|
Well in your situation, and X5 would be a good alternative and IMHO, the best. Now given you already have a Silverado and such, if you needed to haul anything huge, you can just use those. Not saying that an X5 wouldn't be able to do it, but if the 2 4x4's you have were purchased for that reason, then use them for that reason.
While I agree you aren't going to be able to do some serious off roading in an X5, it sounds to me you just want an SUV to haul your grandkids back and forth from the playground or lunch. So is the X5 capable of doing that? Absolutely. You also say you have a house on top of the mountain and worried that the motor won't be able to take it. It will have no problems. If you go to Xoutpost.com; while I am sure you can find them here, there are a lot of pictures with guys hauling HUGE boats, going on top of mountains and such without a hiccup.
Just remember, just because you own a BMW doesn't mean it is better, it is just different. I've encountered alot of members from other bimmer sites that say, "X-drive blows! Tried going through 4' of snow and it wouldn't go." Well hell, anything would have a hard time in 4' of snow! So long as you can grasp that, then you will be alright.
So here are my thoughts. If you want an X5, for your use, either go with a Diesel or ramp it up to an 8 cyl. This way you have the power you need when you need it. As far as reliability, so long as you keep her maintained, you won't have a problem. Read up on the forums to see common pesky problems and then reflect. If they are going to bother you too much, then move on. If it were me, I'd consider buying a CPO. Most of the cars that come in are off lease. So usually they have either 1.5 to 2 years of factory warranty left. Couple that with a (prorated) 6 year 100K miles (6 years from inservice date. You can normally get 4 years 60K warranty under your ownership. Plus for the first 1.5 to 2 years you still have the factory maint. plan attached to the car. You can choose to extend that plan when the plan runs out.
Resale wise, like any new car, the minute you drive it off the lot, expect a loss. After 40K miles, the price begins to stabilize. An example would be on the older E53 X5's 4.8is's. Some are still going for over $20K and the last of that production was in early 2006. That's why CPO is presented in a better light.
Ride comfort wise, it is very comfortable. You won't miss being in 2500 Hd with a Duramax motor and Allison tranny. Believe me, I have one. It's good for what it does, but I don't want to drive it for hours. And as for blindspots, I don't believe there aren't any BIG ones on the E70's, but then again I have only driven one a handful of times so I really don't know.
So hopefully that helps. Good luck for your search.
Oh and your son who works at the dealership can prob help you out on shop costs, but pricewise for a vehicle purchase, I am not privy to those details. I know it won;t be as impressive as your daughter's deal at the GM dealership.
|