Potential Newbie to the X6 World

[Stevie_27]

Good evening folks,

Please don't fall out with my crossing over from the Audi badge to the BMW badge, it's not my fault honest!!

It has come the time to change my Audi A4 and I'm looking to buy a 3.0 40d X6, I've had my heart set on one for ages but thought it would be a good idea to actually do some research into them as it's a lot of money to part with just because I think it looks good.

Can anyone assist in what to look for, when looking for one and also to any known faults I need to be vary about?

Can anyone clear up a rough mpg they get as I know they manufactures factors and just plucked out thin air.

Thanks in advance,


Stevie

[X5Sport]

Hello and

My 2011MY X6 returns 32-33mpg on motorway runs if treated with not too much vigour and around 27mpg in town.  I could probably get the motorway mpg up, but that means 56mph cruise speeds!

It will be worth checking that any recalls have been done.  Mine had the front propshaft replaced and a couple of security updates under recall programmes but nothing more.  No failures to date (35,000 miles from new) and significantly more reliable than my E53 X5 was.

Pre early 2011 they are 4-seat only as the 5-seat option came in only later.

As for options, Comfort Seats are a definite if you can find them, along with Pro Nav and full Bluetooth.  Mine sis on 20" Style 214 in the Summer and 19" rims with winter tyres during the season.  This makes for much better handling on slippery roads - not that it's bad on the 20" though.

This is my build spec......

Vehicle information
Type X6 40D (EUR)
E series E71 ()
Series X
Type         SC
Steering RL
Doors 5
Engine N57S
Displacement 3.00
Power 225
Drive ALLR
Transmission AUT
Upholstery EXCL.LEDER NAPPA ERW./BEIGE (NAB4)

Vehicle upgrades

Vehicle options

S230 Extra package, EU-specific
S235 Towing hitch, detachable
S248 Steering wheel heater
S2LE BMW LA wheel Y-spoke 214
S2PA Wheel bolt retainer
S302 Alarm system
S316 automatic trunk lid mechanism
S320 Deleted, model lettering
S328 Footplate, aluminum
P330 Sports package - STANDARD
S386 Roof railing
S3AH Backup camera and Top View
S3MB Indiv. Ext. Line, burnished aluminium
S403 Glass roof, electrical
S417 Roller sun vizor, rear door
S423 Floor mats, velours
S428 Warning triangle and first aid kit
S430 Interior/outside mirror with auto dip
S431 Interior mirror with automatic-dip
S441 Smoker package
S456 Comfort seat with memory
S464 Ski bag
S488 Lumbar support, driver and passenger
S494 Seat heating driver/passenger
S4AZ Fine-wood trim bamboo grain dark
S4NA Interior mirror with digital compass
S4NB Autom. climate control with 4-zone ctrl
S502 Headlight cleaning system
S508 Park Distance Control (PDC)
S524 Adaptive Headlights
S544 Cruise control with brake function
S563 Light package
S575 Supplementary 12V sockets
S5DA Passenger airbag deactivation
S5DK Side View Camera
S601 TV function
S609 Navigation system Professional
S610 Head-up display
S612 BMW Assist
S615         Expanded BMW Online Information
S616         BMW Online
S620         Voice control
S633         Preparation, mobile phone, Business
S654         DAB tuner
S677         HiFi System Professional DSP
S694         Provisions for BMW 6 CD changer
S698         Area-Code 2 for DVD
S6AA BMW TeleServices
S6AB Control for Teleservices
S6FL         USB/Audio interface
S6VC Control for Combox
S761         Individual sunshade glazing
S775         Headlining anthracite
L812         National version England / Ireland
S863         Retailer Directory Europe
S877         Delete cross-pattern operation
S880         On-board vehicle literature English
S8S2 Coding alarm signal
S8SC Telematics access request,country-spec.
S8SM Car ident. number visible from outside
S8TG Thiefproofing device
S8TH Road sign detection
S8TN Daytime run.lights adjus.via light menu
S521         Rain sensor
S522         Xenon Light
S853         Language version English

[Nictrix]

Thats the model that we have. Just coming up for 6 months ownership and still loving it.
Averaging around 30mpg but dont mind as its so nice to drive around in.
Worst thing about it is the cost of tyres, pretty much £900 for a full set of 20" RFTs.
Theres so many electrical features on these cars that make sure you check everything works as it should.
Ours has a faulty oil sensor on it that is reading too high and will need changed at the next service.
None of these cars seem alike with so many options to choose from you may have to pick which ones you really want to narrow down the market.
For us the market was narrowed by the fact we didnt want white or oyster leather and so many have this.
We were lucky in that the car we found the original owner had specced a nice car with individual paint and interior with full leather comfort seats.
I see you are in Scotland, if you are local to Paisley you can have a look around ours if you like.

