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      08-22-2012, 03:59 PM   #1
sids911
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Thumbs up New member: "Hi", reviews and pics!

Hi guys and girls,

After about 6 weeks of waiting, I finally picked up my custom built 2013 X3 xDrive28i yesterday! Barring a bluetooth downer, I'm very happy with the vehicle. It drives very well and the new engine is awesome! With just 3 miles on the dashboard, it's also the newest car I've ever had, I think it must be a record compared to the usual 50-200 miles.

Since I'm also new to the forum, so thought I'd say "Hi!"

Before settling on the 2013 X3, I considered the following:
2012 Audi Q5
2012 BMW X3
2013 Acura RDX
2013 Mercedes GLK
2012 BMW X5 Diesel
2013 BMW X5 Gasoline
2012 Porsche Cayenne
2013 Acura MDX
2013 BMW X3

I'll try to distill my thoughts on each over here, including our winner the 2013 BMW X3 (that's why I bought it!)

Context: I love handling, quality interior and good looks. We're also having our first child, so this one couldn't be something like a Porsche 911 GT3 (my dream car!). The other cars I drive include a Porsche 911, BMW 325 convertible, the Suzuki RSXR-750 (motorcycle) and now the X3. Even though it may not seem like it, I'm cognizant about my carbon footprint, so without a major upside (911 or better handling) I wanted to limit my downside by being fuel efficient.

Now, to the mini-reviews, listed in chronological order:

->2012<- BMW X3: I drove this one earlier this year and disliked it right off the bat. The xDrive28 engine on the 2012 was pokey and the xDrive35 was good but like the Audi's 3.2 engine, wasn't very competitive (power + efficiency with other brands). Swore never to try out the X3 again despite the potential in the chassis and 'rest of the car'

2013 Acura RDX: This one is quite good too, probably a #3 behind the Audi Q5. The interiors were QUITE a downer as compared to the Audi and the BMW though. Much better than the Honda CR-V but not upto par. Given the interiors I eliminated it and decided it wasn't worth my time test driving it (didn't help the dealership was closign in 20 minutes)

2012 Audi Q5: The 2013s were too far out but that doesn't matter since despite newer factory engines, the engine options for north america were pretty much the same for the foreseable future. The interiors are certainly one notch better than the BMW (a big consideration for me) and the interior electronics are better than the BMW too ("At this price as a luxury brand in 2012, Audi feels the buyer's expectations of 'standard equipment' need to be rethought"). Those words from the Audi sales guy haunted me again after I took my own BMW and figured out the castrated bluetooth BMW puts. The Q5's handling is really tight, even on the base 2.0T setup. The sales guy was doing consistent powerslides on an abandoned dead end road even with the Quattro system engaged. Pretty darn impressive! Handling apart, the power was a tad bit underwhelming and the 3.2 engine was heavier, less efficient and not that much more fun for it's overheads. Basically if the 2013 X3 didn't exist, I'd pick the Q5 without a doubt.

2013 Mercedes GLK: This one was considered 'in theory' but rejected in reality given it's poor efficiency/carbion footprint and the GOD AWFUL dashboard! I mean it's built with quality (better than Acura) but the design itself is so horrible that I don't care it was done with high levels of precision and quality. Poor engine and ugly interior - I didn't even bother with a test drive.

2012 BMW X5 Gasoline (xDrive35) and Diesel: I preferred the Diesel since the gasoline X5 has a larger carbon footprint and the diesel has a smaller one (well, relatively). The X5 chassis handling is DISTINCTLY SUV/Truck so the advantages of the gasoline engine (more horses) didn't mean much. The sales folks were giving me a really good deal on the X5s (esp diesel), so I looked into it seriously. Veto'd by my wife since she felt it was too Truck-ish and handled heavily. We're both used to well handling, nible cars, so even though thr X5 might be good in it's category, the category itself handles like ****.

2012 Porsche Cayenne: Since I'm a 911 driver and I tried the X5, thought I might as well try the Cayenne. I was quite disappointed. The base engine, at that price, was a major comprimise at "borderline acceptable". The interiors were nice, Audi grade, certainly better than BMW. The handling was tight for it's size, almost in between the X5 and the Audi Q5 (nowhere near the 2013 X3). However the internal space was quite cramped. It's an SUV only on the outside, it's smaller than a full sized sedan on the inside and on trunk space. Almost no upside other than just being a 'Porsche'. What ticked me off what the sales person saying "Cmon, as a 911 driver, why would you downgrade to a BMW?!". Brands are fine and dandy, but I just told him "May the best car win". I honestly think the 911 is the best sportcar, leagues beyond the M3 but in SUVs Porsche simply don't offer anything attractive. I DO look forward to the Porsche Macan when it comes out in 2014/2015. Till then the 2013 X3 is WAY better than the Cayenne in handling, driving and even space - at just slightly poorer interiors/electronics. And oh, if you think BMW options are expensive, I'd recommend looking away from the Porsche options. Not.Worth.It.

