Long-Term Road Tests - 2008 BMW X5: It's mine, it's mine

2008 BMW X5: It's mine, it's mine

2008 BMW X5

Yes, I've been hogging the X5.

But it's such a pleasant car to drive. It's comfy, it's cozy and it allows you to make other motorists on the freeway a distant memory in the rear-view mirror.

I drove it down to Costa Mesa this weekend to the Orange County Performing Arts Center -- a beautiful place, if you've never been there. I tried to take a picture of the X5 outside the modern façade, but alas, my camera didn't cooperate with the bright lights vs. night sky atmosphere. So I went artistic with PhotoShop.

I used the navigation system to guide me there, even though it's super easy to find being right off the I-405. But I wanted to see how it behaved. It suggested a different route to the freeway than I would normally take, which saved me some time. It's always nice to find alternate routes in L.A., even if they only save you 5 minutes. The audio guidance was off and I didn't bother to put it on. The map clearly led me through each step of my journey.

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor @ 4,100 miles

Posted by Donna Mar 17, 2008 2:21 pm

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Categories: 2008 BMW X5 4.8i

Comments

gossard267 - Mar 18, 2008 6:55 pm (#13 Total: 13)

So in what way(s) is this vehicle superior to a 535i Sport Wagon for trips to the OC Performing Arts Center?

bimmerjay - Mar 18, 2008 8:30 am (#12 Total: 13)

"Didn't bother... or couldn't be bothered to go through fifteen steps in that Byzantine maze called iDrive? (Or couldn't figure it out?)"

ahightower, it's actually very easy in iDrive. Have you used the system much? You push the little voice button on the steering wheel and say "Voice guide on", or "Navigation info on", or any number of similar statements. There is also a little speaker icon next to the map on the display that you just click on or off. There are no menus to dig through.

karjunkie - Mar 18, 2008 7:45 am (#11 Total: 13)

What IS it with women and big SUVs???? Somehow the feminine brain finds giant SUVs "cozy". No wonder gas is pushing 4 bucks a gallon!

sabastian - Mar 18, 2008 7:27 am (#10 Total: 13)

"2008 BMW X5: It's mine, it's mine"

So would you say that the X5 is your precious?

drewsrx - Mar 17, 2008 11:31 pm (#9 Total: 13)

I like the X5, I think I'd rather have Cayenne before it.

billt9 - Mar 17, 2008 6:54 pm (#8 Total: 13)

This is obviously the best SUV there is.

jpr18 - Mar 17, 2008 6:51 pm (#7 Total: 13)

Illinois, United States of America

Donna,
I have an '07 X5 and I ALWAYS leave the voice command off. It's easy to look in the assist window when the direction arrow pops up.
It also allows me to use the excellent voice commands without interrupting the car. It's the most accurate system I've used. Try saying "FM Presets" or "100.3fm" and it will take you right there!

Any more questions about the new X5 and I would be happy to answer them. I've had mine trouble free for over a year.

dderosa - Mar 17, 2008 6:16 pm (#6 Total: 13)

Los Angeles, CA, USA

louiswei: We're locked into our current template that says "What We Bought" until we redesign it, which will hopefully be soon. We put the disclaimer at the bottom of the text so you can tell the difference. We do buy a lot of our long-term vehicles, which is more than most other Web sites and magazines.

ahightower: Didn't feel like hearing the voice and didn't need it. The map was clear enough. I knew where I was going, just wanted to sample the system. I'm used to iDrive now. It's time consuming but doesn't really bother me anymore.

ahightower - Mar 17, 2008 4:29 pm (#5 Total: 13)

Texas

Didn't bother... or couldn't be bothered to go through fifteen steps in that Byzantine maze called iDrive? (Or couldn't figure it out?)

louiswei - Mar 17, 2008 3:54 pm (#4 Total: 13)

Los Angeles, CA

Well, I guess what I am trying to find out is did Edmunds actually "buy" the X5 or was it "provided" by the manufacture like it was stated at the end of the intro. The article itself clearly was written like they bought it.

smrtypants44 - Mar 17, 2008 3:45 pm (#3 Total: 13)

i agree, if you look at the tests where they actually purchase the car, they talk about shopping around and the buying experience with the dealership, plus the haggling process. This was not contained in the X5 intro blog so i really dont see what your beef is. They were just explaining what they got and why they got it.

bimmerjay - Mar 17, 2008 3:05 pm (#2 Total: 13)

louiswei, maybe your beef is better handled by using one of the "contact us" resources or e-mailing Scott Oldham. Not sure why you keep posting the same question here, this is probably not the best channel. But anyway, I thought that was the exact reason they post the disclaimer at the end of the article: "The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation." I read the article too and my ending impression was that IL selected what they wanted and BMW provided it. That's how the LT tests are done at many other automotive publications. Edmunds' method of purchasing their cars and then reselling them at the end of the test is not that common at other publications.

louiswei - Mar 17, 2008 2:30 pm (#1 Total: 13)

Los Angeles, CA

Still got the unanswered question:

If the X5 is provided by the manufacturer then why was the introduction article written like it was purchased through normal channels? Just because of that I'd have to say that article was a poorly executed piece and will forever leave a dent on Edmunds' credibility.

Any explanation from the editors would be nice...