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      10-18-2013, 04:26 PM   #1
apw2607
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Finally got to see it in person and a quick test drive

After all these months of dodgy photos and alike, finally got to see a X5 MSport and X5 Luxury in person ... and a quick test drive in the M Sport.

Well, overall ... the X5 looks better than in photos, for sure. However you want to slice and dice it though, the back (at least of the M Sport from certain angles is still a disaster ... and just looks weird. Worse than the X3). I think most of it is the tail lights and the weird bit that sticks out. I really think they should have taken a more conservative approach to the design ... but it is what it is.

Its a shame because the rest of the car (at least in this dark color), looks really great.

Inside, its just lovely. The m sport steering wheel is fantastic. Lovely touch, and materials. Equally, all the other plastics, instruments and materials are A+.

Driving the 35i, was fantastic. I've being driving a 35d since 2009 ... and not in any hurry to switch back to gas ... but this 35i was awesome to drive.

iDrive screen and design all look fantastic. Bit disappointed by the HUD. Seemed smaller and further away than my 09 .. but sure you get use to that in time.

M sports seats were awesome too.

Their still gonna sell a zillion of these ... I will check out the diesels in December/Jan ... and maybe by then when you have seen some driving around the back will grow on me ... but right now, not in any hurry to switch cars.
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      10-18-2013, 06:37 PM   #2
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Is that black sapphire or carbon black? Any more pics?
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      10-18-2013, 08:00 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by apw2607 View Post
After all these months of dodgy photos and alike, finally got to see a X5 MSport and X5 Luxury in person ... and a quick test drive in the M Sport.

Well, overall ... the X5 looks better than in photos, for sure. However you want to slice and dice it though, the back (at least of the M Sport from certain angles is still a disaster ... and just looks weird. Worse than the X3). I think most of it is the tail lights and the weird bit that sticks out. I really think they should have taken a more conservative approach to the design ... but it is what it is.

Its a shame because the rest of the car (at least in this dark color), looks really great.
I totally agree. I was so ready to make a deal at one of the dealer here when they informed me that got it in stock. So excited, drove in with my wife, looked at the X from the rear, and we were so disappointed, we left without even care to test drive or to check out the interior. For now, not sure what to get. Just sold my 08 X5 2 weeks ago. Hope i will change my mind in a couple years.
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      10-18-2013, 08:09 PM   #4
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I don't know... I think it's right sexy.
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      10-18-2013, 08:43 PM   #5
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I don't know... I think it's right sexy.
That's the problem. Certain angles are OK, like in your photo ... but the moment you look at the thing directly from the back ... that's where things fall apart.

Other thoughts ... the M-Sport hexagonal trim is really nice. Its a dark grey and works really well. Nice to touch. I've got a pet loath for wood in cars .. so it was nice to see this trim.

The steering is uber light. Its not that it isn't precise ... its just very very light. It would take some time to get use to. However you can improve it by fiddling with the different drive modes.

In response to above, I'm 99% certain color was Sapphire. I've owned a M3 with Carbon Black. Its a great color, but shows swirls .. or at least mine did.
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      10-18-2013, 08:48 PM   #6
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I totally agree. I was so ready to make a deal at one of the dealer here when they informed me that got it in stock. So excited, drove in with my wife, looked at the X from the rear, and we were so disappointed, we left without even care to test drive or to check out the interior. For now, not sure what to get. Just sold my 08 X5 2 weeks ago. Hope i will change my mind in a couple years.
Yea, it is a bit weird. They had a new 435 in too. Looked beautiful. Absolutely perfect .... back, front, side .. didn't matter ... any angle. So very strange that a company can make cars that are "perfect" visually ... and then in the same month release something that's visually .... #######
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      10-18-2013, 09:12 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by apw2607 View Post
Yea, it is a bit weird. They had a new 435 in too. Looked beautiful. Absolutely perfect .... back, front, side .. didn't matter ... any angle. So very strange that a company can make cars that are "perfect" visually ... and then in the same month release something that's visually .... #######
It is all about the rear view. Can't explain exactly what it is, i think combination of the rear glass, taillights, tail gate, rear spoiler, it just does not look right IMO.
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      10-18-2013, 09:21 PM   #8
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      10-18-2013, 09:34 PM   #9
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Interesting you guys feel that way... I think all the 4s that I've seen sit way too high off the ground.
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      10-18-2013, 09:36 PM   #10
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Carbon Black Metallic
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      10-18-2013, 10:46 PM   #11
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I drove Lux Line with MC seats. XDrive 35i.

Here are my findings:

1) Lux line looks as good as xLine - Running Boards.

2) I think the elegance factor is missing when the grill is not either chrome or silver matte particularly with darker exterior.

3) Steering is so smooth. Even a penny would be waste of money on Active Steering. IMHO

4) Beige interior is not on the yellow side but more on White side. Looks nice but tough to maintain.

5) the redesigned MC seats are sleek and nice. Softer than standard seats

6) Standard seats are also improved compared to outgoing model.

7) Navigation, Dash and Ambience lighting awesome.

8) Sparkling brown is nice and really dark in indoor.

