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      07-16-2012, 09:12 AM   #1
Ant Man
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Test drove at 30d Msport today

I was fairly sure before driving it that the X3 will be my next car as I want to change to a 4x4 SUV vehicle but wanted to see what the family thought first.

Today I had a test drive (as the title states) and also to see if it fitted in the garage, could I open doors and get out etc. Luckily it did.

I liked the raised driving position mostly and only real problem was the complete lack of steering feel. I could not feel the tyres at all, truly awful IMO and given they are the most important safety aid after the driver, I was not impressed.

Not much wind noise at 70mph and the 30d is very quiet, much nicer sounding than the 20d and actually sounds good when giving it the beans in Sport mode.

8sp auto - now I driven the new 3 series with it and it is much smoother than with the X3. I could feel the shifts in the X3, whilst I could not in the 3. Both must have been running the latest g/box software so I can only assume this is due to the xdrive system?

Brakes - felt underpowered but perhaps I needed to press harder, though on the brake tests the X3 doesn't score well in comparison tests from the reviews I've read.

Some cheap plastic in a number of places compared to M3 but no big deal.

Overall a fantastic SUV and looking forward to get into one. I just need to sell the M3 (very hard decision as such an amazing car), hire out some cheapo cars for a few months so that I don't compare the X3 to the M3 and feel disappointed.
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      07-16-2012, 09:31 AM   #2
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Some interesting observations.. My X3 is by far the best car I have every owned by a few miles so for me the 2.0D is quiet at any speed, the 8sp auto (again my first auto) is truely amazing everytime I drive it.
Not had any issues with the brakes and I recall the autocar review had no issues.

Having sat in an M5 I understand where your coming from but I think you will find the X3 is as fantastic as you said.

Re steering again all I can say it that the X3 handles like nothing else I have owned and impresses me more and more each time I push a little more and cornering is one area that the X3 performs well for me. (But Im sure an M3 would feel better)

My other car is a 207SW 1.6D - you can try that if you want, so you will not feel disappointed during the changeover...lol
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      07-16-2012, 10:11 AM   #3
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I've adjusted to the lack of steering feel, my previous car was a 335i. Electric steering, even in sport mode, just isn't the same as hydraulic. The brakes seem to be able to pull the car up well though you do need to push quite hard.

The biggest adjustment I had to make was to approach corners about 10 mph slower! The handling is pretty good though the grip is like what you're used to.
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      07-16-2012, 11:30 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by plymjack View Post
the 2.0D is quiet at any speed
Not if you're standing outside listening to it!
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      07-16-2012, 11:38 AM   #5
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Worth exploring the combinations of sports suspension, perf control, servotronic, variable sports steering and alloy wheel sizes as the car I test drove before buying mine felt much less connected, difference was 17" to 19", no servo to servo, no sports suspension to sports suspension, no perf control to perf control. Haven't got or tried VSS. Never going to have the same steering feel as your M3 but may bridge the gap a bit more
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      07-16-2012, 11:44 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ant Man View Post
I liked the raised driving position mostly and only real problem was the complete lack of steering feel. I could not feel the tyres at all, truly awful IMO and given they are the most important safety aid after the driver, I was not impressed.
Completely agree - anyone moving from a previous BMW will notice the X3 has lost the traditional BMW "premium drive experience", both in lack of steering feel which is quite vague and also throttle response, at least when in the standard 'comfort' mode. In order to have any real feel you have to shift to sport mode and that brings a fuel consumption penalty; at 80mph, switching to 'sport' takes revs up 25% from 2,000 to 2,500. Sure its still a 'nice' car and probably for anyone not familar with previous BMWs, its a good comfy drive, but the real enthusiast will notice its short comings. As posted previously, its been a bit of a disappointment for me, and am still trying to work out how to compensate. http://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=711582
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      07-16-2012, 12:06 PM   #7
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Ah, I am in the same situation, coming from M3 and looking to get X3 for family reasons.

As the wife will be driving X3 most of the time (and I inherit hers, bah), she actually thought the steering (the numbness, light feel and all that electric steering jazz) was to her liking. Get this: her complaint on my M3 was that it was too precise and too direct and she could feel the road. Umm.

