X5 No Line Delivered/Impressions

[agmnyc]

I recently took delivery of an x5 xdrive35i (pics attached). This forum has been a fantastic source of information and has made waiting for the car much more bearable, so thank you all!

My Build
-No Line/Base Line (18" wheels, standard steering wheel, black roof rails etc.)
-Imperial Blue Metallic (love it - we initially wanted carbon black and this is the closest color match in a no-line configuration IMO)
-Mocha Dakota (even better than expected - we also considered Terra but wanted something a bit darker brown, which we though would go better with the dark blue exterior)
-Fineline Oak Wood Trim (Goes great with Mocha, its hard to take a good picture of the trim -I think it looks much better in person)
-3rd Row Seats (its definitely tight back there, but since the middle row slides up its tolerable for short trips for people up to 5"6)
-Rear View Camera (not sure why this isn't standard)
-Surround View (invaluable if you are OCD about parking exactly parallel to the lines like I am)
-Rear Sunshades (hard to justify $250 for this but figured we'll need it for the kids)
-Harman Kardon (sounds great - I wasn't able to compare this to the sound in the base system but from what others have described the HK gets you relatively close to B&O at a much more accessible price)

Purchase Decision
This car will be daily driven primarily by my wife and will also be our family car. Prior to this we leased a 2010 MB GLK 350. My wife liked the GLK, but we needed more room (we have a toddler and another one on the way soon), and just as importantly I was bored to tears by the way it drove.

I tried to set a clear goal for my decision process: to pick the most fun to drive car that we could reasonably afford that could also seat 7 people in a pinch.

After considering a number of options (including a 2010-2013 CPO Acura MDX; 2014 MDX; and the MB E350 4Matic Wagon), we felt the X5 fit our needs well while also feeling a bit more "special" than the other choices.

How Much
MSRP was $62,000 and I was able to get a 36 month lease with January MF and Residuals for invoice + $750. I would recommend my CA to others in the NY/NJ area - he was very straightforward and easy to work with. However, it looks like the dealer now wants at least $1400 over invoice as they have sold most of their allocations.

Delivery Timeframe
I placed my order the second week of January. Got a production number very soon afterwards for a February build date. Production started on 2/21 and was completed around 4 days after. Car was at the dealer 2 days after production was completed.

First Impressions
We loved how it looks in person. I was a bit worried about the 18" wheels looking out of place on the car but I'm now perfectly ok with our choice- I think the smaller wheels make it look more like a sport wagon than a truck which is fine with me. The base line trim (especially the black grill) also gives the car sportier look than the luxury line IMO.

The interior and infotainment systems are a bob beamon level leap over our old GLK 350. The leather looks hand-stitched and I really like how the different trim materials and colors come together.

I had no idea that the infotainment would be so advanced. The handwriting recognition on the I-drive is brilliant and I love that the car can check weather and pull up Google street view.

Driving
Driving impressions are also mostly positive. The 8-speed is very smooth and quick shifting, especially in sport mode. I really wish BMW made paddle shifters standard - I think this transmission would be a perfect match for manual shifting and many competitors with less of a sporting intent offer paddles with their base trim.

The other disappointment is the steering, both the wheel itself and driving feel. One of the reasons I stuck with no-line is my wife hated the sport steering wheel in my old e46 330i - she thought it was too bulky and preferred a thinner wheel. The f15 wheel is definitely the right size for her but the leather feels very rough and artificial. I haven't sampled the steering in the other lines but expect that the quality of the wheel is probably much better. Also, as others have noted the steering has a very boosted feel and conveys almost no tactile feedback as far as I can tell. I understand that many drivers prefer effortlessness when it comes to steering but it would have been great if BMW made the weighting adjustable to driver preference (the Tesla Model S does a great job in this regard).

Steering and paddle shifters aside, I thought the ride was excellent and the 35i engine produced plenty of power and was ready and willing to race to redline (although it doesn't move the car as effortlessly as it would a 335i).

