Options/Features I wish were available
 

The X5 is an awesome SAV; however, there are a few options that I wish were readily available. Anyone else agree or have their own favorites?

• Merino leather with Alcantara piping (pull in from BMW Individual)
• More trim choices especially Black Piano Laquer (pull in from BMW individual)
• Heated windshield. This would be such a treat on my drives up to the snow
• Heated washer hoses so that I can wipe off the grime thrown up by semis. I believe that currently only the washer heads are heated which is a real pain if you have your vehicle parked overnight in freezing temps
• This one drives me nuts: A way to control the passenger AC temperature from the driver side. Porsche does this with a mono button, and with audi you hold down a combination of buttons. AFAIK, with the BMW system you have to adjust both sides
• Steering wheel shifter paddles on non-M models
• LCD in the instrument cluster ala the new 5 series or even better, the new Porsche Cayenne. Ability to call up data on this auxiliary display
• Torque vectoring on non-M models. At least make it available on the 50
• More information available via HUD e.g. current radio station, current phone call info etc. Data displayed configurable
• Real TPM that shows the actual tire pressures
• Multiple speed limit alarms. One is not enough :D
• Blind spot monitoring. Would be happy to toss lane departure for this
• Speed sensitive headlights range adjustment. I believe currently only self-leveling and rotate for curves?
• Less dorky looking shifter. Honestly, it looks like a 90s vintage Nokia phone
• Option to not get Run Flats. I'm ok with them mandating a spare with this option
• Real cross-bars for the roof rails so I don't have to use goofy BMW options or third party solutions
• Non-smokers package so that the ashtray can be made into something more useful, maybe add another 12V plug?
• Real sunglasses storage

Added by newmanium:

• Allow ventilated seats with Nappa, and with all leather colors
• Allow adaptive cruise with 35d
• Give adaptive suspension full 4 settings like 5/7 series get

Added by rrental:

• Engine oil temp (perhaps instead of mpg indicator gauge)
• Solar panels built into sunroof to drive motors to cool interior of vehicle

Added by Jen:

• Air suspension (as available on the Cayenne)

Added by 08X5:

• On the 4 Zone Climate, I would like to be able to adjust the fan speed for the rear seperately than the front, from the front seats. The only way to adjust it manually is to reach behind, otherwise the only choices are the same as the front or off. The Touareg and Cayenne with 4 Zone Air do this

Added by jasonrhcastle:

• Alcantara headliner for M sport and M versions. Miss this in my X5M from my 08 M5

Added by rh71:

• On/Off switch for AC

Added by syhr:

• Real row 3 seating (sized for adults)
• Comfort seats row two (and row 3)
• Adaptive drive and adaptive steering options in LCI diesel models (this is now removed, at least in Oz)

Added by Penguin:

• Adjustable side bolsters on the seat bottom, so you can adjust the "flatness" vs. "concaveness" of the seat bottom.

Added by TahoeM3:

• Cooled steering wheel for the hot Florida sun.
• Insulated cup holders.
• Active glass that can auto tint areas where the sun is brightest.
• Brighter idrive screen with better color spectrum, touch screen, and greater customization through "apps" or "widgets.". For example, a dash screen with a big clock, weather, and song playing, with traffic alerts that pop up.
• Auto venting feature whenever the interior temp goes over 100 when the car is parked.
• Increase the size of the slot on the center console to be able to fit a smartphone.

Heartily agree - I *really* don't get the TPM thing, Acura has had this for years, is fantastic to see how low the tires are getting. Also would have much preferred blind spot monitoring vs lane departure. I can add:

- Allow ventilated seats with Nappa, and with all leather colors
- Allow adaptive cruise with 35d
- Give adaptive suspension full 4 settings like 5/7 series get

Move to Canada, or somewhere else outside the US, and buy an Individual X5. :rofl: (But be prepared to stop paying those low US prices.)



I don't understand the heated washer hoses. You need -40 washer fluid, otherwise it will freeze when it leaves the jets anyway. The jets are heated so that road spray and rain doesn't freeze on them from the outside, not so that you can use straight water or summer washer fluid.

Can't you just reach across to the passenger temperature control?

Agree completely. Isn't there a non-smoker's package available though?

I actually don't understand why they don't offer Individual in the US for the X. Clearly they build the darned things so why not offer the feature and charge for it. They would only make more $.

Well I think I suffer from OCD, because whenever there isn't a passenger in the car and I want to adjust the temp, I reach across to adjust the passengers to the same as the drivers. After a few thousand times you start wishing you could slave them :D

How about engine/oil temp in the diesel. Like to know when engine is ready to go! Don't mind loosing the fuel consumption indicator.

totally agree about the passenger temp control. The good old treg was equipped with this. Push the drivers button for 2 sec and you take control over the other one until the passenger changes temp. Worked perfectly.

Somebody told me the S8 audi has got a solar panel build in the sunroof. This powers the fan to keep air moving during a hot day. Never seen it myself but sounds like a good idea.

wow, that is a long list, but I have to agree with all of them. I would love to see the solar panel option especially here in hot SC. I do believe you can get piano black on the X6M in the US, so why not the X5???
Also, I wish it have the air suspension like the Cayenne!

For an advanced feature like that, you have to buy something like a Ford Taurus or Explorer....

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

PS -Have you seen the reverse camera on a Taurus... puts the X5 to shame! So clear at night... LOL!

Yeah, it is kind of sad. While BMW's still handle better than Fords and have higher quality interiors and styling, when it come to electronic features and reliability, they are now noticeably better than BMW.