2013 Acura MDX: Eliminated for the same reason as the Acura RDX i.e. quality of interiors were passable for this class/category. If BMW/Audi didn't exist, I'd fall back to the Acura MDX.

->2013<- BMW X3: I had pretty much written off the X3 after test driving the 2012s. But I had heard much about the new BMW turbo 4 cylinder engine (N20) in the press and had also driven the N20 inside a 2013 3 series when test driving the X5. When I was told they put this in the 2013 X3, I knew I had to hold the Audi Q5 off for a while. And boy am I glad I did. The chassis potential I sensed in the 2012 came to life in the 2013 with the N20 engine. Put it in sports mode and I loved it! Sports mode on the '13 X3 really lives it up instead of the "oh-by-the-way" afterthought I find it on my 3 series convertible (E46). The xDrive28i was much better than the xDrive35's 6 cylinder engine since the N20 had power while being light. The xDrive35 felt distinctly heavier, especially on turns and in handling while the xDrive28 felt more drivable there. Heck, the xDrive28 handled WAY better than many sedans while the xDrive35 felt like a SUV-sedan mix (I mean despite the extar weight, it shares that same great chassis). Personally, someone would have to disount the xDrive35 to 3-4k BELOW the xDrive28 for me give up that level of handling, so I recommend xDrive35 buyers to try the N20 engine - you might save money, drop your carbon footprint AND get a better handling car all at the same time. The extra horses in the xDrive35 would be useful in dashes starting at 80 and ending at 100 mph. And the xDrive28 is MORE than capable of sprinting similarly - it would, however, slightly lag behind the xDrive35 under those specific conditions. To me that was not as important as having a vehicle that's more drivable and handles better in almost every other situation.

If I had to rank them I'd rank them as follows:
#1 - 2013 BMW X3
#2 - 2012 Audi Q5
#3 - 2013 Acura RDX
#4 - 2012 BMW X3
#5 - 2012 BMW X5 Diesel
#6 - 2013 BMW X5 Gas
#7 - 2012 Porsche Cayenne
would not buy - 2013 Acura MDX
would not buy - 2013 Mercedes GLK

If you stop comparing it to a 911 or an M3, the 2013 X3 is just awesome. So I ended up voting with my money

IMHO this is an unbiased review because I'm felt this way and THEN purchased accordingly (vs justifying the purchase that you see so many times!). If I had felt differently, I'd have actually bought a different vehicle!

Anyway, now, onto the pictures !

Pickup
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Just 3 miles on the odometer!!
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Buttshots
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Front
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With the other cars
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Closeup
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Last edited by sids911; 08-22-2012 at 05:11 PM..
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      08-22-2012, 04:30 PM   #2
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congrats, smh @ the bluetooth!

and yes X3 > Q5 slightly and GLK sucks so much dunno why ppl buy it, just for the brand i guess.
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      08-22-2012, 05:03 PM   #3
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Congrats on the new purchase.
But sorry I'm gonna have to call BS on the 28i outhandling 35i. You're telling me you can feel a 100lb difference on a 4200lb truck? Maybe you should take a page from the ricer handbook and start removing rear seats, trim pieces, and insulation for weight savings and better handling.
And 60 more hp is only useful starting from 80mph and ending at 100mph

Last edited by Tangsta; 08-22-2012 at 05:12 PM..
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      08-22-2012, 05:24 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tangsta View Post
Congrats on the new purchase.
But sorry I'm gonna have to call BS on the 28i outhandling 35i. You're telling me you can feel a 100lb difference on a 4200lb truck? Maybe you should take a page from the ricer handbook and start removing rear seats, trim pieces, and insulation for weight savings and better handling.
And 60 more hp is only useful starting from 80mph and ending at 100mph
Err...yes. Be my guest in telling me how I exactly felt about the cars. And "Ricer"? Whatever you mean by that! Perhaps you meant the "Porsche GT3 RS" handbook? Because when I looked at that, that's exactly what it's weight reduction program was.

