[SWOT1]

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[spta97]

What an excellent review! The guy hits all the positives and negatives of the vehicle.

My favorite was “Its supposed to be firm! It’s an ///M car!”

[MrItaly]

I admired the review in an environment that I hadn't seen tested to that degree. I bought my F97, coming from a G01 M40i, also on the premise that it would be a solid snow performer given my residence in the hills in Northern Italy. I now live in North East America and again appreciate the dependability of this vehicle in this environment.

[Scolirk]

Hey everyone,

A few weeks ago I got to spend some time with the 2020 X3 M Competition in Donington Grey. BMW Canada let me take this bad boy on a 2,400km road trip from my town in central Québec to the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto, Ontario. I don't think anyone will drive their X3 M in efficient mode as much as I did on that trip

I go over everything about the F97 and why you might consider it over the X3 M40i or other M Cars in this price range.

[AlexFL]

Originally Posted by Scolirk

Hey everyone,

A few weeks ago I got to spend some time with the 2020 X3 M Competition in Donington Grey. BMW Canada let me take this bad boy on a 2,400km road trip from my town in central Québec to the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto, Ontario. I don't think anyone will drive their X3 M in efficient mode as much as I did on that trip

I go over everything about the F97 and why you might consider it over the X3 M40i or other M Cars in this price range.

Very nice review. Well done. I can imagine that reviewing performance cars in Canadian winter is rather tricky. I just wished car reviewers would actually test and report the acceleration numbers rather than simply reporting the understated BMW numbers. The true beauty of this car for us enthusiasts is that we can bring kids to school, shop at home depot... and then run 11.6 over quarter mile on a drag strip. A true Swiss Army knife with an extremely reasonable price tag.

[MrItaly]

Originally Posted by AlexFL

Very nice review. Well done. I can imagine that reviewing performance cars in Canadian winter is rather tricky. I just wished car reviewers would actually test and report the acceleration numbers rather than simply reporting the understated BMW numbers. The true beauty of this car for us enthusiasts is that we can bring kids to school, shop at home depot... and then run 11.6 over quarter mile on a drag strip. A true Swiss Army knife with an extremely reasonable price tag.

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one getting tired of hearing reviewers regurgitating BMW's nerfed numbers which are so different from reality. Totally agree about shuttling kids and making "quick trips' to HD. I'm just afraid to get tickets over here. Driving the fiancée's X1 until next month when I reunite with my baby. I don't know how I'm going to drive the 3 here and keep my license. It begs to be pushed.

[adc]

It’s interesting that the reviewer likes the firm suspension in the X3M because it matches M car expectations yet complains about the older technology in the car, meaning the gauges and infotainment. He gets is on one aspect, and misses it on another - shouldn’t the M cars have classic gauges, driving focused, and not counter rotating hexagon shaped graphic errors?

Anyway just my opinion of course, and it’s a sign of the times. I’d pay $500 extra for classic gauges in my car (glad I didn’t have to this go around).

[Scolirk]

Originally Posted by spta97

What an excellent review! The guy hits all the positives and negatives of the vehicle.

My favorite was “Its supposed to be firm! It’s an ///M car!”

It was the number one thing I was asked during my time with the car, I really felt that people forgot what this car was meant to be

Originally Posted by AlexFL

Very nice review. Well done. I can imagine that reviewing performance cars in Canadian winter is rather tricky. I just wished car reviewers would actually test and report the acceleration numbers rather than simply reporting the understated BMW numbers. The true beauty of this car for us enthusiasts is that we can bring kids to school, shop at home depot... and then run 11.6 over quarter mile on a drag strip. A true Swiss Army knife with an extremely reasonable price tag.

I'm hoping to incorporate an accurate way to test the 0-100km times on these vehicles. Up until now I try to see personally how quick it was by the video timecode, in this case the X3 M was closer to 5 seconds, but there's latency between when I say 100 and the actual speed, along with the camera lag. It's something on my list to do this year!

Originally Posted by adc

It’s interesting that the reviewer likes the firm suspension in the X3M because it matches M car expectations yet complains about the older technology in the car, meaning the gauges and infotainment. He gets is on one aspect, and misses it on another - shouldn’t the M cars have classic gauges, driving focused, and not counter rotating hexagon shaped graphic errors?

Anyway just my opinion of course, and it’s a sign of the times. I’d pay $500 extra for classic gauges in my car (glad I didn’t have to this go around).

It's funny you bring that up, I featured the 2020 BMW M4 Competition convertible just before the winter really hit, and I figured there'd be some serious interest in the video since it's one of the 'classic' M Cars available, with analogue gauges, older tech in general, and RWD-Only. Yet no one watched the video, interest in the outgoing M3/M4 seems to be non-existent.

But I also mention in the video that the tech complaint is nit-picking, the old iDrive and cluster aren't really negatives considering what you get for the price, and ultimately what the X3 M represents.

[spta97]

Originally Posted by Scolirk

It was the number one thing I was asked during my time with the car, I really felt that people forgot what this car was meant to be



I'm hoping to incorporate an accurate way to test the 0-100km times on these vehicles. Up until now I try to see personally how quick it was by the video timecode, in this case the X3 M was closer to 5 seconds, but there's latency between when I say 100 and the actual speed, along with the camera lag. It's something on my list to do this year!



It's funny you bring that up, I featured the 2020 BMW M4 Competition convertible just before the winter really hit, and I figured there'd be some serious interest in the video since it's one of the 'classic' M Cars available, with analogue gauges, older tech in general, and RWD-Only. Yet no one watched the video, interest in the outgoing M3/M4 seems to be non-existent.

But I also mention in the video that the tech complaint is nit-picking, the old iDrive and cluster aren't really negatives considering what you get for the price, and ultimately what the X3 M represents.

I personally think old tech is a valid concern if the new tech was better.

People say 7 is much better with the iDrive but I can’t get over the cluster.

I would understand 2 RPM gauges if it had two engines, but by last count....

[Dethsupp0rt]

Originally Posted by Scolirk

I featured the 2020 BMW M4 Competition convertible just before the winter really hit, and I figured there'd be some serious interest in the video since it's one of the 'classic' M Cars available, with analogue gauges, older tech in general, and RWD-Only. Yet no one watched the video, interest in the outgoing M3/M4 seems to be non-existent.

I wouldn't really call it a 'classic'. It's 6 years old at this point, and everyone knows what it is by now. Not to mention you've taken a perfectly good car and ruined it by taking the top off.

[MForSpeed]

Originally Posted by SWOT1

Originally Posted by SWOT1

Great review

[zeusrazvy]

Originally Posted by spta97

I personally think old tech is a valid concern if the new tech was better.

People say 7 is much better with the iDrive but I can’t get over the cluster.

I would understand 2 RPM gauges if it had two engines, but by last count....

I`ve spent one month with an 8 series, going back to my x3m.. I like both clusters, maybe idrive 7 as is more modern... whilst Idrive 6/7...the launch interface seems nicer on 7 but I use car play which a lot of people are/will/should be using just because of google maps / waze / spotify / youtube music etc and is literally no difference..oh wait, there is one - on idrive 7 I had multiple disconnections and lag .