My 2022 X5MC Journey!!

sarugby4life · 07-21-2023, 06:44 PM

I don't typically write long blogs, but feel like this truck needs one! I purchased my very first BMW in August 2022 - a 22 Mineral White X5MC. We were a Tesla family previously, but I was so tired of the lackluster build quality and the absence of any real personality in the cars.

I wanted something fun, something noisy, and something that justified the price tag. It needed to be functional enough to carry our 2 small kids as well. So, here we go:

The Purchase

I feel like I got pretty lucky here. I was able to snag the car for 8% off MSRP. It was a fully loaded spec that someone had ordered, and ultimately ended up cancelling.

Mineral White exterior
Sakhir Orange full Merino leather interior
DAPP
Executive Package
Bowers and Wilkins

It was a great spec, although Mineral White would not have been my first choice on exterior colors. With that said, the deal was good so we took it! The F95 drives like a dream and is truly unlike any other vehicle I've ever owned. It is incredibly responsive and also very comfortable as a daily driver.

First Set of Mods

I had my detailer actually collect the car from the dealership, and the entire purchase was done sight unseen. I also had the first mods completed before seeing the car in person. It was wild!

PPF/Ceramic/Paint Correction/Window Film

The car went to my very good friend Joe at OCDetailing in Fremont CA. I had them do a full paint correction, full body STEK Dynoshield gloss PPF, CQuartz FR ceramic coating, and then 3M Crystalline window film on all glass, including the windshield. These guys are not cheap but do incredible work. They will wrap every single corner and edge, do one piece installs in places that others will not etc. They have worked on several cars for me over the years and continue to impress.

Wheels/Tires

I had been so happy with my wheels from Jamie Signature Wheel on my previous vehicle, that I decided to do something from them again. I settled on their Monoblock SV105 in Brushed Bronze. 22x10 in front, 22x12 in the rear. These wheels came out amazing.

For tires, I wanted the widest possible rear tire, and this was all considered when spec'ing the wheels. I settled for the Michelin PS4S 285/30/22 for the fronts, and 335/25/22 for the rears.

Exhaust

I knew I wanted the full Akrapovic setup on this car, and so I didn't ever consider anything else. There are a lot of great options out there for the F95 but my mind was made up. I needed the exhaust in a hurry as I wanted it done immediately after the PPF. HP Autosport was able to locate the ONE slip on system in the country at that time and so I purchased this along with the X-pipe from them. I had reached out to many dealers and all of them had said the exhaust needed to be ordered and would take many weeks to arrive. Timing was critical and this worked out just fine!

I also purchased the Evolution Racewerks catless secondaries just for a bit more noise. I had the complete exhaust installed by the folks at Midnight Garage (next door to OCDetailing) and they did a great job.

Steering Wheel

I decided to purchase a custom Carbon Fiber steering wheel from AZA Auto Wheel. These guys are not cheap, but their quality is top notch. They take an OEM wheel and strip it down, then design to your liking. It came out great.

Other mods

I was convinced after the PPF, window film, wheels and exhaust that I was done touching this car. Again, I was never one to modify vehicles. However, when the car was ready to be picked up, I couldn't help but think the wheel gap was HUGE. It was absolutely massive! So again I scrambled, and ordered the MSS springs from Midnight Garage given they already had the car and could do the install the next day. Had the springs overnighted and boy did they make a massive difference. I did a mild drop of about 1.25 inches only, and think the stance is perfect.

I then finally went to pick up the car and drove it around for several months happy as a clam. I was driving it daily, but the miles were only slowly increasing. I looked for excuses to take the car out daily and smiled each and every time I did. The smiles on the kids faces when stepping on the gas and hearing the beautiful exhaust notes was priceless.

Fast forward to a few months ago, and I wanted to do a bit more to the car. After many conversations with Ben r33_RGSport about exhaust options, the springs, and several other mods, the timing was finally in my favor to pay him back for all the friendly knowledge and advice he had provided. This time, I was not in a hurry and did not need parts the next day INSTALLED. I was prepared to just let things take their course. I ended up settling on the Sterckenn front splitter, RW Carbon side skirts, and Akrapovic gloss rear diffuser. Ben of course has these shipped and delivered to the same garage that did the exhaust install and I headed back up to have these installed. I also ordered the carbon mirror caps from an out of state BMW dealer. All these carbon pieces together are still quite subtle, but really improve the stance and overall look of the car. SUPER HAPPY.

I recently purchased a Racechip GTS Black and set of BMC filters from Ben r33_RGSport but have not quite decided when I will install these, or IF I will install. To be continued...

