[ppduck]

hi all,

just want to share my experience on my new X3 which picked up last tuesday from dealer in sydney ..... it is a Sept 2011 built car
in general, the car is great, and the service from the dealership is alright (overall); but the sales consultant for my order has done an excellent job, as i believe my experience with BMW won't feel as good without him.

anyway, back to the car....
1. start / stop engine function is good.... mine is the X3 20d model, and it is quite responsive when you step down the accelerator from stop at the traffic light.

2. Engine noise from inside the cabin - i hardly hear any noise from inside cabin except when i opened the window, i can hear teh noise, or when my wife drove the car home, i can hear the noise from outside of the car; if you want to comparing the noise from a 2.0 petrol engine (by subaru), then the X3 is definitely louder. but the insulation inside the cabin was good.

3. bluetooth music audio streaming - it comes as a standard in my x3 even though i didn't order the Sat Nav Professional and extend. bluetooth functionality.... so i was a bit of surprise and i like it......

4. driving experience - so far so good..... quite responsive, and didn't feel much lag from the moment of starting to accelerate.... corner handling and the suspension is quite good.... when i went over the hump, i dun feel the much bumpy movement inside teh cabin.... of course my speed is around 30km/hr when going over the hump....

5. fuel consumption - mainly driving in the city, probably stop and starting the car for every 20km. already driving 320km on the clock, still have more than half tank left, so i expect i can drive for another 300 km easy.... so for a full tank petrol, i should be able to make 600km+ for sydney city driving...

6. internal craftmanship - something i felt disappointed by BMW even though they agreed to fix it....(1.) as 2 internal panel (fabric panel) are scratched and got some oil mark on them, as the dealer has agreed to replace them once the new parts arrived from USA in 2 weeks time....; (2) just yesterday i realise one of the interior trim (wooden trim) on the transmission gear panel has separated and came loose... so i drove teh car to dealer to inspect, and they said that can be easily fixed and just go to the repair centre, i can see this is not a major, but on the otherhand, i see all the wires running behind, just not feel comfortable, and doubting about the quality of the carftmanship from BMW.

7. the option of alarm feature has added to the car (cost me $8xx), however, i still don't know how it works, and no beep sound or indicator after you lock the car, how do i know it is working or is it there?

8. vibration from the steering wheel - just happened once when i drove the car up the ramp inside the shopping centre, i remember there are no hump and the ramp is quite smooth.... other than that, i didn't realise any vibration at all.... still under monitoring.....

9. after 1 week driving with my X3, i love the car, and gave me a different driving pleasure and experience.....
for anyone who are planning to buy the car, here are some options which i think worth to consider to include them...
1. bi-xenon light
2. top view camera & folding mirror
3. leather seat
4. sun-roof
5. dynamic damper control
6. rear pull up blind
7. Tire and Rim insurance.....

hopefully the above sharing will help others, please feel free to drop me some words of your experience on X3...
cheers...

ppduck

[brissim]

Pleased your experience is generally positive to date. Bit dissapointed about your quality/build issues. Apart from a creaking drivers seat I've nothing to report after 5,000 km.

[QUOTE=ppduck;10762249.... so for a full tank petrol, i should be able to make 600km+ for sydney city driving...[/QUOTE]
Hope you remember yours is a diesel!!!

Tony

[S70IP]

Originally Posted by ppduck

hi all,


9. after 1 week driving with my X3, i love the car, and gave me a different driving pleasure and experience.....
for anyone who are planning to buy the car, here are some options which i think worth to consider to include them...
1. bi-xenon light
2. top view camera & folding mirror
3. leather seat
4. sun-roof
5. dynamic damper control
6. rear pull up blind
7. Tire and Rim insurance.....

hopefully the above sharing will help others, please feel free to drop me some words of your experience on X3...
cheers...

ppduck

Defiantly agree with top view camera. I have never driven such a large car. Not quite confident with it in carparks and street parking. I reckon it's only a matter of time before a side mirror gets damaged.

[ppduck]

Originally Posted by brissim

Pleased your experience is generally positive to date. Bit dissapointed about your quality/build issues. Apart from a creaking drivers seat I've nothing to report after 5,000 km.


Hope you remember yours is a diesel!!!

