xDrive50i or M?

[R///MG]

Originally Posted by DuSh

Wow, that was one nicely optioned 50i

And that's still $11k short of a fully optioned out one. On BMW USA one comes out to $105,780. Don't know why one would do that over an M.

[iconoclast]

If I recall correctly my 50i M-Sport had an MSRP of $96k and then put M-Performance bits on along with 21" Wheels etc. The sad part was that when I went to shop it around after I was done with it nearly every dealer, wholesale buyer and salesperson told me that this is a unique vehicle and the average buyer going this high on an X5 is going for the X5M and that it will be very difficult to move that vehicle. Second time around I went with an X5M.

[Ibiza]

Originally Posted by R///MG

And that's still $11k short of a fully optioned out one. On BMW USA one comes out to $105,780. Don't know why one would do that over an M.

2015 X5 50i didn't have the option to order 21" 559M rims, Individual paint, Individual leather interior or Individual Piano Finish Black Trim. The mocha leather interior design, which I ordered for the 2015, wasn't available with front ventilated seats. 2015 models didn't have Apple CarPlay or Wireless/Hotspot. I didn't order rear seat professional ($2,200) or Night Vision ($2,300), add these 2 options, with Individual paint/interior/trim and 21 inch rims is the $11,000 difference.

Agreed that you should just go with a X5M as the full leather is beautiful and the headliner is stunning.

[Ibiza]

Originally Posted by iconoclast

If I recall correctly my 50i M-Sport had an MSRP of $96k and then put M-Performance bits on along with 21" Wheels etc. The sad part was that when I went to shop it around after I was done with it nearly every dealer, wholesale buyer and salesperson told me that this is a unique vehicle and the average buyer going this high on an X5 is going for the X5M and that it will be very difficult to move that vehicle. Second time around I went with an X5M.

Thus why you need to lease these high end vehicles, as at the end of 3 years it's BMWFS problem to sell, includes a well equipped X5 50i.

[abpride]

After 3 months of ownership and countless trips to the mountains, etc I can unequivocally say the X5m is the ultimate driving machine. Drove the Porsche Cayenne Turbo last week, albeit a 2014, but I'd take the X5m 10 times out of 10. As for X5 50i vs X5m I have no comparison but if you enjoy driving, buy the X5m. If you're looking for a commuter buy the x5 50i.

[iconoclast]

Originally Posted by Ibiza

Thus why you need to lease these high end vehicles, as at the end of 3 years it's BMWFS problem to sell, includes a well equipped X5 50i.

No thank you. I am not a fan of leasing or financing and there is no way I would be able to keep any car for three years let alone one being phased out in the coming months.

[DuSh]

Originally Posted by abpride

After 3 months of ownership and countless trips to the mountains, etc I can unequivocally say the X5m is the ultimate driving machine. Drove the Porsche Cayenne Turbo last week, albeit a 2014, but I'd take the X5m 10 times out of 10. As for X5 50i vs X5m I have no comparison but if you enjoy driving, buy the X5m. If you're looking for a commuter buy the x5 50i.

For a commuter I would go for 35d - saves money on fuel and time spent on gas stations

[iconoclast]

Exactly. If you go with the 40e I dont think you have the option of DHP and M-Adaptive suspension so the Diesel wins here.

[R///MG]

Doesn't Diesel have it's own issues? The Dirty Money episode on Netflix got into head about it.

[iconoclast]

I watched the DM documentary but didn't really phase me considering the non-commercial vehicles on the road are not a contributing factor in the grand scheme of things. Going after VAG or Diesel automakers in an effort to reduce NOX and greenhouse gases is like trying to lower the height of the ocean using a bucket at the shore line. The factories, energy companies and commercial buildings are the greatest creators of these factors but have the most money to deflect the issue to the average Joe so we get penalized because those with big pockets sway legislation as opposed to finding something other than a band-aid for a wound which needs stitches.

[Skyracer]

Putting aside the debate on whether human-induced climate change is real (I happen to believe it probably is), the amount of misinformation and hypocrisy about transportation emissions is truly amazing. It's always vilification of the private motorist, with virtually no mention of commercial road traffic, or more significantly, aircraft (arguably the worst polluters as they dump everything so much higher up in the atmosphere).

I don't fly a lot, and despite my penchant for inefficient cars, I don't feel guilty about my carbon footprint compared to my neighbours.

I wouldn't base my vehicle choice on efficiency or pollution factors, but that's just me.

[iconoclast]

Agreed and I you may have noticed I have a very similar belief and stance on the matter. The comical thing about the entire Diesel scandal is that the carbon footprint of waste created by investigation, the traveling, the paperwork, then the destruction of perfectly good vehicles is greater than if they just kept the vehicles on the road. I deeply believe that the powers that be were looking for any excuse to get Diesel vehicles off the road and this was a very good one because they could get the motorists angry enough to follow through and change their opinion on product versus selling them on EV. EV in itself is not any better and it just shifts the pollution to different area.