Color Change

As I mentioned earlier, Mineral White was not my first choice for exterior colors. I love the colored PPF from STEK and wanted to do something very unique. After a lot of thought, I decided on the Dynochrome-blue matte. It was BOLD and different. Unfortunately, the day before install, STEK notified my detailer that they had discovered a potential issue with their chrome PPF - this was something no one else had offered and I was SO bummed. I thought about just taking the car back and waiting for the issues to be resolved, but simply wanted to do SOMETHING. I then decided on their matte black PPF and that install is in progress as we speak. Again, Joe at OCDetaling and his team are doing their best work.

That is all for now. Here are a series of pictures in no particular order. I wish I had taken the time to get better photos, but none of that changes the fact that this has been an incredibly fun experience. I'm sold on the BMW brand and love the community and all the folks willing to share their stories and knowledge. I have learned more on this forum than I ever imagined about a car brand, and amazing people on here are what make the journey that much more fun.

GotBeemed · 07-21-2023, 10:08 PM

Very nicely done! Bravo!

550ihtown · 07-21-2023, 10:35 PM

Great story

r33_RGSport · 07-22-2023, 07:58 AM

sarugby4life Thank you for the shout-out. Greatly appreciate it.

sarugby4life · 07-22-2023, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by r33_RGSport

sarugby4life Thank you for the shout-out. Greatly appreciate it.

Thanks for the countless hours you spent answering all my nagging questions. You made me feel far more comfortable navigating something I had never done before and continue to do so. Cheers Ben!

cfm56d7b · 07-23-2023, 01:05 PM

If this isn’t an X5M for the history books, I don’t know what vehicle would qualify.

Amazing build. Thanks for sharing!

sarugby4life · 07-23-2023, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cfm56d7b

If this isn’t an X5M for the history books, I don’t know what vehicle would qualify.

Amazing build. Thanks for sharing!

Thank you my bro! It’s been a lot of fun!

Xtabi · 07-23-2023, 09:41 PM

Looks AWESOME!

blake6551 · 07-24-2023, 08:59 AM

Really funny, we were a two Tesla family as well, and now have an X5MC and X5 45e too!

sarugby4life · 07-24-2023, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blake6551

Really funny, we were a two Tesla family as well, and now have an X5MC and X5 45e too!

That’s pretty funny indeed! How do you like the 45e?

sarugby4life · 07-24-2023, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xtabi

Looks AWESOME!

Thank you brother!

sarugby4life · 07-24-2023, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 550ihtown

Great story

Thanks man!

Chayse · 07-24-2023, 03:17 PM

Do You have more pics of the lip and side skirts?

sarugby4life · 07-24-2023, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chayse

Do You have more pics of the lip and side skirts?

I’ll post some pics once I get a chance. My detailer should be taking pictures when everything is finished.

sarugby4life · 07-24-2023, 08:33 PM

I promise better pictures soon! Car is back together. Just needs ceramic and it will be ready!

HP Autosport · 07-25-2023, 12:31 AM

We appreciate the opportunity to help you with your journey!

Looks great!

sarugby4life · 08-05-2023, 03:02 PM

Some pics of the new wrap!!! So much pollen

Bholt1 · 08-09-2023, 03:09 PM

Looks great! What coating is on the lights? Dynosmoke?

sarugby4life · 08-09-2023, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bholt1

Looks great! What coating is on the lights? Dynosmoke?

Thanks! And yea DynoSmoke for the lights. Tails are a bit darker than the fronts.

Bholt1 · 08-09-2023, 04:11 PM

Thank you. I’m scheduled to get DynoShadow all around next week. Haven’t seen it in person or really even in pics so I’m curious how it will look. I’m thinking it will be perfect.

rundeyvoo · 08-09-2023, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarugby4life

Some pics of the new wrap!!! So much pollen

Gorgeous, wow

!!

The contrast of the gloss trim pieces and CF along with your wheels are so nice!

You didn't end up painting your calipers huh?

sarugby4life · 08-09-2023, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bholt1

Thank you. I’m scheduled to get DynoShadow all around next week. Haven’t seen it in person or really even in pics so I’m curious how it will look. I’m thinking it will be perfect.

It will look great pal! The STEK films are so durable too.

