I believe why the 3-series costs more than the X3 is because of demand, its BMW's bread and butter, their most popular car. When people buy an suv they typically get the largest one they can afford and the perceived value or status leans in favor of the X5.
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Originally Posted by F25er
That's pretty long winded and confusing. If you wanted to distance yourself from the 3 series so badly perhaps an X5 or X6 or a different brand was in order?
You obviously understand how closely related the X3 and 3 series are so where is your confusion coming from? Would you have felt better if the X3 was $1000 more? $2000? What number would satisfy the ego so you could feel like you are "moving up"?
The 1 series is correlated with the X1, the 3 series with the X3, 4 series with X4, 5 series with X5, 6 series with X6. Where is the confusion? Posts like this really bug me because they are not about the car and brand and the appreciation of those but rather about status. To me that's what gives luxury brands a bad name, the attraction of D%?# B%%gs.
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I'm not trying to say you're being dishonest but come on, at least a small part of the reason why you bought a 328i and X3 is because of the BMW status. I mean say if KIA or Zastava, the maker of the Yugo created a car that was in every way the same as the X3 but badged under their name, would you consider buying that car because you're a so called enthusiast?
The fact is most people who drive a BMW or one of their competitors cares more about status and looks than if the car handles well or how much HP it has. BMW knows this that's why their new cars starting with the F30 3-series now have the option to be built as a sport, modern, and luxury line which also comes with a tacky badge so you can announce to the world which trim you picked. It's the same reason why all BMWs come with run flats, BMW probably thinks most of their customers don't know how to change a tire.