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problems: as long as they're covered under warranty get it fixed up where you're satisfied. If these things weren't covered dump it fast.
Advice: if you want to haul 30 gallon drums of mayonaise home from costco this vehicle is the wrong choice.
Mine's already bought and I won't be in the market again till, oh, 2011 or so but if this were a lease job I might be tempted to explore the new XDrive. And who knows? By then maybe they'll have (gasp!) in-dash CD changer/players.
I was thinking of modifying it in such a way that both the navigation video and DVD/VCR video can be
connected (and switched accordingly). If the answer is yes, how? Thanks.
My viewpoint of the editors there are that they must be bitter, fault finding people who resent others who can afford things they cannot. They are hyper critical. If a car is really great they find some small nit pick items to harp on and then say that it's too expensive. If it's cheap, they complain that it's not as good as the more expensive vehicles. I've really lost respect for them. Cars in general are so much better than 25 years ago it's unbelievable. It used to be expected that things would go wrong, you just hoped you weren't left stranded. Now if your car is disabled it's a rare occurance. Yet if you read their reviews in general one gets the feeling that the industry has not improved. It's frustrating, especially when you read other mags and see reviews on sites like this one that praise the same cars they trash.
The people reviewing cars there do not seem to be enthusiasts but are just doing a job they have to. To me that's a bit of a misrepresentation. To review cars I think you should have a passion for them and derive some enjoyment from them. Both are apparently lacking at CR.
That's not a bad thing - I'm not a car enthusiast either and the car mags tend to focus on stuff that I'm not so interested in (0-60) rather than stuff I do care about (replacement alternator costs). That's how I found Edmunds; I was looking for bang for buck info although Karl in editorial is about the biggest car nut around and is always waxing poetic about muscle cars (guess who did the 2005 Ford GT story!).
CR is another good tool for your quiver but, like Edmunds, it's not the absolute last word. Why anyone would pay $12 for their car reports when all that info is available for free here beats me though.
Steve, Host
MSRP 46720
Selling price 41000 + tax + tags+ 100.00
Happy Motoring,
Jack
Do you remember when CR hailed it as the safest Vehicle they had ever tested?
I think it was in Automobile Mag. that they recently said it was the best driving SUV of all time and number one on their list. So I don't know what's up with some of these others.
You know, you take in the data, but at some point you go with your own opinion. I drove them all including the Cay and the X5 was a class ahead in my opinion. That's in ride quality, handling, interior comfort and elegance etc. Is it perfect? Of course not, but coming from an ML 300 which drove nicely (but not nearly as well as the X5)and was very safe, but had way too many repair issues and left me stranded once (thank goodness for the free rode side assist. program!)it's light years ahead.
In C&Ds own long-term test of the X5 (4.4) they remarked that the X5 handled poorly in the snow with stock tires but became "a favorite winter highway cruiser because of its strong engine, reassuring road grip, and comfortable leather-clad seats".
You can find another opinion on the X5s snow performance here http://www.postnewsads.com/budwells/viewarticles.asp?articleID=10- 4
To quote the author: "No, the BMW’s not my favorite sport ute, but, yes, in snowy and icy conditions, I’d take it over almost anything else I’ve driven."
The car mags have an ajenda, and it's ever changing. Take them with a grain of salt.
tidester, host
Happy Motoring,
Jack
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
The new system (xDrive) is basically infinite in its front/rear split. I'm not sure, but I think its 100% to the rear until front traction is needed. BMW has been saying that X Drive beats other systems because it 1) reacts very quickly, and 2) is predictive in nature.
Some Stuff from BMW follows:
"In order to make the most of the new powertrain updates, BMW’s newest all-wheel drive system helps to ensure optimum performance in all driving situations. The xDrive intelligent all-wheel-drive system is a completely new design, and it sets new standards among all-wheel drive vehicles for road holding and agility. The xDrive system performs stepless and variable distribution of drive forces between the front and rear wheels at an unprecedented speed.
xDrive reacts faster than other systems because it is able to think further in advance. It not only makes use of the information obtained from the wheel sensors, which signal when any of the wheels are spinning, but also data collected from Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system sensors. Yaw rate, the information regarding rotational movement of the vehicle itself, and the steering wheel position both supply important data concerning the current situation. This enables xDrive to distribute drive power ideally and at any given moment between the front and rear wheels, for instance during cornering, thereby significantly minimizing under- or oversteer.
In addition to the clear increase in agility and driving enjoyment, xDrive also provides great safety benefits. As a result of its fast reaction time, the new system provides greatly improved road holding characteristics. Whether the driving surface is rough or smooth, it only takes a few milliseconds once friction is lost between the wheel and the road surface for the drive forces to be redistributed to the wheels that still have traction. The electronically controlled multi-disk clutch loses no time and reacts immediately. Thanks to xDrive, starting off on a slippery iced surface or climbing steep uphill slopes proves to be a simple exercise for the new X5."
I thing the old system worked very well. This allows BMW to have only 1 AWD system. I think this is a key motivation.
Jack
I'd like to get some clarification on how the power is distributed under normal conditions (100% to the rears would be optimal as you said).
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
Jack
Good luck,
Jack
Has anyone been able to get a discount to the residual when buying an X5?
BTW...you're posts on the different boards have been educating. Don't let your buddy get to you. He's just a car nut like the rest of us:)
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
2001 model
Options: Cold weather package (heated seats, ski sak and headlight washers)
36,000 miles
Good condition, nothing besides a few normal scratches.
Blue exterior w/ tan leather interior.
Residual: $33,500
Thanks for your help.
thanks,
mark
BMWBOY....that's a fair price if you really like it. Wholesale on that rig ranges between 30 and 32. Dealers probably retail those for mid 30's.
You might be able to keep your payment the same and get a brand new one, though.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
Question:
(1) I noticed that the spare is a 235/65 R17. Does this sound right? Will this damage my car if I drive on it.
(2) Should I try to plug the tire or go ahead an pay for a replacement?
Thanks everyone. I've enjoyed reading this forum.
RSC
PRF3 60 in california sounds OK but I'm not all into the california market. I can tell you this for sure. There are brand new ones that can be had for high 60's. 03's with full maintenance. That gives you something to compare it to.
NYCCARGUY Average net dealer gross profit on a vehicle like that will tend to be pretty high, I'm happy to say. I'd also say that a dealer can be real flexible if they choose to be. Order one now and you probably get your rig at the beginning of Dec. Probably about 50-50 on the order/instock delivery ratio.
2. A plug should be good as new. They use material which will bond with the rubber in your tire. Just get it plugged. If you pull the tack, mark the sidewall where it was with chalk to make it easier to pinpoint.
I mentioned that I have a tack in my tire. Checking the pressure again, I found that it is within a hair of the other tires. So, I may not have a leak like I mentioned. I'll pull the tack in the morning with my Leatherman.
Again, great tip about marking the sidewall, I was already thinking about what I had around the house to mark the tire with.
RSC