07-21-2023, 06:44 PM	#1
sarugby4life Lieutenant 325 Rep 449 Posts Drives: 2022 X5MC Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: California iTrader: (1)	I don't typically write long blogs, but feel like this truck needs one! I purchased my very first BMW in August 2022 - a 22 Mineral White X5MC. We were a Tesla family previously, but I was so tired of the lackluster build quality and the absence of any real personality in the cars. I wanted something fun, something noisy, and something that justified the price tag. It needed to be functional enough to carry our 2 small kids as well. So, here we go: The Purchase I feel like I got pretty lucky here. I was able to snag the car for 8% off MSRP. It was a fully loaded spec that someone had ordered, and ultimately ended up cancelling. Mineral White exterior Sakhir Orange full Merino leather interior DAPP Executive Package Bowers and Wilkins It was a great spec, although Mineral White would not have been my first choice on exterior colors. With that said, the deal was good so we took it! The F95 drives like a dream and is truly unlike any other vehicle I've ever owned. It is incredibly responsive and also very comfortable as a daily driver. First Set of Mods I had my detailer actually collect the car from the dealership, and the entire purchase was done sight unseen. I also had the first mods completed before seeing the car in person. It was wild! PPF/Ceramic/Paint Correction/Window Film The car went to my very good friend Joe at OCDetailing in Fremont CA. I had them do a full paint correction, full body STEK Dynoshield gloss PPF, CQuartz FR ceramic coating, and then 3M Crystalline window film on all glass, including the windshield. These guys are not cheap but do incredible work. They will wrap every single corner and edge, do one piece installs in places that others will not etc. They have worked on several cars for me over the years and continue to impress. Wheels/Tires I had been so happy with my wheels from Jamie Signature Wheel on my previous vehicle, that I decided to do something from them again. I settled on their Monoblock SV105 in Brushed Bronze. 22x10 in front, 22x12 in the rear. These wheels came out amazing. For tires, I wanted the widest possible rear tire, and this was all considered when spec'ing the wheels. I settled for the Michelin PS4S 285/30/22 for the fronts, and 335/25/22 for the rears. Exhaust I knew I wanted the full Akrapovic setup on this car, and so I didn't ever consider anything else. There are a lot of great options out there for the F95 but my mind was made up. I needed the exhaust in a hurry as I wanted it done immediately after the PPF. HP Autosport was able to locate the ONE slip on system in the country at that time and so I purchased this along with the X-pipe from them. I had reached out to many dealers and all of them had said the exhaust needed to be ordered and would take many weeks to arrive. Timing was critical and this worked out just fine! I also purchased the Evolution Racewerks catless secondaries just for a bit more noise. I had the complete exhaust installed by the folks at Midnight Garage (next door to OCDetailing) and they did a great job. Steering Wheel I decided to purchase a custom Carbon Fiber steering wheel from AZA Auto Wheel. These guys are not cheap, but their quality is top notch. They take an OEM wheel and strip it down, then design to your liking. It came out great. Other mods I was convinced after the PPF, window film, wheels and exhaust that I was done touching this car. Again, I was never one to modify vehicles. However, when the car was ready to be picked up, I couldn't help but think the wheel gap was HUGE. It was absolutely massive! So again I scrambled, and ordered the MSS springs from Midnight Garage given they already had the car and could do the install the next day. Had the springs overnighted and boy did they make a massive difference. I did a mild drop of about 1.25 inches only, and think the stance is perfect. I then finally went to pick up the car and drove it around for several months happy as a clam. I was driving it daily, but the miles were only slowly increasing. I looked for excuses to take the car out daily and smiled each and every time I did. The smiles on the kids faces when stepping on the gas and hearing the beautiful exhaust notes was priceless. Fast forward to a few months ago, and I wanted to do a bit more to the car. After many conversations with Ben r33_RGSport about exhaust options, the springs, and several other mods, the timing was finally in my favor to pay him back for all the friendly knowledge and advice he had provided. This time, I was not in a hurry and did not need parts the next day INSTALLED. I was prepared to just let things take their course. I ended up settling on the Sterckenn front splitter, RW Carbon side skirts, and Akrapovic gloss rear diffuser. Ben of course has these shipped and delivered to the same garage that did the exhaust install and I headed back up to have these installed. I also ordered the carbon mirror caps from an out of state BMW dealer. All these carbon pieces together are still quite subtle, but really improve the stance and overall look of the car. SUPER HAPPY. I recently purchased a Racechip GTS Black and set of BMC filters from Ben r33_RGSport but have not quite decided when I will install these, or IF I will install. To be continued... Color Change As I mentioned earlier, Mineral White was not my first choice for exterior colors. I love the colored PPF from STEK and wanted to do something very unique. After a lot of thought, I decided on the Dynochrome-blue matte. It was BOLD and different. Unfortunately, the day before install, STEK notified my detailer that they had discovered a potential issue with their chrome PPF - this was something no one else had offered and I was SO bummed. I thought about just taking the car back and waiting for the issues to be resolved, but simply wanted to do SOMETHING. I then decided on their matte black PPF and that install is in progress as we speak. Again, Joe at OCDetaling and his team are doing their best work. That is all for now. Here are a series of pictures in no particular order. I wish I had taken the time to get better photos, but none of that changes the fact that this has been an incredibly fun experience. I'm sold on the BMW brand and love the community and all the folks willing to share their stories and knowledge. I have learned more on this forum than I ever imagined about a car brand, and amazing people on here are what make the journey that much more fun. Attached Images Last edited by sarugby4life; 07-21-2023 at 07:04 PM.. Reason: typos
	Appreciate 13 GotBeemed415.50 Sethsubzero265.50 r33_RGSport13099.50 R24X50.00 Warehouser29.00 cfm56d7b5942.00 155ND961.00 tha_good_life376.00 HMN361.50 cmyx6go15823.00 HP Autosport3888.00 imperfectluck434.00 ipayincash46.00 Tweet Quote

