At first, i hated the X6 but…...

[Ray knight]

Originally Posted by alistairg

I like this analogy. If we didn't have wet crappy pot-holed roads, plus a need for AWD to get to the mountains, I'd buy an M5 in a heartbeat.

I don't have room for two cars.... but I want something that's still fun to drive, unique to look at, and doesn't make me resent not being able to have something "fun and sporty".

I don't need the "practicality" of the X5M, and happen to love the way the X6M looks.... so it's a great solution for me.

When this one comes up for replacement though, it'll be a harder choice if the next-gen M5 is AWD....

Next gen M5 is years away though. I'm sure i'll be all over it when it comes out! I love the idea of the Audi RS7. Crazy fast AWD 4 door hatch. Its perfect on paper but.... Its no BMW. The X6M is about the closest thing to that from BMW. Thats why its making sense to me. Think of the X6 as a taller, beefed up alternative to an RS7 rather than a squashed/chopped X5 and then it becomes very appealing!

[aas5]

Originally Posted by Ray knight

Well we just took a trip last week and had the X5 cargo space stacked to the ceiling! And the 30+ MPG is really nice. I would not want to drive an M car across country with my wife and 2 kids. Heck my M5 gets 11mpg! X6M has to be worse. To me an X6M would be just a bit too hairy for a daily year round car but would be great for alone driving. If you are married with small kids you would probably see what i'm talking about there. Lol. The 35d is great (perfect) for that duty. I'm looking at the X6M more as a beefed up/tall RS7 type fun to drive car. I like the x drive and love the Driving position. The Raptor is for hauling my bikes and stuff. Its rubbish to drive otherwise. Looks cool though.

I get 18-19 mpg in my X6M on long drives and about 12 mpg on short drives in the city. I have three kids and X6M provides enough space for most of the trips, if not all of the trips. I think the emotional appeal is a lot more important to me than space (as long as there is a decent amount of space to start with) but everyone has their own priorities. How much extra do you really get with an X5 and how often do you get to need that extra space?
I think X6M has a much more aggressive stance and a different character but I am obviously biased.

[Wobbles]

Originally Posted by aas5

How much extra do you really get with an X5 and how often do you get to need that extra space?

That's actually quite an astute question. Personally, I keep having all these Ikea dreams and Home Depot fantasies, where I load my X5 till her cup runneth over with furniture, knick-knacks and things I don't even know the names of, and cart all of that home so I can be the real man that I'm obviously not.

In reality, I just like driving a mini-bus, truck, SUV, SAV whatever.

Ultimately, in my humble opinion, when we end up signing on the dotted line for a car purchase, we more often go with our hearts, and less with our heads. I mean, there's just wifey and me, no kids, no dogs, nobody else - and I drive a big bad ass X5. Can't get more environmentally unfriendly than that!

For that same reason, a family of 2 + 2 + the family pet might find it perfectly acceptable to barrel down the highway in an X6 - to each their own, and that's what makes life interesting

[AndreyATC]

Originally Posted by aas5

I get 18-19 mpg in my X6M on long drives and about 12 mpg on short drives in the city. I have three kids and X6M provides enough space for most of the trips, if not all of the trips. I think the emotional appeal is a lot more important to me than space (as long as there is a decent amount of space to start with) but everyone has their own priorities. How much extra do you really get with an X5 and how often do you get to need that extra space?
I think X6M has a much more aggressive stance and a different character but I am obviously biased.

3 small kids here as well
Yes, X5 has more cargo room, but it's not like it is twice as much
When I had it as a loner, I felt like I was driving a bus. Cargo wasn't that impressive.
As for MPG, it's not 30, but I'm getting 23 on the freeway. I'm sure you can squeeze more from the new gen.

After all, how many times you do road trips?

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by Ray knight

Now i see its purpose!!! As an X5 owner the X6 never made sense to me. Why get the same SUV with less storage space? Well i have my M5 sitting in the garage that i can never drive since its always snowing or raining or salt on the roads, etc. I have only 3800 miles on my '13!! So as a replacement for the X5? Nope. makes no sense to me still! But as a replacement for the M5?? X6M makes perfect sense! Its just as quick (maybe quicker on these roads) and i can drive it year round! It handles better than the X5 and much more sporty. So now that it makes sense, its really tempting me to sell the M5 and get the X6M! I think i would actually enjoy driving it more. I love my X5 35D for a daily driver. I think an X6M would be a great 3rd car (also have a Ford Raptor for truck duty).

