[Crassus]

We took delivery of our factory ordered G01 X3 this week. It's going to replace our beloved F25 which we are sad to hand back and would have kept if it was a petrol and had a few options. Upwards and onwards.

Overall, we are utterly love the spec. The car has everything we loved about the F25 but most importantly improves on comfort. All the extra bells and whistles are pure icing on the car.

Fineline Cove resembles scandinavian wood and is utterly gorgeous!

We don't miss the diesel vibrations and rumble in the steering wheel in the 20d and 30d. In Sport mode the car is surprisingly devoid of fake engine sound which is great! The ride on the 19 inch alloys is good but will be improved when we change to non-runflats. We are glad we don't have larger alloys or the firmer suspension of the M40i. Our local roads are terribly rough.


My favorite option are the icon headlights and surround view cameras. The option I regret not speccing is servotronic steering.

Basically, the car is what the doctor ordered.


BMW G01 X3 20i M-Sport
Alpine White
Oyster leather upholstery
Open-pored fine- wood trim ‘Fineline’ Cove
Adaptive Suspension
Parking Assistant Plus
Professional Media
Icon Headlights
Adaptive M-Suspension
Acoustic Glass

F25 vs G01

Interior quality: The F25 edges the G01 slightly

• Entire transmission tunnel is covered in leather.
• No hard plastic surrounding the window switches in the backseats
• Door cards are more solid
• Boot lip has a metal skid plate
• Door lock and unlock buttons on both driver and front passanger door.

Comfort: G01 wins.

• Although my G01 has adaptive suspension, the G01 rides better. It's more comfortable than the F25 even with M-Suspension and 21 inch run-crap tyres. The seats are a huge upgrade!

Driving fun: F25 win - unless you have an M40i.

• The haudralic steering in the G25 and the slightly firmer ride(on non-runflats) makes you feel much more connected to the car and road, ultimately inspiring more confidence.

Here are a few snaps. I will add more and give update over time.











Previous car:

[chicagofan00]

Congratulations! Looks great. 👍🏻

[SSBMW14]

Nice looking car. Love the Fineline Cove!

[rem40i]

Love the color combo. I too have AW. I wanted Oyster interior, but feared I coudlnt keep it clean.

[BuddhaTB]

Congrats on the new X3. Good looking color combination!

[Crassus]

Thanks everyone!

Originally Posted by rem40i

Love the color combo. I too have AW. I wanted Oyster interior, but feared I coudlnt keep it clean.

Go for it next time!

Oyster has been discussed a few times here. It's a common misconception that Oyster or Beige leather are hard to keep clean. This is not true - even if you have kids.

This morning I wipes the seats with Autoglym leather palm that ensures that any dirt will sit on top of the palm an be easily wiped off. It's literarily a 5 min job. Every 2-3 months I will wipe the seats with a leather cleaner and then a balm/feed. That takes 10min and is what I have done throughout the ownership of my F25.

The photo above of my F25 interior was taken 2.5 years into ownership. Discoloration from jeans and chocolate stains come off easily if you devote 10min to maintenance 3-4 times per year.

I actually perfer beige foot wells and carpets as white/grey dirt particles show less. Mud was easiest to deal with - even chunky bits. You just let them dry and then hoover the carpet. 2-3 times per year I would also wash the carpet which gets ridd of bacteria and dust that makes the car feel stuffy.

[PX3]

Congrats, it looks stunning.

I thought the G01 was an improvement in terms of quality over the F25, so I was surprised by your comment "Interior quality: The F25 edges the G01 slightly".

How are you finding the 2.0ltr petrol vs the diesel?

[Crassus]

Here's a photo of the front with my outgoing F25 in the background.

Originally Posted by PX3

Congrats, it looks stunning.

I thought the G01 was an improvement in terms of quality over the F25, so I was surprised by your comment "Interior quality: The F25 edges the G01 slightly".

How are you finding the 2.0ltr petrol vs the diesel?

Thanks!

The F25 will remain with us for another week, making it fun to drive them back to back.

Disclaimer: In two weeks I will take delivery of an M140i with adaptive suspension and M-Performance LSD. Therefore a big engine in the X3 wasn't a consideration because it will be the family cruiser.

