Thinking of buying a X5/X5M..

[SupremePower3335]

Hi guys,

This all started a few weeks ago when the new M3 came out...BMW may have won me back as I was thinking of a Cayman..anyway I went to the autoshow and sat inside the M3..I really liked it..but I found it was very snug - like a race car...which I like but its just too special to let my wife drive it

So I currently drive a E90 335 xDrive (I sold my X3 about a year ago..)...if I am going to get a M3 there is no point in having 2 four sedans plus I live in the (Toronto). I would keep the (eventual) M3 at my family home in the burbs and only drive it on the weekends and summer..

So I started thinking at something else..truth be told the X3 was nice but I found it to be only slightly larger than my sedan..I've always liked the X5, especially the X5M! We go out alot on weekends with my friends so I could haul them around too..plus it large and I want a cruiser and a performance vehicle and it seems comfy..and finally my wife could drive it too we DONT have kids and wont be now..

I know a ///M is a ///M - they are special cars but is getting overkill? Would a 4.8 X5 with the ///M package fit my fancy especially if I am going to get a ///M3 or is the X5M completely worth it?

thx for your opinions!

PS I was thinking a M5 but I want something with X drive for the Canadian winters..

[SupremePower3335]

bump

[upstate650]

Get the X5M - you won't regret it. With the right tires, its the most capable winter vehicle you will ever drive. And the most fun!

[Die Wolfe]

X5M all day and you'll never regret it. It's the most versatile vehicle in my opinion and the power is awesome!

[SupremePower3335]

thx guys..I happen to see a M5 this morning - wow is it beautiful! How do you compare to a M5?

[MRV99]

I will toss my 2 pennies around on this one. One can say that any large engine BMW is over kill because every BMW can move a person to the posted speed limits and more but I am one who does not believe in that statement. I am addicted to power and have been since i sold my 78hp VW rabbit and bought a 1990 mustang which i increased the factory 225 to 360 rear wheel HP when I was 17.

The wife has always had V8 X5's We had the 4.4(e53), 4.8(e70) and the 50i. I have to say that the 50i is by far the best version we have had. The 50i has a very nice transmission compared to the 4.8 and the 400hp provides very good power for the X5(one can always have more) compared to the 360hp the 4.8's had. Not to mention the 6 speed in the 4.8 was not very good in the brisk acceleration department. We had to opt for the 50i because the X5M in the E70 did not have the third row option due to the different rear suspension on the ///M version so I had not choice but to go for the 50i. If the third row was not a necessity for our family's needs, I would have an X5M. I own an M3 and love the way ///M cars feels so I am seriously contemplating getting a X5M IF the F15 has the third row in the X5M.

The only advice to you is to go drive a 50i and a X5M. It sounds like price is not a huge factor so the only real way to know is to drive them. I can say that from our driving experience, the 50i is getting similar MPG to what a X5M gets so you are not talking huge issues if MPG is an issue.

If you do consider a 50i, I would strongly suggest driving one with Adaptive drive. It is the best option for this car from a drivers perspective and it make the 50i feel much tighter and more responsive in the handling department. The AD will give the 50i a more M like feel, not the same but better than a std suspension X5. I can attest to the AD, we have had it on every X5 they offered it on. Our 2011 was in the shop for 63 days and during that period, I was given a 50i loaner without AD and it was very noticeable.

Good Luck

[SteveMD]

For me it was a cost issue, I couldn't pull a slightly used M with much of a warranty left , so I picked up a 2012 50i with lots of warranty. I got it for a song too.

You can tune the 50i to about 500 hp without much trouble and for not a lot of dough so you are at 90% of the S63's power. It's still not an M though so drive both and make an informed decision.

[SupremePower3335]

Originally Posted by MRV99

I will toss my 2 pennies around on this one. One can say that any large engine BMW is over kill because every BMW can move a person to the posted speed limits and more but I am one who does not believe in that statement. I am addicted to power and have been since i sold my 78hp VW rabbit and bought a 1990 mustang which i increased the factory 225 to 360 rear wheel HP when I was 17.
The wife has always had V8 X5's We had the 4.4(e53), 4.8(e70) and the 50i. I have to say that the 50i is by far the best version we have had. The 50i has a very nice transmission compared to the 4.8 and the 400hp provides very good power for the X5(one can always have more) compared to the 360hp the 4.8's had. Not to mention the 6 speed in the 4.8 was not very good in the brisk acceleration department. We had to opt for the 50i because the X5M in the E70 did not have the third row option due to the different rear suspension on the ///M version so I had not choice but to go for the 50i. If the third row was not a necessity for our family's needs, I would have an X5M. I own an M3 and love the way ///M cars feels so I am seriously contemplating getting a X5M IF the F15 has the third row in the X5M.

