2008 BMW X5 4.8i: The Button Never Pushed

adavis2493, nice call on the duck.

I thought it was even more useless on my 2007 328xi, which is even less likely to go off-road. I did use it once on a steep snowy driveway just to see how it worked, and not surprisingly it did a nice job of controlling the vehicle's speed.

Our driveway is over 1400 feet long and weaves through some significant elevation changes, so you can bet that the HDC in our X3 will get used several times each winter. As I see it, HDC is like my Ruger P85 loaded with 15 Federal Hydra-Shok rounds; it's better to have it and not need than to need it and not have it.

I can see it being useful when the owner who frequents malls with multi-leveled parking structures. You know, after he/she pulls out of the "compact" spot (like lots of other SUVs) and heads down the concrete slope towards the exit, it might be a little slippery and the owner will activate hill descent.

adavis2493, hahahaha

adavis - you've ruined that button for me. Thanks for the laugh though.

roadburner - is it scarier that I know just how dirty those rounds are or that I'd rather have Double Eagle/1911? 15 puts you in a double stack, 7+1 is all you should need.

g8gtnorth - oh yes, the DE is real practical for self/home defense, you are so right.

go back to your video games.

I have to agree. I have HDC on a 330xi and X3 and other than testing out the feature or demonstrating it to someone in the car, I've never used it in a real life situation. Put it in the category of "theoretically nice to have in case it is ever needed", I guess.

I don't use lumbar support or cruise control either ;)

Of course for the other half of the country that lives were it actually snows from time to time, having hill descent control is actually useful in any vehicle.

knitbeanie - you're an idiot and you don't know as much as you think you do.... clearly.

Go easy on Mr. Pund, jaguar-man. He's in Dee-troit Michigan, so he knows from snow. "Hills" on the other hand, are theoretical geological constructs he's only read about.

knitbeanie - You don't know me, so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, but seeing as how I'm bored, I'll qualify that last statement.

To set the record straight, I did not mention the DE, they are fairly terrible to shoot though impressive. The DOUBLE Eagle is a Colt produced from the late 80's to mid 90's. It is unique in that it is a 1911 variant with a double action. If I have to explain to you what a 1911 is, you had no business calling me out what-so-ever.

To further quatify my statement, I have spent significant time with a wide variety of firearms. I have shot DE's, Colt's, Ruger's, HK's, Sig's, Beretta's, Browning's and others in a variety of calibers. I prefer the weight and feel of the 1911's with single-stack .45 ACP's over double-stack 9mm pistols. They tend to be slimmer and have longer grips and fit my hands better. Furthermore, I don't care for Ruger pistols in general, I find them bulky and unweildy. I can use one, I'm just much better with my old Double Eagle.

It doesn't really matter though, because you should NEVER need to use one out of anger or fear. Just because you have the right to bear arms doesn't mean you should. I gave up my firearms for that very reason.

Don't be so quick to assume next time, you might not make an ass of yourself. Sorry about high-jacking the post Dan.

"It doesn't really matter though, because you should NEVER need to use one out of anger or fear. Just because you have the right to bear arms doesn't mean you should."

I agree. In my case I took an FBI qualification course along with our local Sheriff's Department(I also qualified on a short choke shotgun AKA "Riot Gun", but that's another story). I live off the beaten path a bit and in my line of work you get the odd death threat every so often, that's why I have a P85 with that kind of ammunition.

I won't lie I was wondering. They're not exactly common.... nor easy to come by.