New Wheels and tires on my X6 ActiveHybrid

[rios0311]

I think it looks much better than the original OEM propeller wheels. I also installed 15mm spacers up front and 20mm in the rear. Taking it in for an alignment next...

[bmw246]

looks great! how do you like the hybrid??

[Jess///M]

Nice looking X6!!!

[rios0311]

Thanks! I've learned to like it, but given the choice again, I would probably go for a 50i. I got this one at a good discount, so it's a good trade-off. The 20% savings on fuel is much appreciated as well. It came loaded with a bunch of options, so I feel I received a good value, but the hybrid feel does take some getting used to. For instance, the brakes and the transmission are (and feel) very different from those on a traditional gasoline vehicle.

Overall I think it's a sharp looking vehicle and the "power bulge" on the hood compliments it nicely. I'm very happy with the wheels too.

Just took an 800 mile trip to Philadelphia and New York city and it performed very well.

[Mike van D]

Looks good!

[NOVADPG]

MUCH better! Thanks for the update.

[rios0311]

At least that side of the car looks nice. The other side still has the nasty door ding on the rear fender. I haven't gotten it fixed yet. Still haven't come to terms that someone wants $500 to fix it with PDR.

[Fm750i]

How do you like the stagger? Could you have gone 25 in the rear? And side shots to show the wheel offset?

Thanks

[doug_999]

Question - why the spacers?
Thought - the 50i (and 35 I believe) do not stop smoothly either - both employ the brake regeneration that I believe your vehicle has - but ours is just to charge our little battery. Still not smooth - worst feature of the vehicle.

[Fm750i]

I'm not sure what regenerative braking has to do with my question regarding spacers but if you didn't like this feature why buy the BMW. My F01 750 does the same. Not really a big issue. It makes the x71 drive more like a manual transmission which I like. If you step off the gas it slows down instead of coasting.

Regarding the spacers, it gives the X6 a more aggressive stance, looks better.

Love both my Bimmers. 2012 750i mineral white/oyster,black and a 2013 X6 5.0 Performance Edition.

[doug_999]

Originally Posted by Fm750i

I'm not sure what regenerative braking has to do with my question regarding spacers but if you didn't like this feature why buy the BMW. My F01 750 does the same. Not really a big issue. It makes the x71 drive more like a manual transmission which I like. If you step off the gas it slows down instead of coasting.

Regarding the spacers, it gives the X6 a more aggressive stance, looks better.

Love both my Bimmers. 2012 750i mineral white/oyster,black and a 2013 X6 5.0 Performance Edition.

Regenerative braking has nothing to do with your question regarding spacers - because it wasn't for you - it was for the OP who wrote this:
"For instance, the brakes and the transmission are (and feel) very different from those on a traditional gasoline vehicle."

And the fact is, Regenerative braking is annoying and I find it worse in the X6 than in any other BMW I've ever driven - plus when I step off the gas in my manual transmission cars, I tend to clutch in, so I don't feel it at all

[Fm750i]

Get a Lexus.

[doug_999]

Originally Posted by Fm750i

Get a Lexus.

Really? So the car dragging to a stop defines a BMW? That's news to me. Because the new 3-series and the new 5- series don't exhibit any of this behavior. Lexus Hybrids do however and I'm pretty sure BMW does not want to copy them for driving dynamics (trust me they don't). I think you might be one of the few who "enjoy" regenerative braking - I know that rios0311 doesn't and I'm betting the majority of people who buy BMWs don't. Because it interferes with the driving dynamics and that is what BMWs are all about.

[Fm750i]

The amount of energy required to drive an alternator is insignificant relative to the mass and kinetic energy stored in a moving car. What your experiencing is more a feature of the new generation of transmissions than the regenerative braking. In the newer 8 speed transmission it's much more pronounced particularly in the bottom gears. Much more aggressive than the 6 speed in my F01. Takes some getting use to but it feels more like a manual in the lower gears but you have no clutch to disengage. I think the more aggressive down shifts and full engagement feel of the newer transmissions enhances driving dynamics as opposed to detracting from them. Just my opinion. For a heavy SAV the X6 is a lot of fun to drive.

