X3 good or bad
X3 good or bad
Author
Discussion

grahamm

Original Poster:

211 posts

231 months

Thursday 7th June 2007
quotequote all
What is general opinion of X3?

My wife has expressed an interest in getting one to replace her current car. She considers the X5 too big but likes the idea of being higher than a normal saloon car (for the view)

paoloh

8,617 posts

233 months

Thursday 7th June 2007
quotequote all
Hold value like a leaky bucket holds water!!!!

Residuals are horrendous.

Drive is pleasnt on roads and very car like but do not go off ride ( school kerbs are fine )

odyssey2200

18,650 posts

238 months

Thursday 7th June 2007
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Can't see why the X3 is any better that a normal 3 series estate which cost a lot less.

StuB

6,695 posts

268 months

Thursday 7th June 2007
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I owned a 3.0 petrol for a couple of years and took a hit on trade in, like any other car in that price bracket from what I can see.

Did plenty of miles, no problems other than a loose bodykit (which became standard on the M Sport), drove & towed superbly (bit stiff if anything when lightly loaded, but like any vehicle designed to tow).

Traction was superb, drove to Tignes Christmas 05 fully laden, summer tyres, no chains necessary to get into resort in the middle of a major dump.

We also bought it 'cos it's more car like than the truck sized X5 and I'd have a 3.0Sd tomorrow if the situation suited me better. It's roomy and very airy inside with the panorama roof.

I and a buddy (who's an Army off road instructor) did the BMW off road experience at Rockingham and both of us were impressed with the off road capability. It's not a Landy, it's a bit lower and has bigger overhangs etc., but if you don't drive through ruts like that tw@ Clarckson, it'll go most places quite easily IMHO.

Drive one first to see if you like it and see what kind of deal you can get.

I am advised that a lot will be returning from fleets soon and there's already quite a few going through auctions, so bargain hard.

CatherineJ

9,586 posts

272 months

Thursday 7th June 2007
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I have driven a facelift car with a 2.0D engine fitted and it was a really good bit of kit.

When the Z4C was being bought back by BMW I did consider one, but was advised not to on the basis of residuals.

RobCrezz

7,892 posts

237 months

Friday 8th June 2007
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X5 too big?

Arent X3s only 4 inches smaller?

Ranger 6

7,664 posts

278 months

Friday 8th June 2007
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RobCrezz said:
X5 too big?

Arent X3s only 4 inches smaller?
Yes, they're smaller, but bigger inside.... cool

What's wrong with taking them off-road....? I use mine occasionally as a course car on stage rallies and it's far faster and handles better than my friends disco.



I would say go for it if you need a 4x4 - they're very good on long runs, have taken the family skiing in ours and four up with a roof box it was fine on the Autoroutes. Look carefully at spec, the sports suspension has been criticised by some for being too harsh, but for the fashion victims you can now get a sport without the sports suspension...rolleyes

Having said all that I wouldn't buy an X3 (or any other 4x4 for that matter) just to sit higher, there are far more cost effective ways of doing it

Edited by Ranger 6 on Friday 8th June 15:43

grahamm

Original Poster:

211 posts

231 months

Saturday 9th June 2007
quotequote all
Thanks for all the advice.

We ordered one yesterday.

Ranger 6

7,664 posts

278 months

Sunday 10th June 2007
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Great! what did you order?

grahamm

Original Poster:

211 posts

231 months

Monday 11th June 2007
quotequote all
Ranger 6 said:
Great! what did you order?
2.0d Sport

We bought a car which was already specified to get it registered by the end of the month for a price incentive. We took the finance to get £1500 deposit contribution from BMW in addition to a discount


Edited by grahamm on Monday 11th June 08:19

Ranger 6

7,664 posts

278 months

Monday 11th June 2007
quotequote all
Good - be interested to know what you think of the ride quality when you get it - apparently they changed some things for the '07 facelift.

GregE240

10,857 posts

296 months

Monday 11th June 2007
quotequote all
Bit late to this thread, sorry.

My gf has a 3.0 petrol SE. Its absolutely superb. We bought it because we'd never had a 4x4 before, and we live out in the sticks where we can get cut off sometimes. Drove it in the snow earlier this year and it was a controllable hoot.

Couldn't give a toss about residuals as we will keep this for a few years. No problems with it whatsoever.

Dealers wanted 4K over book for the one we bought - we got it from a car supermarket with extended warranty.

Returns about 24-27mpg and the engine sounds as sweet as. The X3 has more boot space than an X5 / better for a dog (which is what we also wanted it for).

grahamm

Original Poster:

211 posts

231 months

Monday 11th June 2007
quotequote all
Ranger 6 said:
be interested to know what you think of the ride quality when you get it
The sports suspension has been deleted from ours, as it seems to be from almost all the X3s available from stock. The demonstrator we drove didn't have sports suspension either and seemed fine.