Tony

hi Brissim,

yes, you are right, i have to remind myself, otherwise i will be in trouble.....
so do you have a problem on the creaking driver seat?
can you advise in details pls?
cheers,

ppduck

[Steve30dMSport]

I totally agree with you on the top view camera. After seeing it on our test drive my wife made it a condition of purchase and it is an excellent option to have; especially in shopping centre car parks. But the ability to switch from top view to rear view camera is ideal as you don't always need top view.

We also purchased the front heated seats because my wife loves them in our Boxster but to be honest we haven't found a need to use them yet (approaching summer here). But one option I will never live without again is the xenon head lights. They are simply brilliant and worth every cent. Especially coming on to dusk when it is neither dark nor light; in that situation the xenons light up the road perfectly whilst the halogens don't even register.

I must admit that I think we are lucky with our car in that it has had no squeaks or rattles and no mechanical or aesthetic problems whatsoever (other than an L plater smashing in to us at a roundabout causing approx $18k of damage! But that's another story). We have only done about 850km and we have seen the fuel economy figure improving as we drive. I will only use BP Diesel unless it is unavailable as it is the premium blend formula from Europe (the formula, not the diesel itself!) with the ultra low sulphur content compared to other brands.

All in all the X3 30d M Sport has been faultless except for one issue I can't do anything about: the position and size of the footrest. It is not long enough and it is too close to the seat. It lends itself to a more upright seating position but after owning an E39 5 series and currently a Porsche boxster I am used to sitting low in a sportier position. But if that is the only niggle then I can live with that.

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by FFPM

Had mine for 6 months not much to report. Fuel consumption high, not anywhere near bmw's claims. engine very noisy. I owned the previous gen 2.0d and tested with my iphone noise levels on both and the F25 was louder 2 - 3 db on average with windows up and down. My current problem is the exhaust. vibrates quite a bit and the noise gets to the cabin. I need to have my dealer check it.
apart from that nothing to report. I find the car heavier than the previous gen despite bmw's claim of being 25kg lighter than previous gen. Luxury is up no doubt but still wonder why does the interior of the first gen X5 (15 years old!) still looks better both in design and quality than this one. Also the steering is a major let down. very un-bmw like. When going for a spirited drive I always take my old X3.
Overall its a good merc

Eer You do not like it then?.

[AC888]

Originally Posted by FFPM

Had mine for 6 months not much to report. Fuel consumption high, not anywhere near bmw's claims. engine very noisy. I owned the previous gen 2.0d and tested with my iphone noise levels on both and the F25 was louder 2 - 3 db on average with windows up and down. My current problem is the exhaust. vibrates quite a bit and the noise gets to the cabin. I need to have my dealer check it.
apart from that nothing to report. I find the car heavier than the previous gen despite bmw's claim of being 25kg lighter than previous gen. Luxury is up no doubt but still wonder why does the interior of the first gen X5 (15 years old!) still looks better both in design and quality than this one. Also the steering is a major let down. very un-bmw like. When going for a spirited drive I always take my old X3.
Overall its a good merc

I also think the engine is noisy especially when pulling away from low speed or stand still. However, other drivers said the engine is quiet, so I suspect there is a fault with certain cars. The dealer said this is normal and doing nothing. I have written to BMW UK to report this and awaiting their reply. I think all owners who thinks their cars are noisy should do the same to give them some pressure to fix the problem.
Otherwise, the car is OK.

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by FFPM

not really no. waiting for porsche's cajun. the X5 is just too big for me. the previous gen was not very comfortable but it was fun to drive. this one is the opposite. maybe porsche will get it right.

If the Cayenne is anything to go by, it won't.I drove one before buying the X3 35D M sport, the BMW eats it.

[degarfs]

Originally Posted by ppduck

hi all,

just want to share my experience on my new X3 which picked up last tuesday from dealer in sydney ..... it is a Sept 2011 built car
in general, the car is great, and the service from the dealership is alright (overall); but the sales consultant for my order has done an excellent job, as i believe my experience with BMW won't feel as good without him.

anyway, back to the car....
1. start / stop engine function is good.... mine is the X3 20d model, and it is quite responsive when you step down the accelerator from stop at the traffic light.

2. Engine noise from inside the cabin - i hardly hear any noise from inside cabin except when i opened the window, i can hear teh noise, or when my wife drove the car home, i can hear the noise from outside of the car; if you want to comparing the noise from a 2.0 petrol engine (by subaru), then the X3 is definitely louder. but the insulation inside the cabin was good.

