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BMW X3 vs Subaru Forester XT vs Infiniti FX 35 vs Toyota RAV4

1193 messages,  Last post on Apr 18, 2008 at 2:49 PM

You are in the BMW X3 & X5 Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & tidester

What is this discussion about? BMW X3, Subaru Forester, Infiniti FX35, Toyota RAV4, SUV

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#51 of 1193 Zman; freedom's just another word ... by steve_ HOST Jan 23, 2004 (8:47 pm)
Bosses like you to buy fancy homes too. That way you get trapped into big monthly payments and can't afford to walk off the job.   Time for a little Janis Joplin (and I don't mean the Mercedes tune either <g>).   Steve, Host
#52 of 1193 by ulep Jan 23, 2004 (9:22 pm)
I like subaru but i dont think it's rigth to compare it w/ the fx and x3. the forester in my opinion is in another playing field. I think it's better to compare it with mitsubishi and toyota. yes, it gives the most bang for the buck but so does mitsu and toyota..
#53 of 1193 mark_lp by clpurnell Jan 23, 2004 (9:38 pm)
I'm sorry you dealt with a dealer that was smoking something on the FX price. Good shoppers are getting them 500-700 over invoice. I paid 40.6k For my loaded FX35 RWD (I live in houston no need for awd) with the Tech package (that included the dvd video system they took that out and made it a seperate item for 04). an awd should be about 1k more. There is a dealer in boston selling new 03 FX45's with tech for 42.5k.   Good luck with the beamer post impressions once you get it.
#54 of 1193 FX/X3 by zman Jan 24, 2004 (4:33 am)
Perhaps the FX should be out of the mix. As I've said before, any vehicle that is not offered in a manual transmission is clearly identified by the automaker as marketed to a specific audience and should be so identified by the consumer. This obviously includes most midsized and large SUVs. For whatever reason, however, BMW chose the X3 to be mated to a manny (the obligatory "Autobahn" image?). Hence, they are worthy of comparison. I plan to test both. I will not even consider the FX.   Maybe there's a board devoted entirely to manual transmissions.   Speaking of the image, have you noticed how many car ads show some enthusiast ripping through the gears in the manny? About 50% by my unoffical count. Suggests that people apparently are very much attracted by the image.   Zman
#55 of 1193 vsroman... by mark_lp Jan 24, 2004 (7:05 am)
I think the main detractor for the FX is the ride. The roads in my area are so rough that I dont think I could drive the FX with that firm of a suspension for very long. The overall FX experience is more sport and less luxury in that department. Moving a few grand around that price range would not have made a difference because other issues still exist that detract from the overall value. It would have been a nice offer though. At that price range, the heated steering wheel and the overall blend ride of sport and comfort won. I was actually closer to buying the Murano because of its interior layout and more storage. Everyone has been concentrating on the exterior looks and interior layouts/amenities of these vehicles. The one point that is overlooked is that with the BMW brand in general, the actual components and engineering that goes into the vehcile itself is much higher than most vehicles out there. The items I can repair myself are easy to locate, diagnose and repair myself. How easy is it to change filters, bulbs, oil, coolant, brakes etc after the warranty period expires? I can guarantee that the BMW is easier to do those things to. That is a value in a vehicle that cannot be touched or realized in a test drive.
#56 of 1193 by p0926 Jan 24, 2004 (7:09 am)
Speaking of the image, have you noticed how many car ads show some enthusiast ripping through the gears in the manny? About 50% by my unoffical count. Suggests that people apparently are very much attracted by the image.   zman- They may well be attracted to the image but when it comes to buy, they overwhelmingly go for the auto trans (90+%). Which just reinforces the image of the lazy American driver who wants as little involvement as possible with the actual driving experience.   -Frank P.
#57 of 1193 by p0926 Jan 24, 2004 (7:26 am)
The handling is where the BMW and FX shines. Both equipped with sport packages are .88 g for the X3 and .87 for the FX. The base FX does .81 but since we don't have base skid numbers for the base X3 lets compare apples to apples again. The XT is High .7's here it brings up the rear where the FX and X3 tie.   clpurnell- Regarding the XT's numbers, most of the difference is attributable to the XT's smaller shoes. If one were to spend $2,000 for a plus-one upgrade and a pair of beefier anti-sway bars, I'm willing to bet that the XT's handling numbers would be right up there in the mid to upper .8 range. And you'd still be $10,000 ahead! Of course you still won't have a heated steering wheel or 4-way electric lumbar support   Anybody else remember when the passenger side-view mirror was only available on upper-end cars?   -Frank P.
#58 of 1193 Mannys by zman Jan 24, 2004 (8:00 am)
Frank, not only that, but the more "well appointed" cars are stripped of the MT--in the Subaru stable this means the Forester XT premium, the Outbacks with stronger engines. As for any American make or Infiniti, Volvo, Acura, Toyota, Lexus (you name it)...need I say more? It's as if to say, those of us who love to drive and feel the road don't want to do it unless we're sitting on cheesy cloth seats in a cramped cabin or buzzing a 4 cylinder engine to 4500 RPM.   All of which leads me to my real question: has anyone done a "fly and buy" deal to Europe? You know, fly over, buy for example the VW Passat W8 Wagon in the 6-speed and ship it back. I hear MT's are much easier to get across the pond. Plusses and minuses? Is there a separate board for this?   Zman
#59 of 1193 Frank, by ballistic Jan 24, 2004 (3:04 pm)
Of course you still won't have a heated steering wheel   That the presence or absence of this 'feature' might actually be the deciding difference between buying or not buying a particular car says something (and it's not good) about just how pampered we have to be these days.   For those really cold days, how about a pair of gloves, for pete's sake?   The KISS principle seems to have become a candidate for the endangered species list. <sigh>
#60 of 1193 Love the idea by akasrp Jan 24, 2004 (3:35 pm)
of a heated steering wheel! Love the idea that it could run amok and leave the driver unable to steer, that is. Hot molten noxious plastic dripping onto his pants. New meaning to 'unsafe at any speed', nevermind the legendary cry “I’ve got blisters on my fingers”. Is there any end to the list of goofy add-ons that continue to put stars in our eyes?   s(anctimonius)rp

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