Comments on my 35d after two months

I was really impressed with the Touareg TDI but ultimately decided on the X5 for it's better handling and style. It also ended up costing less after all the discounts were applied.

2012 X5 35d, Factory order;

- Sparkling Bronze Metallic
- Oyster Nevada Leather
- Dark Bamboo wood trim
- Premium Package
- Premium Sound Package
- Sport Activity Package, 19" wheels
- Multi-contour seats
- BMW Apps
- Destination & Handling

$65,945 MSRP
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-4500 ECO Credit
-750 Loyalty Credit
-4500 Dealer Discount
+1200 OEM trailer hitch installed
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$57,395 My cost + tax, title, and $600 dealer fee

I struggled with these two options but believe I made good choices;

(1) I really wanted to upgrade to the 20 inch wheels (style 214) with fender flares but stuck with the 19s . The 19" wheels look okay and are probably the smarter choice for better gas mileage and bad weather traction (all season tires). Also, I hate tramlining and didn't want to risk more of that with the lower profile 20" tires. That said, the 20" 336 style wheels look awesome on the X5, perhaps I'll pickup a used set ... no ... must resist!

(2) I'm using the X5 to tow 5000 pounds. I probably should have ordered the self leveling rear suspension but didn't want to spend $1500 as part of the 3rd row seating package (which I didn't need). Fortunately the rear sag from the boat trailer is minimal (couple inches max). For the limited amount of towing I do there is absolutely no issue.

Comments;

- Diesel torque is awesome, accelerates instantly at any speed. I'm getting 26mpg highway (at 75). About 22 overall. Towing with the diesel is amazing, pulling a 5000 lb load without effort. Great range at 600+ miles.

- Engine noise is a bit louder than I expected but isn't really noticeable at highway speeds. At low speeds and parking lots you are constantly reminded that your driving a diesel, not like an F-350 but it's clearly present. If cost and MPG were no concern, I probably would have gone for the 50i. That said, I'm very pleased with my 35d decision... the uber torque, eco credit, and better MPG easily outweigh the engine noise.

- Ride quality is firm but not too harsh over bumps. Handling is way better than anything I can use in Florida.... I do laps on highway entrance ramps for fun

- Premium radio is excellent, well worth the money. Bass can be a bit boomy but that's easy to control with the equalizer. Still waiting on my new iPhone 5 to try the BMW Apps feature. I plan to use the USB/Lightning cable so the snap in adapter in the center console just gets in the way. From what I've read it's very difficult to remove.

- The 4 zone climate control = FAIL ... first, there is no "All" button between the driver and passenger, nor between the front and rear for that matter. So you're constantly adjusting two knobs instead of one, that's not progress!

The rear climate settings are not easily overridden (requires a deep dive into iDrive). The old style red/blue BMW vent temperature adjustments are also controlled through iDrive (not very convenient). Overall I find the AC is not able to keep the car cool when the outside temp rises above 90+ degrees. I need to shut off the rear climate in order to force more air to the front, and also set the AUTO switch to "Intensive".

- Front bumper sensors don't turn on automatically while driving forward at slow speeds (like the GL-450). Not sure why BMW doesn't enable that. It's pretty convenient when pulling forward into the garage. You shouldn't have to press a button.

- All the other features are great, contour seats, keyless access, nav, rear and top view cameras, etc.

- I'm warming up to the iDrive controller but wouldn't mind a few more dedicated buttons for simple tasks. At least you can use the programmable dash buttons to perform common task, e.g. navigate home or bring up the Radio's Tone panel.

- I'm still getting used to buying diesel. Typically a station only has a single diesel pump, and it's inevitably blocked by someone pumping gas.

So overall, she's a keeper. I just wish the climate control system worked a bit better.

jd
2012 X5 35d

Good info!

Ours is very similar - we do have the 214's and 3rd row.

Nice report. I have the gas version. I waffled as the wifey said finding diesel is gonna be a real hassle, even though I thought it drove fine and didn't notice any excessive noise that everyone told me I would hear when test driving one.

My drive report is similar, but I wanna cry when I hear what great mileage you are getting and I'm sitting here kicking myself now. We are getting around 18 combined miles at the moment - only hs 500 miles. I had hoped for better, but when it's rated at 16/23, it's no surprise. I'm really kicking myself as a result I just hate paying more for gas than I need to, but I walked the plank and can only blame myself. Powerwise, they both felt the same to me when I test drove the diesel.

The car is just fun to drive otherwise...But there are a few downers, other than the gas mileage.

1.) I find there's a lag/jerky sensation when starting from a stop. I'm told this is pretty normal for the X5 and because it's a turbo. It's not a deal breaker, but in 2013, I would have thought these issues would be 100% resolved by now. I am driving beaters that accelerate more smoothly. But again, I love BMW's so it's something I have to live with.

2.) I find the brake pedal to be too far out so when going from the gas pedel to brake takes a lot of thought and effort. Both the wifey and I find ourselves having the seat way back and the steering wheel way out to minimize the effect.

3.) I don't have the premium audio and I now realize that it needs it. It's not terrible by any stretch, but for $60K, I expected more.

p.s: be careful with using the new iphone 5 in that car. it's not be fully tested and I think you could run into potential problems.

Enjoy the ride. I'm still in break-in mode for another 500 miles or so.

Originally Posted by x5x5

Nice report. I have the gas version. I waffled as the wifey said finding diesel is gonna be a real hassle, even though I thought it drove fine and didn't notice any excessive noise that everyone told me I would hear when test driving one.

My drive report is similar, but I wanna cry when I hear what great mileage you are getting and I'm sitting here kicking myself now. We are getting around 18 combined miles at the moment - only hs 500 miles. I had hoped for better, but when it's rated at 16/23, it's no surprise. I'm really kicking myself as a result I just hate paying more for gas than I need to, but I walked the plank and can only blame myself. Powerwise, they both felt the same to me when I test drove the diesel.

The car is just fun to drive otherwise...But there are a few downers, other than the gas mileage.

1.) I find there's a lag/jerky sensation when starting from a stop. I'm told this is pretty normal for the X5 and because it's a turbo. It's not a deal breaker, but in 2013, I would have thought these issues would be 100% resolved by now. I am driving beaters that accelerate more smoothly. But again, I love BMW's so it's something I have to live with.

2.) I find the brake pedal to be too far out so when going from the gas pedel to brake takes a lot of thought and effort. Both the wifey and I find ourselves having the seat way back and the steering wheel way out to minimize the effect.

3.) I don't have the premium audio and I now realize that it needs it. It's not terrible by any stretch, but for $60K, I expected more.

p.s: be careful with using the new iphone 5 in that car. it's not be fully tested and I think you could run into potential problems.

Enjoy the ride. I'm still in break-in mode for another 500 miles or so.

Congrats on your new car! Sorry about the gas mileage. I am getting about 23-24 so far on my D. Also in regards to your points.

1) The X5 35i exhibits a big delay when accelerating from a stop (make it any N55/8spd auto combination BMW). This is not present in the diesel with 6 spd auto, instant power in the diesel. This made the choice pretty easy for me. A lot of people claim they don't have a delay but every X5 35i I drove had it. Your post confirms it wasn't resolved even on MY13.

3) Premium audio honestly sucks, its a waste and I wish I didn't get it. Standard audio is no worse in my opinion. Interested in hearing the DIRAC setup.

Originally Posted by jdanek

The rear climate settings are not easily overridden (requires a deep dive into iDrive). The old style red/blue BMW vent temperature adjustments are also controlled through iDrive (not very convenient). Overall I find the AC is not able to keep the car cool when the outside temp rises above 90+ degrees. I need to shut off the rear climate in order to force more air to the front, and also set the AUTO switch to "Intensive".

- Front bumper sensors don't turn on automatically while driving forward at slow speeds (like the GL-450). Not sure why BMW doesn't enable that. It's pretty convenient when pulling forward into the garage. You shouldn't have to press a button.

Nice write-up, thanks for sharing.

I agree about the "weak" AC on the X5. The AC could barely keep up with the 95F+ summer days in TX.

I was also surprised the front bumper sensors do not automatically activate when driving forward at slow speeds. With my Lexus, I got used to using the front sensors as a guide when pulling into the garage or parking space.

jdanek, for the trailer hitch option, can I order that option separately now that I have the car in hand or can this only be done when you do a "factory order"?

I have the climate on a programmable button. Saves some driving in the I drive for turning the rear off.

I also bought a similarly priced X5 last month. Similar discounts as well. I have the Sport package and the 20" wheels and like them a LOT. I negotiated trading in the more expensive OEM Dunlop Run Flats for a set of Continental DWS all season tires as my primary objective is to use this vehicle for snow skiing and High Performance Summer tires would not work well in 2 feet of snow. The DWSs are a bit quieter and they also ride a bit softer as well so the ride now has a bit more "cushion" than it had with the Dunlops which is a good thing. The sidewalls on these are still plenty stiff so the handling is still VERY good. Only difference is that these don't have the additional weight in the tire of the inner rubber and that additional lack of flexibility in the tire when going over bumps. All in all, the Conti's appear to be a FAAR superior combo with the 20-inch rims.

Fuel economy is averaging 24.5 in a mix of 50/50 highway/city driving (probably more city) so I have not yet had a chance to take her on a long interstate ride to find out if I can do much better. I came from a pretty efficient 750Li that averaged around 19MPG so 5.5MPG increase is a pretty nice result. Not certain about other places but Diesel actually sells for LESS around here than Premium (anywhere from 5 to 10 cents less) so my monthly costs should drop quiet a bit.