3. bluetooth music audio streaming - it comes as a standard in my x3 even though i didn't order the Sat Nav Professional and extend. bluetooth functionality.... so i was a bit of surprise and i like it......

4. driving experience - so far so good..... quite responsive, and didn't feel much lag from the moment of starting to accelerate.... corner handling and the suspension is quite good.... when i went over the hump, i dun feel the much bumpy movement inside teh cabin.... of course my speed is around 30km/hr when going over the hump....

5. fuel consumption - mainly driving in the city, probably stop and starting the car for every 20km. already driving 320km on the clock, still have more than half tank left, so i expect i can drive for another 300 km easy.... so for a full tank petrol, i should be able to make 600km+ for sydney city driving...

6. internal craftmanship - something i felt disappointed by BMW even though they agreed to fix it....(1.) as 2 internal panel (fabric panel) are scratched and got some oil mark on them, as the dealer has agreed to replace them once the new parts arrived from USA in 2 weeks time....; (2) just yesterday i realise one of the interior trim (wooden trim) on the transmission gear panel has separated and came loose... so i drove teh car to dealer to inspect, and they said that can be easily fixed and just go to the repair centre, i can see this is not a major, but on the otherhand, i see all the wires running behind, just not feel comfortable, and doubting about the quality of the carftmanship from BMW.

7. the option of alarm feature has added to the car (cost me $8xx), however, i still don't know how it works, and no beep sound or indicator after you lock the car, how do i know it is working or is it there?

8. vibration from the steering wheel - just happened once when i drove the car up the ramp inside the shopping centre, i remember there are no hump and the ramp is quite smooth.... other than that, i didn't realise any vibration at all.... still under monitoring.....

9. after 1 week driving with my X3, i love the car, and gave me a different driving pleasure and experience.....
for anyone who are planning to buy the car, here are some options which i think worth to consider to include them...
1. bi-xenon light
2. top view camera & folding mirror
3. leather seat
4. sun-roof
5. dynamic damper control
6. rear pull up blind
7. Tire and Rim insurance.....

hopefully the above sharing will help others, please feel free to drop me some words of your experience on X3...
cheers...

ppduck

ppduck, its Nov now, how did you go with the car so far? any further complain? and did you pursue with fixing the minor defect?

[brissim]

Originally Posted by ppduck

hi Brissim,

yes, you are right, i have to remind myself, otherwise i will be in trouble.....
so do you have a problem on the creaking driver seat?
can you advise in details pls?
cheers,

ppduck

The creaking drivers seat is something that came up after only a week or two. Haven't had time to get to seen to yet. Passenger seat not a problem. Others have reported similar problems :-
http://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=607271
The answer appears to be some silicone spray.

Tony

[CazRob]

Hi All, I have a new (my third) X3, an October build and delivered 2 weeks ago - all fine but quick question to you knowledgable lot ... my rear demist only clears the centre of the screen (the exact arc of the rear wiper in fact). Is this correct? What's the point of the rest of the lines / wires? Plus why are there lines / wires in the small side rear windows? Are these part of the de-mist or not? If not, then what are they? I have the winter pack as an optional extra. Sorry to sound such a divvy on the techy terms but I'm a midwife not a petrol head! My main dealer says that what I have is correct! Any advice would be much appreciated! Cheers! Caz

[dnw]

I'm pretty sure I read on here that there is a recall to fix this. Try searching the forum.

[FooFighters]

Originally Posted by CazRob

Hi All, I have a new (my third) X3, an October build and delivered 2 weeks ago - all fine but quick question to you knowledgable lot ... my rear demist only clears the centre of the screen (the exact arc of the rear wiper in fact). Is this correct? What's the point of the rest of the lines / wires? Plus why are there lines / wires in the small side rear windows? Are these part of the de-mist or not? If not, then what are they? I have the winter pack as an optional extra. Sorry to sound such a divvy on the techy terms but I'm a midwife not a petrol head! My main dealer says that what I have is correct! Any advice would be much appreciated! Cheers! Caz

CazRob, same here and according to my BMW Dealer, the rest of the lines are for the FM antenna.

