Ron.s

You aren’t getting enough love for the M so how about some practical??? advice.🤑
Does your wife need/want a performance car? Get her a nice car but skip the big engine and handling goodies. Then upgrade yours to a 2024 GTS and you both have a new car. If things get tight then limit 19th hole beverages to a bottle of water. No need to thank me…your happiness will be my reward.

Gwaxman34

Great advice. Lexus RX and a new GTS!

LDT

Update, life lesson included at no charge....... a lengthy discussion over cocktails last evening during which I was determined to find out exactly what she wants and was not wanting something just because I wanted it, revealed that while she is fine with taking our current Cayenne as her DD, turns out, it's not her first choice. We agree that the time is nearing to trade her almost 9 year old Audi A5 Cab. Her first choice is, you guessed it, another ragtop. The nominees are Benz E or C (blah) class, BMW 4 and 8 series, Audi A5 or Boxster (she loves it but no room for a 70 lb. dog). Yes there are others (budget busters) and several US brands, Mazda and Lexus offer a ragtop which are worthy but we are German car ppl. So my yearning for a 8 banger can wait and that's fine. We will get this done and then as Gwaxman34 suggested will look for a solid CPO Turbo or GTS before the 2020 Cayenne warranty expires in Sept. 2024. Lots of time to sort this out.

Gwaxman34

Sounds logical! I vote 4 series cab. 8 is a beautiful tourer but I’d never get comfortable bringing the dog in it!

chassis

MB E looks nice but beware if you think you might own it for 9 years like the Audi. The MB 48V system on it is beta product and I wouldn’t touch it with a 10 foot, or any length, pole. With warranty coverage the only cost is your time and aggravation for problems. Out of warranty no one knows what it will cost you, because the vehicles are now just starting to come out of mfr warranty.

fskof

What Audi does your wife have? Instead of a BMW X5M what about an Audi SQ8? Or SQ7?

Needsdecaf

Also, the 4 series has pretty much the same interior space despite being the smaller and lighter vehicle. (And cheaper!).

An M440i cabrio would be the ticket. Don't plump for the M4 Cabrio. I drove one and you can REALLY feel the weight, and how much they have blunted the chassis tuning vs. the M4 Coupe. Especially for the wife, the B58 in the M440i is a great choice.

LDT

Yes and we think the 430i is the ticket. The performance of the M440 doesn’t matter to her. Color combo and options are at the top of the list. Gonna go test drive this one today when the rain stops.

George from MD

The nose...the nose......where's my eye bleach?

LDT

LOL. It’s an acquired taste but I’m not the one who must like it.

George from MD

FWIW there was actually a fix in the works:
https://www.motorbiscuit.com/want-a-...heres-the-fix/

Silververtu

X5M and X5M competition (not X5 M50i) rides on NON run flat summer tires and they run 21" front and 22" rear. If you are intrested in X5M / X5Mc, you may want to test drive it first. Many reviews on bimmer forums claim the suspension is very stiff for SUV.

DCCT

I test drove an X5MC but it was far too hard. Settled on the RSQ8 instead and never looked back!

Needsdecaf

I was really hopeful for the X3M for my wife since the X3 is pretty damn big and very close to her existing Cayenne in size. But it rode like a freaking ox cart! SOOOO stiff. WTF is BMW thinking with their suspension tuning?

Needsdecaf

meh, in person it's much less offensive.