[stefan4]

Long time since I’ve posted here, so hi once again!

So, it’s dawned on me that I’m not really using my f80 so much and struggling to find excuses to get out in it as often as I’d like. Now, that’s fine but it’s a lot of cash tied up in the garage and I’m wondering about possibly moving to something that I can use a bit more.

The main problem is that we now have 2 dogs (Hungarian Viszla) and when we go out as a family the dogs obviously come with - we spend a lot of time at the coast so something that can haul us around in reasonable comfort but allow some fun when the opportunity arises would be ideal. So, an X3m company looks to fit the bill, but I’m very reluctant to give up the m3 if it’s too much of a compromise.

Has anyone made this jump, any regrets? Also, anyone have any recent intel on deals, I see that last year there were some crazy deals!

[JustChris]

Can't recall Wills2 actual F8X, think it was M3 but not sure if Comp....

[JNW1]

Seem to recall Wills2 made a similar change albeit I think he had a 7-series in between the M3 and the X3 - he'll be able to give a fairly objective view though!

ETA: Sorry, JustChris beat me to it!

[JD6]

If you qualify with the tightened criteria - i.e. immediate family are forces/police/NHS/teacher/IAM then this is the best deal I have seen recently £659 on a 1+47 PCP. Not as good as the previous offer of £549 or even £529 I think which most here got.

https://www.bmw-ukforces.co.uk/perso...rt-stop-137450

Personally, I found the X3MC ride too unforgiving and even somewhat unstable on my local (bumpy) roads.

[Wills2]

I had a standard M3 but with the MPHAS so firmer sprung than the comp but with more tyre wall on the 19" rather than the rubber bands on the comp so probably about the same.

X3M feels like a jacked up M3 to drive very stiff, huge arbs meaning it'll cock a wheel easily turning on the drive but I really like it as I liked the M3. I have no issue on country b roads in the dales of Yorkshire it flies along them and feels as planted at fast road speeds than the M3 but of course I'm not Nigel Mansell.

Body control is iron fisted but there is a trade off in terms of low speed ride it's a 2 tonne SUV after all it hates cats eyes and those high frequency ridges you come across from time to time but once up to speed it steam rollers the road, feels very RWD and will step out if you're silly, S58 better sounding than S55 and very long legged but less initial grunt below 2.5k but more above to the redline.

Is it a comfy cruiser for the dogs and family? Probably not as it feels like there is a 10% difference from comfort/sport through to sport+ so it doesn't have that dual personality I always drive it in comfort yet ran the M3 in sport+

But if you like M cars and the way they drive and feel you'll like the X3M but don't think it'll be softer than the M3, although it's more isolated if that makes sense due to size and weight.

[stefan4]

Originally Posted by Wills2

I had a standard M3 but with the MPHAS so firmer sprung than the comp but with more tyre wall on the 19" rather than the rubber bands on the comp so probably about the same.

X3M feels like a jacked up M3 to drive very stiff, huge arbs meaning it'll cock a wheel easily turning on the drive but I really like it as I liked the M3. I have no issue on country b roads in the dales of Yorkshire it flies along them and feels as planted at fast road speeds than the M3 but of course I'm not Nigel Mansell.

Body control is iron fisted but there is a trade off in terms of low speed ride it's a 2 tonne SUV after all it hates cats eyes and those high frequency ridges you come across from time to time but once up to speed it steam rollers the road, feels very RWD and will step out if you're silly, S58 better sounding than S55 and very long legged but less initial grunt below 2.5k but more above to the redline.

Is it a comfy cruiser for the dogs and family? Probably not as it feels like there is a 10% difference from comfort/sport through to sport+ so it doesn't have that dual personality I always drive it in comfort yet ran the M3 in sport+

But if you like M cars and the way they drive and feel you'll like the X3M but don't think it'll be softer than the M3, although it's more isolated if that makes sense due to size and weight.

Thanks, that's really helpful. I'm not looking for a comfy cruiser as such and this car wouldn't do they day to day churn as such. My main gripe is that I don't have enough space for when we do want to go out at the weekend, and in something that I like to drive. What happens now is the m3 remains in the garage and we take the Renault scenic, which is fine but I'm hoping that I'll get more chance to enjoy the car if it has a little more flexibility interms of boot space

[RustyBitz]

Thread here on thoughts

Going from F82 to X3M? https://www.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1761014

[stefan4]

Originally Posted by RustyBitz

Thread here on thoughts

Going from F82 to X3M? https://www.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1761014

Thanks, I found this earlier but it seemed to be people with relatively recent purchases, they seemed very much in the 'honeymoon' phase 🤣

[Tengocity]

I'm following this thread with interest as been having similar thoughts in a similar situation. Our puppy is now pretty bloody big, already knocking on the door of 25kg at 6 months, so me taking her in the M4 is doable, but not ideal.

Thankfully we have the 340 touring, which is the main dog carrier, so still a decent drive, with M4 just used occasionally for a local journey. So not a pressing need to change now, but I did find myself looking at X3Ms and thinking that this would be much more useful for me, especially now that I have thr Exige for track days and Sunday morning blasts.

