[brave-heart]

Finally picked up my 45e. Took 40 days from custom order. Have a few questions - appreciate the answers here.
1) The car has trailer hitch installed. Any recommendations for bike rack? Sites like etrailer only list BMW X5 2019 (or older), not for 2021. https://www.etrailer.com/Best/2019/BMW/X5/Bike_Rack. Not sure if it fits.
2) The 240v chargers are recommended on this site: https://www.amazon.com/b?node=19781784011. Anyone used the cheaper one, like JuiceBox 32? It seems amazon no longer provides installation - where can I get the installation service ?
3) The auto insurance on 45e seems a bit expensive - for me in NJ is $1300 a year that includes 1500 deductible on collision/comprehensive, PIP, 1M injury and 200k property damage. Insurance company mentioned 2021 x5 45e is in a special "tier" that has high premium (especially for collision coverage). This is much higher than my another X3 (~900). Is this normal? I also expect to get discount for multiple vehicles ( on same account), but couldn't.

Thanks for opinions.

[Portocale]

Originally Posted by brave-heart

Finally picked up my 45e. Took 40 days from custom order. Have a few questions - appreciate the answers here.
1) The car has trailer hitch installed. Any recommendations for bike rack? Sites like etrailer only list BMW X5 2019 (or older), not for 2021. https://www.etrailer.com/Best/2019/BMW/X5/Bike_Rack. Not sure if it fits.
2) The 240v chargers are recommended on this site: https://www.amazon.com/b?node=19781784011. Anyone used the cheaper one, like JuiceBox 32? It seems amazon no longer provides installation - where can I get the installation service ?
3) The auto insurance on 45e seems a bit expensive - for me in NJ is $1300 a year that includes 1500 deductible on collision/comprehensive, PIP, 1M injury and 200k property damage. Insurance company mentioned 2021 x5 45e is in a special "tier" that has high premium (especially for collision coverage). This is much higher than my another X3 (~900). Is this normal? I also expect to get discount for multiple vehicles ( on same account), but couldn't.

Thanks for opinions.

Come to Europe and pay 1500 euro for third party liability or 2500 for all risks...

[X5 45e]

Originally Posted by Portocale

Come to Europe and pay 1500 euro for third party liability or 2500 for all risks...

That is quite expensive

I have 1650 euro omnium and 420 BA in Belgium. That is almost half. Is insurance so much more expensive in The Netherlands?

[Spencer518]

1 - It's a 2" receiver. Any rack designed for 2" will fit
2 - Any electrician should be able to install a charger. You have to decide if you want one that is hardwired or one that has a plug. If you get a plug model then the electrician just has to install the 240v outlet in your garage. I bought a plug model for the portability in case I move, as well as the ease of upgrading if the technology changes.

I'm still sitting at "Scheduled for Production" for 2 weeks. How long into your 40 days did you get a production number and when did it move to assembly?

[Caramel]

Originally Posted by X5 45e

Is insurance so much more expensive in The Netherlands?

Yes, it is, and for good reasons:

What happens if a Dutch learner driver fails their driving test?

They are given a yellow number plate to alert the other drivers while they keep learning for their second attempt.

Now what happens if a Dutch learner fails their second driving test?

They will have to tow a caravan so that they cannot drive too fast while they keep learning for their third attempt.

But what happens if a Dutch learner fails their third and final driving test?

*drumroll*

Now they really tried very hard and to reward their efforts, they are still allowed on the road, but they will have to display a NL sign on their rear bumper to warn the drivers that they Never Learnt how to drive properly.

[X5 45e]

Originally Posted by Caramel

Yes, it is, and for good reasons:

What happens if a Dutch learner driver fails their driving test?

They are given a yellow number plate to alert the other drivers while they keep learning for their second attempt.

Now what happens if a Dutch learner fails their second driving test?

They will have to tow a caravan so that they cannot drive too fast while they keep learning for their third attempt.

But what happens if a Dutch learner fails their third and final driving test?

