[Max Well]

I've got to say with each edition we've owned, BMW has made strides in improving the overall aesthetics and handling it seems. This one is Black Sapphire (we've never owned a black vehicle so we thought it would be a nice change), Mocha Nevada leather, ZMM, ZDA, ZPP, 5DL (Surround View), Nav, and HK sound sys. Tires are the 622Ms all-season.

The sports seats are fantastic, and the steering wheel has a great feel. They did a great job with the burl walnut for those into the wood look - definitely higher-end than our previous two wood choices in our 2011 and 2012 models. As we've only had it for less than 12 hours I can't write much of an in-depth review, but the first impressions are excellent!

[bentyyc]

Congrats!!

Love that Mocha!!

[ghostdog1108]

Fantastic!

[Max Well]

Originally Posted by bentyyc

Congrats!!

Love that Mocha!!

Thanks, bentyyc - the color works great for us as well

Originally Posted by ghostdog1108

Fantastic!

Thanks, ghostdog! We've always been a bit skeptical about having a black car, especially being down here in the Southeast USA, but I'm not entirely sure internal cabin temps correlate directly with exterior color. Intuitively it seems it should, but I don't recall seeing data on that. It seems even our white cars (our usual choice) have become just as hot as some of our darker colors over the years - possibly because of the black dash which absorbs most of the heat through the windshield? We've purchased a good quality reflector, so it might be interesting to do some testing with an interior thermometer which can record temp curves with/without reflector, and then compare side-by-side with our white 2012 X3 xDr35i.

[BMWZ4]

Thanks for posting. Looks great. I'm looking at placing an order for a MY15 later this fall. I'm going to pick up the 4 cyl engine, but with M-Sport.

Thing is, when using the configurator, and picking M-Sport...it says the heated steering wheel is removed!!! WTF? Only in Canada....geez.

Can you tell me if your M-Sport has a heated steering wheel please? Thanks.

Dave

[Max Well]

Originally Posted by BMWZ4

Thanks for posting. Looks great. I'm looking at placing an order for a MY15 later this fall. I'm going to pick up the 4 cyl engine, but with M-Sport.

Thing is, when using the configurator, and picking M-Sport...it says the heated steering wheel is removed!!! WTF? Only in Canada....geez.

Can you tell me if your M-Sport has a heated steering wheel please? Thanks.

Dave

Thanks, Dave. As we live in the deep South we've never looked into the Cold Weather packages, but I just built an X3 28i and 35i online and it didn't show an automatic conflict with the M-Sport line when I also optioned the Cold Weather package. It did give me alerts on other options and choices which could not be used with M-sport, but not that one.

Maybe some others can chime in as to whether they have the heated steering with their 2015 M-sport in other countries? I don't see the logic in Canadians not being able to use the heated steering if we can in the US, but others may have some insight into that if it is true?

[YellowMellow]

Nice color combo...WAY BETTER than white

Light exterior X3's remind me of Subaru Foresters

[Max Well]

Originally Posted by YellowMellow

Nice color combo...WAY BETTER than white

Light exterior X3's remind me of Subaru Foresters

Thanks, Yellow. For us, it was mainly about a fluidity of the exterior colors. When many of the accents are in black, for our eyes (not others) the lines and perceived intent of the global design become lost if lighter colors are introduced. Many may prefer the contrast, and we have owned such over the years, but at this point in time in our lives, this combination worked for us.

Just like art, it is difficult to debate which is better, for it truly is 'in the eye of the beholder'.

[YellowMellow]

Originally Posted by Max Well

Thanks, Yellow. For us, it was mainly about a fluidity of the exterior colors. When many of the accents are in black, for our eyes (not others) the lines and perceived intent of the global design become lost if lighter colors are introduced. Many may prefer the contrast, and we have owned such over the years, but at this point in time in our lives, this combination worked for us.

Just like art, it is difficult to debate which is better, for it truly is 'in the eye of the beholder'.

Well said

[seff5677]

Originally Posted by Max Well

I've got to say with each edition we've owned, BMW has made strides in improving the overall aesthetics and handling it seems. This one is Black Sapphire (we've never owned a black vehicle so we thought it would be a nice change), Mocha Nevada leather, ZMM, ZDA, ZPP, 5DL (Surround View), Nav, and HK sound sys. Tires are the 622Ms all-season.

The sports seats are fantastic, and the steering wheel has a great feel. They did a great job with the burl walnut for those into the wood look - definitely higher-end than our previous two wood choices in our 2011 and 2012 models. As we've only had it for less than 12 hours I can't write much of an in-depth review, but the first impressions are excellent!

Hi the picture of the headlights are those the Bi-Xenon headlamps? Or the LED ones that are optional? Thanks !

[Max Well]

Originally Posted by seff5677

Hi the picture of the headlights are those the Bi-Xenon headlamps? Or the LED ones that are optional? Thanks !

These are the Xenon lights. I really wanted to try the upgraded LED lighting package, but we had to make some financially-based decisions on what we really wanted/needed to have and could afford at this time.

[seff5677]

Originally Posted by Max Well

These are the Xenon lights. I really wanted to try the upgraded LED lighting package, but we had to make some financially-based decisions on what we really wanted/needed to have and could afford at this time.

Well they look pretty sweet. I was watching this video before right around 1:00min mark they show up lights in night time they look awesome !

[Max Well]

Originally Posted by seff5677

Well they look pretty sweet. I was watching this video before right around 1:00min mark they show up lights in night time they look awesome !

Thank you for sharing the video, seff, as I had not seen that before. This is a model which certainly fits 'our' needs. Performance and handling is there (not Grand Prix, but that isn't its intent), and I have always felt in control and confident driving it in every road circumstance I have encountered thus far. And I can carry the loads I need without worrying about trying to wedge items into the space - usually with room to spare. Yet I can also easily maneuver in tight parking zones in which larger vehicles may have difficulty.

So, as is with every model, there should always be improvements forthcoming in the next generation, but we have been pleased thus far as to where that path is heading.

[seff5677]

Yes i am also wondering if in Canada when you order the car from factory if you can get heated steering wheel with M-Sport?

I could of sworn when i was at the dealer picking options that heated steering was in there or maybe the sales adviser made a mistake not sure but no errors showed up in their program.

[seff5677]

I called the dealer and asked about the heated steering in m sport model. They said that their configuration does not show any conflict. They said they would call me back and let me know for sure if it does come with it or not because they aren't sure either :/

[Max Well]

Originally Posted by seff5677

I called the dealer and asked about the heated steering in m sport model. They said that their configuration does not show any conflict. They said they would call me back and let me know for sure if it does come with it or not because they aren't sure either :/

Thanks for checking into that, seff. Dave (BMWZ4) had a question on that, so hopefully he'll be checking in to see the answer you receive. It didn't make sense to me that wouldn't be available in Canada. Just like I'm hoping for those of us down South, they'll consider adding ventilated front seats. BMW offers an interior cabin 'Cold Weather Package', but they don't offer an {interior cabin} 'Hot Weather Package'. I know they change the engine's cooling dynamics, but not the interior. No matter the A/C setting, if you drive four hours on a hot, sunny Summer day down here with these leather seats, invariably one's back side will show the results when you get out of the car.

[seff5677]

I got a call back, they physically went out on the lot to go check the car to see if it had the heating wheel option and it DOES

[Max Well]

Originally Posted by seff5677

I got a call back, they physically went out on the lot to go check the car to see if it had the heating wheel option and it DOES

Excellent. If it isn't too much of an imposition, you may wish to PM Dave as well to let him know, especially as it seems you both live in the same town.