[UKMS]

Just placed my order today for my new X3 to replace my two year old F11 520d. Cant wait but looking at a 10 week delivery Been messing around with the spec for the last week trying to make my mind up on what to go for and what to leave that I wasted money on the 520. Final choice:-

xDrive 20d SE
Auto
Space Grey
Black Leather
Fineline Wood
Black Headlining
Style 308 18" Alloys
xline Pack
Sun Protect Glass
Pro Nav (New Spec)
Pro Speakers
Visibility Pack
Cold Pack
Power Tailgate
Extended Storage
Sport Wheel
Reverse Camera
Sports Seats with Lumbar

Can still amend the spec for a while so anything obvious that I have missed please chip in !!

Cheers
MS

[buze]

Top view camera! best money I spent on a gadget :-)

Comfort Access? I think the UK makes it a "pack" with the power tailgate...
Oh and electric seats; with comfort access it's really awesome (memories)

[stumblingtrout]

Hi MS

Same boat as you - swapping my F11 530dM for an F25 X335dM

Curious - what made you swap? The 5 series is a superb car - it's very well put together, built like a tank and has a great quality interior. I'm swapping though because I want something with a higher ride height, AWD and also I don't feel that it's as good to drive as all the reviews suggest it is.

I/We'll be taking a step down in interior quality but when I drove an X3 30d alongside the 530d a year ago (and bought the 530d) it was the X3 that put the biggest smile on my face. At the time there was an 8 month wait for one and I got a good deal on my 2011 5 series...

I've heard that Variable Damper Control is good - I don't know where you live but in East Anglia the roads are pretty poor so i'm hoping that it will allow my X3 to ride a little nicer.

You have the main options that matter ticked though - Pro Nav, Vis Pack - those are considered the 'must haves' if they can be referred to as such... If you need enhanced bluetooth you now have to add that as a seperate option as not included with Pro Nav anymore. If you have an iPhone you can get BMW Apps, and the internet option is only £60 or therabouts I think.

ST.

[Jay Ell]

Originally Posted by ukstevens

Just placed my order today for my new X3 to replace my two year old F11 520d. Cant wait but looking at a 10 week delivery Been messing around with the spec for the last week trying to make my mind up on what to go for and what to leave that I wasted money on the 520. Final choice:-

xDrive 20d SE
Auto
Space Grey
Black Leather
Fineline Wood
Black Headlining
Style 308 18" Alloys
xline Pack
Sun Protect Glass
Pro Nav (New Spec)
Pro Speakers
Visibility Pack
Cold Pack
Power Tailgate
Extended Storage
Sport Wheel
Reverse Camera
Sports Seats with Lumbar

Can still amend the spec for a while so anything obvious that I have missed please chip in !!

Cheers
MS

hi .. good choice, and good luck. seems there's a few of us on here from the UK waiting for our X3 now with the upgraded media. It's a killer !!!

seems you have most boxes ticked anyway.. looks good to me.
it's a little known option, and a free one at that, but the "4NG Instrument panel embellishers, black" is something i went for and when you see it, you'll wish you had it I'm told.
and as stumblingtrout says, VDC seems to be a popular choice. I actually didn't order it as when I took out an M Sport I found the ride to be absolutely fine and just how I like it (coming from an E60 M5 myself).

this is my options list:
ZNP Media Package - BMW Professional
609 Navigation-system Professional
6AC BMW Emergency call
6AE BMW TeleServices
6AK BMW Online Services
6AM Real Time Traddic Information
6AN Information Plus
6AP Remote Services
6NR BMW Apps interface
ZXH Cold Weather Package
248 Steering wheel heating
465 Split-folding rear seats
494 Seat heating, front
496 Seat heating, rear
ZXO Electric seat adjustment with lumbar support
459 Elec Fr Seats + Driver Memory
488 Lumbar support, driver and front pass.
216 Servotronic Steering
226 Sport suspension
249 Multi-function controls for s'wheel
258 Run-flat tyres
2NE 19" Double-spoke style 369 M Light alloy wheel with mixed tyres
2VG Performance Control
2VL Variable sport steering
316 Bootlid operation, powered
320 Model designation deletion
3AH Reversing Assist camera with Top View
3MC Roof rails, High-gloss Shadowline
402 Panaramic glass sunroof
420 Sun protection glass
430 Ext. mirrors - folding, auto dimming
481 Sport seats, front
4AD Brushed Aluminium Trim
4NG Instrument panel embellishers, black
522 Xenon headlights
5AC High-beam Assistant
677 Loudspeaker system - BMW Professional
6NS Enhanced Bluetooth telephone preparation w/ USB audio interface & voice control
715 M aerodynamic bodystyling
760 Exterior trim, high-gloss Shadowline
775 Headlining, Anthracite
7XA Auto transmission M Sport leather steering wheel with gearshift paddles

