X3 Loaner Experience
 

Hello all, this is my first post in the X3 forum. I drive an X5, and have driven BMW's since 1970. Yesterday, when I took my X5 in for service, the dealer gave me a 2006 X3 3.0i as a loaner. Please don't flame me, but I had always looked at the X3 as less of an SAV than the X5.

Was I wrong...the X3 is one teriffic vehicle. It handles better than my X5, the ergonomics are better, the position of the instrument cluster is perfect compared to the X5, and it is a blast to drive. It reminds me of my '74 2002 tii with regard to road feel and fun factor. When it comes time to replace the X5, it may just be with an X3!

It's an honest and objective comment Coffeman, thanks. You're right.

During my decision months, I tried many mid sized SUV's including Toyota,
Volvo, Lexus, VW, Cadillac, Merc, and of course X5. Don't get me wrong, I'm a BMW fan (motorcycles and technology, engineering) but I just don't like it. X5 was top of my list... Exterior is fugly and bulky... too American (completely personal taste... please do not get offensive, everybody and X5 owner friends...) And comparing with all SUV's above, X3 is the best handling car and has highest fun factor. Besides that, it's a pretty comfortable family car too.

I have no friggin idea why BMW forced X5's to Paris Dakar... It's completely beyond me. Proportionally, X3 would be much better decision for rally raids.

I can't say I would go as far as replacing my X5 with an X3, but I will agree with you that the handling and ride quality is a little better than the X5. I too am basing my remarks after driving an X3 as a loaner. Never the less, I think the X5 is a better all around vehicle.

It's great to hear that X5 owners love the X3...Some of us went with x3s b/c of price reasons, only to discover it is, in some ways, more impressive (esp in terms of handling, drivablity, etc)

Personally, i like the smaller size and footprint, both from a driving standpoint and for the looks.

COFFEEMAN-- you have a '74 2002 tii? Damn...that's a dream car.
I love the 02s....very nice

Yes, I bought it used in 1980. It was a wreck. I did the ground up restoration myself, over a two year period. It is a pretty rare tii, in that it has factory sunroof, BEHR factory air conditioning & factory rear shoulder harnesses..

Welcome to the converted. The X3 is one sweet ride. We originally went to dealer to buy an X5 and after driving the two for comparison, we left with the X3. Lots of people must be doing that these days, as the sales of the X3 are almost double that of X5s now.

Mind you, I ended up getting a 4.4 X5 for work, but I still prefer the X3.

I think I'd be up for an X3 when my current
'01 X5 goes off to the wholesale lot...

espc. if the cost is 60-65+ for a new X5 when
I might be in mkt, '07 or '08.

Welcome!

Welcome to X3World :thumbup:

When Julia and I decided to buy a new BMW last month, we really started out wanting the new 530Xi sport wagon. Our dealer in Scottsdale had none to sell and we wanted a new car now, so we moved on to the X5. Knowing they were soon to be replaced, the X3 started to looked like a better choice. Now that we have 4,000 miles of seat time we couldn't be happier about our purchase. The X3 is everything we were looking for in a mid size SAV / SUV. It has room, performance, and great handling. Ride quality with the sports package suits me just fine and the fit and finish is BMW all the way. I had a loaner 04 X3 a few years ago and didn't quite warm up to it in the few weeks we had it. I'm glad we gave the X3 a second chance.

I am addicted too
 

Yasoo Coffeeman!.

I test drove both, and you cant beat the X3 for its handling and solid feel. So agile! I just bought one last week.

I agree to an extent the X3 has the edge on driving dynamics for sure, and the 3.0i to the size is perfect but I cannot dismiss the hideous interior, it feels so cheap BUT the materials fit is perfect, just cheap quality, I keep saying if they had made the interior like the X5's or even the new 3 series with soft touch materians, more alloy and wood treatment and not so many hard surfaces I would be driving one now, and I mean that, the exterior looks funky to me thou but the body-color bumpers are better, and in my opinion they are not built well, they rattle after a year, thats not quality to me!

You must have had an experience with an '04. We have an '05 and the interior quality and materials are every bit as good as an X5. The only significant difference between our X3 and X5 is the wood in our X5 (which I hate... wood is for the 'retirement village' crowd IMO). As for rattles after a year, where did you ever get that idea??? It's solid, solid, solid.

the Loaner car i JUST returned was a 2005 3.0i msrp'd at 42,500 so it was loaded and even had PDC it wasn't luxury to me at all

I disagree on that. Black plastic bumpers are very good against scratches and dents etc. Especially if you're living in a city like Manhattan, people parking on braille method. And personally, aestethic wise I liked them better too. The other shiny version looks and probably behave so fragile for a 4x4 vehicle.

I loved the interior. My expectations for a "Sport" utility are not, and shouldn't be too high. Of course I would look something else with a 5 or 7 series sedan. Compare apple to apple.

But c'mon it's a superb "jeep" on the bottom line...No? :)

I totally agree with you. I love the two tone look. The drak plastic works really well w/ my mysticblue. :)

We have the same problem with city parking in SF. The rear bumper on our 2003 325i was all marked up after just over a year of ownership. All those cars with license plates mounted on the front bumpers would back in to our rear bumper, damaging both the paint and the plastic. At least with the black plastic bumpers, the damage is less visible.