[DrPartagas]

Do any of your wives or girlfriends who are short (5'2" range) indicate discomfort when they enter/exit your vehicle without running boards? Problematic or no big deal in your world?

[G05 7074]

Originally Posted by DrPartagas

Do any of your wives or girlfriends who are short (5'2" range) indicate discomfort when they enter/exit your vehicle without running boards? Problematic or no big deal in your world?

On both sides of our M Sport X5 (no running boards) our legs/pants rub up against the car when we exit the vehicle. It's not ideal and seems to happen no matter your height.

[bandersen]

I read a thread awhile back saying that the running boards are a complete waste and useless as a step due to their width - to narrow- just what I read here once..so check them out first.

[DrPartagas]

You may be right. But, the ladies stepping in/out of the X5 would best know their answer. Guys can be swayed into the running boards in order to please. So, I wonder if first hand info exists one way or the other. Yea or nay?

[Phizbam]

Originally Posted by bandersen

I read a thread awhile back saying that the running boards are a complete waste and useless as a step due to their width - to narrow- just what I read here once..so check them out first.

This! From what I've seen, the running boards are mostly for show. They aren't wide enough to actually put your foot on to step out of the X5.

[Ryan5034]

My wife is 4'11'' and has issues getting in / out as well. We have running boards. The running boards are not big enough and the vehicle is not tall enough for them to be useful. In addition, the increased width at the bottom where you step is harder now with the running boards because you have to step over them.

I'm not sure what the deal is but getting in / out of the X5 is not the easiest. The back seat is worse. The E70 X5 was the same way.

[sigmabody]

Originally Posted by G05 7074

On both sides of our M Sport X5 (no running boards) our legs/pants rub up against the car when we exit the vehicle. It's not ideal and seems to happen no matter your height.

Funny story: I was cross-shopping the Mercedes SUV's before I bought my X5, and one of the contributing factors to my ultimate purchase decision was the fact that it was difficult to get a merc without running boards, and they had the same general issues as in the BMW's (ie: useless, banged ankles, got pants dirty, etc.). I cannot imagine running boards for midsize SUV's being a positive feature add for most people, and the fact that they are effectively standard on the mercs may be actively costing them sales/money.

[DrPartagas]

My buddy has an x5 with running boards that he chose specifically for a 5’2” wife thinking they would be helpful.

He uses them to kick dirt off his boots and she doesn’t use them at all. She steps over them instead. Go figure.

[Waterdog]

I ordered running boards on my X5 and my wife uses them all of the time. However they seem narrower than the ones we had on our GLE.

[B///MWGuy]

The only time i found running boards useful is during car washes

[AECDY]

Originally Posted by DrPartagas

Do any of your wives or girlfriends who are short (5'2" range) indicate discomfort when they enter/exit your vehicle without running boards? Problematic or no big deal in your world?

My wife is 5' and has no issues. I think getting air suspension and lowering the car when park might be a better option.

[goobies818]

Originally Posted by DrPartagas

Do any of your wives or girlfriends who are short (5'2" range) indicate discomfort when they enter/exit your vehicle without running boards? Problematic or no big deal in your world?

My wife is 5 foot nothing and has some particularly unpleasant things to say each time she tries to ingress and egress the ride with the wide door sills for the m package. Us usually along the lines of “I hate your %#!?ing car”

As for me and the other comments about your pants rubbing against the same door sill… my egress method is as such

1. Open door
2. Scoot my butt over where the thigh bolster is now in my asscrack
3. Extend my left leg out as far as I can but still make contact with the ground
4. Egress complete without touching the mounding

FYI: I’m 5’9” with a 30” inseam

[ltoda2nd]

My wife likes the running board on the e70 and uses it with no issues. She's 5'4". We also ordered it on the new 45e, soon to be delivered. I actually use it as a step to reach parts of the car's roof at times.

[sigmabody]

Originally Posted by ltoda2nd

I actually use it as a step to reach parts of the car's roof at times.

