BMW X3 M40i - pictures and specs

[VerySideways]

I'm just coming up on 6k miles and it gets better every day.
The noise is improving, the fuel consumption is improving, the ride is improving (though will get even better when i ditch the Pirelli's for a set of Mich PS4S non-RFT) and it's just doing everything so well. Quiet and comfy for the family, but also fun to hustle on country roads when i need to be somewhere.

Sadly i don't really get up at 5am to just go for a drive anymore, mainly because of my job but also because i have kids - but on those occasions when i'm on my own in the car and can have some fun it's way more fun than my 340i was. Not quite as much fun as my M240i, but then i can't put the family and the dog in the M240i and carry bikes on the towbar...

[london_v]

I’ve never had a car with such a quiet cabin. It’s all down to the acoustic glass...there’s a huge difference between windows up and windows down when in sport mode. I still haven’t heard what it sounds from the outside driving past, I’m sure it sounds good.

For me, I'm always surprised how this big car can drive like a small one. It’s so nimble around the corners with minimal body roll, it really has changed the game for SUVs.

[Chris Hinds]

Chris Hinds said:

I've done 2500 miles in my M40i now - picked up on 1st March.

So good points

• It's averaged 28.7mpg so far - which is better than I was expecting

As it stands currently I'm happy with the X3 but not "in love with it" if you see what I mean. I think if BMW confirm the X3 xDrive 30e PHEV variant available for order later this year in all honesty I wouldn't necessarily wait until the end of my (4yr) finance term to change it.

Just to correlate with this - here's a trip from work (Derby) to Mansfield and back to Loughborough during rush hour today. I was driving as fast as conditions allowed on the roads with rain and rush hour to contend with.


Over the last few days I've bonded more with the X3 - if you drive it as a refined family car that happens to be able to go mad it is a much more enticing proposition than if you drive it like the wheels are on fire all the time. Changing that mindset means I feel much more positive towards it.

[VerySideways]

london_v said:

I’ve never had a car with such a quiet cabin. It’s all down to the acoustic glass...there’s a huge difference between windows up and windows down when in sport mode. I still haven’t heard what it sounds from the outside driving past, I’m sure it sounds good.

For me, I'm always surprised how this big car can drive like a small one. It’s so nimble around the corners with minimal body roll, it really has changed the game for SUVs.

I'll PM you in the other place regarding the noise

[DJD]

Just had a weekend with one of these on demo, ended up signing up to a unregistered dealer car, picking it up Friday. Can only echo what has already been said, the car is quick and handles very well, not just for a SUV but full stop, really looking forward to picking it up.

Unfortunately, the car was not specified with a tow-bar, which will have to be retro fitted, does anyone know where I might be able to get an electrically retractable one similar to the factory fitted option.

[gizard]

DJD said:

Just had a weekend with one of these on demo, ended up signing up to a unregistered dealer car, picking it up Friday. Can only echo what has already been said, the car is quick and handles very well, not just for a SUV but full stop, really looking forward to picking it up.

Unfortunately, the car was not specified with a tow-bar, which will have to be retro fitted, does anyone know where I might be able to get an electrically retractable one similar to the factory fitted option.

I am intrigued to know this too - I believe it can be retro fitted but at a cost....

[Bongo]

I've also just put a deposit down on one, going to see it on Thursday, not driven one yet so bit of a leap of faith. It's an AUC dealer registered car, 18 plate, interesting to see how different it is from my F11 touring. If all goes well I'll do the swap on the day. I'm assuming the performance is going to be a step on from my 535d, certainly smoother, I just hope it can offer the same dual personality as the 5er.

[DJD]

gizard said:

I am intrigued to know this too - I believe it can be retro fitted but at a cost....

That's what i hoped too, however this was not work that the supplying dealer is able to undertake. that doesn't mean that it cannot be done though. Will have to make a couple of enquiries once I have the car, there are a number of alternative dealers local to me in the Midlands.

[VerySideways]

A couple of guys on another forum enquired and got quoted just under £3k for the electrically deployed one.
You can get a simple detachable one from somewhere like PF Jones, and buy the dedicated wiring kit, and have it all fitted by a professional for under £1k.

Factory fitted towbar gives you a towing weight of 2400kg on the V5, whereas fitting one after the fact will only give you 2000kg on the V5.

[aeropilot]

DJD said:

gizard said:

I am intrigued to know this too - I believe it can be retro fitted but at a cost....

That's what i hoped too, however this was not work that the supplying dealer is able to undertake. that doesn't mean that it cannot be done though. Will have to make a couple of enquiries once I have the car, there are a number of alternative dealers local to me in the Midlands.