07-21-2023, 10:08 PM	#2
GotBeemed Lieutenant 416 Rep 434 Posts Drives: 997 911, F95 X5M Competition Join Date: Jun 2021 Location: MD iTrader: (1)	Very nicely done! Bravo!
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07-21-2023, 10:35 PM	#3
550ihtown Private First Class 46 Rep 105 Posts Drives: 550i 2014 Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Mobile Alabama iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 M3 E93 [0.00] 2022 BMW X7 M50i [0.00]	Great story
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07-22-2023, 07:58 AM	#4
r33_RGSport General 13100 Rep 18,780 Posts Drives: G09 XM, G05 X5 40, 991.2 T Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: So. Cal iTrader: (6)	sarugby4life Thank you for the shout-out. Greatly appreciate it. __________________ Email:sales@rgsport.com \| IG:RGSport_USA \| Web:RGSportShop.com PM for Everyday DEALS!! MSS • iSweep • RaceChip • Sterckenn • AutoTecknic • Akrapovic • Vossen Wheels • Eventuri Active Autowerke • KW • H&R • Ohlins • Remus • and more...
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07-23-2023, 01:05 PM	#6
cfm56d7b Lieutenant General 5942 Rep 10,314 Posts Drives: 2017 440i Gran Coupe & 2015 X5 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Orange County, CA iTrader: (2)	If this isn’t an X5M for the history books, I don’t know what vehicle would qualify. Amazing build. Thanks for sharing!
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07-23-2023, 09:41 PM	#8
Xtabi Colonel 1716 Rep 2,135 Posts Drives: 2016 M3 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ohio iTrader: (0)	Looks AWESOME! __________________ 2016 F80 \| MG/SO \| DCT \| Adaptive M Suspension \| 19" Black 437M Wheels \| CF Roof \| CF Trim
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07-24-2023, 08:59 AM	#9
blake6551 Second Lieutenant 231 Rep 217 Posts Drives: '23 X5MC, '23 X5 45e Join Date: Jun 2021 Location: MD iTrader: (0)	Really funny, we were a two Tesla family as well, and now have an X5MC and X5 45e too!
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07-24-2023, 03:17 PM	#13
Chayse Private 40 Rep 83 Posts Drives: SMB ///M3 CS, SBM X5MC Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: SE PA iTrader: (1)	Do You have more pics of the lip and side skirts?
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07-24-2023, 08:33 PM	#15
sarugby4life Lieutenant 325 Rep 449 Posts Drives: 2022 X5MC Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: California iTrader: (1)	I promise better pictures soon! Car is back together. Just needs ceramic and it will be ready! Attached Images
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07-25-2023, 12:31 AM	#16
HP Autosport Supreme Allied Commander 3888 Rep 54,565 Posts Drives: F80 M3 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Santa Barbara, AP, Brembo, GIAC, Koni, Ohlins, Performance Friction, www.hpautosport.com iTrader: (36)	We appreciate the opportunity to help you with your journey! Looks great!
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08-05-2023, 03:02 PM	#17
sarugby4life Lieutenant 325 Rep 449 Posts Drives: 2022 X5MC Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: California iTrader: (1)	Some pics of the new wrap!!! So much pollen Attached Images
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08-09-2023, 03:09 PM	#18
Bholt1 New Member 5 Rep 5 Posts Drives: BMW X5MC; Audi SQ5 Join Date: Aug 2023 Location: Columbus, OH iTrader: (0)	Looks great! What coating is on the lights? Dynosmoke?
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08-09-2023, 04:11 PM	#20
Bholt1 New Member 5 Rep 5 Posts Drives: BMW X5MC; Audi SQ5 Join Date: Aug 2023 Location: Columbus, OH iTrader: (0)	Thank you. I’m scheduled to get DynoShadow all around next week. Haven’t seen it in person or really even in pics so I’m curious how it will look. I’m thinking it will be perfect.
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