BMW X5 35d as tow vehicle
I've been towing a 21 foot TT the last 6 years with a Jeep Liberty CRD. The trailer is 3860 lbs empty, and around 5,000 lbs loaded for a trip. This is at the Jeep's official weight limit, and while it towed fine, even dragging that trailer over the Rockies at 11,000 feet on I-70 west of Denver, you could tell the trailer was back there.
The Jeep being at 185,000 miles now, we decided to get a new/second tow vehicle, looking to the future. We chose a BMW X5 35d, and took it on it's maiden voyage a couple weeks ago. This is my report on that trip.
This BMW has an all-aluminum 3.0 liter, 6 cylinder, twin-turbo diesel engine. It puts out 425 ft-lbs of torque through a 6 speed automatic transmission. In the US, BMW supplies a hitch rated at 6,000 lbs, although in Europe the official hitch is a US made Invisihitch rated at 7,700 lbs. I chose an aftermarket Curt hitch, also rated 6,000 lbs.
For the maiden voyage, we returned to one of our favorite nearby campgrounds. Although the tow was only about 25 miles each way, it did take us over a few hills, and I can report that the BMW's engine is enough stronger, and the suspension enough better to transform the feel into a "couldn't tell it was even back there."
The BMW's fuel consumption is pretty much the same as the Jeep. EPA said 21-26 mpg for the Jeep, 19-26 for the BMW. Both do mid-twenties for me, although I've gotten as high as 34.8 in the Jeep. I haven't had the BMW long enough yet to find out if BMW's claim that it is possible to get 31 is true.
I can tell you that the BMW is much quicker, and I'm sure that the EPA's lower city mileage rating probably reflects the temptation to use that "quicker" from time to time. I will be claiming a need to "blow the soot out" from time to time to the DW.
Interestingly, BMW's approach to DEF is to tell owners that the dealer will take care of it when you take it in for an oil change, and not to worry about DEF unless you simply must. Given that towing that Great Wall will cut through fuel at about twice the normal rate, I bet I'll have to top off the DEF tank between oil changes.
The other big difference I've noted is that the BMW has no noticeable turbo throttle lag. Stepping on the go-pedal gets instant response, whereas the Jeep takes a couple seconds to get going. Oh, and the BMW transmission shifts so smoothly you can't feel gear changes, unlike the jeep which lurches from time to time.
For those considering towing a small trailer with an SUV, you might consider the X5 on your list. Though on the expensive side, it is a very capable TV.
The Jeep being at 185,000 miles now, we decided to get a new/second tow vehicle, looking to the future. We chose a BMW X5 35d, and took it on it's maiden voyage a couple weeks ago. This is my report on that trip.
This BMW has an all-aluminum 3.0 liter, 6 cylinder, twin-turbo diesel engine. It puts out 425 ft-lbs of torque through a 6 speed automatic transmission. In the US, BMW supplies a hitch rated at 6,000 lbs, although in Europe the official hitch is a US made Invisihitch rated at 7,700 lbs. I chose an aftermarket Curt hitch, also rated 6,000 lbs.
For the maiden voyage, we returned to one of our favorite nearby campgrounds. Although the tow was only about 25 miles each way, it did take us over a few hills, and I can report that the BMW's engine is enough stronger, and the suspension enough better to transform the feel into a "couldn't tell it was even back there."
The BMW's fuel consumption is pretty much the same as the Jeep. EPA said 21-26 mpg for the Jeep, 19-26 for the BMW. Both do mid-twenties for me, although I've gotten as high as 34.8 in the Jeep. I haven't had the BMW long enough yet to find out if BMW's claim that it is possible to get 31 is true.
I can tell you that the BMW is much quicker, and I'm sure that the EPA's lower city mileage rating probably reflects the temptation to use that "quicker" from time to time. I will be claiming a need to "blow the soot out" from time to time to the DW.
Interestingly, BMW's approach to DEF is to tell owners that the dealer will take care of it when you take it in for an oil change, and not to worry about DEF unless you simply must. Given that towing that Great Wall will cut through fuel at about twice the normal rate, I bet I'll have to top off the DEF tank between oil changes.
The other big difference I've noted is that the BMW has no noticeable turbo throttle lag. Stepping on the go-pedal gets instant response, whereas the Jeep takes a couple seconds to get going. Oh, and the BMW transmission shifts so smoothly you can't feel gear changes, unlike the jeep which lurches from time to time.
For those considering towing a small trailer with an SUV, you might consider the X5 on your list. Though on the expensive side, it is a very capable TV.
