BMW X5 M SAVs Are $123K Apart, Drag Race to Show Money Doesn't Buy You Happiness

Take the case of these two BMW X5 Ms as an example. One is five years old (yet somehow only has 30,000 odd miles on the clock, but that's a topic for another discussion) and costs $55,000, whereas the other one is brand new and sells for $178,000 (or rather the equivalent of these numbers in British pounds). What do the extra $123,000 get you?

Well, first of all, a pristine car that hadn't been driven before. Second, since it's the Competition version of the X5 M, it offers roughly 50 hp more (617 hp for the new model compared to the 567 hp of the older one). Third, despite having the same torque and being heavier, the new car shaves 0.3 seconds off the 0-60 acceleration time, which isn't necessarily useful in day-to-day usage, but it makes for a nice cocktail party bragging subject. And fourth—nope, there is no fourth.

Now, what does the $123,000 cheaper SAV get you? A louder, more characterful exhaust, a sunglass holder, a bigger sunroof over the two front seats, $123,000 left in your pocket, and the peace of mind that you haven't overpaid for something that is very quickly depreciating.

Yes, but the $55,000 X5 M is still slower than the $178,000 one. Yes, but do you have any idea how much money you'll have left out of the $123,000 after you've tuned the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine in the five-year-old X5 M to 1,000 hp? Or how many cars can you buy with that money that will leave the 617-hp X5 M in the dust? Yes, money can buy you performance; you just have to be clever about it.

Watch the clip below and see if the gap in the drag race is really worth all that money. Sure, it's not a fair comparison since a used car always costs a lot less than a new one even if they are identical in every aspect, so this is probably more of a plea to save money by buying used instead of new. Watch the video and decide for yourself.

(drag races start at 17:10)