Awesome vehicle, and navigation is a must have

There were two events in my life that drove the purchase of the BMW X5. One was the fact that our little family was growing and my wife's convertible Mustang is obviously not a family car. Further, the Mustang has been a magnate for collisions having been in its third while my wife was 8 months pregnant (everyone is fine, but that was the final straw).

So, I needed a larger car and I wanted a car that had as many airbags as I could find, and the X5 delivers with eight airbags (including two optional side impact bags in the rear seat area which arrive deactivated from the factory and should not be activated with children in the rear seats). It didn't hurt that the X5 is a BMW with the associated quality and beautiful appearance.

So on to the experience. I live in the Bay Area and couldn't get an X5 from a local dealer. I was able to find one in L.A. and it finally arrived yesterday. The drive from L.A. to my home is roughly 8 hours. I have never had an 8 hour drive go so quickly. Sure, I was distracted because it was a new car, but it was so comfortable....I never once had to wriggle around in the seat due to discomfort (I opted for the optional 16 way adjustable seats in front and am very glad I did).

I have driven the route from L.A. to the Bay Area numerous times, but opted to use the optional navigation system for fun. It is an outstanding feature. No need to view maps. It breaks into the audio (radio, cd or tape) momentarily with a soft female voice to alert you to the next move to make. You can view your progress on the color LCD and can adjust the scale from a 50 mile view down to 400 feet (when you get down to 400 feet, you can see gas stations and major landmarks such as parks and hospitals). You can even search for various categories such as City Hall, Library etc and it will provide directions. Even though I tried to deliberately take the wrong route, it would quickly recover and would recalculate new directions. Depending on your speed and remaining miles, it will even display your estimated time of arrival. Overall, the navigation feature is very cool (and productive) option.

As for ride and performance, it was a pleasure. I was not off-road (and likely, never will be) but the I-5 freeway was undergoing repair and there were some rough patches. The X5 rolled right over them as if they didn't exist. The acceleration (I got the 4.4, 8 cylinder engine) is explosive and handling very tight, but not too tight (which came in very handy in negotiating the never ending caravan of unpredictable heavy trucks).

Some reviews have indicated that the steering is difficult at low speed(parking lot speed), I did not have this experience. I opted not to get the sports package which has lower profile tires (and wider tires as well, perhaps the difficult turning can be attributed to this feature, I don't know).

The only problem I have found with my X5 is that when I unlock the car and back up, a warning chime sounds and text on the display indicates that the rear tailgate is open when in fact it is not. With regard to the tailgate, I did not get the rolling floor feature and now wish I had. When the gate is down (and if you are short), it can be difficult to reach into the back compartment.

If you can afford this car, it is worth every penny. You will not regret your decision. It is safe, comfortable, very quick and rides extremely well and is great looking.