Have owned the X6M and the LCI M5, I would have put a set of winter tyres on the M5 (which I did) and that made a big difference.
X6M very wide will NOT handle as well and as you say does not have the luggage space of the X5.
I now have the M6 GC CP and use winter 20" michelin Alpin PA4's on it for winter., no problems so far.

PS) 3''+ snow and it stays in the Garage though, I then use a KIA Rio 1.4 Diesel, it goes anywere but slowly

[Ray knight]

Originally Posted by AndreyATC

3 small kids here as well
Yes, X5 has more cargo room, but it's not like it is twice as much
When I had it as a loner, I felt like I was driving a bus. Cargo wasn't that impressive.
As for MPG, it's not 30, but I'm getting 23 on the freeway. I'm sure you can squeeze more from the new gen.

After all, how many times you do road trips?

About 3 big road trips/year. If cargo can't fit in mine then we would have to drive my wife's GL 350. That one rides smooth as silk but so heavy, slow and boring. I would not enjoy a 1000+ mile drive in that!

[Ray knight]

Originally Posted by JOHNBMWM5

Have owned the X6M and the LCI M5, I would have put a set of winter tyres on the M5 (which I did) and that made a big difference.
X6M very wide will NOT handle as well and as you say does not have the luggage space of the X5.
I now have the M6 GC CP and use winter 20" michelin Alpin PA4's on it for winter., no problems so far.

PS) 3''+ snow and it stays in the Garage though, I then use a KIA Rio 1.4 Diesel, it goes anywere but slowly

Not concerned about winter so much. I would keep it off the salt anyways. But our roads here are always slippery even in July. We get a lot of rain and roads are salted and cindered in the winter. So even in the summer i cannot get use from the M5's power because there is no grip. Its really not a fun car when it won't get out of the hole any quicker than my X5 35d because wheelspin and traction control. After 60mph its fun but thats all. I don't powerslide around the road or anything like that so i'm sure the X6M would handle good enough for how i drive.

[opasha]

Ray knight, I think you'll be very content with the X6M choice. It's a very nice looking vehicle .



I really do like this X5M Individual Pyrite Brown though...very elegant/unique.



You'll enjoy this video as well:

[Barbja]

That blue one in the first picture is just beautiful. If someone were giving one away, I'd take it!

Is it just me, or does that thing look lowered?

[Barbja]

Originally Posted by JOHNBMWM5

X6M very wide will NOT handle as well and as you say does not have the luggage space of the X5.

The X6 does handle well for its size though. I agree that its super-wide. I've said before, I'd prefer if it were 3" smaller in every direction. If they produced a car that's an X4 on the outside (with double square pipes) and an X6 on the inside, I'd buy it even if it were more expensive than the super-wide version (you know, like when smaller cell phones used to be more expensive than big ones).

[cy07]

Originally Posted by aas5

I get 18-19 mpg in my X6M on long drives and about 12 mpg on short drives in the city. I have three kids and X6M provides enough space for most of the trips, if not all of the trips. I think the emotional appeal is a lot more important to me than space (as long as there is a decent amount of space to start with) but everyone has their own priorities. How much extra do you really get with an X5 and how often do you get to need that extra space?
I think X6M has a much more aggressive stance and a different character but I am obviously biased.

You'll have a problem with X6 doing any trip with a party of four adults. Picking up my parents from SFO will easily fill most of available trunk space, how does one get away with X6? Especially during ski trip, some people pack so heavy for a weekend getaway. I buy a family/friends hauler for the sole purpose of .. well, hauling families/friends! Looking good doing so in x5 is just icing on the cake. Even though 90% the times it's just me and my fiancee.

I love the look of X6 but it just defeats the purpose of SUV, which then I'd rather have a 6 series for fun.

[Bimar]

Originally Posted by Barbja

The X6 does handle well for its size though. I agree that its super-wide. I've said before, I'd prefer if it were 3" smaller in every direction. If they produced a car that's an X4 on the outside (with double square pipes) and an X6 on the inside, I'd buy it even if it were more expensive than the super-wide version (you know, like when smaller cell phones used to be more expensive than big ones).

