[lbjgh]

One of the cars I didn't test drive before buying the X3 was the new Acura RDX.

I love driving my wife's 2006 Acura so I thought I might have missed out when the RDX was released after I bought the Bimmer.

Anyway, I test drove the Acura yesterday and it's a perfectly good appliance. .... but there was absolutely no sole.

Getting back into my 35i assured me I made the right purchase decision!

P.S. I still hate my Pirelli sotozero's and their crappy grip and lumpy ride.

[RhoXS]

[QUOTE=lbjgh;15372432].... but there was absolutely no sole.
QUOTE]

That is very well put.

My X3 has many faults I would normally not tolerate. However, as you so well put it, the car has sole. I just like driving it, and, as a result, put up with a lot of stuff with a smile on my face.

[The X Men]

I think you guys mean soul, not sole but I agree, the new RDX was very disappointing. I thought the last gen RDX was more fun to drive.

[jbc77]

RhoXS, what don't you like about the X3?

[lbjgh]

doh, ya soul!

[greg2step]

fully agree - i had test driven the first gen RDX a few times including late 2007 before I bought my 328xi. your description of good appliance but no soul is spot on

by the time I was ready to buy my X3 in 2011, i didn't even bother looking at RDX again. I know its been updated since, but eh....

[Bmwlvr60]

Agree, owned a few Acuras before coming over to the BMW brand. If BMW rates an 8 for the Fun To Drive factor, Acuras rate a 4, on a 1-10 scale.

[pokerface]

Roughly 10-15k difference between the second Gen rdx and the x3 when we looked. Just something held us back from committing to the rdx. But glad we did.

[Mingstar88]

lol rdx 4 banger cant compare to 35i

[lbjgh]

nop. the new ones have a 3.5L v6.

The engine lacked low end torque but was very smooth.

Originally Posted by Mingstar88

lol rdx 4 banger cant compare to 35i

[DonC]

We have an 07 TL-S but if we had the X3 first I would not have bought it...

[Taipei-TT]

I honestly have no idea why people describe a x3 as having "soul." It's a cross-over SUV that is a nice appliance for getting around with my kids and my triathlon gear. Nothing more. It's not rewarding or engaging go drive compared to previous BMWs I have owned. It's not a sports car.

I like it. But it gives me no thrill to drive; it's a competent machine, but not thrilling.

[The X Men]

Originally Posted by Taipei-TT

I honestly have no idea why people describe a x3 as having "soul." It's a cross-over SUV that is a nice appliance for getting around with my kids and my triathlon gear. Nothing more. It's not rewarding or engaging go drive compared to previous BMWs I have owned. It's not a sports car.

I like it. But it gives me no thrill to drive; it's a competent machine, but not thrilling.

You need to compare a suv to another suv, not against your previous BMW sedans. If you are living in Taiwan, there is really not enough open roads to enjoy a BMW anyways.

[Taipei-TT]

I agree with comparing SUV to SUV. But that's just it: it's a great SUV, but it's still a SUV! Nothing that moves my soul....just comfortable and competent transportation. Would be better if it had firmer brakes too!

As for driving in Taiwan,I don't know if you have been here, but there are many, many amazing mountain roads.....switchbacks sandwiched between ocean and mountains. Cross mountain highways in which you drive above the clouds.... Fine for driving, even better for cycling!

I'm Canadian, lived in Toronto and Vancouver. I don't think Taiwan loses out even to the Rockies for spectacular roads!

And to clarify.....it's a fantastic car and I'm very happy with it. But not moved by it! I would prefer to be on my cervelo p5-6 tri bike riding out along the coast if I want to move my soul!

[Mingstar88]

Originally Posted by lbjgh

nop. the new ones have a 3.5L v6.

The engine lacked low end torque but was very smooth.

i see, shows how much i look into Acura lol. I do like their trunk space.

[The X Men]

Originally Posted by Taipei-TT

I agree with comparing SUV to SUV. But that's just it: it's a great SUV, but it's still a SUV! Nothing that moves my soul....just comfortable and competent transportation. Would be better if it had firmer brakes too!

As for driving in Taiwan,I don't know if you have been here, but there are many, many amazing mountain roads.....switchbacks sandwiched between ocean and mountains. Cross mountain highways in which you drive above the clouds.... Fine for driving, even better for cycling!

