missed out by a day or two, damn.

[lord_jagganath 421]

14 hours ago, Breaker said:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/audi/auction-1276430774.htm

Clarkson was astounded by the economy of those diesels....

Olaf, found a thread that may suit, http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php/131540-Buying-2008-A8-4-2-TDI

Swirl flaps and variable vane turbo issues on these hmmmmm

[Olaf 3341]

15 hours ago, Herbmiester said:

The X5 is a bus and combined with 4wd its a lot less economical than a lower CD 2wd vehicle.

Yep, can't argue that.  It is a bus, though a surprisingly refined one.  In diesel terms with the same power plant (comparing a 2008 535D touring with a 2008 X5 Msport - You've got 6.9l per 100km, vs 8.7l per 100.   Thus we're paying 1.8 additional litres of diesel per 100kms.  Interestingly, the Co2 grammes per km figure isn't significanty higher for the X5. 

 

15 hours ago, gjm said:

We're DD'ing the 500SE... (Or were until the bottom tank of the rad sprung a leak! Should be sorted tomorrow.) Can't be much worse on consumption? That said, we spend very little time sitting in traffic or driving around town.

it's got to be a cool DD, that one #8 )

14 hours ago, NZ BMW said:

I'm lucky, I walk a few blocks to my office, so most of my driving is open road where I can return down to 9L per 100km on flat motorway, if I really try. 

Photos below, it's the standard vanilla without the Motorsport, but it suits my needs. Personally I found the MS setup very harsh, so I'm happy with my 19's and normal tyres. It also seemed to have most of the options in terms of comfort and heated/cooled seats. 

 

 

looks good.  I need to drive a few to either embrace or eliminate.

[Breaker 980]

6 hours ago, Olaf said:

that's actually kind of tempting!  High mileage and complex high-end German certainly has risks.  What's to be aware of on something like this?

Only example I have is the S8 and that's worse tech risk wise lol, I haven't looked up the diesel specs but believe they are pretty reliable. More so then the 4.2 petrol, again I would research more.

the rest of our D3 example has been very robust and really I have less concerns for it then I did with our E61 550 that always seemed more 'temperamental' can't put my finger on exactly why though.

[Neal 546]

Was it the blue 535d in Paraparaumu Mazda ?

Was tempted to look, but wife is steering towards f25 X3 of late. 

Have you seen some of the super low km X5 4.8 on trade me ? Possibly a few $k per year in petrol. But must be offset by Little to spend in wear items . Think their is one with 22,009 kms 

[Olaf 3341]

3 hours ago, 3pedals said:

How big is the family Olaf?

X5 is a great open road family car in diesel, forget the arguments about it taking 70,000km to recoup the additional costs, from Day one the running costs are about half a comparable vehicle i.e a 2.2 tonne freight hauler.

We have had our for 6 years and still enjoy driving it - out handles a lot of average / large cars   and doesn't pack a sad when you load it up.

 

just four of us, William, though perhaps touring later in the year with my octogenerian mother on board as well.  Mrs Olaf likes the idea of a seven seater, though in the case of the X5 that means no spare wheel and inflates the price.... unlikely we'd really be carrying the additional gymnasts with us to a comp... so it's a 'possibility' rather than a solid 'must have' or even 'nice to have'.

The e46 Touring is too small these days for our crap for a week or more away plus my son is nearly taller than me at thirteen, so he's going to need a larger space as he grows.

the e60/61 should be fine, but the lounge-room of the X5 appeals.  It just seems so civilised.

[Olaf 3341]

4 minutes ago, Neal said:

Was it the blue 535d in Paraparaumu Mazda ?

Was tempted to look, but wife is steering towards f25 X3 of late. 

Have you seen some of the super low km X5 4.8 on trade me ? Possibly a few $k per year in petrol. But must be offset by Little to spend in wear items . Think their is one with 22,009 kms 

yeah it was at Capital Mazda, they moved it to Kapiti as it hadn't sold down here. The salesman was keen-ish: "I can have it here tomorrow".  Without next month's billing confirmed, I didn't want to waste his time.

May head up to Auckland next week.

I think I'd do a 550i rather than an X5 4.8   

[Neal 546]

Was thinking of doing something similar (Auckland) . Wife is adamant that one of my minis needs to go though before replacing her car. Wants the room to open car doors which is fair enough.

