[carlili4190]

Lexus RX330--> BMW X3 35I.

Night and Day difference.

[torzeck]

I still have a 2006 325xi w/ a 6 spd manual for the moment.
Before the e90, I had a 2005 x3 that I sold to get the 325. I just missed the utility of the x3. The new x3 is much more refined than the '05 and it's ride is better than my old 3 series, granted it's brand new.

That said, i still love the e90 but I think it's time to move on.

[XB101]

I will list a few 'previous' cars.

Currently I have a 2010 WRX. Lease up end of September 2011. Fun car, good in snow, fast etc. Interior isn't that exciting but car has been reliable. Has 32000 km on it.

2004 CT-V. Fast with mean growl. I liked the looks. Depreciate fast! 400 hp but in snow with good WinterSport snow tires and 100lbs of sandbag in the trunk it was still difficult to maneuver.

2001.5 Audi S4. Stage 1. Fast car, looks good but maintenance was expensive. Kept it for less than 3 months.

2003 Acura TL-S. No complains. Good on gas, luxurious, quick, looks good and reliable.

[walendvay]

2004 E83 w/130k

new rig is on order. Hope I did the right thing as my E83 is still a solid rig. still thinking about keeping both, however, the trade value was on the upper end.

[Dechy]

2004 Buick Rainier CXL AWD 4.2 with nearly 100k

Still surprised how good that truck ran, but with the kids grown up, didn't need that big an SUV anymore and it was a PIG on gas (~18-25L in city, upper limit usually during winter)

About to hit 2k on the 35i M, and using "night and day" to compare both just doesn't seem fair

[cooldude00]

haha.. wouldn't know.... still waiting for the car 6 months and counting..

coming from an e60, don't expect much diff... coming from a z4, better be a more comfortable ride...

[BruceOmega]

Took delivery of our new X3 last week. It is replacing a 2006 X3. We've been very happy with the '06 and it has served as well.

The new X3 is more refined, has a smoother ride, is quieter, and is more luxurious. The turbo engine and 8 sped AT make the new vehicle much more responsive and agile, and is a big improvement when driving agressively. I always felt the 5 speeds in the '06 AT were too widley spaced for agressive driving with that vehicle and that engine, although perfectly fine in normal driving. The new X3 is very responsive, its more than just raw power.

We have the premium hi-fi and easily notice the improved sound quality compared to our '06 which has standard audio. Have not compared the premium hi-fi to the 2011 X3 standard audio.

Where I was surprised is the handling. The smoothness of the new X3 compared to our '06 led me to assume it may not be as crisp handling. But this past weekend we went out of town and purposely chose a route with nice twisties. I put the new X3 in Sport mode (rocker switch to Sport and moved the transmission lever left to Sport) and drove it on a road that was climbing up a mountain with a lot of tight curves. I was very impressed with the handling, it really cornered well for the type of vehicle it is. I've driven our '06 on the same road and in my opinion the new X3 handles better (our '06 does not have the sport package).

Thanks
Bruce

[warmtoes]

It was a radical change for me. 2008 135i cabriolet for the last three years. Interior of the X3 is incredible and much nicer than my 1 but despite the active damping you can still feel the weight difference. I do miss not being able to drive top down. But, the X3 is a great vehicle and I need the space.

[11x35SapphireBlk]

2008 Toyota Sequoia Limited 5.7L V8 381HP. Heavy but quick. A beast size wise. A pig on gas. BUT great quality!!!

Only had the X3 1 week. and 6 of those days it was not functional for a ruptured tranny cooling line. Jus t got it back tonight.

Jury is out.

[Matchurin]

Drove Hondas for 25 years. '87 Accord, '91 CRX, '94 Integra, '02 RSX, '02 CR-V, '09 S2000 (traded in *cry*)

Bought the CR-V because the RSX was too low and couldn't get up my driveway in winter, wound up loving it. Kept it 10 years and finally sold for 25% of purchase price.

Don't get me wrong I love the X3, but never had an issue with any of my Hondas before 100,000 miles. So far I have warning lights and a wonky power tailgate on the X3 before 2,000 miles. I expected more from a car that cost twice as much.

[saulgoodman]

Came from 2007 SAAB 9-3 2.0T, 6SPD manual...very good car, no issues for last 4.5 years. It was very hard for me to depart the car.

Main reasons are:

My wife can't drive manual, need a bigger car with AWD for New England's winter, and SAAB's future.

I really can't compare 9-3 with X3, both are opposite in every ways.

Turbo 4 vs Naturally aspirated Inline 6
FWD vs AWD
6-SPD Manual vs 8-SPD Auto
etc...

[E92LNGCGY]

Last 2 cars were BMW's (2006 E90 325 & 2009 E92 335 which I still own) and now X3 on order. Need more room, need the ground clearance (we get a lot of snow here), need AWD (again winter), and I actually like the way it drives.

[wolfman101]

Well, I sold the SRT6 for the X3...I miss it
The X3 is the best all-rounder in it's class (hence why I bought it) but the six was so faaaastttt....

