I wiah my X5 had been built in Germany

[skalberti]

After a month and a half with my new X5 the list is growing with little annoyances. 1. The gas gauge never shows full, even if you stand there and keep pumping slowly after it initially clicks off. 2. The B pillars between the front and rear doors creak and pop at every bump and un even roads. 3. Black shadowline trim piece on the right side of driver door window was put on a quarter inch too low leaving a nice bright white stripe in the middle. 4. The m sport front bumper was cut out to big and has a jagged edge on one side. So when you put the black insert that goes around the fog light u see the gap and rough edge on that side. 5 right rear passenger door is not flush with the body and sticks out about a 1/4 inch. 6 I have to clean the back bumper of daily with wax because the black exhaust drips all down the bumper. My 08 335 was built a whole lot better than this and didn\'t cost near as much. Anyone else have these problems? If so what did you do to get it fixed?

[docpowell]

Why did you except a vehicle with all of these problems? What does the assembly location have to do with it? Most of the assembly is done by robots, not country specific robot either. The technology used is pretty much universal, not better in one location or another, take it back to your dealer and show the faults and let them fix them, opposed to blaming Americans working in a BMW plant.

[WWONG]

I agree with OP. My 11 is pretty crappy, so I'm taking delivery of a 12 in 2-3 weeks.

My right rear passenger door was clearly not flush either. I brought it to the dealer and they fixed it in a day.

I agree on the B pillars creaking and their overall cheap, hollow plastic material towards the bottom. The part near the seatbelt still randomly makes a noise. I also have random creeks from the rear seats, but can't tell where.

I'm now having a weird steering issue that the dealership can't seem to fix. It's pulling but the alignment geometry is perfect according to the techs. Even the foreman agreed it was pulling.

Spartanburg sucks. My 335i Coupe from Regensburg was perfect short of the HPFP, but that was a problem for everyone and a recall was made on it. American work ethics, even with the higher labor, are a joke.

[CBS]

Hmmm....I was thinking of getting an X5.

Are the 2012's better quality?

[WWONG]

Originally Posted by CBS

Hmmm....I was thinking of getting an X5.

Are the 2012's better quality?

*Shakes magic 8-ball*

All signs point to no.

[skalberti]

Originally Posted by CBS

Hmmm....I was thinking of getting an X5.

Are the 2012's better quality?

I have a month and a half old 2012.

[skalberti]

Originally Posted by docpowell

Why did you except a vehicle with all of these problems? What does the assembly location have to do with it? Most of the assembly is done by robots, not country specific robot either. The technology used is pretty much universal, not better in one location or another, take it back to your dealer and show the faults and let them fix them, opposed to blaming Americans working in a BMW plant.

To be honest I really didn't notice the body imperfections until i waxed it the next day. I took delivery at the end of the day. Something I'll make sure to not do again. I'm not putting americans down. I'm just stating a fact. My 335i rode like a covered wagon, but it never had any squeaks or rattles, and no body imperfections either. Maybe Germany just has better robots??

[jeffhoff]

I'm about to order a '12 X5 and wish it was build in germany as well. Not because of the build quality, but because of the ability to take ED of the vehicle.

[14bmws]

On the second day I owned my 2012 my car went into limp mode with 67 miles on the odometer and called out a "catostrophic suspension failure". I drove straight to the dealer and they found that a bolt was MISSING on the active suspension sensor that was supposed to be attached to my left rear shock. I had a cup of coffee and it was fixed.

I have had a lot of BMW's (all built in Germany) and I can definitely see many little things that just don't seem to be put together the same. My 2008 M3 was perfect for the entire 3 yeares.

I like to think that my cars that were manufactured in Germany were carefully built by a grey haired guy wearing a neat apron named Hans... a man who's very culture instilled in him a lifelong ambition to take care and pride in everything he did.

My X5 was undoubtedly slammed together by some young tech that attended a week long course in quality control.

On the other hand, we need jobs in this country, and I do get some satisfaction knowing that American workers earned a paycheck and supported their family building my new car.

[M3Bahn]

Not really a surprise if you did some research before buying.

http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com...5/Reliability/

[vase330]

Originally Posted by WWONG

...

Spartanburg sucks. My 335i Coupe from Regensburg was perfect short of the HPFP, but that was a problem for everyone and a recall was made on it. American work ethics, even with the higher labor, are a joke.

Your bias shows too. just saying.
I have been to the factory in Spartanburg factory tour earlier this year during a family member's 11 M3 delivery at the performance center. The work is done by robots and most are by Siemens and Bosch. Both German companies. I have personally seen them put on doors, fasten and then take them off, its a samba dance to behold too so please blame them and their work ethic. I doubt they would work any faster or better in Germany. I have also been to the factory tour in Munich during picking up my 335, and I fail to see what human input has to do with anything. Building and SUV is different than a car. SUVs are built cheaper and have bigger profit margins than cars so you know something is given up in the process. No free lunch as you know, and that alone explains why your 335 was better built than the location.

