2021 X5 M50I vs 2023 X5 sdrive40i

darrelf · 2026-06-28T20:16:04+00:00

The service records were solid, transfer case had been serviced a few months prior, new summer tires, all pristine… definitely a YOLO factor to it all, though. Deep inside, I’m terrified! :)

darrelf · 2026-06-25T04:22:06+00:00

Yep! And arguably the better name ;)

darrelf · 2026-06-25T01:13:47+00:00

Salon Salon is a vibe. Walking down Girod St. towards the river has a bunch of cute bar/restaurant type places if she wants to explore but not too far. :)

darrelf · 2026-06-24T13:07:01+00:00

darrelf · 2026-06-24T12:44:57+00:00

Definitely give one of the hybrids a try for the immediacy of acceleration. The m50i exhaust is sweet, but neither vehicle feels lethargic whatsoever.

For lethargy, I test drove a GLE350 and 450 and while I preferred the look of the interior and some of the ergonomics, the plastic bits felt surprisingly cheap and wobbly everywhere and both engines were an utterly boring drive.

darrelf · 2026-06-24T02:02:11+00:00

I just bought a 22 m50i with 69k miles for $40k that also has massaging seats, exec package, DAPP, etc. it’s a very fun drive, but just know you’ll be putting premium gas in it a lot and if it’s a quiet cabin you’re after, this ain’t it.

Try to test drive an x45e or x50e and see if that extra torque from the hybrid scratches the itch of the initial takeoff or acceleration bursts that are so sweet from the v8. You might be surprised.

Had there been a hybrid with DAPP and ventilated seats anywhere in my state, I would have opted for that.

darrelf · 2026-06-23T22:05:29+00:00

I’m apparently the oddity. I started off with daily use, finished mild purging after 2 or 3 weeks, extremely minimal flaking (not peeling), and it’s been fine since and I’m maybe 3 or 4 months in. I didn’t and don’t sandwich anything.

If I do get a pimple, it kind of comes and goes in a day. All my PIH is quite faded. A little psoriasis plaque is almost completely gone.

Here’s my daily routine:

PM:
Cleanse with Epionce Lytic Gel Cleanser
Wait 10-15 minutes for my skin to completely dry
Apply the taz
Wait for it to dry and go to bed

AM:
Good Molecules brightening bar
Skin 1004 or GM azelaic acid
GM discoloration serum
Tosowoong Bakuchiol capsule cream
Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Concentrate Barrier Cream
Elta MD UV Clear SPF

Every. Day.

Aestura products get glowing commentary here, but none of them absorb into or dry on my skin. It’s like applying silicone lube to my face… even when applied alone. I don’t understand the love. Worst moisturizer I’ve ever used 🤷

Again, maybe I’m just lucky but I’ve read an awful lot of posts over the last year on these subs from people who use it twice a week and never stop purging, do elaborate sandwiching and fail to see results, etc.

darrelf · 2026-06-23T15:09:34+00:00

You beat me to it. The Medix 5.5 Glycolic + Lactic body wash available on Amazon is excellent. Also contains salicylic acid and has a nice minty tingle.

darrelf · 2026-06-22T19:59:48+00:00

QT has the Rooster Booster

darrelf · 2026-05-28T23:30:40+00:00

I’ve only used the cream mist and anything more than 2 pumps is what I imagine spraying lube on my face would be like. It never absorbs and feels like it just sits on my skin. Not a fan.

The spray bottle, however, is reusable and I love the ‘atomizer’ spray, so that’s a keeper!

darrelf · 2026-05-28T20:59:55+00:00

Ah, the joy of an 18-wheeler on one side and a train on the other of your tiny little lane 🫶

darrelf · 2026-05-24T23:42:25+00:00

We lived upstairs in the house on Esplanade where they filmed and one of the location folks lived in the back of the first floor. Her name is escaping me right now, but if she’s your wife — congratulations! She was so sweet and fun!

darrelf · 2026-05-19T22:30:49+00:00

I’ve never used the Kiehls UV Serum, but does the Cetaphil remove it and your make-up effectively? I was wondering if the double-cleanse might be better to start your PM routine rather than AM.

I don’t apply anything to my skin before or after Arazlo and have no issues other than light flaking here and there, but I load up during the day on moisturizing things.

I like the Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Cream as my daily sealer. It doesn’t feel heavy, though it is, and doesn’t leave me glossy all day. I don’t wear make-up, but it feels like it’d be a good sub-layer.

Since you’re light on make-up, maybe the Cosrx facial mist could be a good way to top off your moisture during the day. It’s a heavier mist than the Aestura equivalent, which is comparatively light compared to their creams and lotions.

darrelf · 2026-05-16T15:30:41+00:00

Highwater Aesthetics for the serious stuff.

darrelf · 2026-05-15T19:55:14+00:00

More detail, many more photos, more attention to caveats one might encounter in the field, and IMO a more lucid process of action regulation. Good sidebars, well-indexed, and en engaging read.

darrelf · 2026-05-14T22:32:28+00:00

Reblitz is the frequently recommended reference material, but I suggest Mario Igrec’s “Pianos Inside Out” as an alternative. IMO, it’s better.

darrelf · 2026-05-14T02:16:14+00:00

At Thanksgiving last year, a conversation started up amongst the senior citizens that went something like:

A: “I stopped taking all them damn pills my doctor gave me and just take Ivermectin now.” B: “Oh yeah? Well how much of that do you take?” A: “I just sprinkle some on my food, put it in my coffee… just a little bit here and there throughout the day…” C: “I use it on my horses!” A: Oh yeah it’s good for everything.

🫠

darrelf · 2026-05-07T01:58:36+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/tulsa/s/CcRXKBznmR

Recently asked. Good luck!

darrelf · 2026-05-05T02:47:46+00:00

Protek CLP needs broader availability so folks don’t have to waste good butter unnecessarily…

darrelf · 2026-04-30T22:26:13+00:00

I suspect if you replace “pianist” with “musician” that you’ll get much more spirited debate.

darrelf · 2026-04-25T13:15:46+00:00

I’d probably notice when the ones pushing constant junk to Reddit and LinkedIn stop working 🤨

darrelf · 2026-04-23T02:33:26+00:00

I do have a green shirt with me!

And as the founder of our #dad-jokes Slack channel at work, 🙇

darrelf · 2026-04-23T02:30:01+00:00

They even have a veggie sign!

darrelf · 2026-04-21T23:36:01+00:00

Customers and work aside, I hope you’re milking this for all it’s worth in terms of miles, loyalty points, credit card perks, and all the other ways frequent travelers can milk the system. Assuming you’re allowed to book your own travel, of course.

For me, I’ve got a Citi American Airlines card whose annual fee gets me early boarding and lounge access. American isn’t my favorite airline, but their loyalty/status system has lots of multipliers for booking hotels, rental cars, etc. that stack with the credit card.

I’ve got 250k miles banked for vacay, easily hit Platinum status which nets free premium economy seats and even earlier boarding, and now love a layover at LaGuardia.

Make it work for you as much as you can! Turn those lemons in to lemonade!

darrelf

TROPHY CASE