BMW X5 ownership - why ?

[skudupnorth]

When I bought the X5, there was only a petrol Cayenne, which is very juicy, but it was tempting. The Range Rover may be a great off roader, but as you say, it's a wobbly barge. The X5 has a 7 seat option, but then you can't carry any luggage.

We had fun testing all of them,i never knew they did a 7 seat X.5.The diesel Cayenne has opened up the market more for Porsche,some people hate it along with the Panamera diesel but when fuel costs so much who cares and Porsche do a great job with both.We off roaded in the Cayenne and i must say it did the job very well even in gloopy mud and on road tyres ! Range Rovers just disapointed me so much,i do not know why people buy so many of them,they were scary in the most simple handling test !

 

[Linford]

I'm sorry, but that's far too reasonable a thing to say. People like you should be banned from this forum to leave room for more idiots and bigots.

It's people like me who drives a real 4x4 and has had to endure a massive amount of stick over the years because of BMW/Audi/Lexus/Mercedes/Porsche/etc selling a car which vaguely resembles a 4x4 but that is where the similarity ends. It was the only reason why BMW bought Range Rover, but instead of taking the best of both their road cars, and making an awesome performing and true off road vehicle to beat them all, they made something which nobody with a utility requirement would be able to use in anything which remotely resembles the conditions which 4x4's were conceived for. The result is it is bought by the people who have the money to burn and want everybody else to know that, and that is the whole theme behind the soft roader - look the part (ish), but they know that 99% of the people who buy them consider an off roading adventure as sticking it up on the pavement outside the school gates to drop the kids off. It has become mum's 'safe but refined truck'.

You know, I had to go into the local Bentley/AML dealership today to have a quick chat over something. I sneaked a peek and amongst the cars there was a Continental GT which was parked on what I first thought were grey rubber mats. I look a little closer at them, and they were rectangles which were about 18" wide by a couple of ft long, and about 2" thick and tapering to a wedge at one end, and stuck to one was a plaque which said that they were 'tyre cradles' to reduce the risk of putting flat spots on the tyres. They were a snip at £750 plus vat for the set.
Now, I reckon that if anyone wants to show how much money they can waste on their transport, these are the babies to get.
I guess you could stick an X5 on them for extra cachet when it is in the garage or on the drive, but I'd never bother as I think they'd look just look crap with the mud falling on them from the wheel arches after a day or so under my car....

 

[dellzeqq]

the X5 is just one of those things you don't do. Like Burberry, or dogging

 

[ColinJ]

the X5 is just one of those things you don't do. Like Burberry, or dogging

And as for wearing Burberry while dogging with a couple of strangers in the back of an X5 ...

 

[Trembler49]

It's people like me who drives a real 4x4 and has had to endure a massive amount of stick over the years because of BMW/Audi/Lexus/Mercedes/Porsche/etc selling a car which vaguely resembles a 4x4 but that is where the similarity ends. It was the only reason why BMW bought Range Rover, but instead of taking the best of both their road cars, and making an awesome performing and true off road vehicle to beat them all, they made something which nobody with a utility requirement would be able to use in anything which remotely resembles the conditions which 4x4's were conceived for. The result is it is bought by the people who have the money to burn and want everybody else to know that, and that is the whole theme behind the soft roader - look the part (ish), but they know that 99% of the people who buy them consider an off roading adventure as sticking it up on the pavement outside the school gates to drop the kids off. It has become mum's 'safe but refined truck'.

You know, I had to go into the local Bentley/AML dealership today to have a quick chat over something. I sneaked a peek and amongst the cars there was a Continental GT which was parked on what I first thought were grey rubber mats. I look a little closer at them, and they were rectangles which were about 18" wide by a couple of ft long, and about 2" thick and tapering to a wedge at one end, and stuck to one was a plaque which said that they were 'tyre cradles' to reduce the risk of putting flat spots on the tyres. They were a snip at £750 plus vat for the set.
Now, I reckon that if anyone wants to show how much money they can waste on their transport, these are the babies to get.
I guess you could stick an X5 on them for extra cachet when it is in the garage or on the drive, but I'd never bother as I think they'd look just look crap with the mud falling on them from the wheel arches after a day or so under my car....

Sorry Linford, you're missing the point, the X5 isn't an off roader, it's a tall 5 series that's slightly better in poor weather conditions.