Your X5 is built on older X-technology with a lot more tolerances built in compared to say the new X3 where the tolerances are way tighter and its built in the same building as the X5 I might add. The tour leader explains all this, and why fit and finish on the X3 is better. Its a nice tour and if you ever have a chance to attend you will change your opinion I can assure you.

You are also wrong in the second regard to labor being higher. SC is a right to work state, and BMW put the plant there because of cheap non-union labor. German labor is way more expensive that labor anywhere in the US even Detroit. Not only are they paid more over there, they get a ton of benefits that Americans working for BMW don't. I guess you totally missed the BMW and Ikea controversy about taking federal money promising to do one thing then screwing workers and also doing things they would not dare do in their home countries? You know I am not offended, atleast some degree of ignorance is a universal thing, so I just thought I'd set record straight.

skalberti: Yes the robots that build cars are better than those that build SUVs in a way. Cars are built to tighter tolerances than SUV, and thats one of the major reasons they cost more. The tolerances are not about choice, but what is achievable with the build style that each uses. An automotive engineer could explain to you the reasons, better than I can, but I have been aware of these facts for a long time.

[hyde]

I was thinking of getting an X5 and now I have a few things to watch for. I test drove a few different SUVs and non of them made squeaks like OP mentioned, and I will also check the doors to see if they are flush. OP: Do you have auto soft close doors or regular shut doors? The exhaust stain would be aweful on a light colored X5, but it might have something to do with weather/condensation.

[0_steve]

My first 3 series was one of the worst cars I've ever owned. Traded it in under 6 months and never intended on coming back.

I highly doubt the origin of the car's assembly has much to do with quality control. Jump on the 5 series forum if you would like to see some Germany born complaints.

Cost cutting has nothing to do with build location.

[skalberti]

Originally Posted by Golden Horn

I was thinking of getting an X5 and now I have a few things to watch for. I test drove a few different SUVs and non of them made squeaks like OP mentioned, and I will also check the doors to see if they are flush. OP: Do you have auto soft close doors or regular shut doors? The exhaust stain would be aweful on a light colored X5, but it might have something to do with weather/condensation.

No, mine are the regular closing doors. They came out with the soft touch a month after I got mine! (Why is my luck always that way?)

[skalberti]

Vase330

When you say tolerances I think more of motors, pistons and cylanders, and suspensions. As far as body panels and squeaks and rattles, if it can be prevented in a $55k car, then why not in a $70K SUV? Panels not being placed in the right location doesn't really pertain to tolerances, it's more like quality control. With the mistakes on my X5 I feel like I got a $45K Tahoe. Just my ,02

[serge1]

On mine, the rear driver-side passenger door does not look closed all the way. The part where the door curves above the wheel sticks out a few millimiters. This doesn't seem to affect anything (no wind noise or rattles), but does not look good. This is especially evident when door handles light up. For that door, the light breaks at the curve of the door, and does not shine on the body itself, thus revealing the problem. It's not an issue with the door on the other side.

I think the problem might be because the rubber got glued incorrectly, and thus pushes that part of the door out.

I think the dealer should be able to fix this. I really don't want to mess with the rubber and glue myself..

[Ggluck3]

Originally Posted by skalberti

After a month and a half with my new X5 the list is growing with little annoyances. 1. The gas gauge never shows full, even if you stand there and keep pumping slowly after it initially clicks off. 2. The B pillars between the front and rear doors creak and pop at every bump and un even roads. 3. Black shadowline trim piece on the right side of driver door window was put on a quarter inch too low leaving a nice bright white stripe in the middle. 4. The m sport front bumper was cut out to big and has a jagged edge on one side. So when you put the black insert that goes around the fog light u see the gap and rough edge on that side. 5 right rear passenger door is not flush with the body and sticks out about a 1/4 inch. 6 I have to clean the back bumper of daily with wax because the black exhaust drips all down the bumper. My 08 335 was built a whole lot better than this and didn\'t cost near as much. Anyone else have these problems? If so what did you do to get it fixed?

My door seals squeak like a dying animal!!! Annoying

[skalberti]

My door seals squeak like a dying animal!!! Annoying[/QUOTE]

A guy I work with said his door seals did the same. Took it in and they replaced the seals under warranty. No problems since.

[DDP2011X5M]

I've heard of the door seals being the cause of some squeaks.

I had a squeak in the rear of my vehicle. Couldn't figure it out until I noticed the rear right seat was not locked in position (red tab was up). After securing seat squeak is gone.