I could see this as a legitimate selling point, actually, if not for the aforementioned downsides. I haven't tried to do much roof-wise yet, but I could see how that could be a benefit.

Some of the higher-end luxury SUV's have fold-out running boards which you can deploy on demand, which is probably something I would consider, if that was an option.

My wife is 5'4", fwiw, and has no issues getting in and out without any running boards (and moreover, her other SUV is slightly taller, and also without).

[jiggie]

My wife is about 5'4 and thought the running boards were pointless on the X5, and the GLE for that matter. She also test drove them both while on crutches and a bad knee initially, and had no issues getting in and out.

[nZtiZia]

to the folks disliking the running boards, how are you placing your foot on them? they're meant for a parallel foot placement (running the same direction as the running board) which is more than enough to accommodate any foot no matter what size/length.

[leehocrx]

My wife is under 5 ft and i am looking at an electric deployable running board. I have a 2021 X5 45e with the m-sport package and it hasn't been easy. Only places i have found that claim to sell the product are from China. Now I found a company out of Texas that claims to have a product that fits my vehicle. Supposedly these are made in Korea.
I have been looking to try to find places that would install them and haven't found many places that would. The company has just given me names of some places in my area that state they would install them. I am in the process of contacting them to confirm this. I had them send me a copy of the installation directions and they were very generic and not specific to my vehicle.
The service center that i would like to use, needs more information to make sure that this would work. Waiting to hear back on the final results. I will only do this if i feel this will be successful
These are retractable and would not take away the look of the m-sport package. I hope!
Will let everyone know what happens

[sigmabody]

Originally Posted by nZtiZia

to the folks disliking the running boards, how are you placing your foot on them? they're meant for a parallel foot placement (running the same direction as the running board) which is more than enough to accommodate any foot no matter what size/length.

Not sure if I count, but I dislike them because they are worthless for me (personally). I'm 6'4", have no trouble stepping into and out of the vehicle directly, and just bump my ankles on them if they are there. There's just no reason for me to think about actually using them: the X5 is not a high vehicle, and trying to use running boards would just make ingress and egress awkward.

I can see the value prop on something which was really high and/or lifted, but for the X5 (and GLE) they seem more like vanity than utility addons.

[Resjudicata]

Originally Posted by leehocrx

My wife is under 5 ft and i am looking at an electric deployable running board. I have a 2021 X5 45e with the m-sport package and it hasn't been easy. Only places i have found that claim to sell the product are from China. Now I found a company out of Texas that claims to have a product that fits my vehicle. Supposedly these are made in Korea.
I have been looking to try to find places that would install them and haven't found many places that would. The company has just given me names of some places in my area that state they would install them. I am in the process of contacting them to confirm this. I had them send me a copy of the installation directions and they were very generic and not specific to my vehicle.
The service center that i would like to use, needs more information to make sure that this would work. Waiting to hear back on the final results. I will only do this if i feel this will be successful
These are retractable and would not take away the look of the m-sport package. I hope!
Will let everyone know what happens

I also looked into it and couldn't find anything I liked. The best option was some truck ones; but it's not what I wanted.

I ended up getting racing springs and lowering my 2022 x5 about 2". Seems to be enough for everyone so far.

[WCDee]

I'm 5'4" and had running boards on both E70 and F10 in the past. I definitely used them! We just got the G05 with the M pkg and I've been having to 'slide' off the side of my seat when I get out of the car lol

[nZtiZia]

I'm 5'6" and used them all the time on both my previous Audi Q7s despite air suspension on lowest setting. i installed aftermarket boards. When I got my M Sport X5, they were something my 4'10" wife and both kids wished I still had, and aftermarket ones weren't available at the time. i don't want self-retracting ones, so the two I've seen recently offered don't interest me.

[-Vanguard-]

Im 6'1 and getting in and out is easy.

My Girl is 5'3 and she has a hard time getting out of my X6M

Mainly because of the very aggressive seat bolsters