Other Nits
- I'm having the door seal issue already. This has been discussed in detail in other threads and I hope BMW finds a fix soon.

- The fact that you open the lift gate with the remote key, but can't close it, is truly inexplicable.

- I like that the lower liftgate opens separately, but make sure you don't put any weight on it - it presses right into the rear bumper and its not hard to leave a mark (ask me how I know).

- I didn't get the tire insurance for $1400. I figured that amount is enough to replace almost 3 tires on my own. I do feel a bit nervous given the condition of the roads in my area, and am looking into whether I can find a cheaper 3rd party alternative.

Overall
We love the x5 so far. I find it amazing that we were able to get such a capable, luxurious vehicle that can fit our whole family while also being fun to drive. To those of you placed an order I'm sure you won't regret it!






Attachment 986750

[Sean_250]

Great colour combination - Imperial Blue and Mocha - that's what we've gone for too. Congratulations and enjoy your car.

[GSAL55]

Congrats - I know a guy that works at JMK - his name is Manny. If he was your guy, he's great! Super nice guy and very knowledgeable... fellow BMW and German car fanatic!

[bim_power]

Congrats on the delivery... great color combo...

- I like that the lower liftgate opens separately, but make sure you don't put any weight on it - it presses right into the rear bumper and its not hard to leave a mark (ask me how I know).

Did the liftgate hydraulic fail?

[agmnyc]

The top part of the liftgate opens hydraulically - I was referring to the bottom portion that you can fold down manually. When the bottom part is folded down, it rests on the rear bumper, which can lead to scratches or even a dent on the bumper if you put a lot of weight on it. Hope this makes sense.

[chrisny]

congrats!

[agmnyc]

Originally Posted by GSAL55

Congrats - I know a guy that works at JMK - his name is Manny. If he was your guy, he's great! Super nice guy and very knowledgeable... fellow BMW and German car fanatic!

I worked with VP at JMK. The whole delivery process was pretty painless - I was in and out in less than 2 hours. Glad to hear there are reliable CAs out there!

[jlstyle]

I notice that you live right behind my apartment!

Do you mind telling me what was your monthly payment and your down payment structure?

[golovan]

Originally Posted by agmnyc

I recently took delivery of an x5 xdrive35i (pics attached). This forum has been a fantastic source of information and has made waiting for the car much more bearable, so thank you all!

My Build
-No Line/Base Line (18" wheels, standard steering wheel, black roof rails etc.)
-Imperial Blue Metallic (love it - we initially wanted carbon black and this is the closest color match in a no-line configuration IMO)
-Mocha Dakota (even better than expected - we also considered Terra but wanted something a bit darker brown, which we though would go better with the dark blue exterior)
-Fineline Oak Wood Trim (Goes great with Mocha, its hard to take a good picture of the trim -I think it looks much better in person)
-3rd Row Seats (its definitely tight back there, but since the middle row slides up its tolerable for short trips for people up to 5"6)
-Rear View Camera (not sure why this isn't standard)
-Surround View (invaluable if you are OCD about parking exactly parallel to the lines like I am)
-Rear Sunshades (hard to justify $250 for this but figured we'll need it for the kids)
-Harman Kardon (sounds great - I wasn't able to compare this to the sound in the base system but from what others have described the HK gets you relatively close to B&O at a much more accessible price)

Purchase Decision
This car will be daily driven primarily by my wife and will also be our family car. Prior to this we leased a 2010 MB GLK 350. My wife liked the GLK, but we needed more room (we have a toddler and another one on the way soon), and just as importantly I was bored to tears by the way it drove.

I tried to set a clear goal for my decision process: to pick the most fun to drive car that we could reasonably afford that could also seat 7 people in a pinch.

After considering a number of options (including a 2010-2013 CPO Acura MDX; 2014 MDX; and the MB E350 4Matic Wagon), we felt the X5 fit our needs well while also feeling a bit more "special" than the other choices.

