Long-Term Road Test
The one weak point of road-testing brand-new vehicles is that they're brand-new. We see them at their best, and as rigorous as our testing may be, clairvoyance is not on the menu. We can't predict how a vehicle will hold up over the long haul. A 40,000-mile road test sorts out the soft spots of a new vehicle and gives prospective buyers a preview of what they might expect.
In that context, BMW's X5 was a perfect long-term-test candidate. Consider the novelty factor - a truck from the people who build some of our favorite cars. Then there was the dubious first-test factor; we had been less than enchanted by the first X5 that showed up in the Hogback Road parking lot. Maybe time would make it more endearing. We decided to find out.
But obtaining a new car is not always quickly accomplished. Delivery can drag on forever, even after your new ride has been built. Much of this lag is a function of trucking or shipping schedules. We decided to give BMW's factory-delivery program a try. 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.
It's worth the trip. 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.
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. Winter tires were not available in our 255/55R-18 size at the time, so we bought a 17-inch wheel-and-tire package (see Baubles and Bolt-Ons) from the Tire Rack.
Our X5 was a 4.4i, with V-8 power and a base price of $50,045. It was nicely optioned with 16-way comfort front seats ($1200); an eight-speaker premium sound system ($1200); a power glass sunroof ($1050); the Activity package: heated front seats, headlamp washers, a rain sensor, and a ski bag ($850); xenon headlights ($500); a retractable rear load floor ($380); an in-dash CD player ($200); and a heated steering wheel ($150). That brought the price to $55,575. Based on our initial road test, we vetoed paying $2470 for a sport-suspension package that had made ride quality unacceptably harsh.
The X5 became a favorite winter highway cruiser because of its strong engine, reassuring road grip, and comfortable leather-clad seats. The front seats are adjustable in surprising new ways. The upper and lower sections of the seatbacks, for example, can be adjusted independently. There was a downside, though, as some staffers managed to contort the seats into shapes only Plasticman could love. 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. A quick lesson in power-seat operation made her a convert.
The rear seats were judged to be comfortable by adults, with lots of room for knees and elbows. Parents liked it that belted-in kids at either end of the bench couldn't quite reach each other.
One Saturday morning after 5592 miles, the driver's door refused to latch closed. We had to disassemble the door from the inside to get at the latch mechanism in order to close the door securely. The dealer replaced a faulty motor actuator and the lock under warranty. Operating under Murphy's Law, however, we managed to damage the inner trim panel while prying it loose, and replacing it cost $790!
At 7925 miles, the right-front passenger door refused to unlock. So the motor actuator and three-pin contact for that door were replaced at the dealer under warranty.
A polite dashboard light reminded us at 16,549 miles that it was time for routine service. This big sport-ute's engine-control computer monitors how and where the vehicle is being driven - fast, slow, highway, or city - and decides when and what type of service is needed. In this case, the oil and the oil filter were replaced, and some inspections were performed. BMW does not charge for routine service for the first 36 months or 36,000 miles.
