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      03-25-2017, 07:30 AM   #1
TyantA
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Any reason to NOT look at a '12 X5 today?

My wife and I have only owned sedans. My last two were '97 then '07 328i.

We've been thinking SUV for all the usual reasons - we tend to lug a lot of stuff wherever we go, travel a fair bit to see family and I love to drive.

I've driven (dad has) '15 X3 28d which feels really planted, predictable etc. but still on the smaller side of things. We want to be able to pack noticeably more than my car when we go camping, for example.

We've been looking at ~2013-14 MDX but '13 fuel economy isn't ideal (X5 isn't much better) and the '14+ dual screen infotainment is hard to stomach and clunkier to use.

The other factor is reliability. *knock on wood*, I've been pretty fortunate with my 3 series. Am I looking for trouble with a '12 X5? We live in a pretty remote area - the nearest dealership is 2 hours away. There's one local shop that deals with European vehicles and... let's just say they have a reputation.

I guess what it comes down to is driving out of our way to see this thing today vs. hitting the competitor lots where we're staying to see what else we haven't considered.

Any input would be appreciated.
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      03-25-2017, 07:58 AM   #2
socale39
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The MDX is a great all around SUV and probably the most practical for the everyday driver however if you are looking for that driving experience I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the X5. Given your situation I'd definitely recommend looking at the 35i from a reliability standpoint. The engines of the 50i are plagued with issues and the 35d does have its weaknesses with emissions equipment and seeing as there was no mention of towing heavy loads or needing the power, this is why I think the 35i would be a good fit. Keep in mind that the 35i is no slouch either. I believe it is just as fast as the earlier model 48i v8s and has better gas mileage as well. The great thing about the 35i is that there are a lot of options out there so finding one with the features you want shouldn't take long. Some of the must have options I personally would look for include:

- Comfort seats: these are hands down the best seats available in the X5 in terms of comfort
- Adaptive Drive: electronically adjustable suspension that really makes the X5 feel planted through the twisties
- Sport Package: a must if driving experience is important
- 3rd Row: only if you really need the extra seats. I personally opted for one that did not have this option since it's just the wife and I
- Heated/Cooled seats: at the minimum find one that has heated seats

Just remember to be patient. If your budget is reasonable you will find near or exactly what you want. If you are in a remote area it may take longer or you may have to expand your search to the closest metropolitan area. At the time I purchased my 35d I had spent 6 months on the search and ended up purchasing the vehicle in TX when I was living in CA. Given that the 35i is a lot more popular I don't think finding a good candidate will be like my case but I still think vetting for the right one is important in getting what you want at a price you are happy with.

By any chance do you have a web link to the ones you are looking at?

Last edited by socale39; 03-25-2017 at 08:11 AM..
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      03-25-2017, 10:19 AM   #3
Poppyboy
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With any BMW, you'll need to have a more convenient locale for repairs. In this case, given the lack of convenient/confidence-inspiring servicing resources, it may be prudent to sacrifice German ride for Japanese reliability.

Last edited by Poppyboy; 03-25-2017 at 10:22 AM.. Reason: Typo
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      03-25-2017, 11:14 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Poppyboy View Post
With any BMW, you'll need to have a more convenient locale for repairs. In this case, given the lack of convenient/confidence-inspiring servicing resources, it may be prudent to sacrifice German ride for Japanese reliability.
Well put!
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      03-29-2017, 12:33 AM   #5
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Yes, there's a 2013...
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      03-29-2017, 09:22 AM   #6
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My wife and I were just in your shoes. We were looking at both MDX's and X5's. After quite a few test drives, the MDX felt a little too 'soft' compared to the X5, and we landed on a 2012 X5 35i for many of the reasons socale39 shared above. Not to mention that of all X5 powertrains, the N55 is IMO the best mix of power and reliability (4.8i's are notorious for pissing oil, 50i tend to be quite high maintenance w/ horrible gas mileage, and the 30i's are IMO greatly underpowered). And if it floats your boat to have more power, you can drop a few hundred bucks on MHD to gain another 80hp or so and bring you close to 50i stock power level. Win/win.
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      04-01-2017, 09:59 AM   #7
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So SUVs are a lifestyle vehicle. They aren't about efficiency or being ecomical there are better vehicles for those roles.

If your worried about fuel economy X5s just aren't very fuel effiecnt. I've had 3 that I've racked up a lot of miles on. A 2008 4.8i (life time average 12.5mpg including towing), a 2015 sdrive35i (lifetime average of 17mpg with mix of city and freeway no towing) , a 2011 X5M (averaging 16.8 in 2 weeks no towing yet). I've also had numerous rental SUVs and have done cross country trips in them and never had one break 20mpg not even a 4 banger chevy Captiva or a Jeep Compass. Their aerodynamics just don't allow effiecnt operation at 80mph.

I looked at the mdx before purchasing my 4.8i. I think the mdx was very competitive, the engine was good and the transmission seemed bettter programmed. What I noticed is their interiors and paint don't hold up as well as the x5. I will also say my real world experience with x5s is their decently reliable, but will not be cheap to maintain. My 2008 x5 4.8i averaged 500 a month in maintence and repairs and I did almost all the work myself. I have a spreadsheet documenting all the expenses if your curious.

My advice is buy the newest lowest mileage x5 you can find. I would not recommend one with more than 70k miles. These vehicles have a lot of stuff that wears out in the 70-80k range. Suspension, cooling system, alternators, heater control valves, etc. I would recommend the x3 as a more economical option. Their cheaper to buy, operate and maintain. The bigger the SUV the more fuel, maintence, etc.
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