Before I bought my X5, I made extensive enquires about retro fitting a leccy deployable towbar, and found a few horror stories from those that hadn't had it done properly (being too tight to pay the sums quoted) as well as largely drawing a blank about even being possible.
The quotes of 3k plus mentioned above tally with what I found out. Largely as a result, I ended up buying new with a factory order to get the factory towbar as it looked the cheaper option!!!

[DJD]

VerySideways said:

A couple of guys on another forum enquired and got quoted just under £3k for the electrically deployed one.
You can get a simple detachable one from somewhere like PF Jones, and buy the dedicated wiring kit, and have it all fitted by a professional for under £1k.

Factory fitted towbar gives you a towing weight of 2400kg on the V5, whereas fitting one after the fact will only give you 2000kg on the V5.

Thanks for the reply, will probably end up with a detachable one then, had a similar on my previous car and worked pretty well, also i am only towing a camping trailer or bike rack, so the slightly lower towing weight makes little difference for my application.

[gizard]

VerySideways said:

A couple of guys on another forum enquired and got quoted just under £3k for the electrically deployed one.
You can get a simple detachable one from somewhere like PF Jones, and buy the dedicated wiring kit, and have it all fitted by a professional for under £1k.

Factory fitted towbar gives you a towing weight of 2400kg on the V5, whereas fitting one after the fact will only give you 2000kg on the V5.

Hmm that's interesting thanks - for 2k I am quite capable of taking off the towbar and putting it in the boot although why the difference in towing capacity? - I heard stories of some retrofitting people making a right mess of the car structurally...

[VerySideways]

gizard said:

Hmm that's interesting thanks - for 2k I am quite capable of taking off the towbar and putting it in the boot although why the difference in towing capacity? - I heard stories of some retrofitting people making a right mess of the car structurally...

Towing capacity is tied to the VIN at the factory - i can only assume that the factory tow package includes some additional strengthening or cooling to allow the higher limit.
The aftermarket detachable is actually less visible when detached than the factory towbar when stowed, so in that respect it's better. Thankfully the factory option was only £750, there's no way i'd have paid £2k let alone £3k for the retrofit.

[aeropilot]

VerySideways said:

gizard said:

Hmm that's interesting thanks - for 2k I am quite capable of taking off the towbar and putting it in the boot although why the difference in towing capacity? - I heard stories of some retrofitting people making a right mess of the car structurally...

Towing capacity is tied to the VIN at the factory - i can only assume that the factory tow package includes some additional strengthening or cooling to allow the higher limit.

Yep, certainly on the X5 when ordering the deployable towbar option, it specified additional cooling package included and something else which I can't remember against the tow bar option.

[Ranger 6]

I wouldn't have another electric towbar - I haven't abused mine, however it's already been replaced under warranty.

[DJD]

Looks like a detachable bar is the best option to retro-fit then, would have been nice to have out of the factory but not if people are experiencing issues with them long term.

One other thing regarding the car i am picking up this afternoon. It has performance tyres fitted, which I believe are Yokohama's, are these still run-flats or are they normal. The car is on standard suspension, not adaptive and handled very well yet was still quite supple over some of the dirt tracks that are classed as A roads in this country.

Roll on 4 o'clock when we pick it up.

[Bongo]

Picked mine up yesterday, great blend of performance and comfort. Great car, step on in most ways from the F11, just miss the fuel economy! Pops and bangs make up for it..

[DJD]

Also what fuel is everyone using in these. The TVR only runs on Shell or Tesco Momentum and my partners M240i runs much better on the same. Noticed the filler cap said 95 Ron with the demo car, any benefits from the higher octane or negatives when using 95?

[Bongo]

Mines on the Yokohama's they're standard tyres, not runflats, there should be a "mobility kit" in the boot to get you home. So far I've only topped it up with Shell 95 ron as that's all we have locally, but will switch to V Power when I can. So far I've seen 34mpg on the cruise back from Swansea, but it's only covered 5700 miles so far, so I hope it'll improve when loosened up.

[DJD]

Bongo said:

Mines on the Yokohama's they're standard tyres, not runflats, there should be a "mobility kit" in the boot to get you home. So far I've only topped it up with Shell 95 ron as that's all we have locally, but will switch to V Power when I can. So far I've seen 34mpg on the cruise back from Swansea, but it's only covered 5700 miles so far, so I hope it'll improve when loosened up.

Cheers Bongo, didn't think the tyres were run-flats, will look out for the mobility kit when I pick it up too. We have a Tesco's near to work so might just stick to Momentum and see how we go with it, no one ever bought these things for the exceptional fuel economy that they offer did they, although I guess 34mpg isn't too shabby considering the performance on tap and the vehicle mass.