[plymjack]

Looks a great spec, ours was our first BMW so anything was going to be good. Missed not having heated seats this passed few months and I wish we had added the sports wheel too, so your spec seems to have covered it all. Good luck

[am36]

Ukstevens - I asked exactly the same question and was really pleased that I took Sfax's advice on the Xenon's (especially if you live in the back of beyond like me!). Is that part of the visibility pack?

Out of interest why are you not opting for the M Sport - looks?

[stumblingtrout]

Originally Posted by am36

Ukstevens - I asked exactly the same question and was really pleased that I took Sfax's advice on the Xenon's (especially if you live in the back of beyond like me!). Is that part of the visibility pack?

Out of interest why are you not opting for the M Sport - looks?

Adaptive Xenon's are included in the viz pack. Like most others, I will never go back to Halogens after adaptive xenon's - driving at night is much safer with these fancy bending lights... High beam assist is included in the pack too, but if its the same as is on the 5 Series, it's hopeless on anything other than a very straight stretch of road...

[buze]

Actually, I do a lot of road at night, and I would give a 98% score to the high bean assist on the X3. It's actually pretty amazing.

It does sometime do false positive (ie turn off high beam for "seeing" a couple of lights together etc) but has /never/ failed to lower the beams when 'seeing' some other car/vehicle.
It's true that sometime, as a human, I would lower my beams a bit earlier by politeness, but I did quite a few miles with these on already, and I haven't been 'flashed' by angry drivers a single time. In fact on some occasion (over a crest etc) it's a hell of a lot quicker than I would be.

It is a HUGE comfort on small roads at night. for me at least...

[citrilla]

Some impressive specs mentioned but you may get a nasty shock when next come to part ex. I have learned through experience that speccing a car makes little impact on a dealer when it comes to second hand price. Enjoy it though!

[sfax]

Originally Posted by buze

Actually, I do a lot of road at night, and I would give a 98% score to the high bean assist on the X3. It's actually pretty amazing.

It does sometime do false positive (ie turn off high beam for "seeing" a couple of lights together etc) but has /never/ failed to lower the beams when 'seeing' some other car/vehicle.
It's true that sometime, as a human, I would lower my beams a bit earlier by politeness, but I did quite a few miles with these on already, and I haven't been 'flashed' by angry drivers a single time. In fact on some occasion (over a crest etc) it's a hell of a lot quicker than I would be.

It is a HUGE comfort on small roads at night. for me at least...

Good to hear as I was very sceptical about the high beam assist and didn't spec it as I couldn't see how it could possibly work all the time. The acid test of course is the driver coming the other way and what he thinks

[stumblingtrout]

Originally Posted by buze

Actually, I do a lot of road at night, and I would give a 98% score to the high bean assist on the X3. It's actually pretty amazing.

It does sometime do false positive (ie turn off high beam for "seeing" a couple of lights together etc) but has /never/ failed to lower the beams when 'seeing' some other car/vehicle.
It's true that sometime, as a human, I would lower my beams a bit earlier by politeness, but I did quite a few miles with these on already, and I haven't been 'flashed' by angry drivers a single time. In fact on some occasion (over a crest etc) it's a hell of a lot quicker than I would be.

It is a HUGE comfort on small roads at night. for me at least...

The problem that I have with it is when going round a sweeping bend, the camera is looking straight ahead off the edge of the road when other road users are coming the other way. The camera doesn't turn like the headlights do so fails to notice the oncoming vehicle and therefore fails to dip the lights. On straight roads it's fine - but I guess like a lot of things it depends on the roads you drive on...

[sfax]

Originally Posted by stumblingtrout

The problem that I have with it is when going round a sweeping bend, the camera is looking straight ahead off the edge of the road when other road users are coming the other way. The camera doesn't turn like the headlights do so fails to notice the oncoming vehicle and therefore fails to dip the lights. On straight roads it's fine - but I guess like a lot of things it depends on the roads you drive on...

