New BMW 5 series Touring or New Santa Fe?

[Brian_374234561]

It's time to chose my new company car, so it's decision time.... I've narrowed the choice down to either a BMW 530D M sport touring that comes with self-levelling suspension or the new Santa Fe - money wise, when taking into account the tax and fuel, they are identical on our company car scheme. So the decision is a pure driving one really and would appreciate any thoughts out there.

The BMW is a 92% match for our Senator Carolina and the Santa Fe is 89%. Before everyone starts stating that I am over the 85% GUIDELINE, I am fully aware of this. I have been towing for 7 years now, I would not claim to be an expert, but I'm not a novice neither.

We dont do fields, so I'm not overly worried about the lack of 4 wheel drive on the BMW. I do like being up high, so the Santa Fe wins on that one. I drive 25k business miles per annum, so the BMW is a much more rewarding car to drive. (I currently have the 5 series saloon, but dont use it for towing). The Santa Fe would be the manual one, the BMW is an auto.

Any thoughts or advice, much appreciated!

Thanks

Brian

 

[RogerL]

Apples and pears !!
It's difficult to imagine two more disimilar tow cars than these two - the only thing they have in common is the same company car cost.
You're doing 25,000 business miles against how many towing?
Your selection may be made for you as Santa Fe are like rocking horse droppings - the UK is on a severe rationing from the factory because production is being diverted away from RHD models to meet very high world demand for the LHD model - many would-be UK owners who ordered within a month of last year's launch still haven't got their car - or have given up and gone elsewhere.

 

[Brian_374234561]

Hi RogerL
We do about 2k miles per annum towing, about a third of that is in France each year. I am aware of the production issue with the Hyundai, but it isnt an issue as I can hand mine back in December and use a pool car for a couple of months if required which is handy.

They are indeed 2 very different cars, hence why I'm seeking others' views It's a tough one. The wife and kids like the Santa Fe as it's up high and has lots of toys which I'd never use (like parking assist and rear camera). They arent driving it, so the balance between solo and towing is important to me, which is why the BMW strikes the balance better - I think....

 

[RogerL]

I currently have the immediate predecessor to the current Santa Fe and it's the best towcar I've ever had, by a long way - it's also digustingly agile on twisty country roads, at least for a 2 tonne, high centre-of-gravity 7-seater with the aerodynamics of a brick - it replaced a Subaru Outback which was a delight to drive, as you'd expect from a Subaru, and I was very surprised how close those two were, even though the Subaru edged it.
I just can't really get my head round the comparison/choice with a BMW M5.

 

[Brian_374234561]

It's not an M5 (I wish...), it's the M Sport diesel which is a blinged up version with side skirts and big alloys. I've had 2 BMWs and really rate them driving solo but have nevered towed with one. It's really bizarre that a £48k BMW costs the same to run as the £34k Santa Fe in company car terms, so I agree that it's a strange comparison, but both weigh about the same and come in cost-wise almost identical with tax and fuel costs.
Other cars I've considered are X5 (too expensive), X3 is too small, E Class I dont like, Audi's arent heavy enough, new Sorento is expensive on the tax plus I dont like the look of it. Q5 is nice but more expensive. Q7 - yeah right... Is there anything out there that I may have missed? I have an online quote system, so let me know if there is another car out there worth looking at.

I had a new santa fe demo car for 4 days - I really liked it, but the manual gearbox was quite notchy. Space was excellent and it's a really smart looking motor.

 

[MichaelE]

Leasing is down to the value of the car after 3 years thats why you can get a more expensive BMW for the same monthly cosy of a Santa Fe , you are looking at the BMW to be worth about £26000 after 3 years and the Santa Fe around £12000.
Thats why our guys at work choose BMW,Audis and Mercs as they are cheaper to lease than Fords and Vauxhalls.
As for choice both will tow well but as you will be mostly solo my choice would be the BMW, and the handling is so much better and engine wise no competion really the 3.0 lts BMW is ultra smooth very powerful and quiet and the 8 speed gearbox a delight.
As for car tax i would relook as you pay a % of the cost of the car , the BMW is 24% and the Santa Fe 26%,so the BMW will cost you more as its 24% of £48000 compared to 26% of £32000?

 

[jongeorge1]

Have you thought of the skoda superb 4x4 estate auto that way you get the best if both worlds as they use the running gear out of the Audi and should be heavy enough to tow your van and they're a good drive solo

 

[Surfer]

If the BMW has "skirts", when towing will it bottom out on humps like the "sleeping policeman" which is found in many parks as the car may be lower with passengers, baggage and a caravan in tow?

 

[Brian_374234561]

Thanks for your comments. The leasing company is owned by BMW which is why they cant get a £48k car to cost in the same as the £32k santa fe - nice party trick!

I have a saloon M sport at the moment, it's low but not too bad. The new Touring has self levelling suspension so hopefully that would help.

 

[Mignolet]

Go for the BMW

 

[Mel]

Your heart is saying BMW. However your head, (and the missus), is saying Sante Fe. I think that you already know what you want. Go for it.
mel

 

[NigelHutson]

Based on personal experiences of towing with both the 520 Touring and the latest Santa Fe at the Tow Car event, without question I would go for the BMW (especially as you've no real need for the 4X4 capability). The latest Santa Fe was pretty poor this year, especially stability wise, and that was towing 85%.