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      11-21-2012, 07:27 PM   #1
CharlieX
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Considering an X3 this weekend, but compare to a Q5?

Wife's 2011 128i convertible isn't going to cut it for our incoming baby.

Issues we have with it: very loud car when the top is up. You can hear every thud and chunk and rattle of the suspension. Plus it's developed a few annoying rattles in the interior. As a daily commuter it really isn't great in that respect. It's mentally tiring. With the top down it's a whole different car. It's fun to drive. I personally find the steering too stiff, but whatever.

Radio LCD blacks out when the car interior gets hot (parked in the sun). Takes several minutes of A/C before you can read it. Also it's polarization exactly matches my sunglasses - so it's completely blacked out. Minor annoyances, but it makes me wary of BMW in general.

I drive an A4. Love it to death. It's in the shop and I've been loaned a Q5. It's a great car. Super quite ride. Handles awesome. Impeccable Audi interior. Wife is very impressed with it as well.

BUT:

We have 4 months left on the 128i, but assume BMW will be able to juggle us a better deal than Audi. Plus lease specials on the X3 right now are way better than Audi. Also you get more creature comforts for the price in the BMW (heated seats, auto dimming mirrors). I just hope that the X3 is a step up in overall build quality and, well, luxury feel than our 128.

Any thoughts? It would be great to test drive an X3 for a week like this Q5.
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      11-21-2012, 07:55 PM   #2
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The best thing you can do i take a test drive with the X3 so you can compare both and see which one is better for your family.
I was sold with the q5 but when I test drove the x3 my perspective changed a lot.
For me the x3 has better ride, comfort and space, but, to each it's own.
My only complaint with the x3 is that the 4 cylinder engine is a little loud for my taste; maybe the 6 cyl engine is less noisy.

Congrats for the baby and good luck with your purchase.
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      11-21-2012, 09:45 PM   #3
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When I test drove cars before my x3 purchase I found the q5 the "german buick".

Quiet and smooth but not much excitement.

At the time the q5 only had a 6spd auto with the 6cul engine. I found the 8spd in the x3 much sportier.

I also liked the larger NAV screen in the x3.

If you like your current Audi and it's reliable and fun to drive why not get the q5?
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      11-21-2012, 09:55 PM   #4
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the 2013 Q5 with the new 3.0T and 8 speed is a good option, I have an A4 and an X3 I love them both, but let's just say I like the gadgets in the Audi are better, the new tail lights and headlights are really nice too and it's a lot easier to code if you wanna change some settings, all that to say the Q5 is a serious contender.
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      11-21-2012, 10:25 PM   #5
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I drove both as well and the Q5 was very nice but I liked the X3 drive a bit better. The powertrain at the time was worlds better too, though if you can the supercharged 3.0 I hear that's one hell of an engine. I also liked the iDrive interface a bit better, but I may be alone in that.
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      11-21-2012, 11:23 PM   #6
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X3 is supreme

I am probably a sales persons nightmare. I research everything I want to purchase right down to the smallest detail - I ended up knowing more about the X3 than the sales person.

So let me save you the trouble and tell you the result of over 100 hours of research, 11 test drives (XC60, Q5, GLK... 8 others), 6 re-sale value comparisons and 4 reliability index comparisons.

Get the F25 X3.
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      11-22-2012, 01:07 AM   #7
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I went thru this 16 months ago comparing 2011 X3 to Q5. needless to say I am in this forum and haven't been in an Audi forum since. feel free to read my prior posts, i realize the engines have changes on both, but i suspect the Q5 steering still sucks. My parents have a Buick Enclave SUV - I felt the Q5 steers like the Enclave (and probably like an Aircraft Carrier as well) where as my X3 in sport mode steers maybe not quite as tight as my old 328xi did, but its as good as you will find in an SUV.

I can tell you the exact cloverleaf onramp to I83 I was on in a Q5 test drive where I decided that the Q5 would not meet my needs.

no regrets.
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      11-22-2012, 02:08 AM   #8
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http://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=552866

http://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=611183

http://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=710009

http://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=593035
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      11-22-2012, 03:40 AM   #9
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Q5 v X3

X3 interior quality pretty poor for the price, design OK, 4WD better than Q5, BMW Professional Media a rip off for the price (UK price) since it does less and badly than a $200 garmin. Quality - Audi, Technical - BMW, Value - neither
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      11-22-2012, 04:54 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 5mph View Post
X3 interior quality pretty poor for the price, design OK, 4WD better than Q5, BMW Professional Media a rip off for the price (UK price) since it does less and badly than a $200 garmin. Quality - Audi, Technical - BMW, Value - neither
That's a fair list, We tried both and the BMW won on points but we were finally decided based on the dealer. Our local BMW Dealer provided us we good service all the way through where the Audi team seemed only interested in the sale!

