07-26-2011, 01:11 PM | #1 |
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X3 Joy
Just wanted to comment that driving this SAV is like no other SUV I've ever driven. I've owned a full size Ford Bronco, Jeep Cherokee, Ford Explorer, in the past and yeah, I know comparing them is ridiculous, but still I was having so much fun going through some twisty's I just had to put it down in writing.
I slapped it into Sport+, pulled the gear change to the left, and just went for it. For those familiar with the Bay Area, I shot out of the 92west-280south tunnel, delighting a 328i that hitched his wagon to my star and followed along for a spirited exit out of the long banked turn. http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Kings+...42.63,,0,12.94 (Double click through the tunnel on the pic to see how the turn looks in real life) Left the highway at Woodside road and did the Kings Mountain Road to Skyline to 92 loop. This road is great with tight turns and quick changes. Gorgeous redwoods on the sides too. http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Kings+...52.01,,0,12.04 Sport mode really tightens the steering and throttle up so I felt in ultimate control. The steering was responsive and gave great feedback. Very different from the parking lot ballet touch and feel it spends most of its days performing as a baby wagon. I could tell it wanted to stretch its legs and show me what it can do and it truly surprised me at how well it performed. I can't wait to take it to Tahoe one of these days. This thing is going to tear those roads up. That's my story.
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2006 330i: Titanium Silver, Black Leatherette, Navigation, European Delivery.
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07-26-2011, 01:14 PM | #2 |
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Good stuff. Agree that Sport mode on gearbox, Sport or even Sport + on DCC and the thing becomes a beast. It is great fun, done in the proper places, of course....
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07-26-2011, 03:31 PM | #3 | |
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07-26-2011, 03:59 PM | #4 | |
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07-26-2011, 04:25 PM | #5 |
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LOL. You can always get on the I-80 (Borman) and dodge the trucks. My wife is from Munster, IN and we lived for a while outside of Indy. Whenever we took a Sunday drive it all looked the same; no matter what direction we went.
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07-26-2011, 04:38 PM | #6 |
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07-26-2011, 09:46 PM | #8 |
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Woo hoo!! Sounds great. So envious of the places you have available to drive there. I miss it and never drive there in a crlike this!
I'm a bit confused, though, how you had so much fun in the face of the wicked turbo lag and lack of responsiveness reported here . . .
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07-26-2011, 10:30 PM | #9 | |
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07-27-2011, 12:58 AM | #10 | |
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The X3 definitely needs to be in Sport or Sport+ mode. Intersections are few and far between as was traffic (at least during the mid-day when I drove it). Definitely 100 times better than the absolutely boring ride from Chicago to Bloomington. The area is hilly enough that the roads follow the topography, instead of the linear map boundaries we have further North. |
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07-27-2011, 01:17 AM | #11 | |
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I'll check it out. |
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07-28-2011, 02:25 PM | #12 |
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I picked up my BMW X3 28i last Tuesday. What a ride! I have driven a Toyota Highlander, Toyota Rav 4, Chevy Suburban, GMC Yukon and a GMC Acadia.
The X3 blows them all away. I have also owned a Jaguar S Type, Mercedes E350, Cadillac DeVille and a Toyota Avalon as well as a couple of Chevy Impalas and a VW Bug This is without a doubt the best handling car I have ever owned.
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07-28-2011, 04:11 PM | #13 |
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I'm a fairly new owner myself (about 1 month) so I'm still getting used to all the modes, but isn't it redundant to put it into Sport+ and also 'pull the gear change to the left'? From my experience, putting it into Sport or Sport+ also changes the transmission shift points in the same way that pulling the lever to the left does. Am I wrong?
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07-28-2011, 05:43 PM | #14 | |
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Skyline!
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07-28-2011, 05:47 PM | #15 | |
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07-28-2011, 08:07 PM | #16 |
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Not redundant if you have sport mode on the DHP set change chassis only. In that case it oesn't change the transmission to sport, but moving the ger selector left would.
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