Today was a great day for me: the coronation of a process that lasted more than a year and a half and ended up with the delivery of my brand new X3! You have all been very helpful with your suggestions and comments, and the least I can do is to return it in kind with my first impressions of my new car.
This is not the first X3 I drive: it is the third. I have posted separately my test drive impressions of the two dealership X3s I drove, an X35i (
http://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=478451) and an X28i (
http://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=480922) with very few packages. And yes, I think I can finally address the difference between VDC (or actually Dynamic Damper Control) and regular suspensions.
Here are the specs of my X3:
Model: X3 35i
Exterior: 475 Black Sapphire Metallic
Interior: LUSW Black Nevada Leather
Trim: 4DE Fineline Siena Wood Trim
Packages:
ZNE Technology Package
609 BMW On-Board Navigation
639 BMW Assist with Bluetooth
6AA BMW TeleServices
6AB Control BMW TeleServices
6NL BMW Assist w/extend Bluetooth
6VC Combox controller
ZNI Premium Package
316 Automatic Trunk
322 Comfort Access
3XL X-Line Package
402 Panorama Sunroof
430 Auto Dimming Exterior Mirrors
431 Auto Dimming Interior Mirror
508 Park Distance Control
ZNJ Executive Package
319 Universal Remote Control
3AH Rear View Camera With Top View
488 Lumbar Support
563 Lights Package
655 SIRIUS Satellite Radio Tuner
677 HiFi Sound System Professional
ZNR Dynamic Comfort Package
223 Dynamic Damper Control
2VG Performance Control Includes Dynamic Driving Control Modes (Normal, Sport, Sport+)
I had wanted a BMW since I tried an X6 more than two years ago. However, I did not have the money to buy an X6 the way I wanted it… So the rep who’d become my CA gave me the chance to try the 2009 X3. I liked it, but the difference with the X6 was just like night and day. He then called me about a year ago with some very special offers on the outgoing X3s and I nearly bought one, but I held off because the cost for that model was still not right, even at a deep discount. Am I glad I did!
In the meantime I had found this forum and I was reading about the new X3. In July I was very excited about the new model but I knew it’d take some time before I could test drive one. My CA called me back in November, letting me know that he was getting a couple of models in but if I wanted I could order one for myself at no obligation. Because he felt there was so much interest in the new X3, he told me he would not ask me for a deposit and I would not be under any obligation to purchase whatever I had ordered unless I really liked it. He also told me that in all likelihood I would be able to test-drive an X3 before mine arrived. He was right on all counts, and in fact I managed to test drive both the 35i and the 28i before my X3 shipped.
By then, I was absolutely certain I’d buy the X3 I had ordered. I was elated when the car arrived in Toronto, barely two weeks after production. I had hoped it’d get to the Prairies in at most a couple of weeks… But that was not in the cards. My X3 was delayed and did not leave Toronto until late February, and because it became a special delivery it was dropped off at night, on the lot, when the dealership was closed.
That morning my CA came to work and had a message on his answering machine. It was one of his customers, very apologetic because the night before, while checking out the lot, he had accidentally backed up into a black SUV. That’s when I got the included video. I was away at the time. I was not pleased. But when I inspected the work yesterday, a full 3 and a half months from the date of my order, I was relieved to find that the shop had replaced, not polished or refinished, all the affected parts and the car looked absolutely pristine. I was also told that since this was akin to a shipping incident, it would not be counted against certified BMW pre-owned vehicle if I ever decided to trade it in.
So all in all, this was an adventure! At least one with a happy ending. My CA prepared a nice gift package with mugs, cleaning kits, a travel bag, lots of literature, a new iPhone cable, and a few other things and I took delivery of the car today. In my inspection, I found some other minor blemishes – mostly packing tape rash. They will be taken care of and the car will be detailed again next week, of course for free. I have traditionally been extremely unlucky in anything new I acquire: my previous car was dinged while I was parked at the courthouse for Jury duty – some irony ha! And the car before that was parked outside on day 3 of my ownership when a kid on an out of control bike hit it and scratched the driver’s door. So this for me is small change… especially when it is taken care of for no money at all.
At the end of my first day in which I put about 100km on it (it’s still early) my initial impressions are amazingly positive. This car is all I hoped and more! I had tried the “base” 35i and had been impressed, but I must say that the Dynamic Comfort Package that includes DDC (or VDC as it is called somewhere else) and Performance Control makes a marked difference, one that puts this car absolutely over the top for me.
