Hello from a new member

[cozycoupe]

[quote="LMW90"]
[quote="cozycoupe"]
Hello and welcome.

I'm new here too.  I've had a 65 plate F15 30d M Sport in mineral white for about a month now - I know it isn't exactly the same as yours but if you had any specific questions I can try and help out.

I read reviews but to be fair only take things with a pinch of salt as everyone has their own opinions.  Important things for me were space for 3 child seats, safety and an element of fun to drive.
[/quote]

Hello and welcome to you too!

Good colour choice  How are you finding the car?

That's the same with me everyone has their own opinions and look for different things. Currently have f31 335d and realising now that with 2 kids and a dog we have no room for anything or anyone else, and the middle seat you cant use as the car seats take up most room. We did look at the X3 but the X5 was a lot more practical in the way of having 7 seats (if needed) and being that bit bigger to accommodate half the house that we seem to take everywhere with us lol. Have you got any pics of yours?
[/quote]

I do love the mineral white colour.  I've had a lot of black cars in the past and I love the colour, but given the choice of a black X5 or white i went for the white.  The mineral white just stood out a bit more for me compared to the alpine white too.

I love the F15 X5.  Yes, I admit I've just come from a Citroen C4 grand picasso so it is a fairly hefty upgrade in many eyes.  That was a necessity really because of the sudden arrival of triplets.  I too have to accommodate half the house into the car!  I did manage to get stage 1 car seats and one mammoth pushchair/stroller into my old E87 1 series somehow - that is another story all together and probably worthy of it's own thread. 

For me the X5 is a comfortable car to drive.  I arrive at my destinations a little less fatigued (as much as that is possible with the kids) than in other cars.  Maybe it is the comfortable seats, the elevated driving position, the automatic gearbox or maybe just a placebo.  I enjoy having a car where I don't need to plan out an overtaking manoeuvre weeks in advance - simple things!  Having an entertainment system where I can once again hook up my iphone or ipod is something I sorely missed.  I do wonder if I should have looked for an X5 with the Harmon/Kardon option but the base level one is not bad.  The iPhone via bluetooth seems a bit on the quiet side.  I've hunted through menus and settings but can't seem to make it louder.  It is louder through the USB cable.   

I look at the X5 out of my front window and I look at it and think:  'That is a good looking car'.  For me the styling looks good.  I haven't had that feeling since my RX7 twin turbo.  Maybe it is the little exterior vents just after the front wheels! 

It is a big vehicle and I do often think about where I will park when I go to the supermarket but to be honest I had the same sort of feeling with my C4.  I think the difference in width is about 10cm between the two.  I went for a 7-seat option too as I envisage using them from time to time.  It looks like access to the 3rd row isn't as easy as the C4 though.

I can't say much about running costs at the moment.  Obviously it will be more than my previous motors.  I've not had to shell out for tyres or other consumables yet apart from fuel.  Mostly I've been driving in the eco-pro mode to see what sort of mpg i can get.  With mainly town driving and a couple of runs on the motorway so far I've managed 36.2mpg.

The only problem I've had to date is that last weekend I found I must have a leak somewhere - perhaps the panoramic roof.  I've got it booked in to get it looked at/fixed (hopefully) under warranty later this month.

I'm not sure if that counts as a review or just some of my impressions from the first weeks of ownership.  Maybe it is just rambling.  I'm fortunate and proud to own it and hope to enjoy driving it for a while yet.

I uploaded some pics to dropbox here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nu4cqkwvkwpt0xi/AAACFFxPl1MMg-URwmbZdQEda?dl=0  I'll have to add one of the child seats in the back to prove you can get all 3 in a line.  The sales person at the dealership was convinced I wouldn't be able to fit them all in.

[mogsyman]

Just a quick thought re Bluetooth.

In my F10 if you use the iPhone via Bluetooth the car does not alter the volume on the phone so you have to turn the volume up on the phone, therefore sometimes if I've had my volume down on the phone I still turn the car up but I can't hear the music. - I then turn the volume up on the phone.

If you connect the phone via cable the car takes the music at 100% volume by default.

Hope that helps 

[X5Sport]

That's the way Bluetooth is supposed to work, so normal 

[LMW90]

[quote="cozycoupe"]

I do love the mineral white colour.  I've had a lot of black cars in the past and I love the colour, but given the choice of a black X5 or white i went for the white.  The mineral white just stood out a bit more for me compared to the alpine white too.

I love the F15 X5.  Yes, I admit I've just come from a Citroen C4 grand picasso so it is a fairly hefty upgrade in many eyes.  That was a necessity really because of the sudden arrival of triplets.  I too have to accommodate half the house into the car!  I did manage to get stage 1 car seats and one mammoth pushchair/stroller into my old E87 1 series somehow - that is another story all together and probably worthy of it's own thread. 

For me the X5 is a comfortable car to drive.  I arrive at my destinations a little less fatigued (as much as that is possible with the kids) than in other cars.  Maybe it is the comfortable seats, the elevated driving position, the automatic gearbox or maybe just a placebo.  I enjoy having a car where I don't need to plan out an overtaking manoeuvre weeks in advance - simple things!  Having an entertainment system where I can once again hook up my iphone or ipod is something I sorely missed.  I do wonder if I should have looked for an X5 with the Harmon/Kardon option but the base level one is not bad.  The iPhone via bluetooth seems a bit on the quiet side.  I've hunted through menus and settings but can't seem to make it louder.  It is louder through the USB cable.   