*drumroll*

Now they really tried very hard and to reward their efforts, they are still allowed on the road, but they will have to display a NL sign on their rear bumper to warn the drivers that they Never Learnt how to drive properly.

Haha. Good one.

Ps I am actually Dutch but living in Belgium. But that doesn't mean I can appreciatie a good joke.

But I don't own a caravan although I do have a tow hook.

[Mothetgoo]

One recommendation re: hitch-mounted bike rack. In a past life I worked in a shop installing hitches and bike racks on them. One thing I learned is that the weight limit of what you place on a hitch-mounted bike rack is not science. The rule is supposed to be that the vertical weight limit of a hitch (i.e., what the hitch can bear straight down, as in the way that a bike rack weighs on a hitch) is 10% of the tow rating. So if it can tow 5000 lbs, it can hold 500. That is at the hitch though. Basic physics will tell you that as you cantilever weight out off the back of the car, the leverage applied multiplies that weight at the point of the hitch.

My only point is be careful loading up hitch mounted bike racks. The X5 should be heavy enough that it's not a problem, but I saw more than a few times that people would get ones that stuck way, way out and load them up with heavy bikes such that the front wheels would then start not to handle as well.

[GrussGott]

Originally Posted by brave-heart

2) The 240v chargers are recommended on this site: https://www.amazon.com/b?node=19781784011. Anyone used the cheaper one, like JuiceBox 32? It seems amazon no longer provides installation - where can I get the installation service ?

On the chargers, read this thread

[m3_08]

i got solid bump on insurance as well comparing with x3. Hard to explain.....
May be insurance companies predict the repairs will be much more expensive?

[Finito84]

Originally Posted by brave-heart

Finally picked up my 45e. Took 40 days from custom order. Have a few questions - appreciate the answers here.
1) The car has trailer hitch installed. Any recommendations for bike rack? Sites like etrailer only list BMW X5 2019 (or older), not for 2021. https://www.etrailer.com/Best/2019/BMW/X5/Bike_Rack. Not sure if it fits.
2) The 240v chargers are recommended on this site: https://www.amazon.com/b?node=19781784011. Anyone used the cheaper one, like JuiceBox 32? It seems amazon no longer provides installation - where can I get the installation service ?
3) The auto insurance on 45e seems a bit expensive - for me in NJ is $1300 a year that includes 1500 deductible on collision/comprehensive, PIP, 1M injury and 200k property damage. Insurance company mentioned 2021 x5 45e is in a special "tier" that has high premium (especially for collision coverage). This is much higher than my another X3 (~900). Is this normal? I also expect to get discount for multiple vehicles ( on same account), but couldn't.

Thanks for opinions.

Congrats! Enjoy your car! Our PMs over the end of August helped me to close the deal. I am expecting my delivery around mid November as I got the production number on 9/26/20 (dealer did not have any allocation).

1 - Never used a bike rack, so no comments there
2 - My electrician recommended me the juice 48 because I plan to get a full electric for my wife (id4 or q4). For the X5 45e, you do not need so much power, as I believe it is limited to 16 amp, but that thread is the right place.
3 - Still car in production so no VIN to get a quote, but I will PM once I get it. Last year, I got a quote for the normal X5 40i at it was around $1,100 (deductible $1,000, property $100k, $300k body injury). I believe that it is also caused because I am foreigner and until I moved to NJ three-four years ago, I did not have a car in NYC.

[brave-heart]

Originally Posted by Spencer518

1 - It's a 2" receiver. Any rack designed for 2" will fit
2 - Any electrician should be able to install a charger. You have to decide if you want one that is hardwired or one that has a plug. If you get a plug model then the electrician just has to install the 240v outlet in your garage. I bought a plug model for the portability in case I move, as well as the ease of upgrading if the technology changes.

I'm still sitting at "Scheduled for Production" for 2 weeks. How long into your 40 days did you get a production number and when did it move to assembly?

The "scheduled for prod" stage did take 3 weeks for me. Once it entered the assembly line things moved quicker. The prod number was assigned right after the order ( I guess the dealer had the slot available). Then after 3 weeks I got the VIN number.