[northX3]

Originally Posted by F25X3

my previous x3 was heavier and drove better. bmw just doesnt make them like they used to

I thought the opposite...
Of course, if you drove 100 000 miles with the old X3, maybe the suspension got softer and you got used to those kidney punches
After riding my road bike with a 1/4lbs carbon saddle for hours, I find that my CBR600RR race bike seat feels like a 7-series comfort-seat !

It's all with comparing experiences

[MA78]

Originally Posted by bekind

Ya know I think the whole ride thing is pretty subjective but I am very surprised to hear folk say they like the ride of their previous gen X3 better than the F25.

I hate to say it, but it comes across as a bunch of sour grapes. The old X3 is inferior in every single way to the F25. But I suppose if I owned one I'd be defending it too. :P

[tuco44]

Originally Posted by MA78

I hate to say it, but it comes across as a bunch of sour grapes. The old X3 is inferior in every single way to the F25. But I suppose if I owned one I'd be defending it too. :P

+1

[MA78]

Originally Posted by F25X3

i think my post requires further explaining. my previous x3 was the exact same model as my new one and the one i test drove. yes the new one is miles apart when it comes to comfort level. smooth. But when it comes to the way it drives on b roads thats where the chassis flaws of the new one step in. i made a post about this issue a while ago but i think the first post in this thread described the word I was looking for: floaty. it just doesnt inspire you to drive sporty on a twisty road like the previous gen did. yes it was hard but if i wanted a smooth ride i would have bought a merc instead. the only reason i got the f25x3 was cause the wife liked and its going to be her daily drive. for me i would have gone for a used previous gen x3. like i said a good merc but a poor bmw. despite beeing lighter and more rigid there is something, either suspension or chassis that lets the car down on a sporty drive compared to the previous gen. like i said i opted for vdc without testing it in the hope ot would improve its dynamic drive. comfort wise the car is perfect.

I won't say you're wrong because one's opinion is subjective. In my opinion, the previous X3s were cheap, sloppy and crude. Maybe that translates to "sporty" for some, but not me. The F25 is far more "sporty" in every measurable way.

[Harplayr]

Originally Posted by MA78

I hate to say it, but it comes across as a bunch of sour grapes. The old X3 is inferior in every single way to the F25. But I suppose if I owned one I'd be defending it too. :P

For myself, I like the first gen X3 and have had two.
After testing the new gen 2011, I just like it better, and am going to “trade up”.

We have terrible roads here, and I’m looking for something that is not as jarring as the old x3.
My only fear is that the one I test drove was loaded with options and was a sports model and couldn't find really bad roads to test it on. The one I’m getting will not have these packages and will not be a sport model. I wish I could test one with basically the same configuration I’m planning on purchasing. How it will ride is an unknown.

Here’s what I’m considering….
Standard suspension
Standard leather seats
No packages
Zenon
Backup camera
Roof rails
Comfort access
Heated front seats.

[MA78]

Originally Posted by Harplayr

For myself, I like the first gen X3 and have had two.
After testing the new gen 2011, I just like it better, and am going to “trade up”.

We have terrible roads here, and I’m looking for something that is not as jarring as the old x3.
My only fear is that the one I test drove was loaded with options and was a sports model. The one I’m getting will not have these packages and will not be a sport model. I wish I could test one with basically the same configuration I’m planning on purchasing.

Here’s what I’m considering….
Standard suspension
Standard leather seats
No packages
Zenon
Backup camera
Roof rails
Comfort access
Heated front seats.

Hey, good to see you over here.

Are you getting the 35i or the 28i?

[frankwin]

That thread quite surprise me but I can't wait comparing my new X3 with my old '01 e46 330i w/sp Test drive wasn't enough to forge a good opinion.

[northX3]

Originally Posted by F25X3

i think my post requires further explaining. my previous x3 was the exact same model as my new one and the one i test drove. yes the new one is miles apart when it comes to comfort level. smooth. But when it comes to the way it drives on b roads thats where the chassis flaws of the new one step in. i made a post about this issue a while ago but i think the first post in this thread described the word I was looking for: floaty. it just doesnt inspire you to drive sporty on a twisty road like the previous gen did. yes it was hard but if i wanted a smooth ride i would have bought a merc instead. the only reason i got the f25x3 was cause the wife liked and its going to be her daily drive. for me i would have gone for a used previous gen x3. like i said a good merc but a poor bmw. despite beeing lighter and more rigid there is something, either suspension or chassis that lets the car down on a sporty drive compared to the previous gen. like i said i opted for vdc without testing it in the hope ot would improve its dynamic drive. comfort wise the car is perfect.

have you got the VDC ? (have you received your X3 yet ?)
is the Sport setting more comparable to your 1st-gen X3 ?

[MA78]

Originally Posted by F25X3

drive one and then get back to me. just the steering alone - hidraulic vs electric- first gen much much better than current. and like i said and to answer the person that started the thread i am not talking about fit, trim, confort ride, just "how" it drives in a sporty way. compare similar models and the previous gen is better dynamic wise!!! than the new one. again im not talking about luxury, comfort ride and shit. just how it drives on a twisty road

I'm a bit of a twisty road fanatic, so I feel pretty comfortable calling BS on this. I've driven 4 first gen X3s, and I'm fairly confident that my 35i would leave them in the dust in the curves. Even a 28i without DHP would out perform an E 83.

