Author Topic: Test Drive: 2011 BMW X3 xDrive35i (Read 9498 times)

Autos_Editor · « **on:** July 06, 2011, 04:05:20 am »

The X3 crossover is sporty enough to appeal even to drivers who never thought they'd see themselves in one, says Chris Chase.

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johngenx · « **Reply #1 on:** July 06, 2011, 04:38:05 am »

We took a quick peek at the X3 for the fun of it, and it's a nice CUV package, but the weight is a little shocking. I checked the specs to confirm as it felt no bigger inside than a Forester (it's not), and much smaller than the Highlander, but at >4200lbs, it carries a lot of mass for the size.

We didn't drive one, so I can't comment on the experience behind the wheel, but I'm sure it's what the X3 should have been from day one. Good value if you stay away from the options check list.

JohnnyMac · « **Reply #2 on:** July 06, 2011, 07:04:44 am »

Definitely one of the best luxury SUV's on the market. But for me i would rather have a diesel and at that price point I would be looking at the new VW Tourag TDI. But if I had the money the one I would get is the BMW X5 with the diesel as it is truely the best SUV in Canada (that doesn't have a Porsche symbol on it of course). I wonder how much less room the X1 has compared to the X3, how much fuel it consumes compared to and X3, and the driving dynamics.

OliverD · « **Reply #3 on:** July 06, 2011, 07:34:02 am »

I agree that the addition of a diesel engine would be great.

I'm a bit surprised that the X3 doesn't have the new N20 motor (as seen in the X1 and coming soon to the Z4 and F30 3-series) as standard. I'm sure that will change in a year or two though.

I also wish that a manual transmission were still available, but I know it's unrealistic to expect that.

Factger · « **Reply #4 on:** July 06, 2011, 07:52:33 am »

Chris

You had a mileage of 12.7L/100km. What would be the percentage of total city/highway travel? For my daily commute I drive 60% highway/40% City and get approximately 10.5L/100km with our edge.

When Wing had his day to day review of the X3 he got 9.1L/100KM mileage "600 km travelled over the course of the week, I averaged 9.1L/100km". He does state that he did do alot of highway travel in his review.

chrischasescars · « **Reply #5 on:** July 06, 2011, 08:05:23 am »

Hi Factger - that average was in mostly city driving, about 75 per cent. The highway driving I did was limited to the freeway that runs through Ottawa, so with the traffic and speed variations, it's not quite "real" highway driving. I was quite impressed with that number, actually, considering the conditions I drove the car in.

nlm · « **Reply #6 on:** July 06, 2011, 08:48:16 am »

I liked your thoughts on comparing to the 3 & 5 series wagon.

The last shot of the cargo area provides some useful information as well. With 2nd row seats up the capacty is not stellar (wish the cargo figure for the XC60 was provided) but they squeezed as much useable room in by squaring off the hold, as well as providing an indent for washer storage and a little net for a snow brush/ice scraper. Some nice little touches.

dirtyjeffer · « **Reply #7 on:** July 06, 2011, 09:53:19 am »

i have always like the BMW units, and really like the new X1, but from speaking with a couple of BMW owners i know personally, i don't know if i would ever buy one...while i could squeeze a purchase of a nicely equipped X1 into "my next car" if i really wanted to (it is at the upper bracket of my price range, maybe a tad over, but i could make it work if i had to), my friends have said it isn't buying the vehicle that is costly, it is maintaining/keeping it over time that adds...considering the thousands of dollars i have seen them dump into their premium vehicles for things i have never had to replace on the myriad of Ford, GM, Nissan and Toyota products i have owned over the years, i was quite disappointed.

chrischasescars · « **Reply #8 on:** July 06, 2011, 09:55:59 am »

Quote from: nlm on July 06, 2011, 08:48:16 am

I liked your thoughts on comparing to the 3 & 5 series wagon.

The last shot of the cargo area provides some useful information as well. With 2nd row seats up the capacty is not stellar (wish the cargo figure for the XC60 was provided) but they squeezed as much useable room in by squaring off the hold, as well as providing an indent for washer storage and a little net for a snow brush/ice scraper. Some nice little touches.

One thing the Germans do well is cargo. Big trunks, fully-lined, no awkward shapes, and folding rear seats, always. Contrast that to Japanese luxury sedans, whose trunks often have all kinds of suspension intrusions, and the back seats rarely fold.