I never thought the 20i would be suitable for an SUV until I had an X1 20i as a loaner. Up to 40mph around town and urban environment it's a lovely engine: Brisk without being noisy. It's character really suits the way we have specced the car as a luxury.

Above 20i the 20d is noticable faster. 400nm vs 270nm says it all. When the 20d is in the right rev range it has a brilliant surge of power when floored. This is not the case with the 20i.

It's fast enough for comfortably entering the motorway but it's not the type of engine that enables you to attempt brave overtaking from 50mph to 80mph.

However the 20i much more refined than the 20d which is as noisy and clatter as much in the G01 as it does in the F25. It's almost a night and day difference.

The bottom line is that both engines have their pros and cons. There is a clear purpose for both.

[PX3]

Originally Posted by Crassus

Here's a photo of the front with my outgoing F25 in the background.





Thanks!

The F25 will remain with us for another week, making it fun to drive them back to back.

Disclaimer: In two weeks I will take delivery of an M140i with adaptive suspension and M-Performance LSD. Therefore a big engine in the X3 wasn't a consideration because it will be the family cruiser.

I never thought the 20i would be suitable for an SUV until I had an X1 20i as a loaner. Up to 40mph around town and urban environment it's a lovely engine: Brisk without being noisy. It's character really suits the way we have specced the car as a luxury.

Above 20i the 20d is noticable faster. 400nm vs 270nm says it all. When the 20d is in the right rev range it has a brilliant surge of power when floored. This is not the case with the 20i.

It's fast enough for comfortably entering the motorway but it's not the type of engine that enables you to attempt brave overtaking from 50mph to 80mph.

However the 20i much more refined than the 20d which is as noisy and clatter as much in the G01 as it does in the F25. It's almost a night and day difference.

The bottom line is that both engines have their pros and cons. There is a clear purpose for both.

Thanks for the reply.

I completely agree with what you are saying, as we currently own an F25 2.0d (2012) at present and I find it's an extremely good family car, but the engine can be a little rough around town. I guess my ideal car would be an X3 M40i, but unfortunately I can't stretch to one of those.

I have considered the 2.0i, as that definitely makes sense for local journeys, but I would be a little concerned about the reduced high end power. So when the time comes, I will definitely take a look at the 3.0d as a possible all rounder.

[Crassus]

Originally Posted by PX3

Thanks for the reply.

I completely agree with what you are saying, as we currently own an F25 2.0d (2012) at present and I find it's an extremely good family car, but the engine can be a little rough around town. I guess my ideal car would be an X3 M40i, but unfortunately I can't stretch to one of those.

I have considered the 2.0i, as that definitely makes sense for local journeys, but I would be a little concerned about the reduced high end power. So when the time comes, I will definitely take a look at the 3.0d as a possible all rounder.

90% of the journeys in the X3 are nursery drops and pottering to the local stores. For this use case, the 20i is perfect for us as my other half drives sensibly with two toddlers in the back. We had the 20d in two cars in a row and we didn't realise how noisy it was until we bought a 2017 Skoda Fabia 1.2TSI that was so quiet and vibration free at idle that you could barely tell that it's on. On cold starts the difference between them was night and day. Although the 3.0d is smoother is still sounds and rattles like a diesel. It's alot quieter in the 7-Series which has much more sound insulation.


Other than that, the 20d is an amazing all rounder with amazing fuel economy and punchy power delivery. One time I had an F15 X5 40d and for everyday driving it didn't find its power more handy. It only came into its own when flooring it from 50mph which is something I rarely do.

If you like to drive in the fast lane on motorways or enjoy spirited driving on B-Roads the I recommend the 20d over the 20i.

[Crassus]

As typical with any new car, the tyres were overflated at 2.7 bar. I have a squared setup of 245/50 and lowered the pressure to the recommended 2.2 car.

Wow. The adaptive suspension is even better now at cushioning bumps and uneveness. The ride quality has truly come into its own!

In Sport it still firms up noticably and makes more responsive to sudden changes in direction. Best of all is that Sport mode is not harsh but is perfectly usable on even rough roads.

Regardless of setting, body roll, yaw and pitch is signifigantly reduced making the car feel very composed through twisty and undulating B-Road.

