535D touring (about turn) just ordered X3, 30sd SE
Discussion
I just hope i have done the right thing, having looked for awhile for a 535D m sport touring with the spec i wanted (secondhand) nothing was coming up in my price range circa £35/£36 grand. Anyway all was not lost when i found out BMW were putting the twin turbo diesel in the 3 series, so off we went to see a new shape 3 touring at this point my better half stepped in and declared the 3 too small for our needs reluctlantly i had to agree (and i so much wanted a 3 with that engine) We both looked at the X3 and deceided that would be fine in terms of space and also found BMW were putting the TT diesel in that too, so problem solved i secured a healthy discount and we specd the car as we wanted, the problem is that i have never bought a car without first driving it, i am relying on the fact that i was so impresed with the engine in the 5 that i am thinking it will be just fab in the X3 too, well it should be shouldnt it please tell me it will be great please. Well ive done it now deposit paid arrives november i wonder if the DMS remap is engine or car specific maybe i should give them a call, anyway will keep you all posted when the car arrives
You should be alright with the 3,5d engine. I drove a X3 2.0d and found it sluggish off the mark but ok once cruising. My biiggest grip with was the ride quality-very stiff and bumpy and definitely not as good as the X5's I've been in.
But then again, it seems that all the new beemers have a crap ride..
But then again, it seems that all the new beemers have a crap ride..
I had a 3.0 petrol X3 and it was, even without the sports suspension, far too stiff unless you're loaded up or towing. The 5 speed auto (only choice) was a terrible experience. I hated it's inept behaviour and massively over geared 5th.
The car drove very well and could be very capably hooned around in. It's not as high, wide or long as the X5, but it has more room inside (than the outgoing model X5 anyway) and was well put together and very comfortable on a skiing trip to the Alps 4 up. My wife absolutely loved the car.
I wanted the 3.0d and I particularly wanted the TT version.
The depreciation was staggeringly bad on the car, so I sold it and cancelled my order for the 3.0d. I now have an E60 530d and am very happy with it. Of course it snowed heavily the day I collected the 530d and I'd have been killed if we'd have got stuck in the snow!
I might be looking for a 3.0d M Sport X3 in the future, specially if the depreciation continues to be so bad.
HTH
The car drove very well and could be very capably hooned around in. It's not as high, wide or long as the X5, but it has more room inside (than the outgoing model X5 anyway) and was well put together and very comfortable on a skiing trip to the Alps 4 up. My wife absolutely loved the car.
I wanted the 3.0d and I particularly wanted the TT version.
The depreciation was staggeringly bad on the car, so I sold it and cancelled my order for the 3.0d. I now have an E60 530d and am very happy with it. Of course it snowed heavily the day I collected the 530d and I'd have been killed if we'd have got stuck in the snow!
I might be looking for a 3.0d M Sport X3 in the future, specially if the depreciation continues to be so bad.
HTH
I take note about what you both say about the stiff suspension set up and in my somewhat limited research i did read that the sports suspension option was a sop to the marketing men, i have ordered the SE and hope to find the suspension just right as i would hate it if the thing wallowed around, it comes with the six speed auto which again has had good reveiws, all things considered it should be a right wolf in sheeps clothing and i will find that most satisfying when mr GTi tries it on.
I haven't got any stats either. I don't think either of my daughters are going to turn out to be giants but, if they did, I'd expect the way forward to be 5-er of some description. In overall space terms, I just think that the tourings probably have a more usable boot.
Mind you, Mrs DaveR was particularly enamoured with our friends' Range Rover Sport (
) whilst we were in the US so who knows what the next family truck might be!
Mind you, Mrs DaveR was particularly enamoured with our friends' Range Rover Sport (
) whilst we were in the US so who knows what the next family truck might be!Yep it was quite possibly the lofty seating position that mrs D liked because my mrs loves her RAV4 because of the driving position, we drove down to bergerac a couple of weeks ago in the RAV it was great other than it needed a bit more power OK a lot more power hence the X3sd on order, and as the sales guy pointed out the X3 has more boot space than the X5 so its quite deceptive. As for r rover sport or otherwise the X3sd should wipe the floor with them in performance terms while still returning more MPG the best of both worlds, we will see.
In one, my friend. Mrs D is indeed a RAV4 driver!olf said:
To be honest I have yet to see a bad review of the 535d.
Conversely I have yet to see a good review of the X3 in any guise.
Too late to reconsider (again)?
Conversely I have yet to see a good review of the X3 in any guise.
Too late to reconsider (again)?You can't get a 535d M Sport Touring for your budget because they are desirable, superb and depreciate very slowly.
X3's on the other hand are being discounted heavily by dealers and guaranteed you will take a kicking come resale.
All in all the bit extra the 5 might cost now will easily be got back when you sell.
Well thanks to everyone who has replied, on the issue of space, the extra height in the X3 means when you are outside ikea with that odd shaped office desk top (that didnt look that big in the shop)hey it fits in the X3/rav4. I know through experiance we would have been buggered in the 3touring/golf. Although its not a concern for us, loading small children into the car is easier in a higher vehicle, just go to a showroom and compare the two side by side i think you will be suprised, i was. On the issue of residuals our intention is to keep the X3 for the mrs when the rav goes so hopefully keeping the car for about 8/10 years we should have had our monies worth by then.
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