Debating moving back to a Model X for my wife, who is coming from a BMW X5 45e. I have now been spoiled by BMW quality and their fit and finish is amazing. With that said, the recent price drops on Model X have us thinking about going back to having one EV and one ICE. I do not like the BMW iX at all, but worry about the usual Tesla quality issues. For folks who have taken recent delivery of a Model X, or those looking to purchase with new pricing, any issues/concerns with quality?
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Back to Model X from BMW X5 45e????
- Thread starter sarugby4life
- Start date
Tessellation
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Haven't encountered any quality issues with my 2023 Model X Plaid.
I test drove the iX before getting my Model X, and was impressed with its ride quality and interior (especially the glorious B&W sound system). I just hated the exterior looks, and the raw performance couldn't compare to the Plaid. Curious what you don't like about the iX, as a current BMW owner?
I test drove the iX before getting my Model X, and was impressed with its ride quality and interior (especially the glorious B&W sound system). I just hated the exterior looks, and the raw performance couldn't compare to the Plaid. Curious what you don't like about the iX, as a current BMW owner?
So, we are on our first set of BMWs. I daily drive an X5M which is absolutely hands down the best car I have ever owned. The 45e was for my wife as she appreciated the interior on the BMW a lot more than any of our Teslas. With that said, the 45e is slow to charge, and I do miss the overall convenience of a pure EV.
Like you, I cannot stand the exterior styling of the iX. If the G05 X5 platform was full EV, I'd buy one tomorrow. Glad to hear that it sounds like the quality has improved a bit with Tesla! First world problems having to make such decisions
Like you, I cannot stand the exterior styling of the iX. If the G05 X5 platform was full EV, I'd buy one tomorrow. Glad to hear that it sounds like the quality has improved a bit with Tesla! First world problems having to make such decisions
My neighbor owns the newest X5 45e (he traded his 1-2 year old one for it because they doubled the electric motor output or something), so I've driven it. It's a gorgeous car inside and out, but as it doesn't have a third row, it didn't meet my needs when we were shopping for my wife. I realize this isn't exactly what you asked, but I figured I'd lay out some of what I feel are the important differences in the hopes it might get you thinking about how far apart the two cars are.
45e pros:
-The interior is true luxury. Getting in an X after you've been in a 45e makes you understand all the people that say Teslas aren't luxury cars. Material fit and finish, tactile experience virtually everywhere, and ergonomics are just so much better than in the Tesla it's hard to compare them.
-Buttons, switches and knobs. This is probably polarizing, but even though I don't generally mind managing everything with a touchscreen and couple of buttons on the wheel, I prefer more controls.
-Purchasing and dealership experience. Not much to say here; it's a traditional car sales model, so the dealers give a crap about their customers and BMW doesn't drop the price of their vehicles 30% over the course of a year routinely (even though I've only ever benefited from this as a 3-time Tesla owner)
-Not fully electric. This might be a con, but depending on your use case, i could see it as a pro also. The added range and ease of refueling on road trips in the 45e are nice to have, especially when you get the plug in usage for daily commute.
-Standard tech that works. Stuff like auto sensing wipers, backup cross traffic sensing, top down camera views for parking, etc. Everything they promised when you bought the car is already there and works, as opposed to Teslas empty promises (explicit or implicit).
MX pros:
-Technology. Like the luxury component for the 45e, Tesla is so far beyond the competition here it's almost difficult to compare them. Spotify/netflix/youtube integration, a GPS system I actually use (unlike literally every other built-in GPS in a car), huge display, insanely useful phone app controls, falcon wing doors, auto open/closing front doors, even minimal stuff like geofenced garage door opening and ride height settings.
-Performance. The 45e is what I'd call a quick car, but even when you max out the power settings and really hammer on it, you're still only getting part of the power of even the base level MX. Tesla has truly ruined me on car buying because they give you performance that beats other manufacturer's top of the range cars for entry-level prices. With such a small, flat hierarchy of cars in their stable, they don't need to worry about less expensive models eroding sales from their halo cars. BMW, Audi, MB, Porsche all do, and it shows. Not just straight line performance, either. The MX is not built like a traditional SUV and you can feel it when you drive it. I wouldn't call it nimble by any stretch, but it doesn't feel like driving a large, top heavy SUV, either.
-Capacity. Since the Teslas have been designed from the ground up as EVs, you get to use some of those little spaces that aren't being used by traditional ICE components. The 45e is still very much a ICE, and even the iX (and all of BMWs EVs) are still using their gasoline-equivalent chassis. Despite the fact that the 45e is a much larger car on the outside, I felt the MX actually gives a good deal more space on the interior.
