My X5 M50d has arrived at the dealership

[watrob]

Well my M50d has arrived, I have attached a photo of the front calipers.

And I have been studying the front brake calipers, considering its is a $190k car here in Australia the calipers really are pieces of s--t, it looks like they rummaged thru a wreckers yard and scraped together bits and pieces to make a caliper.

I mean for $100 retail more there cost on this M50d they could have put the calipers from the X5M. I mean BMW sometimes just don't get it, they go to all the trouble of making a really good vehicle ( 3 turbo's motor that wins awards) and one of the most important aspects and visible as it is with work of art wheels they put a eye sore like this on.

I mean the person that ticked off on this calipers must on weekend shoe horse's because he is a blacksmith for sure, the finish is 3rd world, oh I forget Australia is 3rd world to BMW, I mean we must be because we drive on the otherside of the road.

I hope BMW read this post because this caliper should be shoved where it don't fit. Its a disgrace, Merc's even give you a AMG calipers because they realise the visual aspect of there sports cars. You can buy a $40k 1 series and buy performance brakes to put on and this is supposed to be the flagship X5 up against the X5M.

I have decided to remove these and put what I refer to as proper calipers on and send these back to BMW Melbourne to use a paper weights but they will probably use them as thinking caps because they must be sheep that just follow the leader.

Oh and one other thing, I ordered active seats, but now you can only get the drivers seat as active, not the passengers seat anymore, thats fine, but instead of removing the button for it from the passengers side they removed the button from the drivers side so I have reach all the way over to switch the passengers seat button on because they think its a lefthand drive car. Where the button should be on the driver side is blank, so when you have a seat belt on you cannot reach the button, so you have to ask you passenger to push it for you, don't they know there left from there right, I mean come on, next thing the tool kit in the back will have lefthand screw drivers and spanners in it.

As you can tell I am a little upset, considering I have not paid for this X5 yet I might just walk away and tell them to shove it, it won't be the first time I have done this to BMW either!

[xDrive35i]

I'm totally with you on the active driver's seat button. That's just plain stupid on BMW's part. For a company all about catering to a global market, it's so shocking that they would overlook the button placement in developing the RHD platform that I almost don't believe you (but I do).

As per the brakes, BMW--like any carmaker--must make choices. Have the brakes undergone countless hours of R&D? Yes. Do they work well? I assume so. Would it be better if the brakes looked cooler? Absolutely. But not everyone is looking to thrash around in an executive car with bright painted brake calipers. So BMW leaves it to YOU to customize your very own car that YOU purchased with your hard-earned money, because only YOU know what YOU want and it's up to YOU to provide that for yourself when you have the means to do so. So go have your brakes switched out with more colorful ones. Or just have them painted. I'll be honest, $190k for a car says that money is probably less of an object to you than it is to most everyone else, so I don't think it should put you out so much to manage this on your own. That's not to your discredit and you should be happy you can afford such an amazing car, but remember that it's an amazing car, shiny calipers or not. If the inconvenience of further customizing your car beyond the factory is that hard to wrap your arms around, then you should have ordered a Cayenne. But that's not the car you wanted, so enjoy the car you ordered because you ordered it for a reason.

It only has to be a big deal if you choose to let it overshadow what's really important.

[ATX78703]

Ouch... sorry man, that does suck and the calipers do look like crap.

[watrob]

Originally Posted by ATX78703

Ouch... sorry man, that does suck and the calipers do look like crap.

Also in respnse to "Juddholland" I understand you point of view, I have Ferrari California which of coarse has ceramic brakes, also the AMG I had, had good brakes as well, both vehicles have visual appealing calipers.

The point here is the M50d cars to all points of purpose are the flagship ( being diesel) of there class, even the BMW videos state this, they ask a premium price, the only more expensive X5, X6 and 5 series are the M V8 versions.

To all points BMW markets these cars as a M diesel version, the suspension is beefed up, the motors produce for torque than the V8's, they have sports gearboxes, sports tuned X drive, and M badging on gearstick, instruments, door sills & body, M on seats, steering wheel & wheels, plus a sports exhaust which is connected to the audio system like the M5 and then they stick a couple boat ankors on the rotors.

I mean whats that all about?

PS. The other point is I could buy a BMW 1 series for $40k and as an option put the BMW Performance Brake kit on that they offer, you cannot even do that with the X5, just shows some departments in BMW that manage the different models are better at there jobs, maybe the chap that organised the brakes for the M50d was I annual leave and his PA ticked the brake box?

[m3the01]

Really sad, that vehicle should have the X5M brakes.

What are u putting on? Stoptechs? Brembo?

[watrob]

Originally Posted by m3the01

Really sad, that vehicle should have the X5M brakes.

What are u putting on? Stoptechs? Brembo?

I am checking what calipers will fit on the 385mm x 36mm rotors, as the M50d has larger rotors and only the X5 50i & X6 50i European version have the same, I need to look at Eurpoe and the UK for calipers.

Even Carbotech Brakes cannot make the ceramic front pads as they are to large, I ended up getting the ceramic pads from EBC Brakes UK division.

In the mean time the calipers on the M50d should be back from the paint shop tomorrow where they are being coated, this will serve me for the time being until I can organise some calipers.

Even temped to keep an eye out for set of calipers from the X5M? wonder what there worth to buy in the US?

[m3the01]

Shouldnt be too difficult to grab those calipers of an X5M...

Thats the best bet,

Good luck!!!