How Much
MSRP was $62,000 and I was able to get a 36 month lease with January MF and Residuals for invoice + $750. I would recommend my CA to others in the NY/NJ area - he was very straightforward and easy to work with. However, it looks like the dealer now wants at least $1400 over invoice as they have sold most of their allocations.

Delivery Timeframe
I placed my order the second week of January. Got a production number very soon afterwards for a February build date. Production started on 2/21 and was completed around 4 days after. Car was at the dealer 2 days after production was completed.

First Impressions
We loved how it looks in person. I was a bit worried about the 18" wheels looking out of place on the car but I'm now perfectly ok with our choice- I think the smaller wheels make it look more like a sport wagon than a truck which is fine with me. The base line trim (especially the black grill) also gives the car sportier look than the luxury line IMO.

The interior and infotainment systems are a bob beamon level leap over our old GLK 350. The leather looks hand-stitched and I really like how the different trim materials and colors come together.

I had no idea that the infotainment would be so advanced. The handwriting recognition on the I-drive is brilliant and I love that the car can check weather and pull up Google street view.

Driving
Driving impressions are also mostly positive. The 8-speed is very smooth and quick shifting, especially in sport mode. I really wish BMW made paddle shifters standard - I think this transmission would be a perfect match for manual shifting and many competitors with less of a sporting intent offer paddles with their base trim.

The other disappointment is the steering, both the wheel itself and driving feel. One of the reasons I stuck with no-line is my wife hated the sport steering wheel in my old e46 330i - she thought it was too bulky and preferred a thinner wheel. The f15 wheel is definitely the right size for her but the leather feels very rough and artificial. I haven't sampled the steering in the other lines but expect that the quality of the wheel is probably much better. Also, as others have noted the steering has a very boosted feel and conveys almost no tactile feedback as far as I can tell. I understand that many drivers prefer effortlessness when it comes to steering but it would have been great if BMW made the weighting adjustable to driver preference (the Tesla Model S does a great job in this regard).

Steering and paddle shifters side, I thought the ride was excellent and the 35i engine produced plenty of power and was ready and willing to race to redline (although it doesn't move the car as effortlessly as it would a 335i).

Other Nits
- I'm having the door seal issue already. This has been discussed in detail in other threads and I hope BMW finds a fix soon.

- The fact that you open the lift gate with the remote key, but can't close it, is truly inexplicable.

- I like that the lower liftgate opens separately, but make sure you don't put any weight on it - it presses right into the rear bumper and its not hard to leave a mark (ask me how I know).

- I didn't get the tire insurance for $1400. I figured that amount is enough to replace almost 3 tires on my own. I do feel a bit nervous given the condition of the roads in my area, and am looking into whether I can find a cheaper 3rd party alternative.

Overall
We love the x5 so far. I find it amazing that we were able to get such a capable, luxurious vehicle that can fit our whole family while also being fun to drive. To those of you placed an order I'm sure you won't regret it!


Attachment 986748

Attachment 986749

Attachment 986750

Attachment 986751

Do you have photos of third raw? Can you put them down when they are not in use?

[JustChris]

Originally Posted by agmnyc

The top part of the liftgate opens hydraulically - I was referring to the bottom portion that you can fold down manually. When the bottom part is folded down, it rests on the rear bumper, which can lead to scratches or even a dent on the bumper if you put a lot of weight on it. Hope this makes sense.

Great write up, thanks for taking the time! Also wanted to say how good the car looks in base trim, you have me thinking now....!

Regarding the comment above seems pretty odd. I had an E70 and with all 4 in my family on it we never left a mark. This should be good for 250kg load so if you've not had anything like this on there I would take it up with the dealer?

[sirajkas]

Great combo.. Congrats..

[bmwx5lover]

I ordered a no-line as well but is now considering switching the color from mineral white to space grey. Imperial Blue Metallic is good too! A very good taste.