9) Harman Kardon really has a difference. I have tried both stock and HK systems for 20 min and can notice the difference significantly. Again, you will never know the lacking or inefficiency of stock system unless you hear to HK. Bang should even be better But way too expensive.

10) Car feels and looks more agile.

Added HK to my order and we are going with Sparkling Brown with Biege leather.
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      10-19-2013, 12:16 PM   #12
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I spent an hour with a Lux Line 35i this morning, and put 20+ miles on it. This was a fairly basic car - $63-ish sticker. Overall - really terrific. First thoughts:

1. Steering is significantly easier to manage at parking lot speeds. Far better for my wife, who is the primary driver of this vehicle in our family.

2. The ride was almost perfectly dampened and less harsh in the basic suspension form. My route was around town and highway, so I'm not sure how it corners, but I really liked this balance for 98% of our driving.

3. The sport mode remaps throttle and steering significantly. Hold throttle position on the highway at 75mph, hit sport mode, and the rpm immediately goes from 1800 to 2800, and X5 starts to accelerate. Also much more crisp and anticipative around town. Didn't over-hold gears at light throttle much.

4. Ah..the iDrive screen. You could probably make the case to buy this car just for that screen. The operating system & processor is also very responsive. The text input by touch pad, again very fast & responsive.

5. Interior materials are top notch. Way better than Acura's improved new MDX.

6. Start/stop was far less intrusive here. On the 3 series it's just ridiculous. Probably a combination of better tuning/tweaking, and the mass of the vehicle makes it less noticeable.

7. Base seats were nicely comfortable, though the leather did seem very stiff. I'm surprised how hard it was. I thought it might stop a 9mm round. Maybe it just needs broken in.

Those are my early impressions.
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      10-19-2013, 01:17 PM   #13
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I'm looking for detailed photos of the interior wood trim.

What did this vehicle have?

Fineline pure, oak, poplar, Etc.

Any photos?

Thanks
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      10-19-2013, 02:35 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mattbar1 View Post
I'm looking for detailed photos of the interior wood trim.

What did this vehicle have?

Fineline pure, oak, poplar, Etc.

Any photos?

Thanks
This X5 was Black Sapphire over Black Dakota leather. Wood was the poplar. I'm not a fan of dark interiors, but it looked great. On the dash there is a full width piece of poplar, then underneath it is another charcoal-ish trim piece that matches the trim around the climate and radio controls. Looks good. Sorry I didn't get a picture.
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      10-19-2013, 08:38 PM   #15
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I didn't take any interior snaps. Wish I had now. The m sport hexagonal trim looks fantastic.
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      10-19-2013, 10:37 PM   #16
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Saw lux line today at Seattle auto show. Looks beautiful inside out.
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      10-20-2013, 01:05 AM   #17
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I suppose this question is for those who have had the aluminum trim before:

It seems like if wood is scratched it can be polished or buffed out, where the aluminum needs to be kept fairly perfect to look nice. Has anyone had trouble with scratches or dents in the aluminum? And to further complicate things, a textures aluminum would be even tougher to repair.
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      10-20-2013, 09:43 AM   #18
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I don't know what you would have to do to repair dents or scratches in aluminum. On the other hand, we have had aluminum trim in our car since 2002 (2002 330i & 2009 M3) and we never had one scratch or dent. Of course, I don't know if that is because it is stronger, we are lucky, or because we don't have kids.
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      10-20-2013, 09:45 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mattbar1 View Post
I suppose this question is for those who have had the aluminum trim before:

It seems like if wood is scratched it can be polished or buffed out, where the aluminum needs to be kept fairly perfect to look nice. Has anyone had trouble with scratches or dents in the aluminum? And to further complicate things, a textures aluminum would be even tougher to repair.
No problem in my 2011 M3 with aluminum trim. Looks like new.
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      10-20-2013, 02:43 PM   #20
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Thanks for sharing your photos APW. After seeing your pics it looks like I prefer the look of the standard Xenon rather than the LED's. I'm sure full LED's look fantastic at night, but in daylight I prefer the Xenon's.
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      10-20-2013, 07:12 PM   #21
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Just saw the new x5 yesterday. It was a 35i m sport. Very sharp car, and the the pictures don't do it justice.

However, I do not agree with how the hexagonal interior trim looks. Both I and the dealership agreed with how cheap it looked compared to the wood trims. I would not even think about this trim for such a luxury vehicle. I suggest people look at it in person before ordering.

Just my opinion.
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      10-21-2013, 09:54 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bug Rx View Post
Just saw the new x5 yesterday. It was a 35i m sport. Very sharp car, and the the pictures don't do it justice.

However, I do not agree with how the hexagonal interior trim looks. Both I and the dealership agreed with how cheap it looked compared to the wood trims. I would not even think about this trim for such a luxury vehicle. I suggest people look at it in person before ordering.

Just my opinion.
Cheap? Far from it. The notion that somehow wood denotes luxury is laughable.

I once spoke to a product manager at BMW and we had a good laugh about the wood trims. He couldn't understand it either "wood has no place in a BMW" he said ... But apparently the American market is all about wood trims.

It reminds us all when bmw owned rover ... And they had an obsession with wood trim in cars.
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