traumadoc

Have a RR HSE and love it. Yes it's slow. The supercharged is slower than the normally aspirated Escalade. It can also be quirky and expensive to fix when out of warranty (next year).

Had a Lexus 470 and LOVED it. Was a bit mushy and top heavy in 99 but I understand that this was fixed. Loved the 3rd row of seats. Wait and check out the new body style due out soon....

The G is just not a good daily driver. Ride quality and handling are issues. Have to wrestle with it a lot. Caveat: Almost bought one (twice) and still thinking about one. I just love the looks...

BENZGal

You are correct in that the G55 is in a class of it's own. I was just looking for something with power and have yet to see something line up to the G55. The X5 is cheaper with a good amount of power and a more practical option for me. I doubt I will ever test the 0-60 in this type of ride. LOL
It has enough giddy up for what I am using it for.

My SA also told me that the G55 has had recalls and problems. I am so done with that kinda stuff. I was always happy with my previous BMW's.

Ted Baldwin

........you are quite right, the G55 has its quirks like most modern Mercedes cars. The major recall problem was in the pre-2005 non Kompressor G55's that had transfer case problems. The Kompressor G55 recall issues involve the dreaded secondary injection pump problem which is indeed a major pain in the neck. I understand one's desire to avoid it.

.......for completeness and to further make it clearer that the X5 and G55 are not similar performance wise.......I wanted to point out that the difference in 0-60 acceleration is NOT 0.6 secs. It is 1.2 secs. The G55 does 0-60 in 4.7secs and the X5 does the same in 5.9 secs, while the Cayenne turbo does 0-60 in 5.1 secs. 1.2 secs difference in 0-60mph acceleration is like the difference between a Ford Pinto and the space shuttle.

Ted

silversurfer

Ted just wants everyone to know ...THE G55 IS FASTER THAN THE X5!! HEY EVERYONE.... THE G55 IS FASTER THAN THE X5!!

Ted Baldwin

..........thanks for the chorus, but that was not my point. G55 being faster than the X5 is already well known. Even a little child knows that. My attempt was to totally separate them from the same same performance category. Those that race understood what 1.2 sec difference in 0-60mph means. Sorry you missed that. Beside that, the X5 is a tall sedan and the G55 is a truck. Competitors to the G-wagen include the Range Rover and the Hummer H1 and H2. Mercedes then raped the competition by bringing out the G55, which as it stands now is in a category by itself. The Range Rover Sport would have been a competitor to the G55, but it is a slouch. The G55 will have a competitor when GM makes 500HP H1 or H2. The only similarity between a G55 and an X5 is that visually they are both big and tall, but so are the Excalaide and Honda Pilot.

Ted

silversurfer

Ted, I agree with everything you're saying but whether you like it or not...a percentage of X5 buyers will always consider a Gwagen. Most of them will decide that it's too "trucklike" and that it's not what they're looking for. Regardless, they're in a simliar shopping category. Sorry.

BTW, I do "race" and I'd have to say that 1.2 seconds 0-60 is not akin to Pinto vs. Space Shuttle...it's a tad closer than that. For the majority of vehicle buyers...as much as you might not like it...the X5 (especially the V8 models) is plenty fast enough. Anything under 6 seconds is pretty darn fast. Granted, my Ariel will get to 60 in under 3 seconds, so that might give you some context about where I'm speaking from.

p.s. Excalaide?

2000BEAST

Go for the BMW - you can join the umteen gazillion others who have that same rig. I my (very upscale) neighborhood, I see X5, after Cayenne, after Range Rover over and over again - almost a dime a dozen. I rarely see another G and I kinda like that. The G is so different, I can easily see it being in one of my garages 20 years from now - timeless and distinctive. Not sure too many X5 owners would make that statement.

Ted Baldwin

.......I must be missing your point since I already said the same thing two posts ealier. My point is that the G55 and the X5 are not really in the same category. Not in original platform design, not in off road ability not in acceleration. If as you say you already agree with above, then no problem.

From two posts earlier;

.........This has nothing to do with not liking the X5. I don't like the Hummer either but I think they are competitors to the G-wagen. The ML and X5 are competitors and Mercedes is fast developing a smaler SAV to compete with the X3. Again my point is that the G55 is in a separate category with no serious competitor.

.........of course one can place any car they wish in their shopping category. I am torn between a used S65 and a Ford GT, but I know that the only similarities between these two cars are that they both run tires and burn petrol.


