BMW X5 3.0D Review

Overall Rating

Hard to tell it's a diesel and it's very gutsy, upmarket image + nice looking (very subjective).

Really awful ride quality; unacceptably harsh suspension; cronically uncomfortable seats; The most arrogant and unhelpful dealers in the world bar none! Totally Over-rated.

I endured a very long wait for my BMW X5 3.0D (non sport) auto 4x4, it ended up costing over £47,000 once it had been kitted out to the same level as my last vehicle which only cost £36k new with everything!

Even the initial purchase and test drive experience was totally unsatisfactory, and I should have walked away there and then, the BMW dealers I met to were so arrogant and so totally unhelpful - I knew there was a long waiting list but do they have to be quite so unpleasant, after all I was going to spend at least £40,000 - so a bit of courtesy is expected.

I specifically ordered my X5 without the Sports suspension as the dealership assured me that the ride quality of the non sport X5 was as good as the 5 series saloon, I then optioned just about every comfort and convenience option available - the salesman actually smiled at me at this point - ££££ signs flashing before his eyes no doubt! and it ended up being over £47,000 for a diesel X5.

When I eventually did get to collect my X5, lo and behold, the dealer hadn't even remembered about my ordered and paid for £350 isofix child seat and they demanded that I show them proof that I had actually ordered and paid for it before they would give it to me even though it was on my order and to rub salt into the wound, I had to go to their parts department and collect it myself!

Then to add insult to injury, When driving away from the dealership, I found out that they had not programmed the central locking to auto lock all the doors above 5mph as requested, when I complained about this, they immediately insisted that I pay them £75 extra to do this job there and then - 3 minutes for £75 - Highway robbery! especially when I had specifically asked this to be done before delivery!

Sadly, worse was to come! On my first long drive - 3.5 hrs - I found the 'soft standard suspension' and the £1400 'Comfort seats' so uncomfortable and jarring that I couldn't stand upright or even walk properly and I actually had to be helped out of the drivers seat by one of my passengers!
Diesel economy - rubbish, I had only managed 21mph on a motorway journey! almost the same as the cars fuel consumption around London (19mph urban) and this from a diesel!
I complained to the supplying BMW dealership and to BMW GB about the seats, the overly harsh ride and the very poor fuel economy and the dealership just not so politely told me to get lost! and BMW GB just kept fobbing me off!

After just 3 months, I gave up as I just could not drive the X5 for any distance or length of time! All BMW GB would do was to keep referring me back to my totally unhelpful and dismissive supplying dealership. I sold the car to another dealership at a loss but with a great sigh of releif that I had seen the last of the awful X5.

To sum up - a very bad experience with unhelpful, arrogant and dismissive BMW dealerships with a seriously over-rated and over-priced (even without options) vehicle. Never again will I darken the doors of a BMW dealership!

If you are a badge snob and don't care a jot for refinement and comfort then I am sure that you'll love the X5, otherwise steer clear!

Once bitten, twice shy!

Members' Comments onCadillacsts's Review

• Donaldmac on 15th Oct 2004

  I agree with the arrogance at both dealer and BMW UK. BMW refer everything to the dealer and the dealer is not interested once they have your money.

• Simon R on 19th Oct 2004

  I've a much different experience in Australia. I have found the dealers to be great. This is my third BMW, and the after sales service has been terrific (sounds as if we are lucky over here!)

• revvyman on 17th Mar 2005

  You fell for the 4x4 fashion. These things are dangerous, manufacturers have spent years making cars go around corners and do more than 10MPG, and then these fashion statements come along and ruin all the hard work!

• Essenbob on 27th Mar 2006

  You should have bought a Yank town car, clearly you and BMW do not mix

• JMaldenham on 4th Sep 2007

  I agree with this review because I experienced very poor service levels at 2 BMW dealerships. I approached BMW UK customers services & they did the same & just referred me back to the dealer.
  I eventually emailed BMW's chairman - guess what not response.
  
  I have also had two very costly £600 + incorrect diagnosis of a gearbox problem (going into safe home mode) by 2 dealerships. One dealer stated that it was a minor electronics communication problem between the traction control & the gearbox the second could not find the defect.
  Sadly the gearbox failed rather dangerously shortly after the second BMW assessment. £4600 for a new replacement. I see from the US Forums & hear from the gearbox reconditioning companies that the ZF gearboxes have problems & that they are now regularly replacing them.
  
  Not a glamorous ownership proposition for me either.