2010 X5 35d Sport Activity Package

So the big question for me, is the 2010 Sport Activity Package worth it? Please chime in.

Here is what I have so far. I had the Sport but thinking its not worth the extra couple grand. I was really going to get it for the Sports Seats over the Standard Seats but I added Multi Contour seats.

Titanium Silver Metallic
Black Nevada Leather
ZPP Premium Package
ZTP Technology Package
322 Comfort Access keyless entry
456† Multi-contour seats
494 Heated front seats
4AZ Dark Bamboo wood trim
655 Satellite radio with 1 year subscription

I also passed on the adaptive drive, which is what I would have cared about. I ordered the multi-contour seats and heated seats, also. Personally, I'm thinking I'm just not going to drive the X5 like I did my car with sport. If money is no object, then, yes, it would be nice to have. I would recommend the ipod adapter if you're into that. I loved having that in my car.

For sure no for me on the adaptive drive which is no longer part of the Sports Activity Package. I was just trying to decide if the Sports Activity Package on its own was worth it, as its mostly just minor cosmetic differences.

For me it was worth it. I love the sport seats, I like the steering wheel better, I like the rims more (and they're bigger), and I like the look of the dark headliner. The shadowline trim was a plus.

I didn't get the sports activity package because of the 19 inch wheels. I had 20 inch wheels on my 2002 x5 4.6, useless in the snow, and I assume the 19 inch wouldn't be much better. Love the other cosmetics though, tough decision. The adaptive drive, I was told, was best for offroading, which I don't do that much, and my sales person says it had a lot of problems.

Who else has an opinion? How did you order your 2010 X5?

Originally Posted by SanDiegoShaun

Who else has an opinion? How did you order your 2010 X5?

Well, it might be easiest to first list the options I didn't take, and why it didn't make sense for me:

Cold Weather package: I really did want the heated steering wheel, but I have no use for heated rear seats, and I have heard some people complain about the headlight washers needlessly messing up their hood with the spray. So I ordered just the heated front seats instead of the cold weather package.

Adaptive Drive: I would like to have this, but (a) $3,000+ takes the cost/benefit ratio out of my range, and (b) I keep my vehicles a long time, and the adaptive suspension is likely to have more problems, be very expensive to fix, and preclude the usage of non-BMW shocks down the road.

3rd row seat: No use for this, although if they offered the self-leveling rear suspension as an individual option, I might have considered that.

Premium Sound: I would have liked to get this, but again BMW bumped the price an extra $500+ by insisting a CD changer be included in the package. If Premium sound was available as an individual option around $1,000, I would have probably gotten it. But at $1,700, it just wasn't worth it to me.

Rear Climate package: Not having many passengers ever back there, no reason to get it.

Comfort access: A cool and convenient feature, but not worth it to me, considering the addition of one more thing that could go wrong with the locking and starting of the vehicle.

Then a couple of key options (to me):

Comfort seats: Quite expensive, but considering the time I will spend in them on trips, it seemed worth it to me. An old guy once gave me a piece of advice... "You spend most of your life either in bed or wearing shoes, so don't skimp on either of those." I guess you could add vehicles seats to those two and cover a good percentage of your lifetime!

Tech package: I debated about this as the nav is terribly overpriced, but (a) a Nav system integrated with the audio system, which you don't have to pack away every time you stop and leave the car, and which will automatically override the radio/music when it announces upcoming turns, is a real convenience, and (b) without the tech package, you get a smaller i-drive screen. Throw-in the other goodies like the top view camera, voice control, etc. and it seemed to make sense.


Now, I know that I have contradicted myself in (a) saying I don't want some stuff because of additional complexity, meaning more potential problems and repair costs down the road, and then (b) adding stuff like the technology package. I plead guilty; however, it again is a persona trade-off of the value you see in what something does, and the added cost and potential for problems down the road due to the added complexity.

Anyway, FWIW, that how I ended-up with my particular option mix.

Good post

Originally Posted by Penguin

Well, it might be easiest to first list the options I didn't take, and why it didn't make sense for me:

Cold Weather package: I really did want the heated steering wheel, but I have no use for heated rear seats, and I have heard some people complain about the headlight washers needlessly messing up their hood with the spray. So I ordered just the heated front seats instead of the cold weather package.