[CazRob]

Cheers - I knew someone would know the answer!! Much appreciated, Caz

[ppduck]

Originally Posted by degarfs

ppduck, its Nov now, how did you go with the car so far? any further complain? and did you pursue with fixing the minor defect?

yes Degarfs,

i am planning to take it back to dealer to fix when all in one goal as waiting for the 2 internal panels from USA and due in 2 weeks time, apart from that.... i am happy so far.....
cheers

ppduck

[ppduck]

Originally Posted by brissim

The creaking drivers seat is something that came up after only a week or two. Haven't had time to get to seen to yet. Passenger seat not a problem. Others have reported similar problems :-
http://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=607271
The answer appears to be some silicone spray.

Tony

thanks Tony,

i hope mine will be ok.... otherwise, it will be quite annoying....

ppduck

[Chlu1125TWNF25]

Thanks for sharing. Good suggestion for all options. They are quite the same as mine list.

[S70IP]

9. after 1 week driving with my X3, i love the car, and gave me a different driving pleasure and experience.....
for anyone who are planning to buy the car, here are some options which i think worth to consider to include them...
1. bi-xenon light
2. top view camera & folding mirror
3. leather seat
4. sun-roof
5. dynamic damper control
6. rear pull up blind
7. Tire and Rim insurance.....

I read the small print on the tyre insurance policy. Not covered if you take the car "offload" which means unsealed. So I didn't bother since I will be going camping etc "with dirt road access". Not full on 4WDing. As I read it and a lawyer friend of mine. The second you take it off road the policy is void.

[brissim]

Originally Posted by S70IP

I read the small print on the tyre insurance policy. Not covered if you take the car "offload" which means unsealed. So I didn't bother since I will be going camping etc "with dirt road access". Not full on 4WDing. As I read it and a lawyer friend of mine. The second you take it off road the policy is void.

It would be interesting to post - if you can - the exact wording of this small print. I'm no lawyer, but I would strongly suggest that "offroad" does not mean driving on unsealed roads. As long as the "road" is an officially gazetted road maintained by some level of government (federal/state/local) - whether it is sealed or not should not matter. Certainly bush tracks, forestry trails and of course beach driving would be considered "offroad". If - for example - you read the fine print in most car hire insurance policies, they specifically rule out unsealed roads.

So out of curiosity - does the insurance policy specifically mention unsealed roads, or does it simply refer to "off-road" driving?

Tony

ps - I don't have the rim/tyre insurance either - but for different reasons as I'm running non-runflat tyres. Its just that I'm curious about this notion that some people seem to have that driving on dirt roads is off-road driving.

[LEDZEP]

Congrats and enjoy!

[ppb]

I love ours too!

I love comfort access; but initially I thought do you have to be such a snob to be lazy to press lock/unlock button?!? Then I get X1 as a loaner (they had to replace our wood trim where idrive is located cause it was scratched) and I'm missing comfort access like crazy already.
Leather...so glad we go it...exudes luxury.
Sunroof...such a breath of fresh air.
Camera: rearview & top-view; I couldn't park the damn thing without it. Came in handy in so many instances...especially when I'm trying to squeeze in between a curb & another vehicle.
Overall it's very comfortable ride, great on gas (it actually has better fuel consumption then our Mazda 3) which totally caught me off guard...I was planning on spending way more on gas.
Power tailgate is also great...gotta watch my back
Heated seats and steeringwheel...oh boy now that it's getting quite cold it really helps warm you up.
That said, I don't think I would love it so much if we didn't get all the options...yes it's BMW but it just wouldn't do it for me. I need all the gagets to feel great about the car I own.

The car is simply rockin'

[ppduck]

Originally Posted by brissim

It would be interesting to post - if you can - the exact wording of this small print. I'm no lawyer, but I would strongly suggest that "offroad" does not mean driving on unsealed roads. As long as the "road" is an officially gazetted road maintained by some level of government (federal/state/local) - whether it is sealed or not should not matter. Certainly bush tracks, forestry trails and of course beach driving would be considered "offroad". If - for example - you read the fine print in most car hire insurance policies, they specifically rule out unsealed roads.

So out of curiosity - does the insurance policy specifically mention unsealed roads, or does it simply refer to "off-road" driving?

Tony

ps - I don't have the rim/tyre insurance either - but for different reasons as I'm running non-runflat tyres. Its just that I'm curious about this notion that some people seem to have that driving on dirt roads is off-road driving.

hi Brissim,

i will check the fine print tonight to see what is the condition of the off-road means.....
and will post it later.
cheers

ppduck