as a priority one option (that just means an ordered car)--just ask your client advisor. I have it on my X5 (with Mineral Green) and it's great looking.

I think the sport is necessary. We have a 530xiT, which did not have a true sports suspension available (just the consmetic bits), and the X handles better. I had the sport option on my 330i (and a previous one without) and I wouldn't get another without.

My advise to you is look for a low mileage X5 that is a year or two old. I've seen many reasonable priced 07 & 08's that look great. Let the original owner take the depreciation hit. Granted it's nice to buy a new car, but you can find something on the used car market that is just as close to being new and save yourself quite a bit of money. I've seen loaded 07's 3.0 with 10K miles for 40K and loaded 08's for about 45K.

I bought my 07 3.0 with the sport, premium, ipod, rear climate control for $39500.00 and that included the CPO. Their are some great cars to be had on the used car market. You just need to take your time to find them.