Author Topic: Quick Spin: 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i  (Read 9476 times)

Offline Autos_Editor

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Quick Spin: 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i
« on: February 18, 2013, 06:31:32 am »


The BMW X3 xDrive28i has plenty of motivation from its new turbo-four, but lacks refinement in the interior and the ride and handling department.

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Offline Noto

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Re: Quick Spin: 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2013, 09:59:12 am »
When my lady and I leased our 2011 Forester XT, we cross-shopped it with the X3 at the time (i.e. with the 3.0 NA inline-6).  We found the 8 speed tranny to be very jumpy and never skipped gears when downshifting as advertised (i.e. jumped from 8 to 6 to 5 to 4 before giving any real power).  The interior at the time was stellar, as were the driving dynamics. 

If your tester wasn't a great handler, nor was the interior as stellar as it used to be, sounds like BMW is resting on its laurels.  It'll probably sell well though with those fuel economy numbers.

Ultimately, even though the price difference was only about $5,000, the lease payments were almost double because BMW was commanding an insulting 57% of the vehicle price on a 36 month lease, while Subaru only asked for 50% (not to mention 8.8% financing).  Hence, we got the Subaru.

Offline whaddaiknow

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Re: Quick Spin: 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i
« Reply #2 on: February 18, 2013, 10:02:57 am »
Ultimately, even though the price difference was only about $5,000, the lease payments were almost double because BMW was commanding an insulting 57% of the vehicle price on a 36 month lease, while Subaru only asked for 50% (not to mention 8.8% financing).  Hence, we got the Subaru.

Re-read that and see if it makes any sense at all.  ;)

Offline sailor723

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Re: Quick Spin: 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i
« Reply #3 on: February 18, 2013, 10:06:54 am »
Ultimately, even though the price difference was only about $5,000, the lease payments were almost double because BMW was commanding an insulting 57% of the vehicle price on a 36 month lease, while Subaru only asked for 50% (not to mention 8.8% financing).  Hence, we got the Subaru.

Re-read that and see if it makes any sense at all.  ;)

Sounds like he's saying BMW only had a 43% residual on a 36 month lease while the Subby was 50% at 36 months giving a lower payment.
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Offline Noto

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Re: Quick Spin: 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i
« Reply #4 on: February 18, 2013, 10:25:26 am »
Ultimately, even though the price difference was only about $5,000, the lease payments were almost double because BMW was commanding an insulting 57% of the vehicle price on a 36 month lease, while Subaru only asked for 50% (not to mention 8.8% financing).  Hence, we got the Subaru.

Re-read that and see if it makes any sense at all.  ;)

Sounds like he's saying BMW only had a 43% residual on a 36 month lease while the Subby was 50% at 36 months giving a lower payment.


I'm saying that BMW wanted the total cost to lease to be 57% of the vehicle price (so let's say it's $45,000 - they wanted $25,650).

Point is that the difference in MSRP was only $5,000, but the additional dealership fees, destination charge, higher interest rate, etc. at BMW drove the price difference beside 'the dotted line' to over $10,000, almost doubling the monthly lease payments.

Offline northsparrow

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Re: Quick Spin: 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i
« Reply #5 on: February 18, 2013, 10:44:13 am »
For 50 grand, I would not only expect leather seats but also all the beef that leather used to wrap around!

Offline whaddaiknow

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Re: Quick Spin: 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i
« Reply #6 on: February 18, 2013, 10:51:34 am »
Ultimately, even though the price difference was only about $5,000, the lease payments were almost double because BMW was commanding an insulting 57% of the vehicle price on a 36 month lease, while Subaru only asked for 50% (not to mention 8.8% financing).  Hence, we got the Subaru.

Re-read that and see if it makes any sense at all.  ;)

Sounds like he's saying BMW only had a 43% residual on a 36 month lease while the Subby was 50% at 36 months giving a lower payment.


I'm saying that BMW wanted the total cost to lease to be 57% of the vehicle price (so let's say it's $45,000 - they wanted $25,650).

Point is that the difference in MSRP was only $5,000, but the additional dealership fees, destination charge, higher interest rate, etc. at BMW drove the price difference beside 'the dotted line' to over $10,000, almost doubling the monthly lease payments.

I see. That would be a-typical of BMW, especially that I have something like 51% residual on a 4-year lease (a stripper 3-series). But it would definitely turn me off.

Offline johngenx

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Re: Quick Spin: 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i
« Reply #7 on: February 18, 2013, 11:29:01 am »
Surprised to see Subaru using higher residuals than BMW, but manufacturers captive financing arms got burned badly by inflated residuals, so I see them being extra conservative.

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Re: Quick Spin: 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i
« Reply #8 on: February 18, 2013, 11:38:30 am »
Not a very encouraging review of the X3. Wonder why the original tester handled so much better than this one.

BMW reviews are supposed to sum up like this..."Wow what a great vehicle, handling is alive and fantastic. A great ride if you can justify the price."

After a review like this if the X3 should win the upcoming comparison then the small-lux CUV segment is in disarray.

Offline whaddaiknow

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Re: Quick Spin: 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i
« Reply #9 on: February 18, 2013, 11:58:25 am »
Not a very encouraging review of the X3. Wonder why the original tester handled so much better than this one.

BMW reviews are supposed to sum up like this..."Wow what a great vehicle, handling is alive and fantastic. A great ride if you can justify the price."

After a review like this if the X3 should win the upcoming comparison then the small-lux CUV segment is in disarray.

Agree, a review like this makes me want to avoid BMW dealerships like the plague. Overpriced incompetent barges with cheap interior (bits).