Anyway, haven't decided on X3 yet but she is pretty ok with it so far. As a former 335i owner, my only concern at this point is the dreaded HPFP issue.

Just thought I would shares some thoughts. Heh.
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      07-16-2012, 12:07 PM   #8
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I couldn't for the life of me recall the steering option.....sfax metioned it, yes it's VSS. It helps a little for sure but it's more about weight / resistance than feel.
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      07-16-2012, 12:08 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lodaka View Post
As a former 335i owner, my only concern at this point is the dreaded HPFP issue.
Ha! I only had the one replacement on my 335i. The seem fine on the X3.
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      07-16-2012, 01:42 PM   #10
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Exclamation

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ant Man View Post
I was fairly sure before driving it that the X3 will be my next car as I want to change to a 4x4 SUV vehicle but wanted to see what the family thought first.

Today I had a test drive (as the title states) and also to see if it fitted in the garage, could I open doors and get out etc. Luckily it did.

I liked the raised driving position mostly and only real problem was the complete lack of steering feel. I could not feel the tyres at all, truly awful IMO and given they are the most important safety aid after the driver, I was not impressed.

Not much wind noise at 70mph and the 30d is very quiet, much nicer sounding than the 20d and actually sounds good when giving it the beans in Sport mode.

8sp auto - now I driven the new 3 series with it and it is much smoother than with the X3. I could feel the shifts in the X3, whilst I could not in the 3. Both must have been running the latest g/box software so I can only assume this is due to the xdrive system?

Brakes - felt underpowered but perhaps I needed to press harder, though on the brake tests the X3 doesn't score well in comparison tests from the reviews I've read.

Some cheap plastic in a number of places compared to M3 but no big deal.

Overall a fantastic SUV and looking forward to get into one. I just need to sell the M3 (very hard decision as such an amazing car), hire out some cheapo cars for a few months so that I don't compare the X3 to the M3 and feel disappointed.
Interesting, where did you test drive?, was it Norwich or listers at Kings lynn?.
My x3 35D M Sport is going in sept/october time back to listers, it has been a good car and has every extra on it, the steering was a problem when I first got the car, the rack was replaced and now is very good.
The car does 35/36MPG under all conditions now and has covered 6K miles used NO oil. I leave the steering and suspension in Sport mode without the shift pattern change, this gives good feed back to me anyway.
I have owned new the M3 E90 2010 and sold that for the F10 550i M Sport 2011, then got this. No problems changing from car to car. I now have the 330D M Sport touring 3 series on order for october.
This is the exact spec.
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      07-16-2012, 03:21 PM   #11
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I dream of a diesel F30 touring in the states - very unlikely, but at least we will be receiving some additional diesel options! Gorgeous car above - the M Sport touring.
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      07-18-2012, 05:09 AM   #12
Ant Man
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Quote:
Originally Posted by clivem2 View Post
I couldn't for the life of me recall the steering option.....sfax metioned it, yes it's VSS. It helps a little for sure but it's more about weight / resistance than feel.
I understand the VSS is standard on the Msport 30d - I'll have to check the brochure to be sure. But as you say, it does not change the steering feel. Only makes the s/wheel harder to turn (like thick glue) and alters the amount of steering input required according to speed.

Rich4
I read your post - thanks. That's one of the reasons why I'll be spending at least 6 months is cheap cars. I think the X3 needs to be compared to other SUVs and not to the traditional BMW sports saloon / coupe, else one will feel short changed. Though BMW should have done a better job with the electric steering before moving from hydraulic. I've sent BMW UK plenty of mails on this subject

Lodaka
Interesting you're in the same position. I nearly wrote 'boat' instead of 'position' but wasn't sure if that meaning is understood internationally?The mm precision and immediate response will be missed. The M3 just begs to be spanked all the time and I don't have time to use it properly. It's performance is almost completely wasted on the road and only makes sense on the track where I've found it to be an absolute gem. For me it makes no sense to continue to own the M3 if I have not got the time to use it properly. Some people buy them for badge but not me.

