[Maceo23]

Hey Thunder,  for what it's worth, I own an auto repair shop.  Do yourself a favor, buy Japanese.  You can't go wrong with Toyota or Honda. 

[hibuckhobby]

There's nothing Japanese that will handle and ride like the BMW.  The closest you'll
get in a crossover is Infinity.  It's still not the same, but you will pay for the pleasure
if you decide to go BMW...unless, of course, you trade every couple years, then go for it!
YMMV
Hibuck...

[thunderbrick]

Maceo and HiBuck, I agree.  Fortunately I've had great luck with my 3 and 5-series for over three decades (all used, of course).  My son is into club racing and has trashed and rebuilt more that his share of E30s and more.

One problem is my wife has a, uh, em, very LOW center of gravity, so she needs more space and is due for a knee replacement or two.  That's why the X5 won't work; access.  The Pilot and Sienna offer great visibility and the dashboards don't make her feel cramped.   Did some reading about the MB ML350 last night and those seats might work for her but the maintenance costs scare the hell out of me.

I can do some maintenance but I ain't getting any younger...

Thanks!

Bob