The Volvo's cargo numbers are 873 litres (30.8 cu.ft) seats up, and 1907 litres (67.3 cu.ft) seats down. Here's a decent photo of the XC60's trunk: http://www.autos.ca/galleries/images.php?info=2010%20Volvo%20XC60;%20photo%20by%20Greg%20Wilson&src=http://www.autos.ca/galleries/2010/images/volvo/2010_volvo_xc60/2010-volvo-xc60_gw_007-2919.jpg

mlin32 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 06, 2011, 10:15:22 am »

Personally I'd rather get a 328iT or the X1 but BMW isn't very interested in selling the latter that south of the border.

I've driven the new X3 without the optional adjustable suspension and it felt way soft and a bit distant. Quite disappointed actually- I'm sure BMW will say it's faster around a track and more capable but it really didn't stand out to me. Then again, I'm used to and pleased with the snappy responses of my old one even if it cannot cope with manhole covers.

whaddaiknow · « **Reply #10 on:** July 06, 2011, 10:26:06 am »

Quote from: dirtyjeffer on July 06, 2011, 09:53:19 am

i have always like the BMW units, and really like the new X1, but from speaking with a couple of BMW owners i know personally, i don't know if i would ever buy one...while i could squeeze a purchase of a nicely equipped X1 into "my next car" if i really wanted to (it is at the upper bracket of my price range, maybe a tad over, but i could make it work if i had to), my friends have said it isn't buying the vehicle that is costly, it is maintaining/keeping it over time that adds...considering the thousands of dollars i have seen them dump into their premium vehicles for things i have never had to replace on the myriad of Ford, GM, Nissan and Toyota products i have owned over the years, i was quite disappointed.

You do realize however that the new BMW owners pay nothing for maintenance for the first 4 years/80,000km. This only excludes tires and brake pads/rotors. And even then, when I was picking up my new 328i, I was offered the FULL worry free maintenance package for an additional ~$1,700 which included EVERYTHING, even tires and brakes. I was very tempted given the price of run-flats and the fact that I will need to replace them at least once anyway and recover the cost I would have to pay upfront.

On a standard 4-year lease, that is actually significant when you only have to bring it once a year for service and get a loaner while your car is in the shop. I don't get that level of service from my Hyundai dealership. I have to change my oil every 6,000km (minimum 3 visits per year) and I have to do it on my own time since they won't give me a loaner. If you have to subtract it from your income then it only adds up.

These particluar models have been in production long enough so hopefully all major quirks and electrical gremlins have been ironed out bringing the number of unscheduled visits to a minimum.

dirtyjeffer · « **Reply #11 on:** July 06, 2011, 02:08:15 pm »

Quote from: whaddaiknow on July 06, 2011, 10:26:06 am

You do realize however that the new BMW owners pay nothing for maintenance for the first 4 years/80,000km. This only excludes tires and brake pads/rotors. And even then, when I was picking up my new 328i, I was offered the FULL worry free maintenance package for an additional ~$1,700 which included EVERYTHING, even tires and brakes. I was very tempted given the price of run-flats and the fact that I will need to replace them at least once anyway and recover the cost I would have to pay upfront.

all new cars come with warranty, so i am not talking about the first few years (one of the Hyundai dealerships here even offers lifetime oil changes when you buy the car there)...i am talking about when the car is no longer covered under warranty...as i said, my friends love their BMWs, but do mention they are expensive to maintain (keep them roadworthy).

JohnnyMac · « **Reply #12 on:** July 06, 2011, 02:14:51 pm »

Quote from: dirtyjeffer on July 06, 2011, 02:08:15 pm

Quote from: whaddaiknow on July 06, 2011, 10:26:06 am

You do realize however that the new BMW owners pay nothing for maintenance for the first 4 years/80,000km. This only excludes tires and brake pads/rotors. And even then, when I was picking up my new 328i, I was offered the FULL worry free maintenance package for an additional ~$1,700 which included EVERYTHING, even tires and brakes. I was very tempted given the price of run-flats and the fact that I will need to replace them at least once anyway and recover the cost I would have to pay upfront.

all new cars come with warranty, so i am not talking about the first few years (one of the Hyundai dealerships here even offers lifetime oil changes when you buy the car there)...i am talking about when the car is no longer covered under warranty...as i said, my friends love their BMWs, but do mention they are expensive to maintain (keep them roadworthy).

