BMW X5 and X6 Forum 2014-Current
BMW Garage BMW Meets Register Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read


Post Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      06-25-2015, 10:15 AM   #1
ajob
Lieutenant
ajob's Avatar
Monaco
455
Rep
492
Posts

Drives: X5 M
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Monaco

iTrader: (0)

From 2011 X5 50i to 2015 X5 M: first impressions

SUMMARY: great progress, recommended.

More in detail:

BAD:

In both cars, in my seating and steering wheel position (I'm 1.8 m, about 6 ft tall) the top of steering wheel hides the top of the instrument panel; I cannot see the top third of speedometer, rev counter and alarms. Workaround: read the digital speed elsewhere. Future suggestion to BMW: redesign or offer a full "black panel" where instruments may be "re-windowed" by lowering the top of the display frame.


UNDECIDED:

Safety assistant features: disorderly Southern European traffic triggered a few times the automatic max braking of the collision avoidance system, a disconcerting experience that frightens driver and passengers. I will try to reduce the triggering distance.

Air conditioning of X5 M feels different and unstable (it's summer now in Southern Europe), set & forget of the 50i does not work, the new bi-level temperature wheels in the front centre vents seem to need constant adjustments. Not yet happy with it.

Infrared filtering windscreen option of the 50i is not available for the M (it's not compatible with speed limit reading camera in rear view mirror), so front occupants and the dashboard top get much hotter and A/C sensors seem to struggle while dealing with this thermal load.

The top end Bang & Olufsen system sounds unimpressive, but I still need to experiment, I may be wrong. The BO settings "studio" and "expanded" should be continuously "blendable" and centering the sound needs quite a bit of rear positioning of the fader.


GOOD:

Fuel mileage appears slightly better than 50i. Great job there, but read also "running in" further on.

LED lights are far better than bi-xenon.

New car finish is ok and is almost same colour as the old 50i - from Spacegrau to Donington, but Syrah blue leather is no more available, unobtrusive Sonoma Beige was chosen as a relaxing "peripheral" vision colour during long drives.

Advanced sports seats seem MUCH more tricky to adjust than in 50i but I'm slowly getting there, seat ventilation is definitely quieter.

The new front video camera is a great improvement in the All-round-view.

Updated iDrive menu & contents are richer and friendlier; the embedded user manual is often useful.

Rear entertainment screens are a big improvement - so says 9y daughter - but their usage still triggers an arcane front-rear fight for entertainment control. Daughter usually wins.

Car handling is definitely better (old 50i already had Dunlop non-RSC tires) and steering feels finally good enough - the 50i variable ratio steering was quite "mushy", very tiring and unpleasant at high Autobahn speeds and crosswind gusts.

The X5 M "soft mode" ride is as soft as in the 50i - no significant difference. Hardest mode is quite stiff and real fun!

New direct tire pressure and temperature reading is a great improvement.


NOTEWORTHY:

It's useful to watch the Sports display (power & torque) during running in: possibly due to fuel-saving rules, in base (non M1 or M2) configuration the X5 M engine on highways will run at 1500 rpm with 70-80 % of max torque; unless exceptional exhaust valve material has been used, this is not good (read: very unhealthy) for any engine and more so during running in -- I suggest to use M1 all the time, keeping a higher rpm and lower torque.

Under the hood: shiny "custom-machined" brackets are holding lots of parts, clearly non-mass-produced. I asked for a multiyear warranty extension, these custom made parts must be costly to replace!

There are two separate and different batteries (see picture), I do not know if it's F85 (X5 M) specific or on all F15 models. I'm wondering about the battery management logic, maybe the additional battery safeguards engine start when one battery dies due to high residual power consumption such as the prolonged ventilation after engine shut-off?

Spare mini-wheel is 19", I queried if it really fits as X5 M winter tires require 20" rims, the official answer is yes but I will soon double-check it at a tire shop rather than later during a rainy night -- and also added a BMW "mobility kit", a compressor with tire sealant.

Different gear lever logic of the X5 M needs getting used to, but quickly makes sense.

Engine noise inside more throaty and rumbling, less metallic than 50i, but at cruising speeds both cars are equally and pleasantly quiet.

Still running in, but acceleration is much stronger and engine much more responsive, more pleasant and more natural to drive, turbo lag is almost unnoticeable compared to 50i.

In this complex car it pays to remember the old aviator's proverb: "when everything else fails, read the manual"...
Attached Images
 
Appreciate 0
      07-05-2015, 07:27 AM   #2
vladberca
Major General
vladberca's Avatar
Romania
763
Rep
5,560
Posts

Drives: '18 octavia 2.0 tdi dsg
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Craiova

iTrader: (0)

Eh, you should definitely share more than one pic
Great description and comparison between the two models!
Appreciate 0
Post Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:01 PM.




xbimmers
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST