These guys wanted to show off and take some cool photos near the sea and their BMW but failed and the rest of the day they spent digging their car out of the sand.
http://englishrussia.com/index.php/2...em/#more-17422
http://englishrussia.com/index.php/2...em/#more-17422
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September 1, 2010, 6:40 pm
the X5 is really not made to go off-road, particularly weighing more than 5,000 lbs with all-season runflat tires. Can it be done, sure, I've taken street cars off-road, including a 1965 Corvair in my youthful days.
But even the X5 owners manual says "Do not drive on unpaved terrain, as otherwise the vehicle may be damaged."
September 1, 2010, 7:49 pm
There are stupid people everywhere...
Craig
September 1, 2010, 8:02 pm
But even the X5 owners manual says "Do not drive on unpaved terrain, as otherwise the vehicle may be damaged."
September 1, 2010, 8:15 pm
Motor Trend Review of Diesel X5:
"Though the X5 xDrive 35d delivers the best diesel fuel economy and an exhilarating drive, it also shows glaring incongruities. Those sticky Michelins that felt so grippy on the street prove useless off-road, as does BMW's clearly street-tuned all-wheel-drive system. We managed to get our X5 stuck three times, which is three more times than either the Lexus or VW became mired. We expect more utility from a luxury SUV-especially one that costs $65,000. "Bags of fun to drive in the dry, and I really dig the motor, but the cockpit leaves me cold, the lack of off-road prowess gives me pause, and the pricetag induces heart palpitations," says St. Antoine."
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...l_economy.html
September 1, 2010, 8:19 pm
RFT's would have made flattening the tires. essential for SAND, impossible.
September 1, 2010, 8:21 pm
Correct. Lowering the pressure would not increase the tire footprint nearly as much as a non-runflat. And a 5,000 lb plus weight would aggravate the situation.
September 2, 2010, 2:16 am
But even the X5 owners manual says "Do not drive on unpaved terrain, as otherwise the vehicle may be damaged."
September 2, 2010, 9:16 am
September 2, 2010, 11:17 am
The Unimog support truck was probably not visible in the video either!
September 2, 2010, 2:13 pm
You know xdrive's problem is the open differentials (that and no low-range). I know they have traction control & other nannies to sort of approximate a LSD but it's simply not as good as the genuine article!
I wrote Quaife to see if they produce/will produce a LSD for the E70, but I haven't heard back yet.
September 2, 2010, 4:19 pm
Here's one of people stuck on the beach...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T06QkgA0OwY
(Oldie but goodie)
There are more as I recall...
Here's the promo reel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_XiB2OGghA
ANY car can get stuck. Who buys an X5 for off roading? It is a sport ACTIVITY vehicle, after all
September 2, 2010, 6:01 pm
Sicne it can't go offraod any way, BMW should just give away the M Aerodynamic package for FREE!
September 2, 2010, 11:06 pm
The question is " can you ever be happy"? Just be damn glad it has the technology to keep you on the road when you feel sporty or your love ones are in a bad spot. Stop crying , just go buy a Hummer or Tuareg and you will have something to really cry about.
September 2, 2010, 11:21 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PwZnx0Psyk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm3mYWOw-sw
September 3, 2010, 8:10 am
In Russia there's an expression that is losely translated as:
"The more expensive your SUV is, the longer is your trip for a tractor (to pull your SUV out)"
September 3, 2010, 11:12 am
Its not the X5 that is complete incompetent off road, its the tires. Put a decent off-road biased tire, and it'd do ok (to the limits of its ground clearance and lack of low range). Look at Range Rovers - they're great off road with the right tire, but the low profile sport tires on many would make them as useless in sand as that X5.
September 3, 2010, 12:29 pm
SHould have bought a jeep
September 3, 2010, 2:46 pm
Definitely tires....and in the case of the marketing video and the recent photo, a competent driver, ie. someone that knows how to keep the vehicle moving in the sand.
Getting buried in the sand has happened to a lot of off-roader's over the years, it's a humbling experience no matter what you drive. It's just that, in this case, it's a very high profile vehicle in a most inopportune situation.
