Buying used X5 - need advice

I'm thinking 2010, 2011, 2012 used X5. 3.5I, comfort access and cold weather pkg, nav.

Any reasons to stick with newer other than the likelihood of lower mileage? Any options I wouldnt want to do without? This is for wife, replacing 2002 MB ML500. The seats seem flat, compared to her ML and my BMW 650 convertible w sport seats. Are there people that may have optioned in the better seats on an X5 w/o springing for the "sport" package?.
Lots of questions - thanks in advance!

Newer cars, in general, have more original warranty left.

IMO, when it comes to seats, 20-way multi-contour seats is the only way to go . . . I now have over 44,000 miles on this car . . . absolutely the best seats I have ever had.

Premium package has many of the options I have always had in my previous cars - garage door opener, rear camera (I also have the side cameras), keyless entry, etc.

Always a succor for technology, after having these I will most definitely order them again - all under the Technology Package - Heads Up Display, Automatic High Beams. Yes opinions vary about these options - for me they are every bit worth the cost.

Just purchased used; thought I had performed the due diligence with all the reading I did - and still disappointed. Truck runs and drives very well but the entertainment group is ridiculous. Mine is not a base vehicle, but the radio, etc. sure in the he!! is. Single disc cd player, no sat, and now I discover that the only way to utilize the Ipod is with the headphone port. I don't beleive I was mislead as I'm finding it difficult at best to find answers or information on just what BMW offers in it's options. I knew the vehicle did not have multiple disc or sat and went on the assumption we could utilize the Aux function for the Ipod to take the place of both as driving from Montana to the Washington coast is generally an 8 to 9 hour drive with long stretches between major radio markets. Live & learn!

Originally Posted by Dirtbag

Just purchased used; thought I had performed the due diligence with all the reading I did - and still disappointed. Truck runs and drives very well but the entertainment group is ridiculous. Mine is not a base vehicle, but the radio, etc. sure in the he!! is. Single disc cd player, no sat, and now I discover that the only way to utilize the Ipod is with the headphone port. I don't beleive I was mislead as I'm finding it difficult at best to find answers or information on just what BMW offers in it's options. I knew the vehicle did not have multiple disc or sat and went on the assumption we could utilize the Aux function for the Ipod to take the place of both as driving from Montana to the Washington coast is generally an 8 to 9 hour drive with long stretches between major radio markets. Live & learn!

I plug a USB stick loaded up with music into the USB port and then listen to all my music from there (AUX input). Not sure which vehicle you have and if you have a USB port but if you do that's the way to go.

The only reason I can think to want a multi-disc player is because you have a bunch of CD's you don't want to convert into MP3's. Even the single disc player can read MP3 recorded discs giving you ~100 songs per CD or ~600 on a DVD.

Originally Posted by sunny5280

I plug a USB stick loaded up with music into the USB port and then listen to all my music from there (AUX input). Not sure which vehicle you have and if you have a USB port but if you do that's the way to go.

The only reason I can think to want a multi-disc player is because you have a bunch of CD's you don't want to convert into MP3's. Even the single disc player can read MP3 recorded discs giving you ~100 songs per CD or ~600 on a DVD.

Theres the rub, I don't have the usb port!

Originally Posted by Dirtbag

Theres the rub, I don't have the usb port!

Then I would recommend you burn your music to a DVD as it provides roughly 600 songs capacity.

Thanks Sunny; (that almost sounds demeaning) I will study up on doing that. That sounds better to me than utilizing the Ipod.

Thanks again. Tom

Dirtbag,
What year is your X5?
Chuck

ChuckGr: It's a 2009

Originally Posted by incorrigible

I'm thinking 2010, 2011, 2012 used X5. 3.5I, comfort access and cold weather pkg, nav.

I recently bought a used 2011 50i (actual build date summer 2010).

It has most packages - premium, sport activity, premium sound, cold weather etc - but not the M. I am generally happy with everything with a few exceptions in the entertainment space. Specifically, this car does not have the BMW Apps module (and the dealers are saying it cannot be retrofitted). This module gives you a number of things: BT audio, no need for a special Y-cable to connect an iPhone / iPod to the iDrive, apps like TuneIn, album art.

If I were you, I would get a 2012 or late 2011 - build date after November 2010, in that case this option would be available.