Good luck with you hunt.

[Olaf 3341]

8 minutes ago, Neal said:

Was thinking of doing something similar (Auckland) . Wife is adamant that one of my minis needs to go into storage though before replacing her car. Wants the room to open car doors which is fair enough.

Good luck with you hunt.

I've fixed that for you! 

[Neal 546]

Just now, Olaf said:

I've fixed that for you! 

I've learnt slowly that certain battles aren't worth taken on. I will make no eye contact with the wife on this one nor push the subject. There will be no hiding of the car at Barry's

[Olaf 3341]

54 minutes ago, Neal said:

Have you seen some of the super low km X5 4.8 on trade me ? Possibly a few $k per year in petrol. But must be offset by Little to spend in wear items . Think their is one with 22,009 kms 

Well I did have a couple of business suits that were green, back in the 90's.  It was latin america, so an olive suit is not outrageous,  and the other was a very unusual perry ellis number.  However, on finding that uber low-mileage X5 V8 I was confronted with it being green.  I don't object to the colour per se,... though I think it would approach sales-proof when time came to quit it.

[NZ BMW 368]

1 hour ago, Neal said:

Was it the blue 535d in Paraparaumu Mazda ?

Was tempted to look, but wife is steering towards f25 X3 of late. 

Have you seen some of the super low km X5 4.8 on trade me ? Possibly a few $k per year in petrol. But must be offset by Little to spend in wear items . Think their is one with 22,009 kms 

22k and the finish is peeling on the steering wheel... I got so angry with mine I just peeled it all off, it was shagged at 70k

[Neal 546]

16 minutes ago, NZ BMW said:

22k and the finish is peeling on the steering wheel... I got so angry with mine I just peeled it all off, it was shagged at 70k

That should not happen , did a groomer use the wrong product on the wheel ?

Edited March 8, 2017 by Neal

[NZ BMW 368]

12 minutes ago, Neal said:

That should not happen , did a groomer use the wrong product on the wheel ?

Pretty much every E70 suffers from the peeling of the matte finish on the wheel spokes. The standard wheel like my one tends to get it a bit worse than some of the Motorsport ones by the looks of it. 

I agree, it shouldn't happen on a car like a BMW. 

Edited March 8, 2017 by NZ BMW

[Olaf 3341]

so I was out today and looked around at a car yard.  salesman convinced me to drive e61 525i MSport LCI.  Not enough power.  Handling and active steering good.   "Elimination".

We looked at other options.  Their X5 3.0D was too pricey for me.  No 530 in Motorsport trim, no 550i's.

Wildcard:  Mercedes E550 AMG.  I drove it.  I luuuuuuuuuved the V8, it was exceptional.  The brakes were pretty good.  What I couldn't get past, despite playing with electronic damping control, was it was floaty, like a boat. I couldn't get past that.  But hell, what a car.  60k kms, brand new rotors and pads, Michelin PS3's, clean and tidy.  Nope, can't go there.

So, I continue on. It's starting to polarise:  looking at 530i touring, 550i touring, or X5 3.0D - examining the tipping points between lower mileage and lower c of g, vs SAV and higher miles, higher price.  

Interesting journey.  Sorry if this is boring of frustrating for you guys, I don't buy new cars often.

[Herbmiester 931]

Not boring mate it's exactly what I do  . Plus you need something to stimulate the brain, it's like a mini project. 

[Olaf 3341]

thanks, John!

F*#k me, that Mercedes V8 was just brilliant.  not power.  THRUST.  

It's true, I've never owned a V8 before.  Smooooooooth.  And almost as good as a good turbo.  But ohhhhh, THRUST.  

550i next.

[Herbmiester 931]

Having owned a few modified Aussie big bangers, I understand the feeling, I am hoping when my 335i is sorted it will deliver that feeling once again. My buddy Marks 550i is a nice drive and surprising good on juice when cruising.

 

[qube 3570]

2 hours ago, Olaf said:

Wildcard:  Mercedes E550 AMG.  I drove it.  I luuuuuuuuuved the V8, it was exceptional.  The brakes were pretty good.  What I couldn't get past, despite playing with electronic damping control, was it was floaty, like a boat. I couldn't get past that.  But hell, what a car.  60k kms, brand new rotors and pads, Michelin PS3's, clean and tidy.  Nope, can't go there.

exactly how I felt with my W211 E350 V6 3.5L. fantastic car otherwise

[gjm 3258]

1 hour ago, Olaf said:

thanks, John!