Hopefully in the next version of X4 given how Macan gas upped its game, for me could not get there on size, but men than X6 interior Is wow!!

[Kzang]

The X6M will behave just like the M5 in the snow as long as the X6M has the summer performance tires on.. If you get winter tires on the X6M then yes it will be driveable... Same with your M5... put on winter tires and you can drive it during winter too..

[NoPII]

Originally Posted by opasha

Ray knight, I think you'll be very content with the X6M choice. It's a very nice looking vehicle .

Woah! What is this colour? It's stunning....

[opasha]

Originally Posted by alistairg

Woah! What is this colour? It's stunning....

I believe it's a custom color. It's very pretty/unique.

[aas5]

Originally Posted by cy07

You'll have a problem with X6 doing any trip with a party of four adults. Picking up my parents from SFO will easily fill most of available trunk space, how does one get away with X6? Especially during ski trip, some people pack so heavy for a weekend getaway. I buy a family/friends hauler for the sole purpose of .. well, hauling families/friends! Looking good doing so in x5 is just icing on the cake. Even though 90% the times it's just me and my fiancee.

I love the look of X6 but it just defeats the purpose of SUV, which then I'd rather have a 6 series for fun.

I went on a 900 mile round trip from NY to Mont Tremblant last December with two adults in the front and three kids in the back. The trunk was full but it provided more than enough space. We had a perfect trip with no complaints about lack of space or comfort. I do these kind of trips may be 5 times a year at most so I don't need more space.

I think a guy with a GL will always look at an X5 and wonder how there is ever enough space for a fully loaded trip in an X5. After all, with the third row seats down, there is so much more space in the GL. It doesn't make the X5 any less useful. I feel the same way about an X6. it's useful in 90% of times unless you are always hauling a tone of things and need that small extra that an X5 offers.

[Ray knight]

Originally Posted by aas5

I went on a 900 mile round trip from NY to Mont Tremblant last December with two adults in the front and three kids in the back. The trunk was full but it provided more than enough space. We had a perfect trip with no complaints about lack of space or comfort. I do these kind of trips may be 5 times a year at most so I don't need more space.

I think a guy with a GL will always look at an X5 and wonder how there is ever enough space for a fully loaded trip in an X5. After all, with the third row seats down, there is so much more space in the GL. It doesn't make the X5 any less useful. I feel the same way about an X6. it's useful in 90% of times unless you are always hauling a tone of things and need that small extra that an X5 offers.

No spare tire in the X5 so we can actually fit more cargo in it than we can in the GL! You get a fairly large "extra trunk" if you don't get a spare tire. Plus the headrests in the back seats are horrible and the kids don't like to ride in it. They have 2 positions. All the way up or all the way down. All the way down they are jammed into their backs and all the way up they stick out like 4" into the center of their heads! Horrible design. Only comfortable for adults back there. This is because we got the "EZ entry" option and the headrests do not swivel so they stick out all the way. Very horrible design!!

[NoPII]

Originally Posted by opasha

I believe it's a custom color. It's very pretty/unique.

You're right.... on closer inspection you can see where someone has "cut out" a Long Beach Blue X6M and tinted it in Photoshop or similar ;p

(Look around the kidney grilles, at the front PDC sensors etc)

[opasha]

Originally Posted by alistairg

You're right.... on closer inspection you can see where someone has "cut out" a Long Beach Blue X6M and tinted it in Photoshop or similar ;p

(Look around the kidney grilles, at the front PDC sensors etc)

Good eye, I just noticed it on the windshield top area as well. Still, pretty decent Photoshop. I would love to see that color in real life on a BMW.

[vladberca]

The new X6M has a great interior, updated engine and better dynamics. It can't match an M5, but if you don't use it on tracks, it's a great toy!

[aas5]

Originally Posted by opasha

Ray knight, I think you'll be very content with the X6M choice. It's a very nice looking vehicle .



I really do like this X5M Individual Pyrite Brown though...very elegant/unique.



You'll enjoy this video as well:

opasha, what is the name of the color on the first picture? Do you know if it is available in the US?

[opasha]

Originally Posted by aas5

opasha, what is the name of the color on the first picture? Do you know if it is available in the US?

No clue. It's a custom color someone made through photoshop on top of the original Laguna Blue.