I agree the Nav options are expensive, I use a Samsung Note on Three and that works great.
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      11-22-2012, 06:25 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 5mph View Post
X3 interior quality pretty poor for the price, design OK, 4WD better than Q5, BMW Professional Media a rip off for the price (UK price) since it does less and badly than a $200 garmin. Quality - Audi, Technical - BMW, Value - neither
I would say that this is a very good brief summary.

For looks (inside and outside) I think that the Q5 is better, but the X3 drives better.

I have an older toddler (34 months now) and love the convenience of an SUV with small children. Currently trying for number two.

Both are great (albeit expensive) cars: you really have to test drive (preferably extended test drive) and see what you like better. I would also try a X5 too. For me X3 is perfect (especially with the small roads and small parking spaces in the UK), but with a larger family I could see an argument for an X5 (although the ride quality is much more truck like than the X3). In the US, an X5's size is a lot less of an issue and would be useful if you travel a lot (luggage space etc).

QT
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      11-22-2012, 06:43 AM   #12
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Coming from a sedan, handling was top priority and I needed a SUV that would handle very close to a car, X3 was the only one that fit the bill. Q5 nice but fails at handling.
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      11-22-2012, 08:21 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CharlieX View Post
Also it's polarization exactly matches my sunglasses - so it's completely blacked out.
I have polarised Oakleys and they are fine. I believe they have changed something.
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      11-22-2012, 08:32 AM   #14
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Here's a different perspective - My wife picks the new cars and options with our daughter and me getting the leftover cars. We have a '10 A4 and the Q5 reminded my wife too much of the A4 and did not have a "new" feeling. Also my wife simply could not find a good Q5 color, but loved the mineral color X3. She also was hoping all the quirks in the Audi MMI would not be in the X3 iDrive - but she was way wrong, the iDrive is far more difficult, especially the nav.
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      11-22-2012, 09:34 AM   #15
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I use the voice control for the nav, usually works pretty well.
Nearly but for the "Nag" instead of Nav but that means a different thing altogether.
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      11-22-2012, 10:22 AM   #16
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I like the Q5, but like the X3 more. There's a hybrid version of the Q5 available and that was a selling point since it rivals the X3 for gas mileage, other than that:

X3 is more attractive, handles better, steering is firmer, has great sports seats, better upgraded sound system, and available 1 month as opposed to 3 months.

Q5 has this crazy cover in the cargo area that when removed doesn't fit anywhere properly.
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      11-22-2012, 10:58 AM   #17
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Thanks everyone for the input!

I'm biased toward the Audi, but I really like what I'm hearing here. We're also going to look at the GLK (but with only a guzzling V6 it's not a frontrunner - we live in LA and commute a lot), Ford Edge (lots of gadgets for the the price, but have never sat in one), maybe the Volvo, and perhaps VW.

I'll let you know how it turns out.
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      11-22-2012, 12:18 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wrp View Post
......We have a '10 A4 and the Q5 reminded my wife too much of the A4 and did not have a "new" feeling. Also my wife simply could not find a good Q5 color, but loved the mineral color X3. She also was hoping all the quirks in the Audi MMI would not be in the X3 iDrive - but she was way wrong, the iDrive is far more difficult, especially the nav.
Could I get away with a sexist remark about this post? Car choice based on 'feelings' and the having a good color ,saying that my wife did get me to change the interior from black to oyster- and must say I congratulate myself for listening to the Mrs.
Long day at work I need some humour

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      11-22-2012, 12:46 PM   #19
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I had the same dilemma for my wife.

Just a simple comparison - if you sit in both, X3 feels more like a big scale hatch, Q5 felt more like truck. My wife really wanted sedan, but we have 2 kids and the size of X3 is perfect.

When I compared 335i xDrive to S4 I ended up getting S4 which I will pick up this saturday, so I don't really have strong brand preference, I just go with the best choice at any given point so X3 and S4 were my best choices.
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      11-22-2012, 02:54 PM   #20
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iDrive difficult? Really?
Pro nav is a rip off but so are most of Audi's options and now that I have pro nav, I wouldn't be without it on my next BMW
Looks? Q5 definitely wins IMO. Like the SQ5 pics below for example
Driving? No contest.





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      11-22-2012, 04:27 PM   #21
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Yes, I agree with Sfax - Q5 wins looks, no contest. Especially with the new facelift and LED lights pack.
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      11-22-2012, 04:29 PM   #22
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There were a number of things that convinced us to go with the X3, but one thing that isn't mentioned is the shade cover that the Q5 uses for the sun roof. We weren't convinced that it would effectively block out the sun.
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