[MattUK]

I came from an E9x M3 Coupe.. I had always been worried that I would miss it, but I changed mainly for financial reasons and the cost of running the thing.

Do I miss it? Sometimes I miss the looks (and was easier to wash).. but from a driving point, not one bit.. I love the X3, I have never wished I had the speed of the 3 as for my normal driving even with spirited the X3 performs. In fact (and don't tell anyone) I love the X3 more, because I can just 'fall into' the seat (suspect this means I'm getting old lol)

I would however love to have the new M5.. but unless the cost of fuel drops 50% in the next few years its unlikely to happen (or if i win the lottery ;o)

[128Guy]

Originally Posted by DJ Daddy-O

... what car did everyone own prior to their new X3, and how do they compare...

My wife's 2012 X3 28i (sport pkg) replaced a 2007 VW Touareg with a gasoline V6. The X3 is lighter, quicker, more agile, more fun to drive, handles better, and gets better gas mileage. The VW seemed more soldily built and seemed to use better quality interior materials. The 2007 VW Touareg proved very reliable, whereas our previous 2004 (first year imported into the U.S.) Touareg with gas V8 had several factory recall and warranty issues - mostly computer software related. The V8 Touareg was very smooth and much quicker than the V6 version.

[roundtree]

Originally Posted by Matchurin

Drove Hondas for 25 years. '87 Accord, '91 CRX, '94 Integra, '02 RSX, '02 CR-V, '09 S2000 (traded in *cry*)

Right there with you, though I've had Hondas since 96 (96 Civic, 01 Accord, 07 Fit). A family member needed a reliable car, so I had to part ways with the Fit. In terms of an upgrade, my X3 2.8i is a major upgrade on all fronts. Not sure that it transforms into as many useful configurations, but the ride is so smooth.

I count myself fortunate that I haven't run into many of the problems described here, but I've only put 600 miles on it so far. Best 600 miles of my life and counting.

[Fryguy29]

Originally Posted by roundtree

Right there with you, though I've had Hondas since 96 (96 Civic, 01 Accord, 07 Fit). A family member needed a reliable car, so I had to part ways with the Fit. In terms of an upgrade, my X3 2.8i is a major upgrade on all fronts. Not sure that it transforms into as many useful configurations, but the ride is so smooth.

I count myself fortunate that I haven't run into many of the problems described here, but I've only put 600 miles on it so far. Best 600 miles of my life and counting.

I also came from a Honda. A 2002 CRV. It was my first new car and I loved it. I sold it last month for 1/3 of what I paid for it. I still miss it. I felt like I was giving away my dog when I handed over the keys. I thought I was crazy for not just buying another one. I know it wasn't fancy but I loved it.

That being said, I could not be more pleased with the X3 (35i). The best analogy I can come up with is this:

It's like I was dating Tina Fey. She's good to look at (especially after you get to know her for a while), smart, practical, reliable, funny. Literally everything you want in a woman.
You then start dating Sofia Vergara. You don't need time to appreciate her good looks, it is just kapow! She is built to have a good time. It will probably be annoying and aggravating at times, you don't know how long it's going to last, you don't know what's going to happen when the warranty runs out, but while it lasts there is so much fun and excitement. When things are great, they are GREAT.

That's how I feel about my two cars.

[northX3]

Alright ! Picture time !

My previous car was a 2009 Subaru STI. Fast, good handling, not so responsive car-to-driver feedback, excellent for all seasons.

The X3 is less sporty, obviously, but more "family-oriented". Little more cargo area, and, surprisingly, a better steering feel. Oh, more comfortable too.

I'd say the STI was more some kind of Megan Fox (racy, overrated, cold-communicative, high maintenance cost) and the X3 more like Serena Williams (larger, athletic, not the best look on the road, tells you the truth in a rude and direct kind of way )

[Beyu]

Originally Posted by northX3

I'd say the STI was more some kind of Megan Fox (racy, overrated, cold-communicative, high maintenance cost) and the X3 more like Serena Williams (larger, athletic, not the best look on the road, tells you the truth in a rude and direct kind of way )

Ah man that's funny....added to the fact that I'm reading on a tablet so scrolling along I wasn't expecting a Megan Fox, Serena Williams comparison.

[DJ Daddy-O]

For sale. Space grey X3. 10k miles. Excellent condition.

Wanted. Subaru STi. Location not an issue, will travel.

[GBMW6612]

2005 Ford F150 FX4 super crew - big truck do not miss it one bit was tired of driving such a large vehicle.
1997 Chevrolet Corvette (-) was a little dated. (+) it was fast and it felt fast while driving. I think I will miss the acceleration the most and I got a lot of compliments on the car.
Now driving a 2012 BMW X3 with the m sport package and I can truly say I love this car way more than my two previous vehicles.

[Ural]

2005 Jeep Liberty CRD (called Cherokee here). Compared to my X3 20d, it was way better off road and on snow-ice, and way poorer on road in every aspect- comfort, handling, steering, brakes, consumption...