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SUVs BMW X3 & X5 BMW X3
3287 messages, Last post on Nov 14, 2009 at 6:14 PM
You are in the BMW X3 & X5 Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & tidester
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Replying to: markcincinnati (May 16, 2006 12:43 pm) I was suprised BMW did a turbo thing. I lease turbos, not buy them. THey are scarey replacemtns if off warranty. The HP wars need to stop! We need more MPG. When is enough enough? The inline 6's are wonderful engines and seem to perform despite lower numbers than the competition. I don't understand paying $1000 for the comfort key? and besides the James Bond coolness, the rear camera is over rated as I think NAV is for many folks. Just my opinion folks, but if BMW gotta keep up, then they need to do what they need to do! THe dash needs some tweaking. Overall shape is good, but center stack needs a redue. I like the clean look. YEs, if they can just tweek the suspension just a tad to keep it from getting "giggy" that would be great. Not floaty or numb mind you. It can be done. I would say the sport suspension won't be to my taste. I dig sharp handling, but there is so much of a price I will pay. I like the size of the vehicle and the size is just fine. Does 18' wheels change this "tippy" charactor? No manual trannys, sport, or 18'wheels were available to test drive. I look forward to seeing these changes! |
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I don't feel the tippy sensation you describe -- unless that would be your description of any vehicle with a higher center of gravity. The nav is a must, can't, don't, won't leave home without it. Front and rear parktronic is fine for us, but the camera is "the thing" these days, go with the flow. My Audi's keyless start was $750. I wonder why, too. I like the keyless start, but the price seems about $500 too high if it HAS to be an option. No sticks? Pity. This thing is a blast with a stick and "challenged" with the 5speed stutter tronic. The 255HP 3.0 and the 6speed non-stutter-tronic would seem to be the ticket.
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Replying to: markcincinnati (May 17, 2006 6:54 am) My Sienna mini van does not have this sensation, nor did my old ML have it nearly as pronounced. It was not a side to side "tip" but seemed to be small movements up and down. Someone on a forum bought this up and it was suggested to have dealer look at the springs that they might not have been released after shipping. IT did not feel that severe! Perhaps I need to drive another one, and maybe a used one as well. |
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After having read the bulk of these messages & having just ordered my X3 w/ Sapph. blk./beige, Prem. & Sport Pkgs. and Step 5-auto, I wanted to chime in. I want to make clear the context from where I am coming. My target $400-$600/mo. payment encompassed a multiplicity of vehicles and lots of test drives. Fortunately, our current personal fleet gave me an excellent baseline for constant referral and comparison. Our pool consists of: Porsche GT3, Benz G500, allroad 2.7, allroad 4.2 (new), S4 5-sp Tip (new), VW Touareg 4.2 (new), Chrys. Town and Country MV (new) [we've also had a selection of Benz MLs] -- clearly, a rather vast range of speed, braking, steering, ride quality, int./ext. appointments, curb weights, etc. Bottom line: I bought the X3 because Porsche has priced the Cayenne out of my desired $$ range. Verdict: The X3 Sport is the next best thing as far as all-arounder, quasi-SUVs go. The braking and steering turn-in decimate the Audis' (including the S4's). Power is about as good as either ML's or the allroad's (perhaps the allroad 4.2 is a wee bit faster, but not torquier) and feels faster than the Touareg 4.2. The G500, however, feels fast as hell although 0-60 times don't indicate that it is all that much faster than the X3 and by the 1/4 they are both going about the same speed. Braking feel is only bettered by my GT3 and distances and g-forces seemed absurdly close. Ride quality is about like the Porsche's (very constrained, but never uncomfortable), and I can't stand how tippy the allroads are. The audi's air suspension never feels as sorted as the X3's, especially over speed bumps and seams--the allroads are too harsh going strait, but too leany during hard cornering. They feel like a car with mono-directional gas shocks. I think the word for the X3 is "controlled." Like the Cayennes, the X3 gives the impression that you are doing and can do things that SUVs should not be able to do. I guess s look at the skidpad #s revelas this. The exterior with the bodycolor-matched Aerokit I, Shadowline, privacy and 18" M'sport wheels pimps as much as anything this side of $60k. Interior materials are fine (but not even close to the Audis'--about like a non-leather Cayenne's). That said, the Montana leather is top notch. Sport seats come close to the stupid-amazing Recaros in the S4. Carpets are as nice as one would expect. Sport M-steering wheel is perfect. Dash top material is unusual, but not "cheap" at all--just different. Dash bottom material is a bit of a concern. Doorpanels are fine, but I wish the X5's had not been sitting 5 ft. away as they make the X3's look a bit lacking. We drove our new maxed-out S4 to our final test drive of the X3 and the X5 in order to objectify the BMWs as best we could. We had to place our order that day in order to get a production spot on the line. Here's the 411 from that session. The X5, albeit much more posh than the X3, drives and feels very much like the Touareg (just for the record, the Touareg's interior squashes any of the BMW's). That is, tanky and heavy with big, huge, long hoods that one can't see beyond. Never try parallel parking the X5 or the BMW after driving your 911:) The X3 reminds you of the S4. You feel "on top of" the car. It seems completely manageable under extremely hard driving. The X3 also reminds you of the 911...it brakes and turns in instantly--credit the 65/35 X-Drive power split and engine placement with not creating pushy oversteer as with the Audis. But through it all the main sensation that the X3 gives is much like that of the new 330Xi--new, new, new. It makes everything I test drove from the A3 to the Cayenne to the new Range Rover Sport feel like old engineering. I know they are not. Yet, the X3 renders itself like a car that has been developed for a 2010 release with then implemented technology. I just wish the beige bottom part of the dash didn't look like the door panel of our Chrysler T & C!! Chiming over. Swing for the Fence, Carrera GT3
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Replying to: carreragt3 (May 21, 2006 5:25 pm) Some of the blandness of the interior actually grows on you over time, the interior is comfortable and well planned, a little spartan, but it is very functional and businesslike. The steering, feel of the road, seating position, comfort, big windows and overall value are hard to beat. Hope you report back on what you find. |
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Replying to: vsroman (May 16, 2006 5:54 am)     http://www.worldcarfans.com/spyphotos.cfm/country/gcf/spyphotoID/6060504.001/bmw- /new-bmw-x3-facelift-uncovered
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Replying to: juanchypr (May 22, 2006 1:49 pm) 
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Replying to: driver100 (May 22, 2006 4:36 pm) I hope they keep some of the textured surfaces on the X3. It makes it unique. I would imagine iDrive is coming and a center video screen will change the center stack. I think to compete in this crowded market the center stack controls need to be a bit upscale. New engine choice, maybe take the wiggles out of the suspension, and update the interior will make this vehicle a catagory killer at the high end. |
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Stumbled upon these. For the first time you can see the smooth bumper treatment. link title and the back: link title
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Replying to: bargamon (May 23, 2006 12:19 pm) The layout of the current dash is a masterpiece in simplicity and ease of use. I would like to see some contrasting colors and smoothen out that pebble affect. Then, it will be the perfect car !
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