The only advice to you is to go drive a 50i and a X5M. It sounds like price is not a huge factor so the only real way to know is to drive them. I can say that from our driving experience, the 50i is getting similar MPG to what a X5M gets so you are not talking huge issues if MPG is an issue.

If you do consider a 50i, I would strongly suggest driving one with Adaptive drive. It is the best option for this car from a drivers perspective and it make the 50i feel much tighter and more responsive in the handling department. The AD will give the 50i a more M like feel, not the same but better than a std suspension X5. I can attest to the AD, we have had it on every X5 they offered it on. Our 2011 was in the shop for 63 days and during that period, I was given a 50i loaner without AD and it was very noticeable.
Good Luck

Originally Posted by SteveMD

For me it was a cost issue, I couldn't pull a slightly used M with much of a warranty left , so I picked up a 2012 50i with lots of warranty. I got it for a song too.
You can tune the 50i to about 500 hp without much trouble and for not a lot of dough so you are at 90% of the S63's power. It's still not an M though so drive both and make an informed decision.

Thx guys for your response..

I wouldn't say that cost is not an issue but I cannot afford to keep buying cars selling them and taking a "bath"..so I would like to get the one that I really like instead of settling...I am not overly concerned with the BHP but more with quad exhaust, the side air vent, the ///M body style extra....I love the way the ///M's look and sound..

BTW MRV99 - I love the icon near your signature!

[Shane550X]

Originally Posted by SupremePower3335

Thx guys for your response..

I wouldn't say that cost is not an issue but I cannot afford to keep buying cars selling them and taking a "bath"..so I would like to get the one that I really like instead of settling...I am not overly concerned with the BHP but more with quad exhaust, the side air vent, the ///M body style extra....I love the way the ///M's look and sound..

BTW MRV99 - I love the icon near your signature!

Coming from a Yukon xl Denali to the 50i was great. The x5 has loads of power and it's always itching to go a bit faster. Two speed "warnings" already and have only had the car for 6 months. Not too bad on gas, sounds great and it looks great. 400 hp is more than enough than this car. 550 hp would still be fun though. My mom just got the new jeep grand cherokee overland with the 5.7 hemi. It sounds great, but it is nowhere near as responsive as the x5. The 50i really stands out

[MonacoJoe]

Raises a good question. How much will a used X5M depreciate from where the '10 and '11s are now? Lets peg them at $55K for simplicity sake on average now. What will they be worth in 3 years?

[SupremePower3335]

Originally Posted by MonacoJoe

Raises a good question. How much will a used X5M depreciate from where the '10 and '11s are now? Lets peg them at $55K for simplicity sake on average now. What will they be worth in 3 years?

That is a good price if true..that is the challange..buying something that would not depreciate like a rock after a few years..the downside is the maint issue..IMHO it's best to buy a CPO a year or two old..

[Sylvan Lake V35]

I always had sports cars and usually a 1/2 ton for winter, this year I sold my cars, and my truck and picked up an X5M I have no regrets at all. It's great in the winter I have catless down pipes and a tune it fully scratches my power itch.

My winter set up

[SupremePower3335]

like I said above briefly I am also weighing a ///M5 but not sure..so in your opinion a X5M which give me that fun boost and space??

Do you also have X5??

[Sylvan Lake V35]

Originally Posted by SupremePower3335

like I said above briefly I am also weighing a ///M5 but not sure..so in your opinion a X5M which give me that fun boost and space??

Do you also have X5??

I test drove a few V10 M5s and that's what I was buying until I drove an X5M. I also have an X5 diesel that the wife drives mostly or if we go on long road trips it gets 30mpg so we take it. It also had 3rd row seating which we wanted because our kids are 5&7 so they are at the age they both want to bring friends. The M is pretty much just mine but it's nice to have the space when I need it, I also take clients around on occasion so it's handy for that as well.

[bobblehead]

X5M will always depreciate more than a M5, by around 3-5% more (based on 36 months) ... at least in Canada.