And you can roll and laugh as much as you want. It's probably a sorry sight so I'm going to look the other way.
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      08-22-2012, 05:26 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tangsta View Post
Congrats on the new purchase.
But sorry I'm gonna have to call BS on the 28i outhandling 35i. You're telling me you can feel a 100lb difference on a 4200lb truck? Maybe you should take a page from the ricer handbook and start removing rear seats, trim pieces, and insulation for weight savings and better handling.
And 60 more hp is only useful starting from 80mph and ending at 100mph
Well said.
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      08-22-2012, 05:41 PM   #6
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I have to say you are the first person to post that the 28i is superior to the 35i when it comes to handling and power. To each his own though. That's why there are 2 models. For me, the 35i put the smile on my face
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      08-22-2012, 06:38 PM   #7
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I have to support sids911 handling impressions between the 4cyl and 6cyl even though I haven't driven the n20 x3.

That 100lbs difference is sitting out over the front of the car on the six. ...that has to make a measurable difference. ... Now the power of the six can't be disputed even if the n20 is a great mill.
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      08-22-2012, 06:52 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Want the thrill View Post
I have to say you are the first person to post that the 28i is superior to the 35i when it comes to handling and power. To each his own though. That's why there are 2 models. For me, the 35i put the smile on my face
Well, just handling and carbon footprint - those are the two areas where I felt it was superior. The additional power in the xDrive35 is distinctly noticeable in straight-line accelerations where it can dip into it's available power more easily and at lower RPMs than the xDrive28. Personally I didn't find the excessive power very usable from a handling perspective due to two reasons:

1) the X3 (both engines) hesitate a bit to sudden throttle movement (eg:apex departures).
2) For non sudden power demands, it's the chassis that's the limiting factor more than lack of power as both engines have enough power to push the chassis to it's limits in cornering.

Apart from handling and weight, the xDrive35i has a lot more features standard, so that's a plus. I had to add them separately as packages.

Finally, I wasn't trying to make statements of superiority "A better than B". Those are distinctly my preferences across all the brands and cars I tested myself. As long as we have cars that make us happy, we're all good
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      08-22-2012, 07:51 PM   #9
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Congrats on the car....

Welcome to the forum!

Stay clear of 35i vs 28i comparo's!
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      08-22-2012, 09:10 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Midwest X6 View Post
Congrats on the car....

Welcome to the forum!

Stay clear of 35i vs 28i comparo's!
Thanks!

I had no idea this was such a sensitive topic when I did a brain dump of my driving experience. "New guy" walked right into it !
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      08-22-2012, 09:33 PM   #11
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Welcome....look for the other Space Gray on I-15, 163....sometimes I-5.
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      08-22-2012, 09:38 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sids911 View Post
Well, just handling and carbon footprint - those are the two areas where I felt it was superior. The additional power in the xDrive35 is distinctly noticeable in straight-line accelerations where it can dip into it's available power more easily and at lower RPMs than the xDrive28. Personally I didn't find the excessive power very usable from a handling perspective due to two reasons:

1) the X3 (both engines) hesitate a bit to sudden throttle movement (eg:apex departures).
2) For non sudden power demands, it's the chassis that's the limiting factor more than lack of power as both engines have enough power to push the chassis to it's limits in cornering.

Apart from handling and weight, the xDrive35i has a lot more features standard, so that's a plus. I had to add them separately as packages.

Finally, I wasn't trying to make statements of superiority "A better than B". Those are distinctly my preferences across all the brands and cars I tested myself. As long as we have cars that make us happy, we're all good
Welcome to the boards
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      08-22-2012, 11:08 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sids911 View Post
Thanks!

I had no idea this was such a sensitive topic when I did a brain dump of my driving experience. "New guy" walked right into it !
Meh...I didn't either as I frequent the m3 board. But hanging here lately ( we just ordered a 28i) i noticed it flares up every now and then. Good natured most of the time

Reminds me of the 550/535 debates and the m3 dct/manual debates too.
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      08-23-2012, 05:37 AM   #14
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Congrats: Nice car and color!... but please don't try to say the 28i is better than the 35i, 35d or even the 30d - it just sounds weird.

And btw, I have driven them all.
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      08-23-2012, 07:30 AM   #15
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Welcome and thanks for the nice review. Both models have their pros and cons but in the end they are both top dogs in their segments.

