@kezo Firstly (and most importantly) I’m so sorry to hear about your incident. The fact that you can talk about it is indicative of the fact that you will be able to cope with things, but we all need a pressure release valve, and it’s only human nature that our bodies and minds release it at times.
It’s a very true saying that ‘nobody cares for the carer’. My wife’s disability has ruined her life and is heartbreaking, and everyone we know feels sorry for her. However, her disability has ruined my life too, as we don’t have the retirement that we saved all our lives to enjoy and caring for her is an enormous strain on me, both physically and mentally. People (including close family) can completely overlook this. Thankfully I do have some friends who are as concerned about me as they are my wife, but others are oblivious to the impact on me.
One thing I have learned is that sometimes people appreciate you without saying anything. My wife’s late mother never once said anything about my caring role, or asked me how I was coping, but my Mum told me that she once said to her that I was her ‘hero’ for all that I did for her daughter. One of my wife’s friends told her that she was full of admiration for me as she had no doubt that if she had ended up like my wife has her husband would have left her!
Anyway, back on to the X5. I may not have made a few things clear. The M60i X5 is not a full blown M car. It’s what they unofficially call an M Lite car (like the X3 M40i – now M50i, the M340i, M440i etc). I used to crave a proper M car (probably an M5) but I think they would be too harsh a ride and, frankly, most of the dynamic handling kit would be wasted on me. I was talking to a guy at my wife’s physio centre who bought a brand new M3 Touring and took it back after 6 months, as the brakes already needed replacing and the flared rear wheel arches were constantly getting stone chips from the front tyres! He now has an M340i (M Lite) and much prefers it. The M60i X5 is frankly more like a 7 Series SUV. Very fast and powerful, but refined and luxurious, which is what I’m after, rather than a bruiser that the X5M would be.
I may also have not been clear that the prices I was referring to were for a brand new factory order cars, which I would never have considered were it not for the full VAT exemption, substantial discount on top of that and the exemption on the £5,500 first year VED (and all VED thereafter, including the over £40k supplement). This would give me more confidence than buying a high performance car used, as I wouldn’t have any worries about how it’s been driven or if anything has been ‘masked’ for sale. The other big advantages would be a 3 year manufacturer warranty (used car 12 months), a 5 year servicing plan, brand new components (tyres, brakes etc), so the only noticeable running cost is petrol (I’ve done my sums on assuming 20mpg versus the claimed 23.3mpg. Many users are reporting mid 20s and even 30 on a run due to the mild hybrid technology that the M60i added over the M50i (although this same technology has subdued the exhaust note – the M50i sounds better).
My brilliant contact has today confirmed that I have the 50e PHEV booked out for two full days next week and an M60i is being sourced for me from BMW UK for me to have for almost 3 days two weeks later. Clearly, after all of that I will know if the X5 is right for me and, if it is, the decision will be which engine. It doesn’t help that having watched virtually every YouTube review that exists on the X5, the reviews are all brilliant for every engine variant. As with all PHEVs, some reviewers mention that you can feel the extra mass / weight of the car when cornering, but otherwise they say it’s superb. The issue (again, as with all PHEVs) is that the weight means that mpg is poor when the battery is depleted. In fact, it only delivers a few mpg more than the V8 M60i. I can test all of this next month. If I like the X5 but have doubts or reservations about both powertrains, they have a 30d in stock I can try (unfortunately not the 40d, but that would only be better). Sadly, BMW have discontinued the 40i straight six 3.0 petrol variant, and the only X5 that still has the brilliant B58 engine is the PHEV!
Like you, I am a bit concerned that it might be too big, but I dislike the look of the new X3. I also share your passionate dislike of all the ruddy bings and bongs of the Hyundai (it has single handedly put me off the car too), so if the BMW is as bad it’s a non- starter and I’ll go back to looking at used! I’ll let you know how I get on!