-Sound system. I'll say it now - the sound systems in modern Teslas are the BEST I've ever experienced. Better even than the B&W systems in BMWs and B&O systems in Audis. I read an article by an audiophile awhile back that was talking about this, and how its the result of Tesla's horizontal integration of components. Since they control everything about their constituent components, they're not dealing with whatever crap they got from B&W or B&O (which, as someone with B&W speakers at home, are nowhere near the real thing) or other supplier just to get that badge on there. The MX sound system is amazing.
-Tesla charging network. This one speaks for itself. I suppose it's less of a point since the 45e isn't a true EV and you can fuel it with gasoline, but still.
These are just some of the differences. It really depends on your priorities. I love BMWs, and have owned more than 10 of them over the last decades, but the advantages they offer just aren't as important to me as those of the Tesla. YMMV.
45e pros:
-The interior is true luxury. Getting in an X after you've been in a 45e makes you understand all the people that say Teslas aren't luxury cars. Material fit and finish, tactile experience virtually everywhere, and ergonomics are just so much better than in the Tesla it's hard to compare them.
-Buttons, switches and knobs. This is probably polarizing, but even though I don't generally mind managing everything with a touchscreen and couple of buttons on the wheel, I prefer more controls.
-Purchasing and dealership experience. Not much to say here; it's a traditional car sales model, so the dealers give a crap about their customers and BMW doesn't drop the price of their vehicles 30% over the course of a year routinely (even though I've only ever benefited from this as a 3-time Tesla owner)
-Not fully electric. This might be a con, but depending on your use case, i could see it as a pro also. The added range and ease of refueling on road trips in the 45e are nice to have, especially when you get the plug in usage for daily commute.
-Standard tech that works. Stuff like auto sensing wipers, backup cross traffic sensing, top down camera views for parking, etc. Everything they promised when you bought the car is already there and works, as opposed to Teslas empty promises (explicit or implicit).
MX pros:
-Technology. Like the luxury component for the 45e, Tesla is so far beyond the competition here it's almost difficult to compare them. Spotify/netflix/youtube integration, a GPS system I actually use (unlike literally every other built-in GPS in a car), huge display, insanely useful phone app controls, falcon wing doors, auto open/closing front doors, even minimal stuff like geofenced garage door opening and ride height settings.
-Performance. The 45e is what I'd call a quick car, but even when you max out the power settings and really hammer on it, you're still only getting part of the power of even the base level MX. Tesla has truly ruined me on car buying because they give you performance that beats other manufacturer's top of the range cars for entry-level prices. With such a small, flat hierarchy of cars in their stable, they don't need to worry about less expensive models eroding sales from their halo cars. BMW, Audi, MB, Porsche all do, and it shows. Not just straight line performance, either. The MX is not built like a traditional SUV and you can feel it when you drive it. I wouldn't call it nimble by any stretch, but it doesn't feel like driving a large, top heavy SUV, either.
-Capacity. Since the Teslas have been designed from the ground up as EVs, you get to use some of those little spaces that aren't being used by traditional ICE components. The 45e is still very much a ICE, and even the iX (and all of BMWs EVs) are still using their gasoline-equivalent chassis. Despite the fact that the 45e is a much larger car on the outside, I felt the MX actually gives a good deal more space on the interior.
-Sound system. I'll say it now - the sound systems in modern Teslas are the BEST I've ever experienced. Better even than the B&W systems in BMWs and B&O systems in Audis. I read an article by an audiophile awhile back that was talking about this, and how its the result of Tesla's horizontal integration of components. Since they control everything about their constituent components, they're not dealing with whatever crap they got from B&W or B&O (which, as someone with B&W speakers at home, are nowhere near the real thing) or other supplier just to get that badge on there. The MX sound system is amazing.
-Tesla charging network. This one speaks for itself. I suppose it's less of a point since the 45e isn't a true EV and you can fuel it with gasoline, but still.
These are just some of the differences. It really depends on your priorities. I love BMWs, and have owned more than 10 of them over the last decades, but the advantages they offer just aren't as important to me as those of the Tesla. YMMV.
This is a VERY thorough reply, so thanks! I have a pretty identical list of pros and cons, especially having come FROM Tesla. With that said, the one argument I'd refute is the sound system. Yes, the Tesla stereo is incredible, but I'm blown away by my B&W on my X5M. With that said, the reason we'd opt for a Model X, is to move back to the captains chairs, and the ease of owning an EV. I ordered a Plaid 6 seat last night - while I wait, I have time to think if this is the right move!
