At 20,984 miles, during a vacation trip, the X5's warning lights told us to check the engine and coolant level, prompting a bothersome reroute to a dealer. Since the X5 is built in Spartanburg, South Carolina, we opted for the factory delivery program, which includes track safety training, off-road instruction, the most complete vehicle walk-around imaginable, a tour of the factory, and lunch--all for the cost of standard delivery. The X5 is a blast to drive in the canyons, and throttle response is fantastic. The dealer replaced a faulty motor actuator and the lock under warranty. We decided to find out. It took three weeks for that new part to arrive.
Other complaints centered on the accordion-style cargo cover that robs valuable space, is difficult to remove, and gets stuck on its tracks like a rusted-out sliding glass door. One first-time driver jumped in, tried to get comfortable, couldn't, got out, and went in search of something else - anything else - to drive. But it was still just as quick - 6. Gear ratios are perfect, the engine is powerful, and the exhaust note is enthusiastic. Customers get a tour of the plant and Zentrum Museum, a brief class at the driving school and track just behind the delivery center, and a personal handoff of their vehicle, with a thorough rundown of its features and functions.
But if you need to haul around more than a weekend's worth of stuff, get a wagon. At 7925 miles, the right-front passenger door refused to unlock. Wonderfully supportive seats make the miles easily roll by. You can squeeze three on the rear bench in a pinch, but they won't be happy on a long trip. Going fast and handling well are qualities we value in a vehicle, and the X5 delivered on these counts. BodyTypeFilter selectedBodyTypeGroupIdList, bodyTypeGroupIdToNameMap, null ; bodyTypeFilter. Take two adults, two kids, and enough gear for a two-week vacation, and you have a tight fit.
NewUsedFilter selectedNewUsedList, null ; newUsedFilter. TruckCabinFilter selectedCabinList, null ; truckCabinFilter. We ran into some snow on our way home - it was mid-December 2000 - and after some sliding around, we quickly decided that even with all-wheel drive, the stock all-season radials weren't going to get the X5 through the winter unscathed. Delivery can drag on forever, even after your new ride has been built. After some jiggling, he finally got the X5 to fire, and a dealer diagnosed a bad selector-position sensor. The X5 became a favorite winter highway cruiser because of its strong engine, reassuring road grip, and comfortable leather-clad seats. Plenty of room for us and the supplies for our tailgate party before the concert.
At the 12,600-mile mark, we encountered our first glitch: the self-leveling suspension took on an aggressive front rake, a la Starsky and Hutch's '78 Gran Torino. Our long term X5 had a pair of good cup holders in the center console,which only encouraged our staff to seek out new and more vile liquids to spill on the very nice leather seat upholstery. Carrying paper towels and a bottle of water around was not a suitable solution, so we decided to tryout Leather Wipes from Armor All. . We like the X5's familiar interior layout, with hefty gauge hump, clean center stack, rich materials, and impeccable fit and finish. The suspension warning turned out to be another false alarm.
This intriguing concept was worth a One-Year Test evaluation by our gang. There was no shortage of praise, nevertheless, for the smooth-yet-potent 4. InstalledOptionsFilter selectedInstalledOptionIdList, installedOptionIdToLabelMap, possiblyDroppedOptionsMap ; installedOptionsFilter. This crying-wolf problem occurred a couple more times. Cargo space was always at a premium whenever we traveled for more than a day. Like any buyer who orders an X5-as opposed to simply settling for one on a dealer's lot - we had the option of picking it up at the factory in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Early examples such as ours had more recalls than we like to see, but they were all addressed by the factory by mid-year.
The suspension tuning is a wonderful mix of off-road prowess with traditional sport-sedan handling. I've never had more fun driving a 'ute. My opinion is you should have any used car inspected by your trusted machinic anyway. Seems not related to wheel position. One potential down side is the presale inspection process is limited. They were 20 cents a wipe,and they worked well.
Consider the novelty factor - a truck from the people who build some of our favorite cars. Our X5 was a 4. SinceLastVisitFilter false, 1557417797197 ; listingsSearchManager. With our suspension actively dancing the Macarena, we pulled back into our dealer's service-bay to reset the suspension computer--again. Oddly, many staffers complained that the X5's windshield and rear-window glass produced optical distortion. The one weak point of road-testing brand-new vehicles is that they're brand-new. And I found the vehicle icon to show us 'driving' through the center of a lake, instead of the half-mile inland road on which we were traveling.
Maybe time would make it more endearing. We all appreciated the Sport mode, which delays upshifts and changes cogs more authoritatively, without hinting at whiplash. After 12 months and over 20,000 miles on the clock, it was time to bid our X5 auf Wiedersehen. Some 2200 miles later, another suspension problem surfaced: The rear sagged to the bump stops. Since the service-indicator lamp had illuminated just prior to that event, the dealer changed the fluids and rotated the tires at the same visit. They were recoded, and the chassis settled back down to a normal stance.