Air conditioning - The original posters post simply doesn't make any sense AT ALL. This is an SUV and as such, it has a large volume of air in the interior. You HAVE to cool ALL that air in order to get the truck cool (only logical) and as such, you would WANT to leave the rear A/C on (possible FULL ON for a period) until the ENTIRE air volume was brought down to a cool level. Turning off the rear air only makes the problem WORSE, not better as you are closing off 50% of your cooling capacity. It's like saying that the refrigerator isn't cooling fast enough so you decided it makes sense to leave the door open in an effort to get it to cool better? WTF? Crank up the A/C (both front AND back) and let us know how that works out for ya. Personally, mine froze me out the first time we used it.

Stereo - I have the Premium audio as well and like it (close to the Logic 7 so is not bad) but probably would not have ordered it if I had have this one built instead of taking one off the lot. Nice to have but probably would have rather spent that $1,500 on other things.

I am still learning this new iDrive and it appears to be a LOT better than the one in my prior '06 750 but don't know what the OP was talking about regarding "programmable dash buttonS"? There appears to be a programmable STEERING WHEEL BUTTON just like on my prior 750 but nothing on the DASH itself that is programmable. Also, it appears to be a SINGLE BUTTON rather than any type of "group"/button(S). Perhaps he just made two back-2-back typos with his description?

I had the dealership add the hitch as well and was expecting a bit more with the "programming" since such a big deal was made of it (Dealer MUST do it, etc). For the other poster in this thread, the Hitch can NOT be added from the factory as there is no such option. You CAN buy the hardware and wiring hardness yourself (for around $700 discounted 10%) and then take it to the dealer for them to program it (approximately another $190). In the end I paid my dealer their (cost) of $890 to add it to my deal. The programming just turns off the rear park assist when backing up once an electrical connection has been made to the trailer. It does not change camera angles AT ALL and does not provide any "close up view" of the hitch any different than the standard rear view camera already provides.

PS - The only "problem" I have had with the truck so far has been the lack of a spare tire (due to 99.99% of these coming from the factory with run flats rather). I HATE the extra cost of run flats and (intentionally) don't have the 3rd row seat. We do have a 3rd row in our Highlander Hybrid and now that the youngest child is 9, we hardly ever use it anymore. It can be nice to have if you NEED to get 7 people in the truck (2 MUST be children way back there) but the reality is that few actually NEED that functionality. Unless you order the spare from the factory, it's an arm & a leg @ $365 retail for that spare. 3rd party companies are probably making a killing selling after market spare kits because BMW does not even offer the composite part number that is in the US catalog (36110007376 that was SUPPOSE to have retailed @ $279) so you either have to buy from BMW or one of the 3rd parties and almost all of them are around the same price point. I worked out a deal to have the dealer provide it to me at "cost" but even that is (reported) to be $300 after taxes so in the end, it seems like BMW REALLY REALLY does NOT want people to have the old traditional spare tire option available to them on these trucks.

PPS - I also considered the Q7 & the Porsche Cayenne Diesels. Audi was too HUGE & honestly seemed "bland" to me and the Cayenne was almost the exact opposite (sporty, nice styling). Both those two were quieter than the X5d. The Porsche was simply too expensive in the end being $14,000 MORE than the equally-equipped X5d that I bought. If money were no issue, I probably would have went with the Porsche but then again if money were no option I also would probably have been looking at Diesel's in the first place so...

Programmable Dash Buttons are just below the CD slot...radio channels, NAV commands, or I drive commands can be programmed by pressing and holding.

The main thing I noticed with my BMW X5 35d is when it can downshift at below 2000 rpm if I ease up my accelerator a bit. I have just got used to that to save fuel.

I agree with the noisy idle diesel. I noticed it, but I don't mind it. The strange thing is that my old car has quieter idle but far nosier road noise. So, it is just a matter of different sound. Cars are still way to noisy anyways.

Great car, enjoy

We have a 2012 X5 diesel as well. Had a disturbing ticking sound for first 2500 miles. It was something wrong inside of welded SS exhaust just ahead of converter. Mechanic insulted me and blew off problem at around 1500 inspection. Said it was normal!! for the exhaust shieding. Exhaust shielding is soft componetry with a foil cover and some sort of inert insulation inside....totally incapable of producing a sharp ticking sound. Anyway the problem went away at around 2500 miles. Since then the experience has been awesome. We get high twenties on trips running 75 and consistently around 26 to 27 locally.