Ted

55fanatic

Benzgal, how you thought about a porsche? with the discontinuation of the Cayenne for 07 you should be able to steal one from a dealership...

Cousin just bought one out here for 15k off... Cayenne S two tone leather interior stock 20s and a great sounding exhuast!!!

Kev04C320

Yeah, someone in my apartment complex just traded his 208 CLK55 for a Cayenne Turbo S. I received an email that they're doing special year end sale at Herb Chambers Porsche with "hassle free" 16K off on all the remaining Turbo S. Probably can get more if you sit down and haggle a bit more. 20K off would be a steal!

55fanatic

its where he got it from Chambers... Im not a huge fan of the chamber motorgroup but hot damn they can def set customers up with GREAT deals!!!

Kev04C320

Especially at year end sales, they always give you a good deal to move more cars. Their sales team is actually alright, but their service team sucks big time.

I saw two designo Mystic White SL550 and an Albaster White / Berry Red SL55 sitting in Somerville's Chambers the other day, drop dead gorgeous.

55fanatic

All I would like is for my E500 sport to magically mutate in to an E55 with the EXACT set up I have now except with maybe a charcoal interior

BENZGal

Wow....thank you for telling me about the Cayenne. I looked at it online and I like it. More HP then the X5 and better looking. Cool stuff. You guys on the board rock!

BENZGal

Thank you for the info Kev. I will give them a call.

BENZGal

Muah <3

BENZGal

Ted,
I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I got those 0-60 numbers off a web site and must of read them wrong. I agree with you about people that race seeing a huge difference in the 0-60 numbers. It makes it a bit different in my mind when I am looking at SUV's. I will not be racing around in what I buy. It would be super dangerous to myself and anyone else out there to push a G55 or another SUV to the limit with all that weight and height. Can you imagine being the poor person that gets hit by a flying G55?

I was looking more for feedback on the two vs. comparing them.

I took a camera pic of the tree hanging out of the car that day and would love to share it with you guys. This is what started my whole quest. Enjoy...lol

55fanatic

you are a GREAT owner!!! Actually use your vehicles the way the Germans intended...

Alexbenz

wtf................thats harsh girl..........messing up those nice a$$ seats........

hahahahah

bzliteyear

we had a bmw X5 4.4i w/ 19" sport pkg and navi - fully decked out.
although my wife enjoyed driving it around because it looked nice, i personally thought it most things poorly. it's difficult to accelerate from a stop smoothly, the gas mileage was very poor, and the 19" wheels are actually not very comfortable. as for sporting traits, although it does well for an SUV, it's still pretty lousy vs. sport wagons like the 540i Sport. also, i think the trunk is tiny. lastly, i found the reliability to be very poor. we had a new engine at less than 40k miles while stranded on hwy 5 in the middle of nowhere, and also many other electrical/fan/pixel issues.

i'd still reco going w/ an MB, and certainly not the first model year of a BMW.

FloridaE55

Thats why I would recommend the 4.8is. I def. agree not to pick the first MY of a new car.

What MY was your X5? I'm asking because the X5 couldn't be considered reliable in the first few MYs of production, but our 2006 is running without a single glitch so far...

Talking about the Cayenne S, doesn't that actually have less hp (340?)than the 4.8is and being slightly slower? I also doubt that the Cayenne would have a better gas-mileage..

55fanatic

there was also a common not so publicised problem with the more recent years in the X5... they had a NASTY problem with airbags... they would just pop randomly. A friend of mine had a fully loaded 2005 3.0 X5 on lease and his brother was driving it, was waiting at a light and the entire left side curtain blew as well as the door bags. We didnt believe him at first but even BMW admitted to it. I did some research and discovered that there was a class action lawsuit from a number of owners against BMW NA

Thought I would also throw that out there, I started a thread about it in the OT section here

BENZGal

Thank you for the feedback. That sucks about being stranded! I only get 9mpg in my 211, so anything over that is an improvement for me. lol

Are the problems you faced common?

BENZGal

I was also looking at the 06 X5.

I am using my cell phone while on vacation to look up stats. I guess I need to wait to use a computer to get my stats right. I thought the Cayenne had a limited edition with more HP? My mistake.

Alex,
I had something down to protect the seats and only took it one mile. lol

55fanatic,
I'm half German so I thought I would help MB add one more feature of hauling trees to the list. lol