BMW dealers thankful for this new Thanksgiving arrival

My local dealer has a couple in stock, and this evening I went for a test drive. Very, very impressive for an SUV, but still cramped compared to Escalade, Navigator, Merc GL etc. etc. The BMW's third row is tiny, suitable for pets not people. However if you never carry more than four people then this SUV would be my favorite ahead of the Range Rover Sport.

Well, that's pretty stupid to compare it to the Escalade, Navi or GL, because those trucks are all about 10" longer. Isn't it about 190" long? Well, the GL is 200" (same as the Q7), and I think the Navi and Escalade are both even longer. They're in very different classes. I think the X5's only 100% competitor is the Acura MDX. It may not have the prestige, but it's about the same size, has a third row, and is supposedly fun-to-drive. But it's no X5.

Well that's pretty stupid to assume that people only cross shop vehicles that are almost identical. Do you have evidence that every single potential BMW X5 purchaser considers only the X5 or MDX and nothing but the X5 or MDX?

ACTUALLY:
I'm not even considering the Escalade, Navigator, Merc GL , Q7,or anything larger.
They are TOO BIG.
I considered the ML, FX, and the X5.
I'm getting the X5

Yes, only cars that size, MercBasher. Why would anyone shopping for an X5 even CONSIDER a big, cheap, clumsy Navigator or Escalade? Just a little stupid.

Every SAV dealer was supposed to get E70's last saturday, but not show them until today.
Im not sure when I'm going to get my 3.0is, but I'm excited!

BTW, just got back NYC. Nothing too important car-wise, except for a few things,
I saw about a dozen Ecsape hybrid taxis, and 2 Highlander hybrid taxis.
I saw the updated A4 cabriolet.
I saw the new Nirto.
And, in Times Square, Jeep has a Wrangler Unlimited up on a wall. Pretty cool advertising.
Weird thing I noticed, but ALL of the crown vic taxis were model year 1998+.
Here in Illinois we have old crappy cabs that are dirty and smelly. No fair! :)

It's 3.0SI, not 3.0is. How dare you get your own car wrong!

BMW is so weird... 4.8is, 4.8si. Different cars! 750il, 750Li. Different cars!

Whoa, sorry. I was thinking of when BMW always puts "i" after the number.
No such thing as 4.8si

Did anyone notice the spelling error on MID?
"Automatic progran"... 'n' when it should be 'm'.
I hope they correct that ASAP.

it's not mispelled, the second half of the "m" is just beyond the edge of the menu bar. Turn the iDrive knob to the right one click and you'd see the whole thing.

how right you are.. its the one to beat. i am liking this car a lot.

my local dealer had one over a week before thanksgiving.. i was at the Audi dealer and one drove by going to the BMW dealer right down the road

well.. thats the end of the q7. Good timing.... although I priced the X5 at the dealer yesterday.. it was 67K. comparable Q7 was a lot cheaper.. maybe enough to warrant a test drive (60). anyone driven these back to back?. I havent driven the Q yet.

They're very different. Q7 is about ten inches longer. Most people wouldn't cross-shop them. I've driven the Q7 but not the X5. The Q7 is responsive, pretty nimble for a big SUV and beautiful, of course.

s4.. are you int he market for this type of car?.. are you looking at the x5?. why wouldnt i want to cross shop these? are you suggesting the GL is more comparable to the Q in terms of size etc. and the ML is more of a direct cross shop?

I can't believe this is a new model. In many ways it seems the same as it's predecessor. I would have hoped for a more dramatic improvement between models.