F*#k me, that Mercedes V8 was just brilliant.  not power.  THRUST.  

It's true, I've never owned a V8 before.  Smooooooooth.  And almost as good as a good turbo.  But ohhhhh, THRUST.  

550i next.

Mercs with larger engines don't actually accelerate. They reach out, and drag the horizon towards you.

[treone 649]

Olaf - what you're really saying is E61 with S85 option - next! 

[Olaf 3341]

deleted.

Edited March 9, 2017 by Olaf
deleted

[NZ BMW 368]

4 hours ago, Olaf said:

so I was out today and looked around at a car yard.  salesman convinced me to drive e61 525i MSport LCI.  Not enough power.  Handling and active steering good.   "Elimination".

We looked at other options.  Their X5 3.0D was too pricey for me.  No 530 in Motorsport trim, no 550i's.

Wildcard:  Mercedes E550 AMG.  I drove it.  I luuuuuuuuuved the V8, it was exceptional.  The brakes were pretty good.  What I couldn't get past, despite playing with electronic damping control, was it was floaty, like a boat. I couldn't get past that.  But hell, what a car.  60k kms, brand new rotors and pads, Michelin PS3's, clean and tidy.  Nope, can't go there.

So, I continue on. It's starting to polarise:  looking at 530i touring, 550i touring, or X5 3.0D - examining the tipping points between lower mileage and lower c of g, vs SAV and higher miles, higher price.  

Interesting journey.  Sorry if this is boring of frustrating for you guys, I don't buy new cars often.

One of my biggest complaints is how eager my X5 is to downshift and 'race car!' Even out of sports mode. It actually makes the car a bit more ruggard and agricultural in the way it feels when in reality the engine has loads of torque and power, espically around town. You can all rag on me for being a nana! 

That's where I think the Mercs really come into their own, especially if you can get the seven speed box like my old C Class had. But they are big and floaty feeling. 

[Herbmiester 931]

Yes plus one on the Merc 7 speed, lovely box.

[gjm 3258]

On 3/8/2017 at 6:05 PM, 3pedals said:

X5 is a great open road family car in diesel, forget the arguments about it taking 70,000km to recoup the additional costs, from Day one the running costs are about half a comparable vehicle i.e a 2.2 tonne freight hauler.

We have had our for 6 years and still enjoy driving it - out handles a lot of average / large cars   and doesn't pack a sad when you load it up.

 

On 3/8/2017 at 9:42 PM, 3pedals said:

X5 diesel is your friend Olaf - room for growing teenagers ( we have 3!!) one is "topping out" at about 176cm  and the other two are heading for 199cm

Running costs and services costs are fine / less than the V8 petrols  and fewer issues than the V8's-

All X5's eat tyres so plan for a new set every 18-25,000 km unless you don't value wet traction in which case the hard as nails variety stretch a bit further.

Running costs for an X5 - fuel and servicing - needn't be prohibitively expensive and could easily be comparable to a 5-series wagon.

Tyres is something I was thinking about this morning.

A Michelin for an X5 in a stock size (255/55-18) runs to over $600 a corner, and would likely need replacing more often than they would on a 5-series. 19" tyres are over $700 and I stopped looking at that point. (20s and 21s are available if you want them.)

I had a quick look at prices (same site, etc) for an E61. The 'vanilla' size for a 530i comes in at around $300 a corner - half the price of an X5 - and may last longer. They are a 16" tyre and a more likely appropriate 17" tyre (as found on the 530d) is around $350. Even a 245/40-18 Pilot 4 (no idea how good they are) is little more than $350.

[Herbmiester 931]

17 and 18 is the sweet spot for tyres price wise, move to 19 and things go up noticeably. As to fuel the X5 is a blunt shape and that combined with the extra weight and parasitic drag of the 4wd system will cost you at the pump. I just compare my wife's old company car, a toyota Aurion, vs my Toyota Highlander, same engine but an extra 350kg, 4wd and a brick like aerodynamic profile mean economy goes from a real world 8.7l/100 to 12.3l/100. You can't  beat the laws of physics, hold out for a decent 5 series, if you like driving it will be so much more rewarding.