I've lately become annoyed at having to push the fan-down button to turn off the A/C when I want to. Sometimes the fan would be high from the AUTO setting, so I'd have to hit the lower button about 7 times to turn it off completely. Where's the OFF button?!

Yep, go buy a Ford so you can air in the driveway and play with all those useless toys that work only when your Ford isn't broken.

Which isn't very often. Oh and don't forget after that POS Ford for a year it'll be worth about 60% of what you paid for it.

Which is still too much.

OUCH!! On Ford. Come on really, I would honestly suggest you go and sit in a new 2011 Edge Sport when they hit a dealership near you. Its not a BMW, but at nearly half the cost, the 60% depreciation you cite is not really far off what you'll be loosing as well on the X5.

I just had my Z4 flatbedded 95 miles due to a bad coil. My X5 is going in on Monday due to a check engine light.

My 2005 Ford Focus has 63,000 miles on it and has never been towed or had a check engine light. My 2004 Z4 with 33,000 miles on it has had three check engine lights requiring service (cracked intake boot a year ago, bad coils).

The only engine work my 1992 Ford Explorer has had in 198,000 miles is replacement of leaky valve cover gaskets once. The Auto Tranny needed a rebuild at 150,000 miles, but if you get a BMW auto to go that far, you're lucky.

Now, I did buy an X5, so I am not "trashing" BMW, as the handling and overall experience, excluding towing, is worth it. But the fact is that Fords are more reliable and nowadays have more advanced electronics than BMWs.


P.S.

J. D. Power is generally considered the most honest and reliable source of data regarding automobiles. When I was in the industry, their data was very respected:

Most reliable cars | JD Power

On the 4 Zone Climate, I would like to be able to adjust the fan speed for the rear seperately than the front, from the front seats. The only way to adjust it manually is to reach behind, otherwise the only choices are the same as the front or off. The Touareg and Cayenne with 4 Zone Air do this.

Alcantara headliner for M sport and M versions. Miss this in my X5M from my 08 M5.

I agree with most of the items on the list. :thumbup:

One of the biggest annoyances off that list is the generic TPMS. A vehicle of this caliber should display individual tire pressures. Hell, even my '08 GMC Sierra does that. :dunno:

- real row 3 seating (sized for adults)
- comfort seats row two (and row 3)
- adaptive drive and adaptive steering options in LCI diesel models (this is now removed, at least in Oz)

I think you need something bigger than an X5. The X5 is already big enough.

I agree completely. I'd hate to see them make it bigger than it already is. If you really need a full-size 3rd row, you should be looking at a Suburban...or one of those mini buses.

I'd like to see adjustable side bolsters on the seat bottom, so you can adjust the "flatness" vs. "concaveness" of the seat bottom.

+1. There should be a OFF/ON button like in Mercedes models that turns the AC off with one push and returns it to the previously used fan setting with one push. Helps people that like using the same fan setting (ie: 3 notches) all the time without having to push so many buttons.

Alsoagree with O8X5 on being able to fully control the rear climate control from the front.

Being able to fully control the RSE. Even making it a feature that is only available when the car is completely stopped is ok. Helps people that are driving alone with a kid in the back that doesn't know how to use the controls yet. Then we don't have to get out of the car and go to the back to play a DVD.

Would like a setting to automatically close the ears (side-view mirrors) when the car is parked and locked. We can keep the button for those that still want to control it manually.

Really like to be able to control the front passenger seat from the drivers side. Think the 7 series has it and is called "Gentleman's" features or something like that. I would find this more useful in the X5 than the 7 since the leg room in the X5 is less, thus when I don't have a front passenger and my wife wants to sit in the back with the kid, I can accomodate her request for more leg room without having to reach over the chair.

Hideable cup holders on the rear passenger doors would be awesome too. When you have a full car and everyone has a drink. The back three are often stuck holding their drink. Accomodating two would be nice. Can't think of how to accomodate the 3rd guy in the center though.

Ok I'll throw in a couple more:

- Cooled steering wheel for the hot Florida sun.
- Insulated cup holders.
- Active glass that can auto tint areas where the sun is brightest.
- Brighter idrive screen with better color spectrum, touch screen, and greater customization through "apps" or "widgets.". For example, a dash screen with a big clock, weather, and song playing, with traffic alerts that pop up.
- Auto venting feature whenever the interior temp goes over 100 when the car is parked.
- Increase the size of the slot on the center console to be able to fit a smartphone.

Interesting. Does any manufacturer have one? I understand the logic, but was trying to figure out how this would be accomplished. I googled it, and found a patent application for a heated and cooled steering wheel with a heat pump in the engine compartment, and lines coming up the steering column, with the fluid going through slip couplings to the heat exchangers mounted on the steering wheel rim. The mind boggles at the complexity.

Respectfully disagree - I just want an X7 ! ;)

BMW 7 series support both normal and long wheelbases, X5 could do the same to adapt for those who want 3 real rows (as opposed to 2.5 rows). It would not make the length that much longer, and with adaptive steering the turning circle would remain small.

I think you'd see a minivan (sports activity van) before an X7 or X5L for handling reasons. And neither is likely any time soon. Heck, they're not even bringing the 5 series wagon to the US anymore.

I think perhaps you want a V5/V7, the people carrier concept that was cancelled some years ago.

I am very glad they didn't make the X5 any larger, I think it detracts from the brand. A 1 series is more true to BMW traditions than a 7 series IMO.