I'm Canadian, lived in Toronto and Vancouver. I don't think Taiwan loses out even to the Rockies for spectacular roads!

And to clarify.....it's a fantastic car and I'm very happy with it. But not moved by it! I would prefer to be on my cervelo p5-6 tri bike riding out along the coast if I want to move my soul!

For an SUV, the X3 is pretty fun to drive, its not a sport sedan by any mean. Go test drive a Mercedes ML350 or Lexus RX350, you might appreciate the X3 more after that. Bicycling never did anything for me, I rather be on a motorcycle.

[Tangsta]

I cross shopped the first gen RDX when I bought my X3 since they were having massive clearouts. I found that the drive was very truckish... no better than my body on frame 4Runner. It didn't help that it sounded very truckish too, not sure if the turbo on the demo car was going due to abuse though.

Didn't even bother trying out the 2nd gen. Couldn't get over the fact that they would do away with the turbo or torque vectoring (the only real selling point of the RDX in the first place).


OP, you might want to start test driving more appliances for the day that your BMW battery lets you down.

[lbjgh]

hehe, my next car ain't gonna be a BMW. I want a mid-sized diesel pickup truck. Plus a well engineered car doesn't have battery problems and I've been told my x3 is engineered by the best ).

Originally Posted by Tangsta

OP, you might want to start test driving more appliances for the day that your BMW battery lets you down.

[ghostdog1108]

Originally Posted by Taipei-TT

I agree with comparing SUV to SUV. But that's just it: it's a great SUV, but it's still a SUV! Nothing that moves my soul....just comfortable and competent transportation. Would be better if it had firmer brakes too!

As for driving in Taiwan,I don't know if you have been here, but there are many, many amazing mountain roads.....switchbacks sandwiched between ocean and mountains. Cross mountain highways in which you drive above the clouds.... Fine for driving, even better for cycling!

I'm Canadian, lived in Toronto and Vancouver. I don't think Taiwan loses out even to the Rockies for spectacular roads!

And to clarify.....it's a fantastic car and I'm very happy with it. But not moved by it! I would prefer to be on my cervelo p5-6 tri bike riding out along the coast if I want to move my soul!

To each his own but I beg to differ. The 35i engine, sport mode, tight steering and fantastic drive train make it as fun to drive as any sedan/sports car I have ever driven in it's price range.
It just happens to have a tailgate rather than a trunk.

[Taipei-TT]

Ghostdog, that's cool!

I just don't think it does. Too much body roll, too much suspension travel that makes it a little soft, and categorically weak brakes. And to be clear, these are not faults with the car, as they are characteristics of a vehicle with a high center of gravity. BMW has mitigated that, but a x3 cannot compete in driving dynamics against a similarly well-engineered vehicle with lower mass and center of gravity. That's just physics. (And yes, I know you can mitigate these favors more a la x5 M, but again... The x5M doesn't offer the same dynamics as a M5.)
Does my x3 offer a better driving experience than a Camry? You bet! Is that amazing for a SUV? Yes! Is it a soul moving experience to drive it.....I just personally don't feel it! My e92 felt so much better to drive in terms of driving dynamics for all the reasons I've given. But in terms of lifestyle and what I value most in a vehicle, the x3 walks on a two door coupe. But if I wanted the best driving experience only, no contest.

[clivem2]

Clearly the 35i and 35D engine can put a huge smile on most drivers' face but yes the handling characteristics of an X3 will never be up with an e92 / e93. I had an e93 335i, it was fantastic fun in the way an X3 simply can't be. One thing the X3 is better at though is coping with poor UK roads. The rock hard suspension and RFTs in combination meant that when pushing the car on less than major roads the car would be deflected offline so much that I would need to back off. On smooth roads the e93 was fabulous and in getting the X3 I knew it couldn't have the same soul...so yes it's good for an SAV/SUV but it's very different to a true sports coupe.

[northX3]

Originally Posted by Bmwlvr60

Agree, owned a few Acuras before coming over to the BMW brand. If BMW rates an 8 for the Fun To Drive factor, Acuras rate a 4, on a 1-10 scale.

My ex-NSX begs to differ