I'm toying with the idea of chopping in my 3er for an X5 for a whole host of reasons but predominantly comfort and space. Dog crate takes up most of the boot and although the 3 is an epic performer on 3k+ miles journeys, the interior's pretty functional and it's bloody noisy as well. Interested in anyone's experiences with an X5.
I’ve got an E70 and looking at the F15 option now the T6 option is buried! Overall the X5 has proven very versatile, if difficult to park, unscrupulously wide and needs a bit more girth between the lines. They do everything as well as a saloon car which defy their bulk, they can be crashy on 20” wheels though, form wins over function. 4.0d seems to be the sweet spot in the engine range, if a bit too much power and torque, though very predictable and fun! Mpg wise, 32mpg at best though at that, you’ve not had fun and will most likely of been cruising for some considerable time, expect circa 26mpg. I’ve had the F15 out on test drive, first point of note was the updated cabin area, very welcomed step up from the E70, thereafter and on the move, the steering is compensated and the true weight is lost, typical trait of the F series chassis as the F07 was the same, engine offered similar reward on both models as both were coupled with 4.0d & 8 speed box, similar ride comforts and refinement. At the time of road test, there wasn’t enough for me to warrant jumping between models, ultimately I preferred the weighted feeling of the steering and drive of the old model. Nevertheless Im now thinking again on upgrading though won’t be rushing out to do so!
The interior of my X5 is just like most BMW's, quite bland and uninteresting, but it is functional and everything is easily accessible. There is plenty of room in both the front and back and because there is no transmission tunnel, the rear floor is almost flat. The boot is large and I have a dog guard that divides the boot in two from front to back so my Boxer can go in one side with plenty of space and the other half of the boot is free for shopping etc. The ride is quite firm on 20" wheels and it can track tram lines in roads, but overall it is a very good cruiser on long journeys and I can't say I have noticed much wind noise or the cabin being noisy. It is big to park and sticks out of a lot of parking bays, but with sensors on front and back parking is not a problem. Excellent road vision with sitting up high, and it can be chucked around like a car with excellent road holding and minimum body roll.
I drove an F15 for 400 miles around the Lake District two weeks ago. It was a 2015 3.0SE diesel with 64000 on the clock and running on 19 inch wheels with conventional tyres. I have to say I was very impressed with the ride and the noise, or lack of. I borrowed the car from a company I know, it’s basically a pool car and probably gets abused, but even at 64k it went really well and did not rattle, everything worked and the only sign of wear was on the fake aluminium trim of the centre console. I loved the fact that you could cruise at motorway speeds and not hear the tyre roar or the engine at all. I loved the magic carpet ride and the driving position, and even though it was the basic 3 litre lump it went very well and didn’t seem much different to my 535d. I loved the brushed aluminium roof rails and window surrounds and the wheels were very nice diamond cut jobbies, even if they did look a bit small after my 21 inchers. I hated the standard SE seats, they were the one thing that really let it down, I also did not like the silly pull down part of the tailgate, it just makes reaching the far end of the boot impossible. When I returned to London and drove my GT it seemed noisy, and don’t forget I have added a shed load of sound proofing to my car during the audio install. I believe my massive wheels contribute to the noise but the engine noise on my car is also more intrusive than the X5. The conclusion is that I would definately buy a F15 but I would keep the wheel size sensible so as not to spoil a very quiet car. I would upgrade the seats and add HUD and a pano roof, other than that everything you need is standard.
I liked the F15 so much I looked at this last week, but unfortunately out of my price range, but an epic motor.
Interesting, cheers. I'm not even sure I want one after seeing one yesterday in the flesh, God it's big. Trouble with the 3er is space: I did take one of these out for a spin the other week, an X3 M40i: Ferocious pace and a bit of a giggle but firm ride, not something Mrs CO is going to go for.
Yes - it's huge - my daughter and son-in-law have one. But what you need is a good aerodynamic roof-box. Here's mine - on my last car.
I (wife, actually) had thought about a roof box but as I spent over £1k on a pano roof I'm somewhat reluctant. I suppose I could go one size up to a 5 Series, they're supposed to be very nice and a step up from a 3 in quality.
I'm not going to go new again, I just can't face losing 1000s as soon as I drive off the forecourt. Unless they make an M3 Touring and then all bets are off! I have to say it was nice to get in the X3 M40i, that engine is truly wonderful and it was almost orgasmic driving a six-cylinder petrol again.
I hear that @The CO brand new car does hurt the wallet. I was looking online at some dealers for used car, various other makes, one of them had a free part ex. quote without needing to give full details, so filled it in, think only wanted car reg and what condition, it reckons my car is worth 16.8k.... and its only 2.5 years old approx so I've lost a fair amount and i bought it at approx 1 year old... Not to mention still owe money on car so if i did sell, wouldn't get much in my hand after they take settlement fee out for finance Kev
Spec dependent (of course!) There’s some very nice 5 tourers on AUC and Autotrader, think the looks will take some getting used to though, looks a bit long and stretched with the wrong wheels A perhaps ridiculous suggestion though give it merit to get your boot back , win win, keep the use of pano roof and the boot There is something about a Suv that makes them so usable for everyday! Hardly surprising it’s such a big market, allbeit one that’s unappreciated until in The Ford Edge is worth a look, whilst the Kuga doesn’t hit the mark, the Edge seems a step in the right direction...
Would certainly be a cheaper option that changing cars Yes, there is a new Ford Edge due out I believe, in the new guise of the new 2019 focus style. Bit high priced for a Ford though Kev
Although a dog trailer may be a good idea for transporting the hound on short journeys in the UK, I doubt that it would be a practical solution for @The CO 's European trips. Back in the day (30 years ago) we used to use a little camping trailer for our annual pilgrimage to the campsites and beaches of Southern Europe. But back then the ferry companies gave huge discounts to caravanners and trailer-towers if they crossed the Channel either late at night or very early morning. Alas, these days towing any sort/size of trailer comes with a pretty big financial penalty as well as the mandatory speed limits and overtaking restrictions. Although a small trailer has little effect on the fuel consumption the ferry charges and the motorway tolls mean that a trailer is now out of the question for our long trips.