It's also bad news for oncoming pedestrians and cyclists

[Jay Ell]

Originally Posted by citrilla

Some impressive specs mentioned but you may get a nasty shock when next come to part ex. I have learned through experience that speccing a car makes little impact on a dealer when it comes to second hand price. Enjoy it though!

hear you on that one ..
I bgt an X1 for the missus when they came out. 23d range topper (at the time), which was base price of £29k. Total spend was £40k when I'd finished with it. This was Sep '09. Part ex (Feb '13) with it still being VERY clean and only 25k miles = £16.5k

having said that .. I don't believe in specc'ing a car for resale. Spec it to how you want it.

[UKMS]

Originally Posted by buze

Top view camera! best money I spent on a gadget :-)

Comfort Access? I think the UK makes it a "pack" with the power tailgate...
Oh and electric seats; with comfort access it's really awesome (memories)

Funny, I pondered the top view and now will be on the phone to the dealer in the morning changing the order

MS

[UKMS]

Originally Posted by stumblingtrout

Hi MS

Same boat as you - swapping my F11 530dM for an F25 X335dM

Curious - what made you swap? The 5 series is a superb car - it's very well put together, built like a tank and has a great quality interior. I'm swapping though because I want something with a higher ride height, AWD and also I don't feel that it's as good to drive as all the reviews suggest it is.

I/We'll be taking a step down in interior quality but when I drove an X3 30d alongside the 530d a year ago (and bought the 530d) it was the X3 that put the biggest smile on my face. At the time there was an 8 month wait for one and I got a good deal on my 2011 5 series...

I've heard that Variable Damper Control is good - I don't know where you live but in East Anglia the roads are pretty poor so i'm hoping that it will allow my X3 to ride a little nicer.

You have the main options that matter ticked though - Pro Nav, Vis Pack - those are considered the 'must haves' if they can be referred to as such... If you need enhanced bluetooth you now have to add that as a seperate option as not included with Pro Nav anymore. If you have an iPhone you can get BMW Apps, and the internet option is only £60 or therabouts I think.

ST.

ST

I'm swapping for similar reasons really, I actually love the 520 but 2 years is usually about my limit before I get itchy feet ! .... I like to sit high and need AWD from time to time. I have previously had various Jeeps over the years, a Merc ML and then a Volvo XC60 before the 520. The X3 is exactly the right size for me right now and don't need anything bigger. I will miss the interior quality and smooth quiet ride of the 520 which I think is great.


As for spec I have the VDC on the 520 and never really used it in anything other than normal mode (on the 520 you get Normal, Comfort, Sport and Sport+). I also had the pan roof and electric seats on the 520 which I ditched on this. The pan roof was nice but usually had the cover closed most of the time and as I will be the only driver of the X3 I didn't bother with the electric seats, if it had been passenger as well I would have ordered just to keep the odd family member happy in the front. I also ditched the TV on this as I rarely use it on the 520. I did actually spec the enhanced Bluetooth on the new nav pack.

On a general note If anyone is interested in a rough guide to options that affect resale value (to a BMW dealer) use the online config and watch the residual value change (or not) in the finance calculator as you add the options, this will give you a rough idea of what adds value when sold used. Examples being auto, nav packs, viz pack, some alloys all add value, whilst sunroof, electric seats, speakers, TV (and many more) are pretty much dead money. It is only a guide but I have found it to be pretty good.

MS

[UKMS]

Originally Posted by stumblingtrout

Adaptive Xenon's are included in the viz pack. Like most others, I will never go back to Halogens after adaptive xenon's - driving at night is much safer with these fancy bending lights... High beam assist is included in the pack too, but if its the same as is on the 5 Series, it's hopeless on anything other than a very straight stretch of road...

Agree on the xenons ... brilliant on the 520 and would never go back ! .... I found the high beam assist pretty good but does depend on the type road
MS

[stumblingtrout]

Originally Posted by ukstevens

ST

I'm swapping for similar reasons really, I actually love the 520 but 2 years is usually about my limit before I get itchy feet ! .... I like to sit high and need AWD from time to time. I have previously had various Jeeps over the years, a Merc ML and then a Volvo XC60 before the 520. The X3 is exactly the right size for me right now and don't need anything bigger. I will miss the interior quality and smooth quiet ride of the 520 which I think is great.


As for spec I have the VDC on the 520 and never really used it in anything other than normal mode (on the 520 you get Normal, Comfort, Sport and Sport+). I also had the pan roof and electric seats on the 520 which I ditched on this. The pan roof was nice but usually had the cover closed most of the time and as I will be the only driver of the X3 I didn't bother with the electric seats, if it had been passenger as well I would have ordered just to keep the odd family member happy in the front. I also ditched the TV on this as I rarely use it on the 520. I did actually spec the enhanced Bluetooth on the new nav pack.

On a general note If anyone is interested in a rough guide to options that affect resale value (to a BMW dealer) use the online config and watch the residual value change (or not) in the finance calculator as you add the options, this will give you a rough idea of what adds value when sold used. Examples being auto, nav packs, viz pack, some alloys all add value, whilst sunroof, electric seats, speakers, TV (and many more) are pretty much dead money. It is only a guide but I have found it to be pretty good.

MS

Interesting that we drew similar conclusions on the 5. I was convinced it was going to be a phenomenal car having read all the online reviews. Work have even moved to a 5 series fleet from previously using Volvo's, though it's now beginning to come out that those that drive them don't like the way the chassis feels. Someone online said that the 5 series is the best Mercedes that BMW have ever made... which I thought summed it up relatively accurately!

How did you find the XC60? I almost bought one last year - I had an S60 D5 prior to the 5 series (and an S60 2.0T before that) and am big fan of Volvo. The noise the 5 cylinder engines make cannot be matched in my opinion, but I went German ultimately as the technology was a bit more advanced and I wanted a little more than 215bhp which is as much as you can get from the Swedish diesel.

[UKMS]

Originally Posted by stumblingtrout

Interesting that we drew similar conclusions on the 5. I was convinced it was going to be a phenomenal car having read all the online reviews. Work have even moved to a 5 series fleet from previously using Volvo's, though it's now beginning to come out that those that drive them don't like the way the chassis feels. Someone online said that the 5 series is the best Mercedes that BMW have ever made... which I thought summed it up relatively accurately!

How did you find the XC60? I almost bought one last year - I had an S60 D5 prior to the 5 series (and an S60 2.0T before that) and am big fan of Volvo. The noise the 5 cylinder engines make cannot be matched in my opinion, but I went German ultimately as the technology was a bit more advanced and I wanted a little more than 215bhp which is as much as you can get from the Swedish diesel.

XC60 was OK ..... I had the D5 auto with quite a high spec ... Main reason for getting shot of it was because I had racked up a huge amount of mileage in a short time and it was a good time to bail out while it still had a decent value ... also I didn't like the seats could never get comfortable, felt like I was sitting perched on them rather than sitting in them (if that makes sense) , sat nav at the time was awful and generally I just didn't ever warm to it.

My main reason to drifting to a BMW was that I have access to a BMW purchase scheme that is VERY competitive, hence we are now a BMW family, wife has a Z4, daughter a Mini and my son a 1 Series

MS

[stumblingtrout]

Originally Posted by ukstevens

My main reason to drifting to a BMW was that I have access to a BMW purchase scheme that is VERY competitive, hence we are now a BMW family, wife has a Z4, daughter a Mini and my son a 1 Series

MS

Same. I wonder if its one and the same scheme. I almost went for the Audi SQ5 but the offer I got on the X3 meant I'd have been silly to say no, especially seeing as you can get zero discount on an SQ5 - and once configured to a good spec it was silly money.

[MattUK]

Heated steering wheel is a must now! Wish I had it

[MattUK]

Originally Posted by stumblingtrout

Same. I wonder if its one and the same scheme. I almost went for the Audi SQ5 but the offer I got on the X3 meant I'd have been silly to say no, especially seeing as you can get zero discount on an SQ5 - and once configured to a good spec it was silly money.

I spec'd up a QS5 yesterday and the pricing came out cheaper (list) for a comparable spec with the X3 which was surprising.

[scotta2]

Originally Posted by stumblingtrout

The noise the 5 cylinder engines make cannot be matched in my opinion, but I went German ultimately as the technology was a bit more advanced and I wanted a little more than 215bhp which is as much as you can get from the Swedish diesel.

Not quite true, Volvo do an official warranty friendly power upgrade (called Polestar) taking the standard 215hp D5 to 230hp. This increases the torque from 440Nm to 470Nm and only costs around £670, it is well worth it. Although I liked the Volvo it was never quite in the same class as the BMW and servicing and fuel costs were horrendus.