Adaptive Drive: I would like to have this, but (a) $3,000+ takes the cost/benefit ratio out of my range, and (b) I keep my vehicles a long time, and the adaptive suspension is likely to have more problems, be very expensive to fix, and preclude the usage of non-BMW shocks down the road.

3rd row seat: No use for this, although if they offered the self-leveling rear suspension as an individual option, I might have considered that.

Premium Sound: I would have liked to get this, but again BMW bumped the price an extra $500+ by insisting a CD changer be included in the package. If Premium sound was available as an individual option around $1,000, I would have probably gotten it. But at $1,700, it just wasn't worth it to me.

Rear Climate package: Not having many passengers ever back there, no reason to get it.

Comfort access: A cool and convenient feature, but not worth it to me, considering the addition of one more thing that could go wrong with the locking and starting of the vehicle.

Then a couple of key options (to me):

Comfort seats: Quite expensive, but considering the time I will spend in them on trips, it seemed worth it to me. An old guy once gave me a piece of advice... "You spend most of your life either in bed or wearing shoes, so don't skimp on either of those." I guess you could add vehicles seats to those two and cover a good percentage of your lifetime!

Tech package: I debated about this as the nav is terribly overpriced, but (a) a Nav system integrated with the audio system, which you don't have to pack away every time you stop and leave the car, and which will automatically override the radio/music when it announces upcoming turns, is a real convenience, and (b) without the tech package, you get a smaller i-drive screen. Throw-in the other goodies like the top view camera, voice control, etc. and it seemed to make sense.


Now, I know that I have contradicted myself in (a) saying I don't want some stuff because of additional complexity, meaning more potential problems and repair costs down the road, and then (b) adding stuff like the technology package. I plead guilty; however, it again is a persona trade-off of the value you see in what something does, and the added cost and potential for problems down the road due to the added complexity.

Anyway, FWIW, that how I ended-up with my particular option mix.

Interesting.

I suppose it all boils down to "gotta draw a line somewhere!"

Re: Keeping cars a long time... just replaced the transmission- original- in my MDX this past week, and literally doing the valve adjustment tonight... 205,000 miles. It's gonna be the kids car now.

Back to the garage!


A

Originally Posted by ard

I suppose it all boils down to "gotta draw a line somewhere!" A

Yeah, that's probably a more concise way to state it!

If I could afford only one option, I'd get the Adaptive Drive. After driving the X5 with and and without, it became a must have.

Did I mention this X5 is for my wife I have a 335I for me.

Lucky you. In my house, I have to drive the practical vehicle.

Originally Posted by Emerson11

Lucky you. In my house, I have to drive the practical vehicle.

I'm sure ill be in the same boat soon, the 335I lease is up soon.

Penguin, great response. Now what about your take on the activity package (you know, the topic of the thread)?

Originally Posted by jaaX3

Penguin, great response. Now what about your take on the activity package (you know, the topic of the thread)?

True would be nice to get feedback on the original topic.

Originally Posted by SanDiegoShaun

Who else has an opinion? How did you order your 2010 X5?

35d
vermillion red
adaptive drive
space saver
running boards
roof rails
multi-contour seats
bamboo
head-up display
satelite
ipod & USB
smartphone
sport activity
cold weather
premium pkg
rear climate
technology

After reading recent posts, I regret ordering smartphone.

Originally Posted by jaaX3

Penguin, great response. Now what about your take on the activity package (you know, the topic of the thread)?

As quoted in my message, I was responding to SanDiegoShaun's follow-up question of "How did you order your 2010 X5?"


But, as for the Sports Activity Package, it offered little positive, and some negative, to me, so I didn't get it.

(a) I prefer 18 inch wheels to 19 inch.

(b) Since I am getting Comfort Seats, paying for the the Sport Seats option is just wasted money.

(c) I personally abhor the looks off the Anthracite headliner, as I think it looks out of place. (Others love it, it's a matter of personal taste).

I wouldn't mind the shawdowline external trim, but $2,000+ seems a lot to pay.