It's a story that suggests our public spending policies are not the only ones to suffer from seemingly erratic purchasing decisions. In Scotland, the reportedly cash-strapped Highlands and Islands fire brigade last month took delivery of a new BMW X5, along with a Toyota Land Cruiser.
Defending the purchase in the Scottish Daily Record, fire master Brian Murray said the decision to buy the cars represented "good value" in terms of cost, the resale value and the long-term best value.
Meanwhile, Premiership footballers choose the X5 to ferry themselves between nightclubs . . . sorry, training sessions. In fact it has earned the pejorative "training ground taxi". With production coming solely from BMW's US plant in Spartenburg, South Carolina, Irish motorists must fend off the desires of those overpaid footballing teenagers to get their hands on one.
BMW's off-roader is the urban warrior that seemingly thousands want to drive. From footballers to fire chiefs, the X5's allure has stood up to an onslaught of premium marques ranging from Volkswagen to Porsche. Yet it seems to have held its own, the others benefiting mostly from X5 customers' impatience at the long delivery time.
The premium-end SUV segment is becoming increasingly popular as European motorists prove yet again that we are keen to mimic our American cousins in terms of urban fashion tastes and desires. It also represents further proof, if any were needed, that the outcries from society's moral mudflaps cut no ice when the time comes for those with the money to choose their wheels.
An increasingly sizeable group of motorists are voting with their wallets and accepting long delays in delivery in order to sit that little bit higher above the traffic.
We've been able to spend a week with the X5 in its 3-litre diesel guise, taking it off-road and more regularly behind the wheel in everyday traffic. The most surprising experience was the number of other X5s we noticed on our roads.
BMW's 3-litre diesel is fast becoming one of our favourite engines in its class, packing a significant punch yet discreet enough not to intrude in the cabin, unless you want it to.
First introduced in the previous 5-Series, it was then used in the rest of the range, being compared to the M3 when it was lodged into the smaller BMW range. Now it's been upgraded to offer 18 per cent more power and 22 per cent more torque, or pulling power. For the first time with a diesel engine, we found ourselves revving a diesel engine to hear it roar, a deep throated gurgle more reminiscent of a high-powered petrol than oil-burner.
The problems we encountered with the X5 were in the main to do with the stiffer suspension of the sports package.
Earlier, we drove the 4.4-litre derivative complete with the sports pack, from Limerick to Dublin and felt every bump and yump on the way. While it lends itself to improved handling, the X5 has never been a slouch in this department, and the extra stiffness does not compensate for the jarring ride, particularly when it's running on the large 19-inch alloys. The basic suspension package on the SE model is far more forgiving and amenable, and over €3,000 cheaper.
The X5 remains one of the best handling SUVs, challenged only by Porsche's Cayenne. Its greatest challenge may yet come from this fellow German.
With a relatively competitive price tag of €80,900 for the Cayenne V6 - while it's beaten on most accounts by the 3-litre diesel X5 - the Porsche badge may just steal away some BMW customers.
Then there's the xDrive system, which we reported on some weeks ago. BMW claims it's 10 times quicker to react than other four-wheel-drive systems.
If not quite ready to take on the Range Rover, it's certainly a step in the right direction and BMW has patented the technology, so confident are they that it will prove valuable to all its future four-wheel-drive developments.
In fairness the previous X5 all-wheel-drive system seemed comparatively primitive compared to newer opposition. It was the Bavarians' Achilles heel, with a fixed 50:50 power split between the front and rear wheels leading to suggestions that the X5 was an off-roader in appearance only. The new system overcomes that issue, though the X5 still lacks a low-ratio transfer box.
In terms of appearance it seems to have been more a case of having to do something to distinguish the new from the old, rather than pursuing a new template. At a time when BMW has spent many millions reworking its looks, the treatment of the X5 has been a lot more restrained with the front nose the only area to really show any significant changes. Headlights now take on a more curved, sweeping profile while the familiar kidney grille gets a new "wave-profile" - a touch we feel that takes away from the quality of the design and looks too plastic for such a solid design.
Inside, the finish is on a par with BMW saloons. However, it's a tight squeeze for three adults on the back seat, and it still lacks the flexibility of the seven-seater Volvo XC90, though it beats it in terms of handling and driving pleasure.
The X5 has the panache to see off the opposition, but its waiting list may invite some to skip the four-wheel-drive queue and it does seem pricey compared to the likes of the VW or Volvo.
Yet behind the wheel, the X5 offers the best mix of driving pleasure and street cred, while the diesel's 32.8 mpg on the combined cycle seems frugal for such a large motor. Just avoid the sports suspension.
So if we were on the market for a premium SUV, would we wait for an X5? Care about image, and the answer is yes. Seeking a good mix of power, with a touch of financial reality, then yes again to the 3-litre diesel. If we were going to live at the bottom of a muddy pit, probably not - we'd still go for the likes of a Toyota Land Cruiser. But if we were a Highland's fire chief, we'd be delighted with our lot.