2012 BMW 550dx (AWD only)

[Laconian]

Because most people aren't rational?

Why would oil sheikhs cover their Ferraris with gold, when it makes the once-beautiful cars look like tacky abominations and it weighs down the car with a very heavy metal?

It doesn't make sense but people don't make sense.

[GoCougs]

Add your numbers up and see if it even gets close to $20,000 a year. It won't. And don't include financing. Nobody finances an $80k car.

Most $80k cars are financed - more so than even the average-priced cars. That is one of the big factors depreciation blows so bad on luxury cars - the 2 - 3 year lease cycle artificially floods the slightly used market...

[GoCougs]

According to this guy, giving the M5 more power won't do shit to it since 560-hp and torque figure is the optimal balance between performance, economy and getting all that power down using only the rear wheels.

Very smart guy; BIG difference between building a car and engineering a car, and why tuner cars almost always don't come anywhere near to performing to what their numbers suggest.

[cawimmer430]

Because most people aren't rational?

Why would oil sheikhs cover their Ferraris with gold, when it makes the once-beautiful cars look like tacky abominations and it weighs down the car with a very heavy metal?

It doesn't make sense but people don't make sense.

Buying a rusty Plymouth Volare for $ 200 makes more sense...seriously. 

[Colonel Cadillac]

Most $80k cars are financed - more so than even the average-priced cars. That is one of the big factors depreciation blows so bad on luxury cars - the 2 - 3 year lease cycle artificially floods the slightly used market...

Financed as in said owner borrows the money to buy the car or financed as in the "owner" leases the car (in which case the dealership does the financing)?

I figure a lot of people (and companies) lease those vehicles, but borrow money to buy an $80k car? I can think of two reasons to finance a car that expensive: 1) You can't actually afford it --or-- 2) You are confident in your ability to earn more from the $80k through investments than than you would be paying in interest on the car loan.

Do a lot of people borrow money to buy new high-end cars? That seems absolutely ridiculous to me.

[AltinD]

Because most people aren't rational?

Why would oil sheikhs cover their Ferraris with gold, when it makes the once-beautiful cars look like tacky abominations and it weighs down the car with a very heavy metal?
It doesn't make sense but people don't make sense.

It's NOT gold, it's wrapped foil

[hounddog]

Yeah. Look, in a vacuum, without the monetary equation in the picture, I think it's cool. I just don't see it being a particularly economical option.

Obviously, simple math aint your bag then. 

[hounddog]

A lease on one of these things is still a cool $1000/mo when it's all said and done.

Bottom line nobody is buying a 550d to save money on anything.

Uhhhh, not quite.

The lease option on our $78k X5 was about $750/mo., but we just bought ours.

I honestly do not know where you would get $1,000 monthly payment.

[hounddog]

On an 80k car? How do you figure? Financing alone at typical rates today would tack on an extra couple grand. Then sales tax. Then the $2-3K/yr in gas. Insurance. Consumables... point being, $1K a year out of even $20K/yr is not gonna be enough to take someone out of a 550i and put them into a 550d. If they were going to buy a 550d they were never going to buy a 550i

There is much to be said about being able to go 690 miles on one tank vs. 460 on a long trip.  

If I were driving to Florida, that is one less stop for fuel and only two tanks for the trip.    Grand total for me to drive to Florida in this diesel;  $127.and change vs. $182.and change for the gas 550 with three stops. (assuming the trip is 1500 miles)

I know, that is not much difference, but I could easily drive to East Lansing and back on one tank in this car  (212 miles each way) and still have enough fuel for a couple weeks driving at home.

[hounddog]

My aunt has a diesel X5.  The engine is barely audible standing right in front of it.  It's smooth as silk to drive, too.  

But I agree, buying it for the sake of cost savings is silly.  As you said, most diesels cost a good deal more than their petrol counterparts.  If they both cost the same, an argument for diesel could be made (or if gas was taxed like it is in Europe) but right now, those factors are not in play.

That is not how BMW is pricing them.

The X5d is in the upper-middle of their lineup price-wise.

The base X5 is about $47k with the X50i being about $64k and the X5 35d being about $57k.  But, the X5 35d has most of the available options as standard, more or less.

[hounddog]

And I find these mileage numbers to be wildly optimistic.  37 average MPG for this 550?   Bullshit.  My X5 might be heavier, but I can tell you that in pure highway driving, maybe you'll see 30 for a trip - maybe.  And local suburban average is much more like high teens.  Still better than gas.

A) different engine.
B) entirely different fuel efficency dynamics between a sedan and an SUV.
C) 30mpg in an SUV is staggeringly good, and, is one of the reasons we will be trading our X50i in on the X5 35d in the next two to four years.

As for this car, it does seem a bit like overkill, and I can't imagine that they'll sell a lot, but don't we want these crazy choices from a company like BMW?  They don't sell many 550i's either, but for those who want them, I'm glad they're offered.  

It plays to the anti-hybrid crowd like a rap star to young affluent white kids; it is a way to tell the establishment and all the other neophyte tree-huggers to shove it up their collective tailpipes.

[sportyaccordy]

Very smart guy; BIG difference between building a car and engineering a car, and why tuner cars almost always don't come anywhere near to performing to what their numbers suggest.

There's more to a car's performance than 0-60. You see a lot of cars w/upgrades that don't look better "on paper". But on the road the upgrades are obvious. Esp when you consider how much grip factors into 0-60. An Audi TT RS w/launch control can hang with a GT-R up to 60. But you'd be silly to say the cars are in the same performance realm.

[Colonel Cadillac]

The TT-RS isn't that far off.

[GoCougs]

Financed as in said owner borrows the money to buy the car or financed as in the "owner" leases the car (in which case the dealership does the financing)?

