View Single Post
      03-03-2013, 10:53 AM   #1
GoCubsGo
New Member
4
Rep
11
Posts

Drives: 2013 X3 35i
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Chicago

iTrader: (0)

New 2013 X3 35i - First impressions and pix

The wife and I picked up our new 2013 X3 35i yesterday and overall we are thrilled. We had a few problems from the dealership upon our arrival. A financing snafu (which we worked out) and our brand new X3 had door dings on both the driver’s and passenger's side front doors. Pretty much unbelievable given our X3 was delivered straight from the factory just 4 days prior ( http://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=808433 ). Our Sales Associate was even more ticked off than I was when I pointed them out to him. In addition the center console had noticeable scratches on it as well. The dealership is going to fix the door dings (they can be popped out, no need for in-depth body work) and polish out the scratches on the center console. It goes without saying we were NOT happy about those specific occurrences. This is the 3rd BMW we have purchased from our Sales Associate at said dealership and we know he is going to make it right.


Anyway, on to the first impressions (sorry for the long post in advance, the pictures are at the end in case you just want to skip ahead and avoid my babbling on ).


Our History:
The wife drove a 2009 E90 335i xDrive (the X3 is replacing the E90) and I drive a 2005 E46 M3. The X3 is our 5th BMW between us.

Build Quality:
The build quality is very good, excellent fit and finish. We did not notice any rattling or squeaks so far. Panel alignment is exceptional and in line with what we have come to expect from BMW. Materials are again on par with the high expectations we have for a BMW.

Power:
Very good power, actually great power as far as I can tell since we will be keeping it under 4,500 rpm until we hit 1,000 miles. More on this after 1,000 miles.

Brakes:
I am biased here and I know the X3 is a much heavier automobile than the E90 and the M3, but it seems to me the brakes could be a bit stronger. Maybe it is just an adjustment I need to make moving from a track inspired M3 to a family SUV. The brakes just didn't bite as much as I expected. I'll follow up once I get several more miles under my belt.

Convenience:
We are both thrilled with the options and the user friendly functionality. The iDrive command center gets better and better. We absolutely love the fact that the majority of the settings can be tailored for different drivers. We love the display, the panoramic roof, storage layout in the back, the updated iDrive system and of course...the cup holder placement. We are soooo thrilled to be able to stream Pandora through Bluetooth or BMW Apps and the sound quality is plenty good enough for us, we noted no discernible difference between a local radio station and the streaming Bluetooth/BMW Apps audio.

The only gripe we have is that there are shadows/glare on the navigation screen when in direct sunlight. Coming from the E90 where navigation screen sat back in the dashboard, this was never an issue.

Ride:
The X3 really does feel like we are in the E90 335 aside from obviously being higher in stance on the road. I will say that I personally did notice slight differences in terms of road feel (noticeable “truck-like” characteristics – ex. very slight rolling type feeling at times) after driving a few miles. I attribute this to the fact it is a higher in stance SUV and not a sedan or M3 so comparing the 2 is not a fair assessment and I am being very, very picky here. Overall we absolutely love the ride and comfort.

Overall:
We are very, very pleased and happy with our choice of the F25. We looked at the Mercedes Benz GLK, the Audi Q5 and the Range Rover Evoque, but came back to BMW in the end. The power, the ride, the convenience factors, the aesthetics, the warranty/maintenance program and our history with BMW all made our final choice pretty easy when it came down to it. We would highly recommend the F25.



On to the pictures (NOTE: I possess no photography skills so pardon the somewhat non-inspiring shots and background ).
































Thanks for looking and comments/feedback welcome.
__________________
2013 F25 X3 35i
2005 E46 M3 - 3 pedals
2009 E90 335i xDrive (Sold)
2001 E46 330 (Sold)
2001 E46 325xi (Sold)

Last edited by GoCubsGo; 03-04-2013 at 11:00 PM..
Appreciate 0