September 3, 2010, 3:07 pm
+100 on the tires. I watched a Top Gear test of the X6 where Jeremy bashed it for having no off road prowess whatsoever. The following month I picked up an issue of the Top Gear Magazine ( yeah I know, I'm a huge Top Gear fan) and a team of top gear journalists took the X6 into Europe's largest wilderness close to Poland. Before they set out, they installed off-road tires, some bright rally style lights on the roof and a rack with some extra provisions. They came away impressed with its off road abilities and never got stuck even once.
You have to be somewhat of a buffoon to try and off road with High performance run flat tires. What were the owners expecting?
Article below...
http://www.topgear.com/uk/photos/wild-things-are?
September 3, 2010, 6:50 pm
Who hires the engineers who come up with such a product?
September 3, 2010, 6:56 pm
September 3, 2010, 10:59 pm
any vehicle can go "off-road". it is the process of getting back to the road that is the real challenge.
if ya'll are buying X5s to run sand, mud or other Jeep type terrains.............. well then ya'll are fools.
September 4, 2010, 2:47 am
if ya'll are buying X5s to run sand, mud or other Jeep type terrains.............. well then ya'll are fools.
You know that Hummer saying "I may not drive it off road, but knowing I can is important""
The flip side for BMW is:
"I may not drive it off road, but knowing it can't makes me angry and my penis feels smaller"
September 4, 2010, 7:09 pm
Need a little help? See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-d6AO5vLNU
September 4, 2010, 10:25 pm
OK I'll bite. ..................
chicks play rugby?
if it is a team from Happy Valley then i'm guessing they are pretty good.
September 4, 2010, 11:03 pm
Our X5 is for my wife to get to and from work safely and in comfort and style. When we want to go off road we take my vehicle, pictured below, but even a purpose built off road vehicle like mine can get stuck in the sand. All you have to do is fail to air down enough and you'll dig in. A two wheel drive dune buggy can do great in the sand primarily because of the proper tires and tire pressure. Like everyone is saying, the pics of the X5 have less to do with the X5's ability, and more to do with the inexperience of its drivers.
September 5, 2010, 1:09 am
I recently went took a tour of the BMW X5 factory in South Carolina, and also drove it on the off-road course at the Performance Center. Before I went, I was skeptical that the X5 could handle anything more than a gravel road.
However, I left very impressed. Even with 20" high-performance street tires, the X5 was able to competently navigate through 23" of water; scale steep hills with rocks, and obtain sufficient grip on just two tires to go over large, uneven mounds.
With proper tires, I'd feel comfortable driving in just about any terrain.
September 5, 2010, 1:26 am
With proper tires, I'd feel comfortable driving in just about any terrain.
That's good to hear, and I agree that tires make a big difference, but the key phrase there is "just about". There is "terrain" being driven on that no X5 will EVER cross.
September 5, 2010, 3:27 am
i have an x5 4.6 and its te worst for offroad.. but best car still.
September 5, 2010, 8:38 am
For anyone reading this thread who does take their X5 into sand: The key is to turn OFF the traction control. We run ours on the beach fairly often, and you need some wheel slip to get through soft sand.
With traction control off, the X5 is no better, and no worse, than the XC=90 and Grand Cherokees we had previously.
September 11, 2010, 4:28 pm
It's common sense. As others have stated, it's all about the tires. You can be driving the ultimate off-roading machine out there. But, if you have street tires on the truck/car, it's not going to do well off road!
Dude....I'm not even a big car buff and even I knew that!
September 11, 2010, 7:39 pm
The thought of my X5 being molested by those sand encrusted hands gives me nightmares.
September 12, 2010, 1:24 pm
Even true "off-road" vehicles get stuck at some point. The X-5 may not be a very good off-road vehicle, but this isn't proof of it.
September 13, 2010, 6:35 pm
Wide tires, Low Psi,
that truck could have done it.. not with those rims N tires tho...
that dude just learned a lot about sand...
September 14, 2010, 2:44 pm
chicks play rugby?