(I created a thread in the other forum, thought I'll post it here too
)
I bought my X5 with a 3rd row seat last November in anticipation of this 10-day vacation trip. We were 6 people (Me, wife, my parents and 2 kids, aged 2 and 4). Both my kids are in a car seat still, so using the 3rd row was not an option for them. My wife was the only one who'd fit in the 3rd row seat (she's about 5'3 and petite), so I was skeptical on how it would turn out. I'm happy to report that this trip exceeded my expectations on all fronts - my N63-campaigned, fuel-pump recalled, oil-hungry 2012 x5 50i was a blast to drive (can't stress this enough) on both the flat and mountainous terrain that one would encounter between Seattle and the CA bay area; the 3rd row worked out beautifully, and my wife was pretty happy and had absolutely no complaints. In fact, she appreciated the extra space that allowed her to stretch horizontally and take a nap whenever she pleased
. The rear-entertainment system kept my kids fully occupied.
This is my first BMW, and now I can appreciate why this brand commands such die-hard loyalists, despite the seemingly awful reliability of late. The v8 monster shone brightly, especially on steep inclines, where the ability to summon (seemingly unlimited) power on demand, allowed me to pass other vehicles with supreme ease. On flatter roads, I was frequently doing 100+mph, but it barely feel like the vehicle was moving at all. The ultimate compliment came from my dad who remarked that it felt like traveling in an air plane - so silent and smooth! I'd like to think adaptive drive and conti DWS tires had contributed to the experience...
The only annoyance was that we had to load our luggage on to the roof, which had to be unloaded every night that we stayed at a hotel, and loaded again the next morning. It was a minor inconvenience and far outweighed by the other positives in the trip. Including this trip, I have put on about 6500 miles since the N63 campaign, as part of which the oil was last changed; I had to add a quart in the last 500 miles of my trip because the "oil level at minimum" warning came on; the oil level shot up to max right after adding a liter of BMW LL-01 oil.
Now for some pictures
Trip map (Red - from seattle -> SF; Green - from SF -> seattle):
Trip computer:
Car loaded and ready to go:
Child seats arranged in middle row:
Lake Shasta Cavern - absolutely mind-blowing natural formations.
Yes, we visited the golden gate bridge
And the santa cruz beach as well..
We did a wine-tasting tour at Napa valley. Of course, my wife
had to stomp the grapes...
The incredible (and unfortunately very smoky) crater lake (yes, that's my car at the far right corner :bigpimp: )
Beautiful Diamond lake:
The breathtaking Heceta light house:
Cape Perpetua at the Oregon coast:
