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      10-20-2011, 10:42 AM   #1
BenDiem
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1st Gen X3 vs 2nd Gen X3

Hello all,

I actually did a search and came up w/nothing! Looking for owner reviews and/or pls direct me to some prior posts...

Looking to purchase the Mrs. another X3. She loved her '07 X3 but it had a few electronic gremlins over the years (TPMS, Air Bag, Steering Wheel noises, erratic passenger rear view mirror rarely functioned when car was put in R)... Outside of these few issues, she loved the X3.

Has someone on these boards owned both series? I'm looking for an honest evaluation of the two and would like to know if the new 2011+ Gen X3 is better and more reliable than the pre-2011 X3s.

Magazine reviews rave about the new X3 but what do owners say?

Any regrets?

Tks a lot,

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      10-20-2011, 12:09 PM   #2
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Reliability, other than any pandemic initial build issues, will only unfold over time. Like most here, I am please with the initial quaility. We'll have to see how things look a couple of years down the road.
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      10-20-2011, 06:01 PM   #3
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Angry

I personally don't believe the second generation X3 exists.. I have yet to see one in the flesh, although I did place an order in December last year.. I guess if they do actually exist they are supposed to be good ..

However considering my wait which seems to go on and on and on.. I would advise a second hand X5 or X6..


God to think I will be a year older from when I first placed my order, have managed to have a baby girl and watch her grow up gracefully.. could well be at Uni by the time the X3 turns up

oh well
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      10-20-2011, 06:27 PM   #4
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It will be too early to tell about reliability of X3, but being a BMW, I would expect there will be reliability gremlins as always. In terms of how it drives it is miles ahead. Finishing quality is not as good as the old X3, but the quality of the material is better - if that make sense.
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      10-20-2011, 07:06 PM   #5
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2004 X3 vs 2011X3

Quote:
Originally Posted by sparoz View Post
It will be too early to tell about reliability of X3, but being a BMW, I would expect there will be reliability gremlins as always. In terms of how it drives it is miles ahead. Finishing quality is not as good as the old X3, but the quality of the material is better - if that make sense.
I had a 2004 x3 I ordered my new one in feb received it in April and have 3000 miles my 2004 had 79000 miles when I traded it with no problems but there is no comparison I always thought the 2004 was the stepchild the good things transmission and drivetrain the finish not so good. I love the new one it is a totally different drive but at 80 miles per hour and 30 miles to the gallon I am thrilled with my new one.
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      10-21-2011, 10:17 PM   #6
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I had a 2004 and a 2010 X3.

There is really no comparison. The new generation is MUCH more refined especially as far as ride quality goes. The old generation really had problems on concrete roads with poor expansion joints, sometimes going into a “rocking horse” motion that was very annoying. The new X3 handles these roads beautifully.

Interior is vastly improved all around, the NAV is integrated better.

I don’t have sport package, and didn’t on the old X3 either. The old X3 was better in cross winds, has better road feel, on-center steering and tracked better. This is not to bash the new X3, but I just don’t get the same level of feedback as I did with the first Gen. This said the F-25 still outshines the competition like Audi and MB in this regard and is quite acceptable. The only thing I regret is not getting the sports option so that in crosswinds I could stiffen the chassis up a bit.

All in all, I’m happy I traded in my 2010 for the 2011. If you have any questions either post or PM me.
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      10-24-2011, 01:48 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Harplayr View Post
I had a 2004 and a 2010 X3.

There is really no comparison. The new generation is MUCH more refined especially as far as ride quality goes. The old generation really had problems on concrete roads with poor expansion joints, sometimes going into a “rocking horse” motion that was very annoying. The new X3 handles these roads beautifully.

Interior is vastly improved all around, the NAV is integrated better.

I don’t have sport package, and didn’t on the old X3 either. The old X3 was better in cross winds, has better road feel, on-center steering and tracked better. This is not to bash the new X3, but I just don’t get the same level of feedback as I did with the first Gen. This said the F-25 still outshines the competition like Audi and MB in this regard and is quite acceptable. The only thing I regret is not getting the sports option so that in crosswinds I could stiffen the chassis up a bit.

All in all, I’m happy I traded in my 2010 for the 2011. If you have any questions either post or PM me.
^^^ Appreciate your response!

1. Have you noticed a gain in Fuel Economy? 2. How does the acceleration feel vis a vis the '10? The F-25 lost about 20 hp. Can u feel this?
3. Is the step-in the same/same ride height? 4. I'll order the Sport Pkg, as you suggested...

Tks a lot!

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      10-24-2011, 03:06 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BenDiem View Post
^^^ Appreciate your response!

1. Have you noticed a gain in Fuel Economy? 2. How does the acceleration feel vis a vis the '10? The F-25 lost about 20 hp. Can u feel this?
3. Is the step-in the same/same ride height? 4. I'll order the Sport Pkg, as you suggested...

Tks a lot!

BB

I also had an 07 X3 (black sapphire with the 18s) and loved it, especially the steering feel. I highly doubt the F25 will match that, even with DHP. My current 135i doesn't even match it. But then again, I haven't driven one yet. If you are concerned about horsepower, opt for the 35i...and in most respects will be a vast improvement over the 1st gen.
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      10-24-2011, 04:56 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Harplayr View Post
I had a 2004 and a 2010 X3.

There is really no comparison. The new generation is MUCH more refined especially as far as ride quality goes. The old generation really had problems on concrete roads with poor expansion joints, sometimes going into a “rocking horse” motion that was very annoying. The new X3 handles these roads beautifully.

Interior is vastly improved all around, the NAV is integrated better.

I don’t have sport package, and didn’t on the old X3 either. The old X3 was better in cross winds, has better road feel, on-center steering and tracked better. This is not to bash the new X3, but I just don’t get the same level of feedback as I did with the first Gen. This said the F-25 still outshines the competition like Audi and MB in this regard and is quite acceptable. The only thing I regret is not getting the sports option so that in crosswinds I could stiffen the chassis up a bit.

All in all, I’m happy I traded in my 2010 for the 2011. If you have any questions either post or PM me.
I had a 2007 and I agree with most of Harplayr's thoughts -

The new model is very refined and uses better materials in the interior. The more I drive the F25, the more the differences come into focus - and not all are good.

I particularly miss the steering feel of the old car. The new one isn't as good, as mentioned. The more I think about it, the more I feel BMW needs to work on this. It's a critical part of the BMW DNA. I have the sport activity package and the dynamic handling package and I still feel this way.

Almost everything else is better in the F25. I don't notice a difference in acceleration, although its been a couple of years since we got rid of the old car. Fuel ecomomy is 2-3 mpg better in the new car. I never minded the ride of the old car, but the new one is better. Also, the transmission is much better in the F25.

If they could only get the steering feel right.......
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      10-24-2011, 05:02 PM   #10
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To add to my comment about the steering, I'm pretty sure people who've never driven a BMW wouldn't complain about it. For many BMW enthusiasts, though - it may be the only thing preventing it from being perfect.
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      10-24-2011, 07:15 PM   #11
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I had a 2007 X3, non-sport with 235-55/18 tires and now own a 2011 X35i SAP/DHP with 245-50/18 Goodyear LS2-runflats

Interior- Easy enough for you to make your own call on that. In my mind the new X3 is a little nicer, but it's not night and day.

Ride - The ride in old car was flinty at best. The new one, in base form, is much softer. For me too soft which is one reason I added the DHP. Try the new car over large bumps or on an undulating road and you'll see how under-damped it is. But over bad pavement/roads it provides a much more forgiving ride than the old car.

Handling - For me, in base form, the old car was simply better, providing a much greater sense of precision and security when pushed a little. Part of this is the steering, as others have pointed out, and part is a lack of chassis and body control. The DHP helps greatly with this.

Transmission - The real problem with the 2007+ cars was the 6-speed GM automatic. I had one of the 'challenged' transmissions which was downright dangerous until the second software update when it improved to merely poor shifting. The new 8-speed is an enormous improvement and most of the time the throttle/transmission response is excellent. However, as others have pointed out, there are times when it is a little lurchy from either a stop, or off/on throttle. However, at its worst, it's worlds better than the old 6-speed in my 2007.

Wind/Road noise - Biggest disappointment for me with the new car is wind/road noise at hi-way speeds, especially above 70mph. It's much more noticeable than in the 2007 X3, and I find it really intrusive. I don't know how many cars are so afflicted, but if you check the boards this appears to be the most common complaint about the new X3. I haven't brought mine in yet to see if the wind noise can be ameliorated (some posts indicate some success with new seals for the mirrors and/or adjusting door alignment) and perhaps new seals here as well). I think there is little to be done about the road/tire noise other than to change tires.

So which do I like better? I really liked the old X3 and would have purchased it at lease end except for the awful transmission. Overall, the new car, with the DHP, is an improvement, especially if the noise problems can be fixed. Also, in my case there is large difference in engine power which makes the comparison a little bit skewed.
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      10-24-2011, 07:50 PM   #12
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I had a 2005 X3 3.0 with a 6spd and sports suspension. It was definitely
less refined than the new one. It came without runflats and had a spare. It definitely had a few electronic bugs {air bag passenger sensor weird power window issues}. It definitely felt more connected to the road but it was harsh on anything but glass smooth pavement. Gas mileage was not so great either. I sold it because i fell in love with the new {then} 3 series {e90}.

The F25 is better, more refined, more complete, better ergonomically, more like a 3 series. I missed the utility of the x3. I just wish we could get a manual transmission in the US.
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      10-25-2011, 07:06 AM   #13
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^^^ Gents, great responses/posts. Taken into consideration...

I'll definately opt for the Sports Pkg for sure. On the fence btw 28i or 35i...

It will be the wife's car so I think I'm leaning towards the 28i.

I find it odd that the '12 MY ends in March 2012! So, I'm contemplating waiting until March to order the new X3, so that I'll have the latest updates for April delivery...

Tks/Best,

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      10-25-2011, 12:43 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BenDiem View Post
^^^ Gents, great responses/posts. Taken into consideration...

I'll definately opt for the Sports Pkg for sure. On the fence btw 28i or 35i...

It will be the wife's car so I think I'm leaning towards the 28i.

I find it odd that the '12 MY ends in March 2012! So, I'm contemplating waiting until March to order the new X3, so that I'll have the latest updates for April delivery...

Tks/Best,

BB
The choice between the engines is purely personal. Try them both.

The 28i is certainly not under powered and will satisfy most people, but for those that really like performance the 35i is a good choice. I went for the 28i and am quite happy with it.
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      10-25-2011, 12:46 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by midlifecrisis View Post
To add to my comment about the steering, I'm pretty sure people who've never driven a BMW wouldn't complain about it. For many BMW enthusiasts, though - it may be the only thing preventing it from being perfect.
I agree.

I was hesitant to bring up that issue. While I felt that the old generation’s steering and road feel were better, the F-25 certainly isn’t bad in that area and am happy with the tradeoff between losing a tad on handling / feel versus the ride quality.

I certainly don’t regret trading in my old X3 on this new one.
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      10-26-2011, 02:40 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BenDiem View Post
I find it odd that the '12 MY ends in March 2012! So, I'm contemplating waiting until March to order the new X3, so that I'll have the latest updates for April delivery...
Really? Do they start MY 2013 already in April? Sounds very odd. Something disastrous in MY 2012 then?
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      10-26-2011, 07:06 AM   #17
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Quote:
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Really? Do they start MY 2013 already in April? Sounds very odd. Something disastrous in MY 2012 then?
^^^ Check out the 3rd Sticky link on the main page above, entitled: 2012 BMW X3 Changes & Pricing List This is common for BMW, they make a few changes during the middle of the MY. Nothing to worry about. However, during these re-freshes, as I like to call them, BMW make small improvements/updates to quality control issues, and/or they make package (bundle options) changes. Small pricing increases usually occur then too...

Cheers,

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