I think maybe misunderstood what he was saying. What is included goes over and above the usual warranty coverage of most manufacturers. Things like oil changes, filters, etc. This may seem like a small amount but most high end german car owners can relate to the high cost of normal things like oil changes etc. Having this cost worked into the price of the new vehicle for the first 4 years (typically the lease term, or purchase period of a new vehicle) sets it apart from the competitors.

whaddaiknow · « **Reply #13 on:** July 06, 2011, 02:24:47 pm »

Quote from: dirtyjeffer on July 06, 2011, 02:08:15 pm

all new cars come with warranty, so i am not talking about the first few years (one of the Hyundai dealerships here even offers lifetime oil changes when you buy the car there)...i am talking about when the car is no longer covered under warranty...as i said, my friends love their BMWs, but do mention they are expensive to maintain (keep them roadworthy).

Well, that totally depends.

When I was looking to buy a commute car almost exactly a year ago, I ended up with a 10-year-old Sunfire with 100,000km on it that I paid $3,500 OTD from a local used car stealership. My thought was "at least it's going to be cheap to keep it on the road". Well, was I ever wrong. That piece of garbage sucked $300-400 out of my pocket every month for various repairs and caused me to lose income because I lost hours from work.

At one point I said "screw that" and leased a brand new Honda Fit that cost me $280/mo OTD so by all means cheaper that the old GM POS.
Then 6 months later I took the plunge on a brand new 328i xDrive that cost more in monthly lease fees but nothing to keep it on the road. At least for the next 4 years. So it REALLY depends on how you look at it.

A few days ago I saw my father-in-law stripping an old bike for parts before throwing the old frame away. I asked him "how much for a new set of cables for this thing?" His answer was truly eye-opening to me. He said "I have more time than money so whatever I can salvage and reuse adds value to my life". If you can afford taking the time off work and away from your family duties, by all means spend it at the repair shop. To some that's not an option.

dirtyjeffer · « **Reply #14 on:** July 06, 2011, 02:39:57 pm »

well, that is precisely why we bought our ET a few months ago...our lease on our Focus was coming up, and we were thinking of purchasing it, but it didn't make sense to spend about $10k (monthly payment about $300/month) on a 4 year old car with no warranty on it vs having the same monthly payment (albeit for a longer term) but with a full warranty and a new car...so we bought new instead...now yes, i have to pay for oil changes, etc, but those costs are minimal and we would have had to pay those with the Focus had we kept it anyway, so there was no difference there.

Minou · « **Reply #15 on:** July 07, 2011, 01:04:40 pm »

Having Bluetooth and satellite radio bundled on 2 different option packages is a ripoff typical of german manufacturers.

BTW, these simple features are STANDARD on several of the cheapest korean cars...

whaddaiknow · « **Reply #16 on:** July 08, 2011, 10:28:03 am »

Quote from: Minou on July 07, 2011, 01:04:40 pm

Having Bluetooth and satellite radio bundled on 2 different option packages is a ripoff typical of german manufacturers.

BTW, these simple features are STANDARD on several of the cheapest korean cars...

Interestingly enough, even though these features have been available for a number of years now, I'm still not the least bit interested in any of them. Never used XM or bluetooth and don't plan to. So I'll keep my german "stripper" car without these features and enjoy the music coming from the engine bay.

And that's the thing, all the doo-da's on a Korean car bring the price up close to a german entry level but to me VALUE <> PRICE. And it's coming from someone who owns a Korean van. As a family utility vehicle it represents excellent value, but for a driver's car, I'd rather go german since it's about chassis and driving not about XM or bluetooth.

Those with deep pockets don't care and can have their bluetooth in their BMW and pay a hefty premium for it. But I'm glad I can pick up a premium driving machine at a reasonable price

mmret · « **Reply #17 on:** July 10, 2011, 10:45:21 am »

I see you live in Ontario. Bluetooth would be a good idea.

tpl · « **Reply #18 on:** July 10, 2011, 11:27:40 am »

Quote from: mmret on July 10, 2011, 10:45:21 am

I see you live in Ontario. Bluetooth would be a good idea.

But not useful if you never use a cell phone while driving. ( I don't even turn mine of unless I am going to make a call.) If my next car came with Bluetooth standard I would probably upgrade my phone to one with Bluetooth and maybe even use it once in a while.
Mind you MM if I came to power I'd repeal the distracted driving legislation. Ontario needs more Darwin awards.

whaddaiknow · « **Reply #19 on:** July 11, 2011, 09:49:47 am »

Quote from: mmret on July 10, 2011, 10:45:21 am

I see you live in Ontario. Bluetooth would be a good idea.

There is always this little ear piece that I have but still almost never use ($30). I wouldn't pay $2,500 for a premium package just for the ability to route my phone to the car stereo. I'd rather upgrade something in my house or invest in my children's education.
If it came standard, I'd take it. But then again, the car would have been priced higher, and chances are I wouldn't have bought it. So smart move on BMW's part.