I look at the X5 out of my front window and I look at it and think:  'That is a good looking car'.  For me the styling looks good.  I haven't had that feeling since my RX7 twin turbo.  Maybe it is the little exterior vents just after the front wheels! 

It is a big vehicle and I do often think about where I will park when I go to the supermarket but to be honest I had the same sort of feeling with my C4.  I think the difference in width is about 10cm between the two.  I went for a 7-seat option too as I envisage using them from time to time.  It looks like access to the 3rd row isn't as easy as the C4 though.

I can't say much about running costs at the moment.  Obviously it will be more than my previous motors.  I've not had to shell out for tyres or other consumables yet apart from fuel.  Mostly I've been driving in the eco-pro mode to see what sort of mpg i can get.  With mainly town driving and a couple of runs on the motorway so far I've managed 36.2mpg.

The only problem I've had to date is that last weekend I found I must have a leak somewhere - perhaps the panoramic roof.  I've got it booked in to get it looked at/fixed (hopefully) under warranty later this month.

I'm not sure if that counts as a review or just some of my impressions from the first weeks of ownership.  Maybe it is just rambling.  I'm fortunate and proud to own it and hope to enjoy driving it for a while yet.

I uploaded some pics to dropbox here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nu4cqkwvkwpt0xi/AAACFFxPl1MMg-URwmbZdQEda?dl=0  I'll have to add one of the child seats in the back to prove you can get all 3 in a line.  The sales person at the dealership was convinced I wouldn't be able to fit them all in.
[/quote]

Thanks for that. One of my main concerns was the car parks especially after being in the car at the weekend and the car next to us just flung the door open into our car, luckily for them it was my partner's VW diesel that he uses for work so he wasn't too fussed about it, but had it been the X5 the reaction would definitely have been a bit different. It still amazes me (and I don't know why anymore) how people can have such disregard for other peoples cars.  >:( :blink:

Have you had the third row seating up yet? If yes was it as easy as they make it look? I'm hoping the kids car seats don't have to be unplugged every time someone wants to get in the back.

Car seats are so chunky nowadays so I too am surprised that you managed to fit all 3. I like the idea of the middle row seating being completely flat. Having 2 little ones myself and the dog bed with harness the space is definitely needed.

Have you managed to get your car looked at about the leak you mentioned? 

[cozycoupe]

[quote="LMW90"]

Thanks for that. One of my main concerns was the car parks especially after being in the car at the weekend and the car next to us just flung the door open into our car, luckily for them it was my partner's VW diesel that he uses for work so he wasn't too fussed about it, but had it been the X5 the reaction would definitely have been a bit different. It still amazes me (and I don't know why anymore) how people can have such disregard for other peoples cars.  >:( :blink:

Have you had the third row seating up yet? If yes was it as easy as they make it look? I'm hoping the kids car seats don't have to be unplugged every time someone wants to get in the back.

Car seats are so chunky nowadays so I too am surprised that you managed to fit all 3. I like the idea of the middle row seating being completely flat. Having 2 little ones myself and the dog bed with harness the space is definitely needed.

Have you managed to get your car looked at about the leak you mentioned?
[/quote]

Yes, there are people out there who just don't seem to care about opening their doors.  Sometimes I try to park out of the way and someone has managed to jam up right beside me! 

Funny you should mention the 7-seats.  I had them up this last weekend.  The seats are nice and easy to pull up and the seatbelt fastenings are quite neat.  My preference would be (in situations where I want to use the 7-seats) to put two of the child seats in the 3rd row then 1 in the 2nd row and then i could get 2 adults in the second row just about.  I could get my child seat in the 3rd row but quickly found that despite sliding the 2nd row as far forward as I could there was little or no legroom for the children in the back.  My child seats are quite bulky to be honest (Recaro Young Sport).  Looking closer at the seats I now see that there doesn't seem to be as much depth in your thigh area.  I had to revert to plan B and my nephew had to go in the back and the 3 child seats stayed in row 2.  A bit of a bind as you may need to take a child seat (or two) out to gain access.  That was your concern.  I'm afraid I haven't seen a great way to avoid this.  In the end my nephew entered the 3rd row via the tailgate which was an option when just 1 person is in the 3rd row and they are feeling 'athletic'.  My nephew is 22 years old I think and probably 5'11.  We did a 2hr each way journey and he was fine enough.
Access isn't as easy as with my old C4 Picasso but I never expected it would be - it is a totally different beast.  I think there are a couple of ways to get the 2nd row seat to either fold or tip forward.  I only tried the fold method and it is a bit of a step to get to the back.  I need more time to have a play but time is limited!
There is a decent amount of luggage space behind when the 3rd row seats are up though.  More than other cars I have seen.  We were able to fit some small overnight bags in there.

I haven't had the leak look at yet.  It is booked in for 23rd September - I had to wait for a courtesy car.  There was some rain late last week and over the weekend and it didn't leak then.  The car was level then though so perhaps the water could drain away more evenly.