I transferred my 2020 Model X to my brother to get the BMW X7 for the similar reasons as the OP's. The BMW X7 has much nicer interior (and exterior as well) and the ride quality is also better than the model X. However, the driving assistance feature of the BMW is not as good as the Tesla's Autopilot. It keeps reminding me to touch the steering wheel every 30 seconds if I don't touch it. And if I don't look straight at the road, the BMW thinks I am not paying attention and tells to look straight. With the Tesla's autopilot, I can quickly check the text messages without any problem, especially at a slow bumper-to-bumper traffic situation. I also prefer the simple UI of the Tesla. BMW X7 has too many physical buttons and the screen is too small. The Tela's voice command is much better. For all these reasons, I switched back to the model X. I took advantage of the price reduction and took the delivery of the model X yesterday. The BMW X7 lease term will expire in a couple of months.
I love the horizontal screen of the refresh X.....much faster web browser and video streaming. The ride quality of the new refresh model X is also better than my previous 2020 Model X.
I love the horizontal screen of the refresh X.....much faster web browser and video streaming. The ride quality of the new refresh model X is also better than my previous 2020 Model X.
The newest BMW is X5 50e, not 45e.
I’m also skeptical regarding sound systems. I believe the MB Burmester sound systems to be the best, along with Bowers and Wilkins to be up there. They are much superior compared to the Model X’s IMO. But I do agree that Model X sound system is really good.
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The older I get, the less I care about sound systems. 22 speakers, 960 watts and active road noise reduction in the Model X, seem more than sufficient for my two ears, to get me from point A to point B.
I have had a 2016 Model X and a 2019 Model X Raven and found the only complaint I had was the shudder design flaw due to tension on the drive shafts at different heights. Musk admits that he should have had a separate platform for the X, instead of using the Model S frame. The shudder is now avoided by software that keeps the vehicle in LOW mode when exceeding 55 mph. It's an engineering fault for which there is no remedy. If you stay in the LOW mode, as TESLA recommends, it causes the rear wheels to have an increased negative camber and results in excessive inner edge tire wear. You can invest $2500 in the aftermarket quasi-fix from N2itive, or pay to have your tires remounted and rotated from side to side every 15,000 miles, or buy the super Hankook replacement tires for half the price of most others. I had my 2016 inspected at Tesla and all was well and experienced a blowout (bare steel belts) on the way home. It resulted in a slow air release and I got warnings as the pressure dropped, so it really wasn't that much of a safety hazard. I was 46 miles away from Tesla, so they flatbedded it under the 50-mile radius warranty. You really can't see the inside wear unless you get under the vehicle. I have resolved to just be aware of it and take necessary action.
Contributor patentesq provides a great explanation on this forum under Model X shudder.
So many people complain about the falcon wings, but I never had a problem with them on either Model X.
I did have a battery that no longer would accept charge on the 2019 Model X at 17k miles, and made it to the Orlando Service Center with 4 miles to spare, traveling in the slow lane at about 50 mph and taking a lot of fingers from passersby. They gave me a loaner X, and replaced the battery within three days. They had some difficulty with some of the batteries they were getting from Panasonic at the time.
In spite of the above, I couldn't resist the $40,000 price cut, and I have an Ultra-red X coming in a couple of weeks to tide me over until the arrival of my CYBRTRK in about a year. I guess you could say, I'm still a believer and it helps that my wife loves our MYP, but misses the X. The price of my new X is about equal to what I paid for the MYP in 2022.
Hope
NJturtlePower
Living the Dream, Driving the Future!
100%! Been a Model 3 owner for 5+ years now and the Premium Audio is scary good when tuned properly using Immersive Audio settings....better than even optional OEM systems, best I've ever heard at least and I used to build out custom aftermarket systems in the late 90's/early 2000's.
So excited for my Model X on order with the new 22-speaker setup!
Here's a cool look at behind the scenes.... Tesla's latest from their video series.
You ordered on Sep 12 and already got your VIN? I ordered my MXP on Sep 1 and still don’t have a VIN. So jealous….
Don’t worry, I had to reject the car as there were too many build issues. So I’m back in line
Not if you can't hear anything on the highway due to wind noise. I've heard a lot of people have that issue. My Acura MDX sounds amazing on the highway with the ELS 3D Studio sound but that is because it has really good insulation from outside noises.
My Model Y had terrible wind noise so it was hard to hear the music well above all that noise.
You're saying that X is quieter? My test drives at Tesla did not emulate that experience. I had so much seat creak/squeak noise while slowing down in the X that was not present in my Y.
I am reading some reviews that the Model X has some wind noise as well on the highway. I hope when mine comes in that it doesn't do this.
Not sure about your tester, but yes, that's my experience. I've heard some people have issues, but I believe most of the noises are noticable in the S/X only because the cabin is so quiet, unlike the 3/Y, which I think sound like a wind tunnel when you're on the highway.
My S is so silent I get irritated by the smallest noises, like the sound of a straw making tiny rubbing motions against a plastic cup in the cupholder as the car hits bumps. It's not up to Mercedes Benz standards, but it's close. While I have not owned the X (yet), I Turoed one for a day and found it similar to my S.
You may have different experience.
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