OTOH, I won't be surprised if the Escape 2.0T Titanium takes the cake in the upcoming comparo because it drives well.  :-\

Offline sailor723

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Re: Quick Spin: 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i
« Reply #10 on: February 18, 2013, 12:07:56 pm »
Not a very encouraging review of the X3. Wonder why the original tester handled so much better than this one.

BMW reviews are supposed to sum up like this..."Wow what a great vehicle, handling is alive and fantastic. A great ride if you can justify the price."

After a review like this if the X3 should win the upcoming comparison then the small-lux CUV segment is in disarray.

What did Jeremy Clarkson say about the X3?.........As I recall it was something like "the village idiot in a family of genius's"  ;D

Offline Julie

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Re: Quick Spin: 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i
« Reply #11 on: February 18, 2013, 12:40:17 pm »
Not a very encouraging review of the X3. Wonder why the original tester handled so much better than this one.

BMW reviews are supposed to sum up like this..."Wow what a great vehicle, handling is alive and fantastic. A great ride if you can justify the price."

After a review like this if the X3 should win the upcoming comparison then the small-lux CUV segment is in disarray.

The X28i cannot be equipped with the sporty bits. You need to buy the X35i with M-Sport package, beautiful leather, sport seats, yadda, yadda.

At one point, my husband wanted an X3. So off we went to test and see. The X28i was like... "This is a BMW??" Then we sat in/drove the X35i with all the nice bits. "Aaaahhhh.... that's more like it." And the price was reflective of that as well.

Offline Mike

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Re: Quick Spin: 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i
« Reply #12 on: February 18, 2013, 12:43:53 pm »
Not a very encouraging review of the X3. Wonder why the original tester handled so much better than this one.

BMW reviews are supposed to sum up like this..."Wow what a great vehicle, handling is alive and fantastic. A great ride if you can justify the price."

After a review like this if the X3 should win the upcoming comparison then the small-lux CUV segment is in disarray.

Agree, a review like this makes me want to avoid BMW dealerships like the plague. Overpriced incompetent barges with cheap interior (bits).

OTOH, I won't be surprised if the Escape 2.0T Titanium takes the cake in the upcoming comparo because it drives well.  :-\

Oh you'll be surprised.  The best driving vehicle doesn't even break the top half of the comparo.  There is a two crossover breakaway in the comparison with price and fuel efficiency separating 1st from 2nd. 

Offline sailor723

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Re: Quick Spin: 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i
« Reply #13 on: February 18, 2013, 01:16:02 pm »
Fuel Efficiency???  :o How did that ever become part of picking a winner on a car enthusiast site?   ::) ;D

Offline whaddaiknow

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Re: Quick Spin: 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i
« Reply #14 on: February 18, 2013, 01:40:19 pm »
Oh you'll be surprised.  The best driving vehicle doesn't even break the top half of the comparo.  There is a two crossover breakaway in the comparison with price and fuel efficiency separating 1st from 2nd.
Did you get your hands on the GLK Diesel? I hear there is no price premium for the diesel powerplant on the GLK though it get somewhat stripped down compared to the gas mill model.

Offline tpl

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Re: Quick Spin: 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i
« Reply #15 on: February 18, 2013, 01:43:21 pm »
Fuel Efficiency???  :o How did that ever become part of picking a winner on a car enthusiast site?   ::) ;D
That always surprises me as well.  I dunno, but the long distance commuters should be in Golf TDIs or Priuses ( or even the Volt I guess) and everybody else just drive what they want...its only money. Having said that there is no reason to be gross...like driving an F350 for a 10 km commute.
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Offline Mike

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Re: Quick Spin: 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i
« Reply #16 on: February 18, 2013, 02:07:14 pm »
Oh you'll be surprised.  The best driving vehicle doesn't even break the top half of the comparo.  There is a two crossover breakaway in the comparison with price and fuel efficiency separating 1st from 2nd.
Did you get your hands on the GLK Diesel? I hear there is no price premium for the diesel powerplant on the GLK though it get somewhat stripped down compared to the gas mill model.

No :(  None on fleet yet.  Cannot wait to test one out.

Offline EV Dan

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Re: Quick Spin: 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i
« Reply #17 on: February 18, 2013, 02:22:50 pm »
Shows BMW can't have the cake and eat it. By catering to greenies and government FE policies, with these I4s and electric steering they will seriously upset the loyal enthusiast base. BMW is not much if the "ultimate" image is tarnished. Vinyl seats... I saw them on CX9 first a few years back, and there was simply nothing Mazda could do to sell the truck, not at the asking price.
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Offline OliverD

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Re: Quick Spin: 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i
« Reply #18 on: February 18, 2013, 03:10:30 pm »
Did you get your hands on the GLK Diesel? I hear there is no price premium for the diesel powerplant on the GLK though it get somewhat stripped down compared to the gas mill model.

The diesel is actually cheaper.

GLK250: $43,500
GLK350: $44,900

As far as I can tell the only difference between the two is that the diesel doesn't come with the AMG sport package that is standard on the GLK350. It's an $1100 option on the diesel.

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Re: Quick Spin: 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i
« Reply #19 on: February 18, 2013, 03:56:19 pm »
Did you get your hands on the GLK Diesel? I hear there is no price premium for the diesel powerplant on the GLK though it get somewhat stripped down compared to the gas mill model.

The diesel is actually cheaper.

GLK250: $43,500
GLK350: $44,900

As far as I can tell the only difference between the two is that the diesel doesn't come with the AMG sport package that is standard on the GLK350. It's an $1100 option on the diesel.

Similar story for the E Class where the diesel is RWD vs AWD with the gas engine. That's changing with the upcoming 4cyl turbo diesel.