We just drove up 81 from Martinsville, VA last Sunday evening. 81 was loaded up with emergency boom trucks heading north for hurricane. Winds were gusty and rain was often heavy. It was a nerve wracking drive late at night surrounded by big trucks. The x5 handled this better than any vehicle I have ever owned. It was rock steady with strong gusts and just provided the visibility needed with the wiper system to run with the trucks and pass them when opportunity allowed. We were running 75 at night in heavy rain and strong winds. Traffic was running that speed so I had to run it.

THis kind of situation is when a BMW X5 stands tall providing performance and safety for the occupants when the conditions are marginal. The vehicle is totally worth the price and my wife now loves it. I had to talk her out of a 535 initially, but now she sees why the ride height, visibilitly, and occupant safety is standout on the X5.

Best overall performing vehicle I have ever owned.

Your AC issue could be just as simple as low fan speed. In auto mode it choses the speed. I travel to AZ, so direct sunlight on a hot day is an issue for ANY auto AC car. Just manually raise the fan speed, the AC will still maintain the temp. It is all about airflow through the cabin.

Originally Posted by Snowytrail

Programmable Dash Buttons are just below the CD slot...radio channels, NAV commands, or I drive commands can be programmed by pressing and holding.

Ah, I see now. I am new to this one and thought that those were only audio programmables. Did not realize they could be used to program NAVI or other things (like climate settings). I will have to play with them now...

I have my wife's cell phone# programmed in No 1. I just wish there were more than 6 buttons...

Originally Posted by boatpi

Your AC issue could be just as simple as low fan speed. In auto mode it choses the speed. I travel to AZ, so direct sunlight on a hot day is an issue for ANY auto AC car. Just manually raise the fan speed, the AC will still maintain the temp. It is all about airflow through the cabin.

Agreed... even on the Auto-Intensive setting, the AC simply isn't blowing strong enough. I've gotten into the habit of manually increasing the fan speed to quickly cool down the cabin. That said, I shouldn't have to do that on a regular basis. Our previous GL-450 automatically starting out with the fans blowing at full speed, then lowering accordingly as the temp dropped. The X5's Auto-Intensive setting simply needs to be kicked up by 2 or 3 fan-clicks.

I really just want a SINGLE knob to set all four zones, especially after my kids crank up the rear temps to 85 . Even when I set the rear climate to "use driver settings", any changes to the rear temp control immediately override my setting in iDrive. So the next time I drive the car, the front controls are set to 75 while the rear controls are at 85 (and I wonder why the cabin isn't cooling down)

jd

Originally Posted by moshenfreke

we have a 2012 x5 diesel as well. Had a disturbing ticking sound for first 2500 miles. It was something wrong inside of welded ss exhaust just ahead of converter. Mechanic insulted me and blew off problem at around 1500 inspection. Said it was normal!! For the exhaust shieding. Exhaust shielding is soft componetry with a foil cover and some sort of inert insulation inside....totally incapable of producing a sharp ticking sound. Anyway the problem went away at around 2500 miles. Since then the experience has been awesome. We get high twenties on trips running 75 and consistently around 26 to 27 locally.

We just drove up 81 from martinsville, va last sunday evening. 81 was loaded up with emergency boom trucks heading north for hurricane. Winds were gusty and rain was often heavy. It was a nerve wracking drive late at night surrounded by big trucks. The x5 handled this better than any vehicle i have ever owned. It was rock steady with strong gusts and just provided the visibility needed with the wiper system to run with the trucks and pass them when opportunity allowed. We were running 75 at night in heavy rain and strong winds. Traffic was running that speed so i had to run it.

This kind of situation is when a bmw x5 stands tall providing performance and safety for the occupants when the conditions are marginal. The vehicle is totally worth the price and my wife now loves it. I had to talk her out of a 535 initially, but now she sees why the ride height, visibilitly, and occupant safety is standout on the x5.

Best overall performing vehicle i have ever owned.

+1

Originally Posted by jdanek

Agreed... even on the Auto-Intensive setting, the AC simply isn't blowing strong enough. I've gotten into the habit of manually increasing the fan speed to quickly cool down the cabin. That said, I shouldn't have to do that on a regular basis. Our previous GL-450 automatically starting out with the fans blowing at full speed, then lowering accordingly as the temp dropped. The X5's Auto-Intensive setting simply needs to be kicked up by 2 or 3 fan-clicks.

I really just want a SINGLE knob to set all four zones, especially after my kids crank up the rear temps to 85 . Even when I set the rear climate to "use driver settings", any changes to the rear temp control immediately override my setting in iDrive. So the next time I drive the car, the front controls are set to 75 while the rear controls are at 85 (and I wonder why the cabin isn't cooling down)

jd

Try setting the temps to the minimum and hitting the MAX button...produces tons of cold air on mine.

Originally Posted by Snowytrail

Try setting the temps to the minimum and hitting the MAX button...produces tons of cold air on mine.

I thought hitting the MAX button automatically set the temps to the minimum.