E53 X5

Author
Discussion

surveyor

Original Poster:

18,143 posts

191 months

Sunday 16th March 2014
quotequote all
We have one of these, mainly as a combination as a towcar, plus a 4WD that the missus will drive (she's arsey, I can't control that!).

I've used it a few times for work, and have started to see some advantages, as I do occasionally need to use some more muddy tracks and fields and don't like walking if I can drive....

I'm not changing tyres and ultimately I can put my wellies on and walk, rather than getting stuck. But just how bad are these off road? Is it forget it, or should it be able to cope with a boggy field muddy track?

camel_landy

5,089 posts

190 months

Sunday 16th March 2014
quotequote all
It's a bit like asking "How long is a piece of string?". There are lots of variables: How boggy is boggy? What are the tyres like? How muddy is the track? How deep are the ruts? Blah... Blah...

Yes, it's a 4WD but a lot will also depend on the abilities of the driver.

If it's running the normal road rubber those things get fitted with (i.e. wide!), get yourself a comfy pair of wellies!

M

Truckosaurus

12,047 posts

291 months

Monday 17th March 2014
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camel_landy said:
What are the tyres like?
Is, of course, the correct answer.

I suspect a stock X5 with proper AT or MT tyres to be good enough for most muddy fields or mild greenlanes.

jep

1,183 posts

216 months

Monday 17th March 2014
quotequote all
I had a 3.0i for a couple of years, and with normal road-biased tyres (had General Grabber/Cooper Zeon's throughout its life with me) on 19" wheels, it was not great off road. Biggest problem I found was that the width of the rears combined with the tyre design meant it kept losing traction.

A change to 17" alloys for my winter tyres made a massive difference, the narrower width and M+S tyres saw me comfortably get out of hilly paddocks - was pleasantly surprised at its capability in the end.

I still have the 17's (with barely used winter Vred's on) in the garage - must get around to ebaying them at some point.

surveyor

Original Poster:

18,143 posts

191 months

Monday 17th March 2014
quotequote all
road tyres. stupid wide things....