However, the ride quality doesn't isolate you from the road like the air suspension on the 7-Series which glides over bumps and deep potholes without occupants noticing. If you want supreme comfort than the G11 7-Series and G05 X5 are the cars to buy.

At only £500, the adaptive suspension in the X3 is a no brainer option to spec and makes a good car feel amazing to drive whether you are in comfort or sport mode.

[pierreye]

If you used to diesel high torque, 30i might be your cup of tea on driving fun. Wait for B48 ECU tuning and that might change your opinion on petrol engine pulling power.

[Crassus]

Originally Posted by pierreye

If you used to diesel high torque, 30i might be your cup of tea on driving fun. Wait for B48 ECU tuning and that might change your opinion on petrol engine pulling power.

Unfortunately the 30i isn't offered in the UK which leaves consumers with the choice of the "adequate" 20i or fast but firmer riding M40i. Diesels are off course options too.

Are there hardware differences between the 20i and 30i?

[pierreye]

I'm not so sure on the hardware but 20i had higher compression ratio and lower turbo boost. Tuned B48 20i should be close to stock 30i performance. In Malaysia, we only have one option, Luxury Line 30i. No trim selection and Mocha color seat only available for black or white.

[Crassus]

My X3 now has a little brother. It's an understated thaf I am chuffed to have factory ordered one of the very last M140i with the same B58 used in the X3, 540i and 8-Series for just £26,000 at a 34% discount!

The car is incredible due to the combination or a big engine and low weight of 1,450kg. It wears so many hats. In comfort it's refined and taut as a 5-series but without the bulk or size, while sport makes it firmer and exhilarating to drive!

I love the thinner steering wheel compared with the X3, G20 and Z4.

Specs

M140i Shadow Edition
Alpine White
Cognac leather upholstery
Gloss Black with Pearl finisher inlays
Black grille and smoked head & tail lights
Adaptive M-Suspension
Mechanical Limited Slip Differential
Harman Kardon Sound System
Variable Sport Steering
Extended storage
Reversing camera
Power folding mirrors

[chicagofan00]

^Very nice, congrats! Wish it was offered here in the US.

[TX3M]

Congrats on both new rides, very sharp! Whoever bought your F25 got a real cherry!

[BTS22]

£26k?! Wow! How did you get it that cheap?

[mariopl]

Originally Posted by BTS22

£26k?! Wow! How did you get it that cheap?

That is the price for 118i !
Here is ours 1 series in Sport line with M-Sport steering wheel, Alpine HiFi and 19" rims with red outline
Not a drag race demon, but for driving around the city, nursery drops and shopping is more than enough.

[BTS22]

Originally Posted by mariopl

That is the price for 118i !
Here is ours 1 series in Sport line with M-Sport steering wheel, Alpine HiFi and 19" rims with red outline
Not a drag race demon, but for driving around the city, nursery drops and shopping is more than enough.

His is an M140i not a 118i. Completely different animal....

[mariopl]

Originally Posted by BTS22

His is an M140i not a 118i. Completely different animal....

I know. I was just saying the price he gave for M140i I put on 118i.
Excellent moment to get M140i now as it is last six-banger for 1 series.

[X3M40i_Nev]

Originally Posted by Crassus

My X3 now has a little brother. It's an understated thaf I am chuffed to have factory ordered one of the very last M140i with the same B58 used in the X3, 540i and 8-Series for just £26,000 at a 34% discount!

The car is incredible due to the combination or a big engine and low weight of 1,450kg. It wears so many hats. In comfort it's refined and taut as a 5-series but without the bulk or size, while sport makes it firmer and exhilarating to drive!

I love the thinner steering wheel compared with the X3, G20 and Z4.

Specs

M140i Shadow Edition
Alpine White
Cognac leather upholstery
Gloss Black with Pearl finisher inlays
Black grille and smoked head & tail lights
Adaptive M-Suspension
Mechanical Limited Slip Differential
Harman Kardon Sound System
Variable Sport Steering
Extended storage
Reversing camera
Power folding mirrors

What a 2nd car to have mate, and cracking cracking price on it. It makes me contemplate shifting the JCW for one of these 6 pots...but we do LOVE the JCW