[northX3]

Originally Posted by MA78

I'm a bit of a twisty road fanatic, so I feel pretty comfortable calling BS on this. I've driven 4 first gen X3s, and I'm fairly confident that my 35i would leave them in the dust in the curves. Even a 28i without DHP would out perform an E 83.

+1

Like I said, my previous car was a new-gen Subaru WRX STI... a pretty mean tarmac-tuned rally-AWD trackable machine

And it LOVED twisties...

And I drove the GLK350. Then the X3 35i full loaded. And never looked back.

The 35i hugs the road and transmits road feel nearly like the STI. It's not faster, but is 90% of the fun nonetheless. And I doubt the first-gen X3 could best the feeling the STI can send to a proper driver on a canyon run

[MA78]

Originally Posted by F25X3

i cant compare the petrol x3 had only diesel here in the uk so maybe they might be better. but let me tell you this: electric steering vs hidraulic. enough said i win. try one in the Alps where you need every bit of information from the wheels and the previous gen will win. every fucking time my friend. i will let you know come september when ill take him for a spin near chamonix. I am pretty sure there and then i would prefer to have my old x3 rather than this soccer mom mercedes truck

Better yet, trade in your X3 for a horse. Technology sucks.

[bekind]

You guys do realize there is no right answer to this right? Ride quality is very subjective. I'm surprised some folks on here are taking such offense to other's opinions.

[northX3]

Originally Posted by F25X3

i cant compare the petrol x3 had only diesel here in the uk so maybe they might be better. but let me tell you this: electric steering vs hidraulic. enough said i win. try one in the Alps where you need every bit of information from the wheels and the previous gen will win. every fucking time my friend. i will let you know come september when ill take him for a spin near chamonix. I am pretty sure there and then i would prefer to have my old x3 rather than this soccer mom mercedes truck

I think you're splitting hair...

If you want to ride on a fast track (or if you can't afford, in the Alps like you said), get a Caterham or an Elise
NOT a 4000lbs+ SUV with a small diesel engine !

If you want to argue over what a good steering system can bring you, at least get something that will benefit from a tight steering on a track... like a 35i with good, large, rubber

[Upgrade15]

I had the scariest ride of my life near Chamonix! I wouldn't want to be in ANY vehicle trying to prove itself there again! LOL!

[sfax]

I disagree completely that the F25 is "shit to drive on more challenging roads". Coming from the point of view of the xDrive20d, it's not a sports car. I have done nearly 2000 miles in mine, I have sports suspension, servo and perf control and have never felt the need for more feel from the steering or thought that it's in any way "shit to drive". You can push it hard and get good feedback from the steering and it doesn't feel floaty at all IMO

And even if you own a 911 in the UK how often are you actually able to drive it to its potential? No-one of sane mind would opt for the old X3 over the new. The ride was ridiculed by reviews. If that's the cost of steering feel, i.e. feel everything, I think most people would agree that you can keep it

[sfax]

Originally Posted by F25X3

thats what i am saying! urs has all those options and that makes it sporty. my previous x3 didnt need any of that ( i also opted for performance control and vdc cause the test car had none of that and was shit) so i paid 1000 in the hope the car drove like a bmw is supposed to. the ultimate driving machine should drive like a bmw straight out of the box! as anyone here tried the road from the south of spain towards ronda? its one of my best memories with my old x3. coundt take the 3er cause it was 5 in there luggage so had to take the "less" sporty x3. my sister in law was sick all the time and i had i big smile on my face cause i had soo much fun driving on that road. i seriously doubt the new x3 would give me that feeling on those roads. on a motorway yes. but not on an epic road like that.

OK, so are you saying that you can reproduce the feel of the old X3 but only if you spec up the sports options? You should have added VSS as well as perf control and VDC (assuming you haven't). I can't comment on the old X3 because I have never driven it. I just don't have a problem with the spec on my X3.

I don't expect my X3 to be able to corner like my old GTI but that had amazing handling and was smaller and lower to the ground. Maybe if I had driven other larger cars like the old X3, I would have a different opinion

[northX3]

Originally Posted by F25X3

thats what i am saying! urs has all those options and that makes it sporty. my previous x3 didnt need any of that ( i also opted for performance control and vdc cause the test car had none of that and was shit) so i paid 1000 in the hope the car drove like a bmw is supposed to

maybe you could have added a "Comfort" option package on your 1st gen X3 to make it bearable for people in your car for relaxed ride (like a 2.0diesel should be driven most of the time) Oh no ! You could not !

why punish yourself 95% of the time for the 5% of the time you had fun in Spain ?

[Nahoa]

Nit followig. This X3 will blow the doors off the last one on a rough, twisty road. Particularly with the DHP.

The last X3 was under powered, the brakes were lacking, and it cornered like a school bus.

[MA78]

Originally Posted by Nahoa

Nit followig. This X3 will blow the doors off the last one on a rough, twisty road. Particularly with the DHP.

The last X3 was under powered, the brakes were lacking, and it cornered like a school bus.

Unless you own one. In that case, it's a Porsche.

[Nahoa]

And I dig that. Been there, am there now, but 'c'mon . . . boundaries

[ERVJOHNS]

While still not perfect, the handling and steering at high speed has improved by lowering the air pressure in the tires to 32 psi, which is the pressure specified on the sticker in the door column.

The car was delivered at 34 psi, and I briefly tried 36 and 38 psi, which made things worse. So with 32 psi the ride quality is greatly improved, although still a little "floaty" and with typical RFT harshness.

[Marisa330i]

I had an older x3 once for a week as a loaner and I think the new ones drive much better. More sporty of a ride.