[doug_999]

Originally Posted by Fm750i

The amount of energy required to drive an alternator is insignificant relative to the mass and kinetic energy stored in a moving car. What your experiencing is more a feature of the new generation of transmissions than the regenerative braking. In the newer 8 speed transmission it's much more pronounced particularly in the bottom gears. Much more aggressive than the 6 speed in my F01. Takes some getting use to but it feels more like a manual in the lower gears but you have no clutch to disengage. I think the more aggressive down shifts and full engagement feel of the newer transmissions enhances driving dynamics as opposed to detracting from them. Just my opinion. For a heavy SAV the X6 is a lot of fun to drive.

I was under the same impression (that it was the 8 speed auto), but it turns out the X6M does this as well (if not worse - at least from what others have said on this board). I also notice it a lot more when the car is cold, leading me to believe that they are charging the alternator more so than saving the brakes.

[Jess///M]

Originally Posted by rios0311

Overall I think it's a sharp looking vehicle and the "power bulge" on the hood compliments it nicely. I'm very happy with the wheels too.

I love the power dome, too. I'd seen several after-market options in carbon fiber and other materials, but ultimately decided to go OEM and had the hybrid hood installed last spring. The look is awesome. Now all the X5 and X6 ///Ms come with them, which is a great idea.

[Latorre]

Rios0311 hope you're well. I'm in the market for an X6 and am thinking about picking up a 2010 ActiveHybrid with 35,000 miles on it. What do you think about this ride and do you have any advice as to what I should look for during the test drive?

Thanks!!

Latorre

[rios0311]

I don't know how I missed the the rest of the discussion I started. Latorre, I'll get to your question right after I address a previous question.

I got the spacers purely for the looks of it. I've never liked the way wheels look hiding behind fenders. I like them flush with the fender or protruding slightly. Just a personal preference.

And yes, this vehicle will definitely drag to a near stop once you remove your foot from the gas pedal. However, if you move the shift lever to the left (sport mode), the vehicle takes on a different character. The drag completely goes away and the throttle becomes extremely sensitive. You can definitely feel the turbos at work. I'm just not sure what effect being in sport mode has on fuel consumption - during normal freeway driving.

Latorre, first of all, you shouldn't be paying too much over $40k for that car with that mileage. I saw two on ebay with similar mileage going for $39,995. I paid about $54k for mine last year with under 13k miles on the odometer. 2nd, get the VIN and go to your local BMW dealer and see if they will provide you with the vehicles service history. Try to find out if it was a buyback or a Trade Assist vehicle. Mine was a Trade Assist vehicle. Based on its service history its problems focused around the VANOS system. I think (and hope) the last repair did the trick because I've never had any issues with the car.

Things to keep in mind: It's a hybrid; the steering is electric, the brake pedal is electric, the air conditioner is probably electric and who knows what else. Remember, a lot of these systems must continue to run even when the engine isn't. The transmission is a CVT, so you'll experience something different when the vehicle shifts. It's like a smooth, near seamless, acceleration throughout all the gears. No shift shock in between, so the shifting does not feel as sporty... but it does have paddle shifters. However, the vehicle is very fast. When you floor it the electric motor kicks in to augment the engine and the turbos. It pulls very nicely. Read the warranty closely; Hybrids that were sold, leased or are registered in certain states have a 7 year warranty on certain components related to the hybrid system.

Tires! The hybrid battery takes up the space where the spare tire would normally be stored. So there is no spare. Your only [safe] option is runflat tires. They're freaking expensive and the vehicle will eat a set pretty much on a yearly basis. I'm thinking of risking it and swapping out the runflats for regular tires. If I find a space saver spare, I might buy it to take along on long trips.

Thos are the things I can think of to keep in mind. Other than that, it is a very good car. I really like mine a lot. The hybrid system works very well and the car comes loaded with options. Oh, and cruising along at 40 mph on battery power is pretty cool. You have to have a light foot to get it up to that speed, but it's easy to do. If you're willing to make a few tradeoffs, you'll get a great car at a good discount.

Good luck!

[titanle]

Those wheels look awesome!