In regular drive, my X3 is very quiet. Its power is present but understated, and its character is somewhat dormant – not really sedate, but you need to “shake it to wake it” and by that I mean that there is a bit of throttle lag and that the car tends to upshift and privilege fuel economy over responsiveness. The steering feels softer than with the “base” X3 and the dampers are softer too, making the drive more of a “sedan experience” than an SAV. One thing that does not change at all is stability: the X3 may seem soft but when needed it stiffens and takes lots of lateral acceleration without misbehaving. I love the way the X3 enters a turn, with confidence and intelligence, making me look like a consummate pilot – and believe me I am just a regular driver. I tried a quick 3-turn 270 degrees road that I could barely approach at 40km/h and exit at 50-60km/h with my previous car (a Ford Edge): the X3 was perfectly stable entering at 50km/h and exiting at 70km/h – and with fresh snow on the road.
Where DDC makes all the difference though is in Sport mode. The “base” X3 has a DS mode activated by pushing the gearshift to the right. In this mode, the car maintains higher RPMs and the throttle is said to be more responsive. Even then, the “base” X3 for me still exhibits some throttle lag. It is subtle, but to me it is there. I am used to standards in which I have an immediate response so I notice the lag. The lag in D mode is higher still. As I said, this is not at all a problem, just a sensation. I feel like I have to plan the throttle in advance. This is Ok for everyday driving and hardly noticeable, by the way. But my personal taste drives me to try and eliminate that lag.
And that is exactly what the Sport mode achieves! The lag vanishes, the car is immediately responsive and, because the RPMs are kept higher, the turbo kicks in immediately, even for featherweight presses of the accelerator. Sport mode also adjusts the softness of the dampers, but to me this is very minor. I feel much better the change of steering: the soft feeling is gone, now the steering feels committed and secure, and although I understand what others say about the lack of wheel feedback, I can easily pick that from the rest of my body – and that leaves precision and control to my hands. I’m not sure if it is because of the DDC or just a sensation, but I think that my X3 corners even better than the other ones I tried.
I have tried Sport+ but I do not detect any difference aside from the change in stability mode to DTC. Since I am still in the break-in period, I have not tried the kick-down switch at the end of the accelerator (deep push) and I have not engaged the turbo at its maximum (far from it in fact). But even then, my new X3 is giving me pure driving joy. And now I get the slogan.
I include a few pictures of the delivery and my first drive. I went to the countryside (not so difficult in Regina – just head for the golf course) and enjoyed a fun ride that I look forward to repeating. Oh, and the ventilation system is amazing. I no longer need to plug a block heater in, nor do I need to pre-heat the car. At -20C, two minutes after I start my X3 I get warm air out of the vents. And the active air filter works wonders, as the air stayed fresh no matter whether I was in the country, in heavy traffic, or by the refinery just outside town. Amazing!.
As someone else said in the forum, the electronics in the car work wonders. The professional sound system is amazing, with crystal clear trebles and deep basses that convey power without mush. I did not even have to change the equalizer. If this is DIRAC sound, I’m sold. I still have to try the telephone interface and the voice commands. I did try the Bluetooth audio though. The sound is very clear as it uses the high definition sound protocol (headphones, not headsets) and the car recognized my iPhone immediately, although I had to make it detect it twice, once for the telephone function and the other for the iPod function. I will try to connect it with the cable – for now, I am so happy with the current setup I did not explore it further. If there is something I miss is the ability to use the 6NR BMW Apps. I have not tried but I expect it to fail. I hope that despite the many answers to the contrary BMW eventually offers a retrofit…
As usual, I’d like to conclude with a couple of notes on the dealership. In Regina, there is only one: Dilawri BMW. They have a captive audience and they can do anything they want to the customers. The stage is set for all sorts of bad behavior: but that has never happened to me. Any problem I had, any question I asked was answered competently and goodheartedly. I was given a good evaluation of my trade-off and even though the price on the car was firm, I was given a $1000 discount on it just by asking. The protection package I got was deeply discounted and the only thing I paid full MSRP for was the tire insurance. Even so, I was given free floor mats, free battery charge “maintainer”, a free comprehensive detailing worth $200, a full cleaning and care package, and a travel bag that is again worth at least $100 (I wanted the M model but I did not get that
). I was consistently given a full white glove treatment; true, one pays for it when buying a BMW. But from what I hear, this level of support is not at all guaranteed. I received it as a matter of course, always with a smile, and from everyone at the dealership – not just my CA: they are all competent professionals with a passion for their job. This to me is surprising and amazing and makes me a repeat customer.
So in conclusion I am having a blast that began today and I hope will last for however long I keep this jewel. I am extremely happy with everything and I am still exploring all the possibilities. I am looking forward to many more years of enjoyment, but when the time comes to change vehicle, I will definitely look at BMW again.
If you have any questions feel free to ask here or PM me… I’ll post more as I get to know my X3 better. Pictures and videos below.
Visual tour – my X3