2009 X5 35d Quibbles / Questions
 

We have a 2009 X5 35d out for an overnight test drive. Overall this would make a very nice replacement for our 2001 X5 4.4i that is now an organ donor after being hit from the rear at 60MPH - ouch. But we have come up with a few quibbles/questions over things we really liked about the 2001 X5*....

1 Is there an easy way to make either the passenger or cargo 12V outlet always hot?

2 Is there an easy way to adjust the seat belt warning chime volume or simply get it to turn off after a short while?

Thanks in Advance - Funf Dreisig

* Background:

We live on a small ranch about 1 hr away from the nearest Costco, etc. Since 2002 we have had a 12V cooler permanently installed in our X5. We plug it in when we leave home and unplug it when we get back. We have NEVER run down the battery, even though it was always on during "trips to town". The 12v outlet in therental we are now driving works like the 2009 X5 and it simply does not keep the cooler cold enough while we run into multiple stores.

Our driveway is over 1,000 ft long. We normally check the mail at the gate when we come home and frequently don't refasten our seat belts for the drive from the mail box to the house. We don't mind the reminder chime but we do dislike the loud nagging all the way down the drive. FWIW The property is fenced and we don't have livestock, etc. to run into.

Hmmm, let's see... put the seat belt on. It's easy and it's free.

Re: the 12V outlet, I believe there is constant voltage on the left side compartment where there are some electronics. Should be easy to grab power from that source.

Not sure how to keep the cigarette power on anymore. It used to stay on for 20min but looks like there's no way to get that neat feature back.

The seat belt chime is irritating, and you can only have it disabled by the dealer.......on EU-spec vehicles. It does go off after a minute. I find it extra irritating that it won't shut up even after you stop and put it in Park. It's not that you or I drive with the seat belt off on a regular basis.......sometimes I need to drive it from the street parking spot to my driveway, perhaps 100-150m. Combine that with the fact modern BMWs chime for everything, makes me want to take a hammer and just smash the speaker.

"I know I'm low on fuel dammit! I can see the fuel gauge, I'm not blind, shut up!"

"I know the key's in the ignition. I just inserted it in!" (Thank god my X3 doesn't chime for anything)

With the E70's electrical system I don't like your chances of not getting a flat battery running the setup you do on your old car... I had the lights etc on and off whilst doing some mods on the weekend (for approx 1-2 min at a time) and the OBC computer reset due to low charge.... Just something to be aware of.....but sounds like you do nice long runs so the charging shouldn't be an issue...

Exactly! I too find it interesting/annoying that the new X5 continues to run the seat belt chime even when it is in Park with the Parking Brake ON :( The only way to shut it up is to putt on the seat belt while parked or turn off the ignition. So apparently it is safe to sit in a BMW X5 without putting on your seat belt as long as the engine is not running :)

Since I used our old X5 (and will be using it's replacement) as a tow vehicle, I'll be pulling it out of the garage and driving on my own driveway to where we keep the trailer and then getting in and out a couple of times while hooking everything up. I really look forward to listening the new X5 NAG me to wear my seat belt during this process :rolleyes:

FWIW the 2009 MB 320 BlueTec does NOT have either of these issues. The 12v outlet in the rear is always hot and the seat belt chime treats you like adult - it chimes to warn you when it detects an occupant not wearing a seat belt while moving, then fairly quickly turns off the audible alarm while maintaing a fashing symbol -- just like our old X5.

Funf Dreisig

A couple more quibbles about changes in the new X5...

The rear seat headrests appear to no longer be removable. So even though you are on a long trip with the rear seats folded down and loaded with baggage, you can no longer remove the head rests to make the rear foot well more easily accessible. FWIW on road trips we would remove the rear head rests and keep a small ice chest and food container in the rear foot wells. The passenger could easily reach behind the seat to get a fresh drink at any time and the driver could do similarly at a stop light, etc. Now the head rests barely clear the back of the front seats and pretty effectively block access to the foot wells unless you stop the vehicle and get out whether or not it is blazing hot, raining, snowing,, blowing up a gale, etc.

The location of the rear passenger cup holders is no longer as handy for front seat passengers. Once again when on road trips we regularly used the cup holders in the back of the center console to hold extra drinks/emptys. In the old X5 the rear cup holders were easily accessible from the front seat without having to pre-plan to have the center seat arm rest down.

Funf Dreisig

Oh, but the front cupholders are now American-sized! And there's two of them, and they come standard!

Thus is the price of progress, er-- making BMWs more mainstream. The electronic shifter seems cool but the lack of resistance when pushing it feels artificial. The old-fashioned kind actually felt like you were changing gears and required a nice tug to go between gears.

Btw, hope you were all okay after the previous collision. I guess you're still here, so the E53 must have done something right there.

It turns out that nearly all of the empty fuse slots are hot, even when the key is off. Many of them are rated at 20amps. And the cargo area 12v power plug is less than a foot from this fuse panel. This quibble is all most certainly easy to fix :)

Funf Dreisig

The ML diesel is a dog as far as passing power on the highway. It's okay around town. I waited two years for the twin turbo diesel X5 and I have no problems with mine and enjoy driving it.

Good luck with your decision,

Craig

[QUOTE=FunfDreisig;631914]We have a 2009 X5 35d out for an overnight test drive. Overall this would make a very nice replacement for our 2001 X5 4.4i that is now an organ donor after being hit from the rear at 60MPH - ouch. But we have come up with a few quibbles/questions over things we really liked about the 2001 X5*....QUOTE]

Why not consider a lightly used 2006 model? Huge savings there.