I still think I could hustle the N55 equipped X3 around a tight SCCA course quicker than the N20 version. kidding kidding, just had to say that. I think they'd both be the same. Either version easily out drives their OEM RFT rubber and the the traction control would keep both of them restrained (even with traction switched off).
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      08-23-2012, 08:50 AM   #16
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Congratulations for the car !
My question which I couldn't find a clear review on it , which is how is the engine sound when you drive it ? It's noisy or quite ? Silent ?
I ordered an x3 28i also and waiting delivery !
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      08-23-2012, 08:51 AM   #17
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Sids - you've gotten a bad rap here, the same that I have.

I cannot agree more with your not only thorough assessment with the competition, but your superb choice in the 28i.

Not only did the engine perform fantastically, side by side driving one after another you really couldn't distinguish that much of a difference. Now 35 owners will tell you how superior their engines are, and how they put big smiles on their faces... but 28 owners will smile all the way to the bank with the savings. It's all a matter of what you value more.

Great post, and great review with the other cars, I totally agree!
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      08-23-2012, 09:16 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PAMidge View Post
Sids - you've gotten a bad rap here, the same that I have.

I cannot agree more with your not only thorough assessment with the competition, but your superb choice in the 28i.

Not only did the engine perform fantastically, side by side driving one after another you really couldn't distinguish that much of a difference. Now 35 owners will tell you how superior their engines are, and how they put big smiles on their faces... but 28 owners will smile all the way to the bank with the savings. It's all a matter of what you value more.

Great post, and great review with the other cars, I totally agree!

+1

I test drove both - the difference is marginal and, IMO, not worth the extra expense. But, YVMV - that's why we have choices!

OP - Great looking car! I ordered mine, same color, on Monday. Still have a few weeks before I take delivery...


Thanks,
dr
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      08-23-2012, 10:56 AM   #19
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In Canada, you can't get the M-Sport package on the 28i so that made the decision for me. I decided to only look at the 35i after getting confirmation on that and am currently weighing the decision.

The thing with the 35i is that the engine feels special. When I drove an X1 28i, I was very impressed with the performance of the 4-cylinder turbo but couldn't get my head around how "normal" it felt and sounded. Just didn't feel like you were really getting the special experience that a BMW inline 6 delivers. Just my opinion from driving both engines in different SUVs.
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      08-23-2012, 11:18 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sids911 View Post
Err...yes. Be my guest in telling me how I exactly felt about the cars. And "Ricer"? Whatever you mean by that! Perhaps you meant the "Porsche GT3 RS" handbook? Because when I looked at that, that's exactly what it's weight reduction program was.
I'm not telling you how you felt in both cars. I'm merely suggesting that the difference in handling due to 100lb in a 4200lb SUV on the street is purely academic, and that maybe you went in with some personal bias (which shows a great deal in your hyperbole about BMW having to pay you $4,000 before you would even consider getting into a 35i ). Perhaps you've been keeping up with the F30 debate and you're drinking the 328i kool-aid... but the difference there is 175lb on a 3300 lb sport sedan - on the track.

You've also narrowed the 100lb gap by adding options ... heaven forbid what the panoramic moonroof will do to the handling (assuming you got the premium package) that probably shifts the centre of gravity to the moon.

But I guess everyone else is right... as long as we enjoy our cars and are happy with our choices, that's all that matters - to each their own, as it were. Welcome to the boards.

For me, I don't take every turn/off-ramp at 9/10 or 10/10 during my commute, so the extra hp is a lot more useful than a marginal handling difference in everyday driving. Although even then, I'll admit that it's mostly psychological since I never floor the pedal... and I'm sure the 28i will accelerate just as fast as I go now if I floored the 4cyl.

Last edited by Tangsta; 08-23-2012 at 11:26 AM..
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      08-24-2012, 09:16 PM   #21
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Congrats and welcome
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      08-25-2012, 11:29 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by epiphone3 View Post
In Canada, you can't get the M-Sport package on the 28i so that made the decision for me. I decided to only look at the 35i after getting confirmation on that and am currently weighing the decision.

The thing with the 35i is that the engine feels special. When I drove an X1 28i, I was very impressed with the performance of the 4-cylinder turbo but couldn't get my head around how "normal" it felt and sounded. Just didn't feel like you were really getting the special experience that a BMW inline 6 delivers. Just my opinion from driving both engines in different SUVs.
Test drove the X1 also with the 4 cyl turbo. I couldnt understand what the Rep. what telling me in the car. Very noisy engine. When i test drove the 35i in sport mode, i was sold.
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