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      06-21-2012, 01:31 PM   #1
kalyan120
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X3: Things to focus on with the Dealer

Guys, I'm heading to a dealer this afternoon to test drive and get a feel of the new X3. What are the things that I should focus on when I'm talking to him? I'm not a technical person so have no clue about the engines and all that stuff

I asked him for an extended drive but he said that they'd not do beyond 15 mins. Is that normal in the US? I really want to buy it - this will be my first BMW, but I'm worried if I'm missing anything important. Jitters all the way.. help please...

Cheers, Kalyan
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      06-21-2012, 01:35 PM   #2
Chalky White
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It all depends on what you find important and what car you are coming from. Coming from my 325i (which I loved), I was concerned about handling, turning circle, speed, steering feel, as well as the fit and finish and overall luxury. So far I've been pleased, although I miss the heavy steering my 325i had.
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      06-21-2012, 01:38 PM   #3
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Talk to the manager. You should be able to take the car for a few hours if you want.
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      06-23-2012, 04:29 PM   #4
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I was able to test drive the X3 for as long as I wanted. The salesman insisted that my entire family drive the car and we visit a road that allowed for "the ultimate driving experience." I got to see what the car can do
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      06-23-2012, 05:04 PM   #5
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Don't worry about the engine or how the controls work. The engine will do what it does anyway and you'll get the hang of the controls if you buy one.

How does it feel sitting in the seat and driving it? Is there anything pushing against your legs that would become annoying after some time driving? Can you see out the rear window the way you like? Does the steering wheel adjust enough for you to feel comfortable? If it has a heads-up display, does that really tickle your fancy enough to order that option?

Can you sit in that seat for a 4 hour drive and not have any issues?
The only thing you'll need the salesman for is to make sure you can get everything situated the way you want for the test drive. The rest you can decide on afterwards.
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      06-23-2012, 06:13 PM   #6
kingbadger
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But the only sure way to know if the seat will be comfortable after 4 hours is to sit in and drive for 4 hours. There is no substitute

How many thousand dollars are you paying?

It's not a lot to ask. I was able to borrow an X3 3.0D demonstrator for a whole weekend. I am an ordinary, individual customer. I drove around 400 miles. A proper test.

A road that allowed " the ultimate driving experience?"

I smell lots of BS if it was a short drive!
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      06-24-2012, 01:58 AM   #7
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We had a test drive with X1 (Weekend) & X3 (2 different cars 3 hour tests) (and an X5 - 2 hours) before we even started talking sales!
I agree the best part of the car is the long range comfort it offers and its costing a lot of money.
It was our first BMW and the even dealer said make sure it is what we want!
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      06-24-2012, 08:02 PM   #8
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I think the big thing is whether or not you want a powerful engine i.e. 35i and the less powerful one i.e. 28i that will get you better gas mileage. Test drive until you have a good feel for the car and maybe see if you can rent one for a couple of days. Don't let the sales man rush you. Also, iDrive controller is rediculously complicated, so don't worry, it will take time to master. If you really like the car and you don't want it loaded, then deciding which options you want is tedious, and the dealer will probably not be all that knowledgable on the smal details. The one thing I found out about BMW is that many people order the specific options they want. You can order almost any option individually or get the option packages. There is nothing worse than spending 45K or 55K (US $) and discovering that you didn't get the top view camera that you would have loved, or the Storage Packager, Comfort Access, etc ...

As far as the X3 goes, I love the car and the handling but I wouldn't say it's the most relaxing, luxurious comfortable car to drive, but it has more of a sporty, high tech feel especially for a vehicle of it's size and class. Also, if you go for the 35i and you like to drive step on it, your gas mileage goes down fairly quickly.
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      06-24-2012, 08:11 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jdavid2 View Post
I think the big thing is whether or not you want a powerful engine i.e. 35i and the less powerful one i.e. 28i that will get you better gas mileage. Test drive until you have a good feel for the car and maybe see if you can rent one for a couple of days. Don't let the sales man rush you. Also, iDrive controller is rediculously complicated, so don't worry, it will take time to master. If you really like the car and you don't want it loaded, then deciding which options you want is tedious, and the dealer will probably not be all that knowledgable on the smal details. The one thing I found out about BMW is that many people order the specific options they want. You can order almost any option individually or get the option packages. There is nothing worse than spending 45K or 55K (US $) and discovering that you didn't get the top view camera that you would have loved, or the Storage Packager, Comfort Access, etc ...

As far as the X3 goes, I love the car and the handling but I wouldn't say it's the most relaxing, luxurious comfortable car to drive, but it has more of a sporty, high tech feel especially for a vehicle of it's size and class. Also, if you go for the 35i and you like to drive step on it, your gas mileage goes down fairly quickly.
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