x3 m40i - anything else compare? - Page 1 - Car Buying

w00tman

Original Poster

609 posts

173 months

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Sunday 6th June 2021

Hi there.

So after seeing dog-after-dog of RS3 come on the market, and with increasing nag-factor from she-who-must-be-obeyed, i've decided to give in and let her pick the next car. For her, a higher vantage point would be good, 5 door is essential and the rest is optional. For me, as the sole car in the household now, it needs to have some power in it - north of 350BHP ideally and a sub-5 sec 0-60.

She's seen a friends X3 and likes the look of it, so the m40i variant might be worth a shout. Anything else worth a look?

Budget is £35k to 40k max.

FWIW

3,907 posts

125 months

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Sunday 6th June 2021

w00tman said:

i've decided to give in and let her pick the next car.

You’re making a mistake.
/VoE

fflump

3,446 posts

66 months

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Sunday 6th June 2021

If someone put a gun to my head and forced me to buy and X3 I'd go for the m40d
I suspect you'd have to work the m40i very hard to get decent performance. The m40d is pretty much identical 0-60 to the m40i, 23 bhp less, but 502 lb/ft torque compared to 369 for the m40i. That is a huge difference that would impact real world in-gear performance.

If SWMBO wants an SUV and you need a decent driving experience and sub 5 sec 0-60 a 2016 Macan Turbo fits the bill.

Or save yourself some money and get an Alfa Stelvio 2.0T-only 280 bhp and 5.7 0-60 but a better drive than the x3. Or even better wait till the 503bhp QF slips under budget
.

w00tman

Original Poster

609 posts

173 months

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Sunday 6th June 2021

fflump said:

If someone put a gun to my head and forced me to buy and X3 I'd go for the m40d
I suspect you'd have to work the m40i very hard to get decent performance. The m40d is pretty much identical 0-60 to the m40i, 23 bhp less, but 502 lb/ft torque compared to 369 for the m40i. That is a huge difference that would impact real world in-gear performance.

If SWMBO wants an SUV and you need a decent driving experience and sub 5 sec 0-60 a 2016 Macan Turbo fits the bill.

Or save yourself some money and get an Alfa Stelvio 2.0T-only 280 bhp and 5.7 0-60 but a better drive than the x3. Or even better wait till the 503bhp QF slips under budget
.

We will probably only do 8k in it, so it seems pointless to look at diesels.

I'd not change for a 280BHP stelvio - full fat one of course yes, but our current car is 280 so no real need to change.

w00tman

Original Poster

609 posts

173 months

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Sunday 6th June 2021

FWIW said:

You’re making a mistake.
/VoE

She picks the type of car, I get to pick which - and I've never owned anything vaguely SUV-y so I'm not adverse to giving a performance one a go.

ZX10R NIN

30,467 posts

153 months

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Sunday 6th June 2021

ahenners

621 posts

154 months

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Sunday 6th June 2021

None of the alternatives look more appealing than the X3 M40i to me if it must be an SUV kind of vehicle with a bit of performance. As for letting her pick, absolutely the right choice. Happy wife, happy life, happy spouse, happy house and all that!

FWIW

3,907 posts

125 months

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Sunday 6th June 2021

w00tman said:

She picks the type of car, I get to pick which - and I've never owned anything vaguely SUV-y so I'm not adverse to giving a performance one a go.

Maintain control!

Great! I went for the macan GTS as recommended by zx10. Great car! Until she decided it was too big. So we sold it. Then she wanted another macan...

She’ll be keeping the M140i for quite some time! tongue out

fflump

3,446 posts

66 months

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Sunday 6th June 2021

w00tman said:

FWIW said:

You’re making a mistake.
/VoE

She picks the type of car, I get to pick which - and I've never owned anything vaguely SUV-y so I'm not adverse to giving a performance one a go.

We have a similar deal. I pick the car, she gets a to choose what shade of beige to paint our living room :-)

fflump

3,446 posts

66 months

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Sunday 6th June 2021

ahenners said:

None of the alternatives look more appealing than the X3 M40i to me if it must be an SUV kind of vehicle with a bit of performance. As for letting her pick, absolutely the right choice. Happy wife, happy life, happy spouse, happy house and all that!

A macan is not more appealing?

ahenners

621 posts

154 months

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Sunday 6th June 2021

fflump said:

A macan is not more appealing?

Never been overly fussed by the Macan interior. Also seems like for like you'd need to go for an older/higher mileage example than what you'd get with an X3 M40i based on the budget given.

w00tman

Original Poster

609 posts

173 months

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Sunday 6th June 2021

fflump said:

A macan is not more appealing?

If I could afford a more modern Macan, sure - but same budget gets me one that is slower, older and more expensive to run so i'm not sure what benefit it actual provides?

w00tman

Original Poster

609 posts

173 months

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Sunday 6th June 2021

ZX10R NIN said:

I'm sure you get this a lot - and I bought the last car you recommended me - but you are the best poster on Pistonheads.

Fiisch

278 posts

156 months

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Sunday 6th June 2021

We have an X3 m40d as our only car currently - it's a brilliant all-rounder. Plenty of power, lovely place to sit and well-equipped.

But - and it's a big but - as a petrolhead, it won't satiate the enthusiast in you. It's a big car, so it doesn't like to go round corners - not as bad as some of the SUVs we tested, but it's not going to entice you into wringing it's neck down a twisty B road.

The performance (and I'd suggest very similar with the petrol variant) is fast - in fact, it's probably the fastest accelerating car I've ever owned - but it's an efficient surge of power, rather than an exciting delivery, if that makes sense.

If you're going with SWMBO, then X3 is in my opinion your best bet in that price range, but I'd really question whether you need the raised driving position. Our next car will probably be a 3 series estate - similar amounts of space, but much cheaper to run and more enjoyable to drive. The raised-ness has been useful with small children, but aside from not having to bend down to insert the children, I'm struggling to see the use case for an X3 over a 3 series estate...

fflump

3,446 posts

66 months

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Sunday 6th June 2021

w00tman said:

fflump said:

A macan is not more appealing?

If I could afford a more modern Macan, sure - but same budget gets me one that is slower, older and more expensive to run so i'm not sure what benefit it actual provides?

Firstly a macan turbo is not slower but more importantly it provides far better handling than an x3.

w00tman

Original Poster

609 posts

173 months

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Sunday 6th June 2021

fflump said:

Firstly a macan turbo is not slower but more importantly it provides far better handling than an x3.

Yeah you're right actually, I wasn't looking at the turbo. But older and more expensive to run and own. Cracking car, but wish I had more budget to get a better one.

ZX10R NIN

30,467 posts

153 months

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Monday 7th June 2021

w00tman said:

I'm sure you get this a lot - and I bought the last car you recommended me - but you are the best poster on Pistonheads.

Thanks for that, it's everyone on PH that makes it work.

Out of the medium SUV's above it's the F Pace that would get my vote the better ride & that peach of a drivetrain mean it edges out the GLC43 into second with X3 M40i & SQ5 joint third.

w00tman

Original Poster

609 posts

173 months

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Monday 7th June 2021

ZX10R NIN said:

Thanks for that, it's everyone on PH that makes it work.

Out of the medium SUV's above it's the F Pace that would get my vote the better ride & that peach of a drivetrain mean it edges out the GLC43 into second with X3 M40i & SQ5 joint third.

Brilliant - thank you.

If the wife could be persuaded to come down a size class, is the GLA45 worth a look or anything of that nature? just want to make sure I've considered everything possible.

emperorburger

1,484 posts

94 months

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Monday 7th June 2021

Tiguan R perhaps? Your budget should get you something nearly new and still under manufacturers warranty and running costs will be lower than most of the previously mentioned alternatives to the BMW.

Yes, they are anodyne in the looks department and it's difficult to distinguish a Tiguan from a Kodiaq or Ateca.

fflump

3,446 posts

66 months

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Monday 7th June 2021

w00tman said:

Brilliant - thank you.

If the wife could be persuaded to come down a size class, is the GLA45 worth a look or anything of that nature? just want to make sure I've considered everything possible.

If she went down a size class this is exactly what I would get-I'm sure its a hoot to drive-basically a raised A45.

Just don't show her ones with the colossal factory spoiler on the back which IMO look horrendous.