Strict adherence to good auto maintenance, inspection and diagnostic procedures will minimize BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Chevrolet, Ford, Cadillac and Dodge repair in the same way that these can minimize Honda, Acura, Nissan or Toyota auto repair. The right automotive maintenance procedures, calibrations, frequencies and schedules are contained in the vehicles owners manual. Even the schedule for auto oil change is indicated there. The vehicle owner should cooperate with the auto repair shop mechanic in Tampa in complying with all these recommendations by the vehicle manufacturer. There are also day to day inspection tasks that the vehicle owner has to attend to. The surface beneath the vehicle should always be checked for wetness from leaks. If the liquid is clear, there is no reason to worry because it is most probably just condensation from the air conditioner. Colored liquid, however, could mean leakage of the anti freeze, transmission fluid, power-steering fluid or oil. The vehicle owner should also be very sensitive to odors being emitted by the vehicle. Problems in emission control devices smell sulfuric, leaking coolant smells sweet and steamy while an overheated engine smells metallic. If the vehicle emits smoke, the vehicle should be pulled to the side and the engine should immediately be turned off. The auto repair shop mechanic in Tampa should then be summoned. With good maintenance and accurate diagnostic procedures, BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Chevrolet, Ford, Cadillac and Dodge cars and trucks as well as Honda, Acura, Nissan and Toyota cars and trucks will all require minimal auto repair and truck repair from mechanics. It is therefore very important to every vehicle owner to be able to find a reliable full service auto repair shop that provides proper maintenance and diagnostic procedures. It should also, however, provide excellent repair such as AC repair, engine repair and car transmission system repair, among others. That Tampa shop should also supply only genuine car parts, such as AC Delco.
A side note, however, is that Buick Riviera owners really liked the touch-screen system once they learned it. Buick still killed the system a few years later under pressure from critics. Perhaps the best function of the BMW iDrive system is that it solves problems inherent with on-board GPS-based navigation systems, which like every other system is based on the exact same software data. Navigation systems are usually slow to move maps so you can see where you want to head before you know where your exact destination is. The iDrive control allows you to rapidly zoom in and out of maps, more the way you'd look at a paper map to get a sense of where you are. The BMW X5 4.8i we drove was notably quick to take off, despite its substantial curb weight of more than 5,000 pounds. BMW credits its new six-speed transmission for this rapid forward response. At deep throttle, the V8's pleasant, distant growl never intruded on cockpit conversations or speakerphone communications.
We averaged 17.5 mpg on a rapid highway drive, pacing traffic at 80 mph. In-town errands lowered that average to below 15 mpg, which is the price you pay to have this gutsy engine at the ready. However, we rarely gave in to temptation to use full-throttle and make maximum use of the V8's 350 horsepower and the linear delivery of its 350 pound-feet of torque. You will not find a better delivery of engine power. BMW's V8 is as quiet as Cadillac's SRX, and feels more isolated than the Infiniti FX45. It feels much quicker than the Lexus RX and Mercedes M-Class, as well as the heavy Audi Q7. The quick-reacting throttle is biased for pavement driving, opposite the M-class Mercedes, which has much longer pedal travel for more sensitive slick-road and loose surface maneuvers. The X5 ride feels stiff at first, yet none of the passengers we had in our test car complained.
On a twisty section of country lane in Michigan lake territory, we unleashed the suspension of the X5, and couldn't safely find its upper limits on public roads. It will handle bends that would have the Lexus plowing, and where the Mercedes ML350 and the Volvo XC90 would be leaning like an America's Cup sloop in a gale. The X5 with optional 19-inch wheels and tires grips as well as the capable but more compact Infiniti, yet you sit higher in the BMW, which exaggerates the feeling that it's sticking tight to the asphalt. Braking produces dive that alerts passengers that something alarming could happen, yet at no time even in heavy traffic did we feel we were near the limit of stopping ability. A new brake fade control from BMW compensates for heavily used brakes. Brake application remains easy and smooth, and what's even better is that slight applications of the brakes to initiate attitude changes in the X5 when driving with alacrity on twisty roads are easy and natural. This is an SUV made for the Nurburgring. The BMW X5 3.0i offers all of this handling goodness. Its six-cylinder engine produces 260 horsepower, which is not exactly low-powered; it's 35 hp more powerful than it was in the previous-generation X5. We found that the inline-6 is smooth and revs evenly throughout its operating range. With lower output it requires slightly more patience. You get the impression using BMW's iDrive controls that a conference room full of engineers decided how you should live your life and created an overdose of convenience technology intended to help you, but their guesses and compromises failed. The X5 is at the top of its class in terms of sporty driving dynamics, making us wish we could purchase an X5 stripped of gimmicks. Comfort, the usefulness of space, and sport sedan performance are the true reasons this SUV made us happy to drive it anywhere.
