2016 X5 M Individual

[Luca42]

Originally Posted by tastelid

Luca how much of a wrap are you doing?

I had the full front end wrapped (hood, fenders, bumpers, lights, fog lights), plus the A pillars, mirror covers, door inserts, rocker panels, front roof and patches behind all four wheels. They also wrapped the lip under the rear hatch.

The guys did a great job.

[Luca42]

Originally Posted by aas5

Congrats on your new cool M. What is the process for ordering an individual X5M? I spoke with a couple of dealers earlier this year and they didn't know it was available for X5 or X6.

If you have the patience, it's worth it. The first thing you need is a dealer who is aware and willing to commit to the process. As mentioned earlier, the Individual options for the X5/X6 M cars are limited right now -- two individual paints (Pyrite Brown and Azurite Black) and five individual leathers (Smoke White, Taupe, Amaro Brown, Cohiba Brown and Nutmeg). (Compare that to what UrbanExtant and I call the Full Individual program, where you can choose any color under the Sun and have it incorporated in your car).

Next, your dealer/CA will have to submit the request for an Individual car to regional/national parties for approval. Here's where it gets murky for me. My car was approved by the dealer and then the dealer got it approved by their regional manager and it finally made its way to BMW AG for approval. At that point, the production number is matched with your Individual build and makes it way into the system to be built.

My build was approved in late September and I got a production number then. Watching the progress on myBMW, it didn't change (my CA had to print VIRs that reflected the status of the car). My car sat in stage one for about eight weeks before they built it (mid November)-- I assume that is what it took to manufacture the interior leather pieces.

Good luck. Hope that helps.

One good resource for me was the BMW Canadian website. That site shows not only the leathers but the exterior colors. My thought process was if they are making that car in SC and shipping it to Canada, they can make it here and leave out the shipping.

[Luca42]

Originally Posted by AwesomeM3

Congrats on your new ride! The color combination is stunning! Nice to have a unique color combination. Enjoy and have fun!!!

Thanks Awesome. Thanks also for all the information on your winter set up and offering to put me in touch with your guys. I appreciate that.

[Luca42]

Originally Posted by NickRac

Gorgeous - any more pics of the dash/console?

Thanks! I have a whole bunch of them, but the forum won't let me upload them. I spent an hour last night trying to resize them and they still would not accept them.

Hopefully I will have time this weekend and I'll post them in a separate thread.

One thing I will say is that the carbon fiber looks especially good in the early morning or at sunset. It's the combination of the soft light, the accent lighting and the colors (brown and white leathers, piano black and CF pattern) that make it both elegant and sporty. The carbon takes on an almost three dimensional aspect in the light.

[aas5]

Originally Posted by Luca42

If you have the patience, it's worth it. The first thing you need is a dealer who is aware and willing to commit to the process. As mentioned earlier, the Individual options for the X5/X6 M cars are limited right now -- two individual paints (Pyrite Brown and Azurite Black) and five individual leathers (Smoke White, Taupe, Amaro Brown, Cohiba Brown and Nutmeg). (Compare that to what UrbanExtant and I call the Full Individual program, where you can choose any color under the Sun and have it incorporated in your car).

Next, your dealer/CA will have to submit the request for an Individual car to regional/national parties for approval. Here's where it gets murky for me. My car was approved by the dealer and then the dealer got it approved by their regional manager and it finally made its way to BMW AG for approval. At that point, the production number is matched with your Individual build and makes it way into the system to be built.

My build was approved in late September and I got a production number then. Watching the progress on myBMW, it didn't change (my CA had to print VIRs that reflected the status of the car). My car sat in stage one for about eight weeks before they built it (mid November)-- I assume that is what it took to manufacture the interior leather pieces.

Good luck. Hope that helps.

One good resource for me was the BMW Canadian website. That site shows not only the leathers but the exterior colors. My thought process was if they are making that car in SC and shipping it to Canada, they can make it here and leave out the shipping.

Thank you. I wish they had more exterior colors available.

[AwesomeM3]

Originally Posted by Luca42

Thanks Awesome. Thanks also for all the information on your winter set up and offering to put me in touch with your guys. I appreciate that.

Not a problem, happy to help! I still haven't put my Winter set on yet, the temperatures in NJ this week were in the 50s, and this weekend it will be close to 70! I'm not complaining, but I'll have to put the Winters on soon regardless, the snow will be coming!!

[journeyguy]

OMG ! da BOMB is here and I am late in joining the party. Congrats ! Luca........I wish I could wait like you to order that individual smoke white.......Cheers my friend. Enjoy !!!

[Luca42]

Originally Posted by journeyguy

OMG ! da BOMB is here and I am late in joining the party. Congrats ! Luca........I wish I could wait like you to order that individual smoke white.......Cheers my friend. Enjoy !!!

Ha! Thanks Journey. It was worth the wait.

How are you enjoying your ride?

[UltimateManga]

Hell yeah that is 1 smoking hot looking machine congrats and enjoy!

[Luca42]

Originally Posted by UltimateManga

Hell yeah that is 1 smoking hot looking machine congrats and enjoy!

Thanks Ultimate! It's a blast.

[Vassilis1971]

Congrats Luca! Awesome looking ride. Enjoy and good health.

[tastelid]

Luca are you worried about denim or other things staining that pristine leather? That is what pushed us away from anything but black...

[Luca42]

Originally Posted by Vassilis1971

Congrats Luca! Awesome looking ride. Enjoy and good health.

Thanks! Seeing photos of your car convinced me to go with azurite. Thanks for all the advice and help.

[Luca42]

Originally Posted by tastelid

Luca are you worried about denim or other things staining that pristine leather? That is what pushed us away from anything but black...

I was (I am ).

In the past, I would not have considered anything but the black leather. But I wanted to try something new.

I recognize that this interior will be more maintenance than a darker leather. I have a 7 year old son who plays soccer and basketball and is fast friends with dirt. We will learn together.

When the car was wrapped, I had a GTechniq protective coating applied to the leather. We will see how that holds up and repels stains. I like how it kept the leather soft and supple. But I'll also pay more attention to staining. There will be no eating or drinking in the car, for the foreseeable future. I keep a few towels in the car in case we get dirty while we are out.

UrbanExtant highly recommends the LeatherMasters products and I intend to use them. I'll let you know how it goes.

[AlexLou1222]

I see stains on my Aragon brown color interior after 2k of driving. Tried leather cleaner but still can't clean it off completely.

[UrbanExtant]

I definitely recommend the LeatherMaster leather care products. I have the Mugello Red interior on my X5 M, which, while not as prone to staining/discoloring as Luca's Smoke White will be, will show wear over time that a black interior would not.

I applied the leather barrier product to the seat bottoms, and the leather protection cream (matte version) to everything else the day I took delivery. The products provide a barrier between skin, jeans, clothing, etc. and the actual leather. Water will bead on top of the leather now, and not absorb into it, but the leather feels as soft and supple after application, as it did before.

After about eight months, and almost 8k miles of wear, the seats in my vehicle look as they did the day I took delivery. Any time they've gotten dirty, and I've been concerned, I scrub them clean with the "strong cleaner", and then reapply the leather barrier and the matte finish protection cream, and they look like new again.

It's not often products will live up to my expectations, but these products definitely do. Attached is a photo of my arsenal of cleaning/protection products.

[alexc93]