As for the mode, It may be weird but I just love the front of a no-line more than the M, L and X. That is why I ordered the no-line as well. I really appreciate your style of selecting the options, putting every penny on the elements that suit your need best. This is a very pragmatic attitude that I would like to adopt too.

[w4termelon]

I don't know for the US, but here in Europe that would be a big loss of money to take the "no line" and add options one by one instead of selecting a line with option package included : the resale price would highly drop.

[DrDoreen]

Congratulations!!!

[agmnyc]

Originally Posted by jlstyle

I notice that you live right behind my apartment!

Do you mind telling me what was your monthly payment and your down payment structure?

Hi - sure I don't mind - see my post on this thread: http://f15.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...4#post15364694.

Note that I used Multiple Security Deposit to lower my payments. I didn't otherwise put any money down.

[agmnyc]

I haven't gotten around to taking any pictures of the 3rd row. The seats fold flat and I usually leave them down - there is very little room for cargo when the seats are in use.

[agmnyc]

Originally Posted by castlemill

I ordered a no-line as well but is now considering switching the color from mineral white to space grey. Imperial Blue Metallic is good too! A very good taste.

As for the mode, It may be weird but I just love the front of a no-line more than the M, L and X. That is why I ordered the no-line as well. I really appreciate your style of selecting the options, putting every penny on the elements that suit your need best. This is a very pragmatic attitude that I would like to adopt too.

I really like the mineral white, especially with a terra or mocha interior, but you cant go wrong with space grey. One thing I loved about the buying process was the ability to pick and choose what options worked best for me without having to buy an expensive package (for the most part). I took a hard look at the driving aid packages in particular but decided they weren't worth the added expense for our driving style/preferences.

[agmnyc]

Originally Posted by w4termelon

I don't know for the US, but here in Europe that would be a big loss of money to take the "no line" and add options one by one instead of selecting a line with option package included : the resale price would highly drop.

I'm not sure of the different packages available in other areas, but I think US cars have many features standard that are optional in other areas (I believe the panoramic moonroof is one example). As a result, the "base" car is already very well equipped, and there were not many other options that I considered to be a "must have", although many would have been very "nice to have", price no object (the B&O sound system for one). In fact, I understand the general rule in the US to be that the value of option packages depreciate much more steeply than the rest of the car.

[w4termelon]

Originally Posted by agmnyc

I'm not sure of the different packages available in other areas, but I think US cars have many features standard that are optional in other areas (I believe the panoramic moonroof is one example). As a result, the "base" car is already very well equipped, and there were not many other options that I considered to be a "must have", although many would have been very "nice to have", price no object (the B&O sound system for one). In fact, I understand the general rule in the US to be that the value of option packages depreciate much more steeply than the rest of the car.

Ok. In Europe (actually in France, as other countries may vary as well) the "base" model, called "Lounge" (and only available with sDrive 25d and xDrive 25d) do NOT include for instance Dakota leather, idrive, A/C, electric seats, etc.
Panoramic roof is an option on all version except "Exclusive" line (similar to Luxury Line in the US).

[golovan]

Originally Posted by agmnyc

I haven't gotten around to taking any pictures of the 3rd row. The seats fold flat and I usually leave them down - there is very little room for cargo when the seats are in use.

Thank you! I also found a video on YouTube showing third row.

Did it come with tinted windows or you did it after?

[RoadHog]

Great looking Car Congrats. I have also ordered X5 with no line but with different color combo ( jet Black/ ivory White). Still waiting for mine to start production

[agmnyc]

Originally Posted by golovan

Thank you! I also found a video on YouTube showing third row.

Did it come with tinted windows or you did it after?

It came tinted. The video for the 3rd row is fairly accurate. I think the 3rd row will come in handy for short trips with guests, but if I needed to use it use every day there's a good chance I would have settled on a different car altogether (the Acura MDX for example has a more useable and accessible 3rd row).