[Bimar]

Hi
Just sold my E60 5 series wanted to buy the new X3 and needed advice on a few things:

i) Is the 6 cylinder (3.0d) diesel engine more quiet than the 4 cylinder one (2.0d) in the X3 BMW or other Bimmers? Reliability of BMW diesels owned only Petrol engines?

ii)Does Damper control really make that much of a difference? Is its reliability known?

iii)Is the Xenon lights worth the extra cost?

iv)What options to stay clear from.

I will appreciate your views/responses.

[BIMMER UK 76]

Hi

I will also be swapping an E60 5 series for the new X3 and confirm as follows

BMW 6 cylinder diesels are much quiter than the 4 cylinder 20d, as good as the 20d is, it still sounds aggricultral from the outside (internally the soundproofing is very good)

Just added xenons to my order after seeing them in action on a new X5 (they are an absolute must if you can stretch to them in your budget)

Dont think there is any options to avoid (all personal choice)

Are you really in Kenya?

[Bimar]

Originally Posted by BIMMER UK 76

Hi

I will also be swapping an E60 5 series for the new X3 and confirm as follows

BMW 6 cylinder diesels are much quiter than the 4 cylinder 20d, as good as the 20d is, it still sounds aggricultral from the outside (internally the soundproofing is very good)

Just added xenons to my order after seeing them in action on a new X5 (they are an absolute must if you can stretch to them in your budget)

Dont think there is any options to avoid (all personal choice)

Are you really in Kenya?

yes I am really in kenya. Due to 100% taxes the 2.0d starts at 60,000 pounds here hence i need to tick options carefully before it overuns my budget. Was the 520d reliable ie engine issues? My 523i was super reliable this is my fist attempt at a Diesel.

[BIMMER UK 76]

Originally Posted by inamik75

yes I am really in kenya. Due to 100% taxes the 2.0d starts at 60,000 pounds here hence i need to tick options carefully before it overuns my budget. Was the 520d reliable ie engine issues? My 523i was super reliable this is my fist attempt at a Diesel.

E60 520d was very reliable (not a single warranty issue in 3.5 years and 50,000 miles).

BMW diesels engines are excellant and advances in the last couple of years have been good - dont worry about the 20d engine

100% taxes - WOW - we whinge about a 2.5% rise to 20% starting 1st Jan 2011

Do you use main BWM dealer in Kenya or do you import yourself?

[Sp82]

xenons are one MUST have for me...

[Bimar]

Originally Posted by BIMMER UK 76

E60 520d was very reliable (not a single warranty issue in 3.5 years and 50,000 miles).

BMW diesels engines are excellant and advances in the last couple of years have been good - dont worry about the 20d engine

100% taxes - WOW - we whinge about a 2.5% rise to 20% starting 1st Jan 2011

Do you use main BWM dealer in Kenya or do you import yourself?

We have a BMW dealer here, good to hear diesels are now superb, almost all the new Bimmers being sold here are diesel so am a slow converter. Anyone with Dynamic damper control experience, most reviews on X3 say you dont need it. Just checking.

[cosmosblau]

I would go for the damper control way before the xenons. If you have trouble seeing at night, xenons are helpful. To me they are nice, but are a very low priority.

[Bimar]

Originally Posted by cosmosblau

I would go for the damper control way before the xenons. If you have trouble seeing at night, xenons are helpful. To me they are nice, but are a very low priority.

thanks for the feedback, plan my order in january, chosen color and interior trim finalizing the piece on the options

[Bimar]

Originally Posted by inamik75

thanks for the feedback, plan my order in january, chosen color and interior trim finalizing the piece on the options

last question is damper control reliable system, there is nothing as having suspension problems like i have seen with the Range Rovers.

[BIMMER UK 76]

Originally Posted by inamik75

thanks for the feedback, plan my order in january, chosen color and interior trim finalizing the piece on the options

What colour and trim options have you chosen?

[Bimar]

2.0D in Mineral Silver with
Red Brown Nevada leather,
Reversing camera top view
Sunroof

Still deciding on the Xenons and Damper control after feedback from the forum for have a 1.5 weeks to decide on final configuration.

[BIMMER UK 76]

Originally Posted by inamik75

2.0D in Mineral Silver with
Red Brown Nevada leather,
Reversing camera top view
Sunroof

Still deciding on the Xenons and Damper control after feedback from the forum for have a 1.5 weeks to decide on final configuration.

How much will it cost?

Interesting to compare with UK costs

[Bimar]

Originally Posted by BIMMER UK 76

How much will it cost?

Interesting to compare with UK costs

With options above that I want which are basic almost 70,000 pounds!!

[sfax]

Originally Posted by inamik75

With options above that I want which are basic almost 70,000 pounds!!

I would normally say get the xenons but after reading this price tag and knowing your tax %, perhaps it's best to give them a miss! Ouch! They do make a big difference to what you can see and you also get daytime running LEDs, but most importantly they make the car look a lot better!

You really need some feedback of experience with and without Dynamic Damper Control on the type of roads that you will be driving it on, and I haven't seen anything like that in reviews. I would like to test drive one with and without myself but it's too late for me now and I decided against DDC.

I'm guessing some of the roads will be on the bumpy side because of your location so having something that can smooth out the bumps might make a big difference. As I understand DDC, it's more than just the ability to change the firmness of the suspension.

[Bimar]

Originally Posted by sfax

I would normally say get the xenons but after reading this price tag and knowing your tax %, perhaps it's best to give them a miss! Ouch! They do make a big difference to what you can see and you also get daytime running LEDs, but most importantly they make the car look a lot better!

You really need some feedback of experience with and without Dynamic Damper Control on the type of roads that you will be driving it on, and I haven't seen anything like that in reviews. I would like to test drive one with and without myself but it's too late for me now and I decided against DDC.

I'm guessing some of the roads will be on the bumpy side because of your location so having something that can smooth out the bumps might make a big difference. As I understand DDC, it's more than just the ability to change the firmness of the suspension.

Our roads similar to UK some smooth some uneven and potholes. Not sure if the damper control will make ride smoother or its purely for performance enhancement still waiting to hear someone with experience. However I do plan to take the X3 for game drives in the park too, roads are graded and gravel in nature.

[sfax]

UK roads will be distinctly worse than yours soon then after the freezing temperatures we've just had. And they won't get repaired as the local councils have no extra money left!

It definitely detects the road conditions and responds and adjusts the suspension based on feedback. It also makes adjustments when you steer and change speed. The comfort/normal/sport setting just controls the defaults and how much of an adjustment is made.

Search the M3 forum for Dynamic Damper Control. Lots of info and opinions on there and I assume the technology and principal is the same, but someone may correct me on that.

In fact, the more I read about it, the more I'm tempted myself. Perhaps just one last option....

[Waffle]

Just had an F25 X3 fitted with Xenons follow me in town. Looked well fierce against a dark mucky evening in the UK.

[sfax]

Originally Posted by Waffle

Just had an F25 X3 fitted with Xenons follow me in town. Looked well fierce against a dark mucky evening in the UK.

Awesome. All over the xenons! I'm yet to see one on the road here but i want it to stay like that for as long as possible

[Jenaviv]

What is the difference between sport package and sport activity package? Is the sport activity package just outside trim?

[Bimar]

Thanks all for your advice. Skipping the Damper control, going for the Xenons.

[BIMMER UK 76]

Originally Posted by inamik75

Thanks all for your advice. Skipping the Damper control, going for the Xenons.

Good choice in my opinion

[Bimar]

Originally Posted by BIMMER UK 76

Good choice in my opinion

From what I have read, the X5 and X6 don't have damper control and they drive superbly and have driven the X5 E70 myself, though i find it too large for daily use.