I figure a lot of people (and companies) lease those vehicles, but borrow money to buy an $80k car? I can think of two reasons to finance a car that expensive: 1) You can't actually afford it --or-- 2) You are confident in your ability to earn more from the $80k through investments than than you would be paying in interest on the car loan.

Do a lot of people borrow money to buy new high-end cars? That seems absolutely ridiculous to me.

Leasing is financing and a really, really bad form of it (that is, for a private owner). But yes, most luxury cars are financed - much more so then a Toyota, Honda or Chevy. BMW has by far and away the highest lease/finance rate of any make; Check this link out. Also note that is lease rate not including finance-to-own:

BMW 7 series:  85% are leased
Audi A6:  74%
E-Class:  70%
Range Rover:  70%
A4:  68%

[Colonel Cadillac]

OK, I see what you're saying. Those numbers make sense; surprisingly high, but I can see that as reality.


Those $100k luxury sedans sure do depreciate a whole lot in the first three years. I'd have to be really rich to tolerate losing that much value in so little time.

[850CSi]

Leasing is financing and a really, really bad form of it (that is, for a private owner).

Wait, are you making a blanket statement that leasing is a bad idea?

[GoCougs]

Wait, are you making a blanket statement that leasing is a bad idea?

In the most blankety of manner, yes.

[GoCougs]

OK, I see what you're saying. Those numbers make sense; surprisingly high, but I can see that as reality.


Those $100k luxury sedans sure do depreciate a whole lot in the first three years. I'd have to be really rich to tolerate losing that much value in so little time.

That's part of the conundrum - by and large the wealthy don't buy those types of cars.

[850CSi]

In the most blankety of manner, yes.

Even considering tax deductions?

[GoCougs]

Even considering tax deductions?

Only for business use.

[Colonel Cadillac]

There is much to be said about being able to go 690 miles on one tank vs. 460 on a long trip. 

If I were driving to Florida, that is one less stop for fuel and only two tanks for the trip.    Grand total for me to drive to Florida in this diesel;  $127.and change vs. $182.and change for the gas 550 with three stops. (assuming the trip is 1500 miles)

I know, that is not much difference, but I could easily drive to East Lansing and back on one tank in this car  (212 miles each way) and still have enough fuel for a couple weeks driving at home.

I don't know dude, 690 is a lot of miles to drive without stopping.

[hounddog]

Well, to start with I made a typo, I meant to write "assuming 1300" not 1500.

And, I never said you would never stop, just that you would not have to stop for gas all three times.

690 miles straight at 70 (but who goes 70 on the freeway?) would be 9 hours and 51 minutes.  So yes, that is alot of driving without a stop.  I was making a point about how nice it would be to realize the economy of the diesel.   I drive for between 2-3 hours and stop no matter how much fuel I have. 

But then again, I have a wife who has to hit the head every hour and a half so this entire discussion is moot.   

[omicron]

And there goes the exclusivity of the M badge.

[AltinD]

And there goes the exclusivity of the M badge.

BMW has always offered ///M packages for their non-M cars, so where'ss the problem? Same with AMG or now, Audi's S-Line

[rohan]

I'ld be more interested in this car then I would be a regular 550- now if I can just get my in-laws to lease one in a year I might be able to have it in about 3 years.  Make mine silver with light interior please.  (i hate the black and tan one they have now)

[Hachee]

That is not how BMW is pricing them.

The X5d is in the upper-middle of their lineup price-wise.

The base X5 is about $47k with the X50i being about $64k and the X5 35d being about $57k.  But, the X5 35d has most of the available options as standard, more or less.

I don't think you can compare the X5d to the base 3.5 on one side and the 5.0 on the other.  I'm pretty sure they don't sell too many base 3.5's.  The diesel is very close in equipment and in price to the X535i "Premium", so they're not really charging a significant premium for the diesel.  When I got mine, there was a big diesel credit, so it was either priced exactly like the gas model, or maybe a bit cheaper. 

I think most people who choose diesel in these kinds of cars do so mainly because they just want to USE less fuel.  We know we're not really saving much money, especially diesel fuel is more expensive and if we don't put on a lot of miles.  In fact, while I like the diesel, my wife, who mainly drives the car, doesn't love it, and next time around, I'd consider going back to the gas 3.5 (if I get another X5).  I certainly don't "need" the 5.0, as even the diesel provides very satisfying performance.   

[nickdrinkwater]

Perhaps the UK article is wrong...

Why would it be?  The RHD cars are not compatible with the AWD system.  This is officially from BMW.  You can always import the real thing from the UK if you want

[cawimmer430]

Why would it be?  The RHD cars are not compatible with the AWD system.  This is officially from BMW.  You can always import the real thing from the UK if you want

Ah, really? So you guys do not get any AWD BMW sedans in the UK?

When will you guys finally switch to LHD? 

[nickdrinkwater]

Ah, really? So you guys do not get any AWD BMW sedans in the UK?

When will you guys finally switch to LHD? 

Not for a while.  I guess Audi has the market sewn up so there isn't a commercial case for BMW to invest in it too.  I think you can get some of the 4Matic Mercedes cars here but not sure.

[cawimmer430]

Not for a while.  I guess Audi has the market sewn up so there isn't a commercial case for BMW to invest in it too.  I think you can get some of the 4Matic Mercedes cars here but not sure.

I know that MB sells a few 4Matic models in the UK, but I know that there were problems in the past with converting some of their cars to RHD because in their standard LHD cars the placements of all components and the steering mechanism was laid out in a logical manor. Then they had to convert that to RHD and the placement of the steering system on the right side of the car caused all sorts of design problems which naturally raised the price of the car.