It's really only the height and size which differenetiates it from a 5 series, which makes it nice to drive and attracts hatred from those who don't like people to have a choice of what they drive.

You drive what you want to mate and I'll drive what I want to.

 

[Trembler49]

And as for wearing Burberry while dogging with a couple of strangers in the back of an X5 ...

Haven't tried that for a while, you've given me ideas now!!

 

[Norm]

Back in the real world,i will stick with a car that can carry 7 bodies,my VW Touran which none of the above can do.

Ignoring your natural bias, I'll stick with a car that can carry 7 bodies and doesn't handle like a boat, a.k.a. E Class.

It's people like me who drives a real 4x4

No you don't, you've got a Shogun.

It's people like you, people who think that they drive a real 4x4 etc etc

Being serious, for a second, I've nothing against the X5. I wouldn't want one but I wouldn't want to choose someone else's car any more than I'd want anyone else to choose mine. I don't always agree with their choices, I reserve the right to "profile" other vehicles' drivers inside my own head but I do the same to people who have iPads, Canon cameras, Bianchi bikes or Shaeffer pens.

 

[the_mikey]

This is really nothing new. My dad likes to recount how during a severe snowfall in the late 70's he was able to struggle home in his company Allegro but passed three or four Range Rovers which had been abandoned because the drivers couldn't handle them in those conditions.

I recall a journey from Bristol to Coombe Down via Lansdown one very snowy evening in 1999/2000 , I passed abandoned 4wd's, other abandoned cars, and busses, I was driving a 1.0 1987 Nissan Micra...

 

[Linford]

No you don't, you've got a Shogun.

It's people like you, people who think that they drive a real 4x4 etc etc

I'd personally say that the Japanese have got a much better handle on off road vehicles than the Euro or American manufacturers. Mitsi was awarded the contract for all of the environmental agency cars a few years ago, and both Mitsi and Toyota are the choice for the arab states to go playing in the dunes with. Landrover are minor players when reliability is required, and the Abingdon pay and play site meetings which the Landrovers owners club hire that I've attended are testament to this. The busiest vehicles on the day are the recovery ones

 

[Norm]

hee hee

My step mother had a Shogun for years. She loved it and it was frequently put to use pulling other 4x4s up the hill outside their Hampshire hide-away.

 

[Linford]

Sorry Linford, you're missing the point, the X5 isn't an off roader, it's a tall 5 series that's slightly better in poor weather conditions.

It's really only the height and size which differenetiates it from a 5 series, which makes it nice to drive and attracts hatred from those who don't like people to have a choice of what they drive.

You drive what you want to mate and I'll drive what I want to.

BMW originally marketed it as a 4x4 (they call it a Sport Utility Vehicle though now), and I'm sure many people bought them on the strength of this sales blurb.

You make your choices, and live with them. For me though, I'd have been much happier if BMW hadn't tried to pitch the vehicle as a utility vehicle, as it clearly isn't one when put to the test, and has given the 4x4 utility requirement a terrible rep as many of the drivers now are seen as arrogant and flash - which IMO is an undeserved moniker.

We all know that only BMW drivers should wear that badge

 

[skudupnorth]

E-class estate is a nice big bus but i do like the earlier W124 series estates for the shape and meaner look If money was no object ( new can of worms thread) then i would just get a VW van with enough seats and room for the herd and bikes to do big trips with ease,working in the motor trade has killed most interest in motor vehicles,they all cost money,break,ect,ect.

 

[GrasB]

You know, if I wanted a car with carrying capacity, both passenger & cargo, plus more traction than a 2WD car I'd get a AWD estate. Better handling, lighter on fuel usage & easier to manage when things get tight. So that's what I did

 

[Linford]

You know, if I wanted a car with carrying capacity, both passenger & cargo, plus more traction than a 2WD car I'd get a AWD estate. Better handling, lighter on fuel usage & easier to manage when things get tight. So that's what I did

So would I. Something like an Audi Allroad. I actually saw one towing a single horse trailer out of a very muddy field once where the horsebox lorries were being dragged out at the same time with the help of a tractor. If the Allroad can do that with a trailer on the back, I would expect it to be very competent without one on a muddy or icy surface.

 

[Linford]

No they didnt.

SUV or 4x4, aren't they are the same thing to your average Beemer driver ?