[X5Sport]

The oil level issue is common across the E70 and E71.  Mine has come back from service and shown 'too high' within a day or so.  Dealer accused me of overfilling it until I pointed out that they serviced it!  They drained a bit and that was that.  Dipstick showed correct.

I almost think that they put in the amount of oil for an empty engine, not a change of oil and as a result slightly overfill it.

[Stevie_27]

I see you are in Scotland, if you are local to Paisley you can have a look around ours if you like.


That would be great, I'm in Erskine so not to far away at all. I'll pm you.

[Stevie_27]

Wow. That's some spec, you adaptive headlights are they xenons? I've spied one for sale that has adaptive headlamps but want to make sure there xenons.
Do you know what the media package and hi-fi loudspeaker system includes?

[jonolondon]

Hi Stevie - I've just bought a new 4.0d and am loving it..It is Huge though and whereas previously I had a couple of X5s in the USA and they didn't feel oversized there.. , it does feel massive on some UK roads.. An X4 would certainly feel more mangeable but less luxurious I suspect.. It is Quick too.. 

Mine is pretty well loaded but some of the options that I absolutely love are:

1) Comfort Access/Keyless Go - One of those options that once you've had it is hard to go back to not having.. you unlock/lock and start the car with the key in your pocket

2) Heads-up display - I thought this would be a gimmick I would never use but actually I find it really good, especially when you have the NAV switched on - I don't even bother looking at the map any more... it also has a useful feature of spelling out the voice commands (helpful if you're new to them)

3) Harmon Kardon sound - This is a big improvement to my ears from the crappy Porsche sound system I had in my old Cayman

The new X6s are also absolutely crammed full of Tech with a whole load of driver aids, but it's too early for me to say if they're any good or not.. I suspect that the adaptive headlights will also be great but so far most of my driving has been around town..

no idea on fuel consumption..

I also got an absolute bargain (IMO) with £20k off the price of a new X6 by buying a pre-registered car..

I hope that helps,

Cheers,
Jonathan

[X5Sport]

All X6 variants got Xenons as standard (well it was standard when I ordered mine).  Adaptives were the cost option.  They only operate if the lights are in auto, otherwise they point straight ahead.

And as noted above, the X6 does have 'road presence'.

One thing many owners miss is that only the outer headlight is lit.  The inner one houses the DRL source and is a cosmetic fake.  No high beam spot within it.  The lights are good, but just occasionally I hanker for the extra main beam spot.  Full LED lighting came in as an option in late 2011.  Expensive but supposed to be very good, especially with the clever main beam adapting capability.  Retrofitting them is (or was) seriously expensive at around £6k!

Not sure about the 'media' package as it wasn't offered.  HiFi Pro speaker option gives you more speakers (12 I think instead of 8 or 10) - inc subwoofers - higher power (600W plus) and DSP.  It might have been called Logic 7 - or was that the Audi version?  Cranked up it is very impressive.

[graemeX5]

Hi and welcome to. The forum

I cant really improve on the advice so far only to second the comfort seats option so if you can find a car with them you will notice the difference.

Personally I would look for head up display and a heated steering wheel over a lot of the options, but there are a lot to choose from. You may want a 5 seater rather than the 4 seater but Im not sure there is much difference in price between them.

Remember to take your time the advantage of getting a car from BMW is the extr warranty you would get but their prices are usually higher than the other garages, but it's worth looking at all sources for the car.

Graeme

[Nictrix]

[quote="Stevie_27"]
I see you are in Scotland, if you are local to Paisley you can have a look around ours if you like.


That would be great, I'm in Erskine so not to far away at all. I'll pm you.
[/quote]
I work in Erskine and will be there on Tuesday morning for a bit.

[max]

Chaps do you have any pictures of the comfort seats v what the alternative which I would imagine are sports seats?

[Nictrix]

There is a few pics of the comfort seats in this link
http://www.vanquishautos.co.uk/used-BMW ... ire-873526
Not the best pics but might give you an idea.

[X5Sport]

is a shot of mine.  The giveaway from outside a car is that the headrestraint has the additional front padded area and this can be set to fold either side of your head as either side is hinged. 

Standard (Sport) seats don't have this. 

They were an expensive option and with Napa leather even more so 

[Nictrix]

[quote="X5Sport"]


is a shot of mine.  The giveaway from outside a car is that the headrestraint has the additional front padded area and this can be set to fold either side of your head as either side is hinged. 

Standard (Sport) seats don't have this. 

They were an expensive option and with Napa leather even more so 
[/quote]

Is it right that Dakota leather is standard and Nappa is an upgrade, where does Merino fall into this?
I have Merino leather but not sure whether it is better than Nappa or not.

[X5Sport]

I don't remember Merino being an option for mine, but I know it came along afterwards as an 'Individual' option.

If I remember it was Cloth > Dakota > Nappa > Merino in that order - and with costs going up as well.  Cloth seats were only available on the single turbo models I think....but might have misremembered that.