ON 13 JULY, 2011, WITH ONLY 56,201 MILES, OUR BMW X5 SUFFERED WHAT AN INDEPENDENT BMW AUTO REPAIR SHOP LATER DIAGNOSED AS A "TOTAL ELECTRICAL MELTDOWN INVOLVING ALMOST ALL POWERTRAIN COMPONENTS AND DATA BUS SYSTEM." *TT SYMPTOMS UPON STARTUP THAT MORNING INCLUDED A LEVEL CONTROL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION LIGHT, A TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION WARNING, A PARKING BRAKE MALFUNCTION WARNING, A PASSENGER RESTRAINT MALFUNCTION WARNING, AN ALL-WHEEL DRIVE, DSC, ABS, AND EMERGENCY ABV MALFUNCTION WARNING, AS WELL AS RAPID WINDSHIELD WIPER MOVEMENT AND AN INTERMITTENT ENGINE START BUTTON. I AM AN OFFICER IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY, ON ACTIVE DUTY, AND I DEPLOYED THAT MORNING FOR ALMOST SIX WEEKS; I HAVE RECENTLY RETURNED. THE BURDEN OF COORDINATING AN AUTOMOBILE TOW AND REPAIR THAT DAY WAS LEFT TO MY WIFE, THE MOTHER OF OUR TWO YOUNG CHILDREN. TO SAY THAT THIS WAS AN INCONVENIENCE TO HER IS A GROSS UNDERSTATEMENT. WE PURCHASED THE BMW BASED ON ITS PREVIOUS REPUTATION FOR QUALITY, AND WE PAID MUCH MORE FOR THIS VEHICLE THAN WE WOULD HAVE FOR SOMETHING LIKE A HONDA ODYSSEY OR A TOYOTA SIENNA. WE WERE WILLING TO PAY MORE WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT, DURING MY LONG AND FREQUENT ABSENCES IN THE SERVICE OF OUR COUNTRY, MY WIFE AND FAMILY WOULD HAVE A RELIABLE AND SAFE VEHICLE. I FEEL THIS DECISION TO PURCHASE THIS BMW PRODUCT WAS A MISTAKE, AND ONE I NEVER INTEND TO REPEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY 6,000 MILES OUTSIDE OF THE 50,000 MILE WARRANTY, AND YET NONE OF THE $1,781.31 INVOICE WAS COVERED BY BMW; IT WAS COVERED SOLELY BY MY SAVINGS. I CAN NOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE RECOMMEND ANY BMW PRODUCT TO ANY OF MY FRIENDS OR COLLEAGUES.