Driving a diesel auto SUV, I don't have the same feeling and excitement to 'give it one' so to speak and feel that the car encourages me to cruise about and eek out high MPG.

johnbmw6
It was Coopers in Chelmsford. Originally I was going to get the 35d but am now drawn more to the 30d due to much lower insurance group. However if this in reality means a small diff in price, then I would drive the 35d and then decide. I'll be looking seriously at X3s in mid 2013. Dealers reckon that's the earliest that they'll be a good second hand market for AUC.

The X3 is now on the priority build program (so my local dealer claims) and delivery times for UK are now down to two months max.
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      07-18-2012, 05:29 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ant Man View Post
Driving a diesel auto SUV, I don't have the same feeling and excitement to 'give it one' so to speak and feel that the car encourages me to cruise about and eek out high MPG.
Im guess Im lucky the step up to the X3 for me is massive and while the economy is good and it cruises really well it does (to me) seem to go some when I "do give it one".

My dealer is arranging a weekend loan drive of an M5 so I guess I will understand more where others are coming from after that.
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      07-18-2012, 06:11 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ant Man View Post
Rich4
I read your post - thanks. That's one of the reasons why I'll be spending at least 6 months is cheap cars. I think the X3 needs to be compared to other SUVs and not to the traditional BMW sports saloon / coupe, else one will feel short changed. Though BMW should have done a better job with the electric steering before moving from hydraulic. I've sent BMW UK plenty of mails on this subject
Let us know what you decide. You may be right that a comparison to other SUVs is more relevant, but I doubt its only the car type (body) that is the issue here. I firmly believe it’s the result of latest electronic technology which allows tweaking from the norm, so they dumb down the performance of the component (steering, throttle, whatever) in pursuit of improved ‘environmental’ dynamics, but then allow a ‘boost’ which effectively brings it back up to the original design requirement, but at the end of the day it misses something in the process.

I recently drove a Merc SLK 350, a great machine, it too had various ‘modes’ but I found much of the road feel and general drive experience I recall from my racing days, was not there.
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      07-19-2012, 09:31 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich4 View Post
Let us know what you decide. You may be right that a comparison to other SUVs is more relevant, but I doubt its only the car type (body) that is the issue here. I firmly believe it’s the result of latest electronic technology which allows tweaking from the norm, so they dumb down the performance of the component (steering, throttle, whatever) in pursuit of improved ‘environmental’ dynamics, but then allow a ‘boost’ which effectively brings it back up to the original design requirement, but at the end of the day it misses something in the process.

I recently drove a Merc SLK 350, a great machine, it too had various ‘modes’ but I found much of the road feel and general drive experience I recall from my racing days, was not there.
Yes, quite agree. BMW now promote 'joy' rather than the 'ultimate driving machine'. These politically imposed CO2 limits are mostly a thorn in the side for real driving enthusiasts.
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      07-20-2012, 12:39 PM   #16
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I've moved from a lifetime of M cars and the last M3 to the X3 3.0D M-Sport, and I have to say all in all I am very happy with the X3.

I rarely miss the M3 to be honest, the acceleration sometimes, but only when I need to overtake a load of cars behind a tractor, otherwise the midrange torque is more than ample.

Handling.. well its a bigger car and not a roadhugging sports coupe, so its not going to be as good.. it handles uneven road badly, rattles and bumps, so I tend to drive around parts of the road I know are not quite right to avoid it. Steering as mentioned, isn't as sharp, but can't say I've really noticed a loss in road feel, not as exact as the M3 but its not bad for what you are driving.

Build Quality - Not sure what plastics you are referring to, but the quality of the interior is as good as the M3, standard BMW stuff really, and its tidy and well built.

Fuel.. the main reason for changing.. I've just gone over 8500 miles, and I'm averaging 37/38 Mpg which I love.

Can't really think of any things about the car that really disappoint me, I'm very happy with the switch.

Sure, I'd love to have the M3, or the 1MCoupe in the garage for fun, but today.. the cost of running them and the lack of fun on the roads these days, means I don't miss the M3 overall.
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