[Skyracer]

Yup, and in addition to the carbon emissions from Lithium extraction, and end-of-life disposal issues with EVs, everyone is ignoring the very real burden on our electrical grid that will result from charging large numbers of these vehicles.

I'm digressing from the thread topic so I'll be quiet now.

[kanvas]

Originally Posted by iconoclast

I watched the DM documentary but didn't really phase me considering the non-commercial vehicles on the road are not a contributing factor in the grand scheme of things. Going after VAG or Diesel automakers in an effort to reduce NOX and greenhouse gases is like trying to lower the height of the ocean using a bucket at the shore line. The factories, energy companies and commercial buildings are the greatest creators of these factors but have the most money to deflect the issue to the average Joe so we get penalized because those with big pockets sway legislation as opposed to finding something other than a band-aid for a wound which needs stitches.

So well-said.

[iconoclast]

california which is the most vocal about these types of emissions completely ignores the school buses. in an independent test of almost 500k school buses in that state nearly all failed their standards for smog, emissions and nox levels. ninety percent of all school buses in the nation are powered by diesel. if all these people truly cared about health and well-being they would get those ridiculously old school buses off the road which our children ride in and smell the entire time they are on them and these big inefficient outdated land barges idle all morning long in the parking lots during the winter months in areas that experience cold weather. you would think that if health concerns were the main factor that would be the very first place you start, then commercial transporters and commercial vehicles then go to factories etc. not start with the most efficient and newest products on the road where they make up the smallest portion of the overall amount of cars on the road and least amount of contribution in these types of smog emissions but i am going way off-topic here and do not want to derail the thread any further.

[GhostOne_322]

Get the M. Add the full Dinan Package. Beast Mode all day!!

[Ibiza]

Originally Posted by GhostOne_322

Get the M. Add the full Dinan Package. Beast Mode all day!!

Can't remove the top speed limiter with a Dinan 'piggy back'. Need a OBDII flash tune, just waiting for all dust to settle as there was a blitz of vendors announcing OBDII end of 2017.

[iconoclast]

you can get the m-driver's package and that removes top speed limiter iirc but either way is there any place in the US outside of the track that you may reach the limit let alone topping out the vehicle?

[LeopardM3]

This was a fun thread to read, enjoyed the back and forth.

I, too, wish I could've gotten the M, but the price difference was a deal breaker for me unfortunately. And, I reasoned, I already have an M3. I'll likely do muffler delete with X pipe plus Race Chip GTS and get a lot of power (though not all) that I'd get in the M - even if it's not the full experience of the M.

That said, in a few years when my law school loans are completely paid off, I may make the switch and get a CPO 2017 or 2018 X5 M.

[musa]

Originally Posted by AW2015M3

Don't feel pressured to buy the M because of the above responses ...

I will play devil's advocate here and want to highlight that purchasing the M will come with some speeding tickets (if you are "that" BMW driver" on the highway) and attract unnecessary attention - if this is a grocery getter and a baby mobile and your wife will drive it more than you do then get the X5

I dont agree with the depreciation comment, both vehicles M and non M deprecate at the same rate ...the more expensive the vehicle the higher the depreciation

Understand that the 50i has enough power that you or your wife will ever need

Spending the $20K more, even when you can afford it ....is not a wise decision ..again this is only an assumption because logic dictates that if it didn't matter to you then you wouldn't have asked the question

just my 0.02....

.....
and your wife will drive it more than you do then get the X5 ....

Careful there ... don’t assume😁....my wife happens to love performance cars, granted that now we have an empty nest.. she will not drive our other cars other than our X6M😁

[matreyia]

Originally Posted by R///MG

Good lord. Removing the seats. That's something I would never do on an X5 even if it would drop my 0-60 to 1 second. That's like something you would do on a M4 or GTR in my opinion. I used to mod my cars like the C55, C63, E55 and M3 I've had and then after over a decade of doing it I realized it's pointless. Enjoy it stock, save money and just put it towards the next model which will likely be faster stock then the previous gen you modded.

I just removed rear 60/40 seats and the 3rd row seats in my 2011 x5 50i... must have been total of 300 lbs. Had to get a helper to get each one out.
I am gutting the vehicle in order to make custom storage space and sleeping surface for long haul trips and filming/photography.

It will house a deep cycle battery for remote laptopworking for days and all drone and video equipment underneath the floor. Roof will have a rack to hold 25 gallon fuel tank and side awning. All that will weigh less than or same as the removed seats.

[JRock80]

Originally Posted by matreyia

I just removed rear 60/40 seats and the 3rd row seats in my 2011 x5 50i... must have been total of 300 lbs. Had to get a helper to get each one out.
I am gutting the vehicle in order to make custom storage space and sleeping surface for long haul trips and filming/photography.

It will house a deep cycle battery for remote laptopworking for days and all drone and video equipment underneath the floor. Roof will have a rack to hold 25 gallon fuel tank and side awning. All that will weigh less than or same as the removed seats.

This thread is 2yrs old!