The M4 is fantastic however, and with mine now modified to tastes, I really wouldn't want to lose it. However, given our altered dog centred lifestyle it does feel a little bit "all dressed up and nowhere to go"

I can't decide whether I like the idea of the X3M being as hardcore as the M3/M4... maybe it would just feel like a direct, but practical swap?

[stefan4]

Originally Posted by Tengocity

I'm following this thread with interest as been having similar thoughts in a similar situation. Our puppy is now pretty bloody big, already knocking on the door of 25kg at 6 months, so me taking her in the M4 is doable, but not ideal.

Thankfully we have the 340 touring, which is the main dog carrier, so still a decent drive, with M4 just used occasionally for a local journey. So not a pressing need to change now, but I did find myself looking at X3Ms and thinking that this would be much more useful for me, especially now that I have thr Exige for track days and Sunday morning blasts.

The M4 is fantastic however, and with mine now modified to tastes, I really wouldn't want to lose it. However, given our altered dog centred lifestyle it does feel a little bit "all dressed up and nowhere to go"

I can't decide whether I like the idea of the X3M being as hardcore as the M3/M4... maybe it would just feel like a direct, but practical swap?

You articulate the point much better than me, this is exactly how I feel. Research is coming out in favour of the swap, I need to arrange a drive and see if I can get the numbers to work.

[isleaiw1]

Lets take the drive out of it and talk practicality for a minute... is the X3M a practical dog car? I havent had one but found my SQ5 a bit short in the boot and so whilst it had space it was width wise not length wise. I find the boot shape of the RS4 much more practical - but my dog goes in a crate and it will fit length wise in the 4 but not in the SQ5 which may flatter the former.

Also height - Terry, yours will have no problem with the height and doubt a Vizla will either but my elderly Spaniel was starting to look at it with a "you want me to jump up there" sort of face. Lower load height of estate much appreciated.

Is an X3 really big enough for 2 vizlas? A friend of my brothers has 2 weimeraners and he reckons he needs to swap his RRS for a Disco 5 as the RRS too small....

You wont be going very fast with the dogs in the car. I'd swap the scenic for a better dog carrier / family wagon and keep the M3 in the garage for fun drives....

[stefan4]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

Lets take the drive out of it and talk practicality for a minute... is the X3M a practical dog car? I havent had one but found my SQ5 a bit short in the boot and so whilst it had space it was width wise not length wise. I find the boot shape of the RS4 much more practical - but my dog goes in a crate and it will fit length wise in the 4 but not in the SQ5 which may flatter the former.

Also height - Terry, yours will have no problem with the height and doubt a Vizla will either but my elderly Spaniel was starting to look at it with a "you want me to jump up there" sort of face. Lower load height of estate much appreciated.

Is an X3 really big enough for 2 vizlas? A friend of my brothers has 2 weimeraners and he reckons he needs to swap his RRS for a Disco 5 as the RRS too small....

You wont be going very fast with the dogs in the car. I'd swap the scenic for a better dog carrier / family wagon and keep the M3 in the garage for fun drives....

All good points. Weimaraner are quite a bit bigger than vizsla and we have two bitches, one of whom is quite small for a V, so space wise it's 'big enough'.

Granted I won't be going fast with the dogs in but we have a caravan, so once we're there, then there's more opportunity to use the car on some nice country roads, not an option when the m3 is in the garage. We could take two cars but the Mrs gates that, she doesn't enjoy driving, and certainly not alone.

My wife is also a terrible driver (by her own admission) so any family car we get would have to be something I don't really care about, which means it's something I won't enjoy which means we may as well just stick with what we have, which we may do.

So the X3m idea is not such that it would be a daily mile muncher/primary dog carrier, but something that offers a bit more loading flexibility in the hope that the car is more 'available' for some fun if that makes sense.

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by stefan4

All good points. Weimaraner are quite a bit bigger than vizsla and we have two bitches, one of whom is quite small for a V, so space wise it's 'big enough'.

Granted I won't be going fast with the dogs in but we have a caravan, so once we're there, then there's more opportunity to use the car on some nice country roads, not an option when the m3 is in the garage. We could take two cars but the Mrs gates that, she doesn't enjoy driving, and certainly not alone.

My wife is also a terrible driver (by her own admission) so any family car we get would have to be something I don't really care about, which means it's something I won't enjoy which means we may as well just stick with what we have, which we may do.

So the X3m idea is not such that it would be a daily mile muncher/primary dog carrier, but something that offers a bit more loading flexibility in the hope that the car is more 'available' for some fun if that makes sense.

It certainly does. I remember that problem well - didnt want a family bus as 95% of my driving was alone, Mrs needed a family bus but wasnt very spacially aware, so she had a nice small hatch and I had a bus. I could do 800 miles a week, just me in the car, in a people carrier!

I'm not sure you need 500hp to have fun on country roads and you might enjoy a slightly lower powered but nimbler package more - like an M340iT or maybe even an Audi. I certainly find the RS4 a better size on country roads than the M5 that preceded it, and it feels smaller and more nimble than the SQ5 but that might be my imagination as not had the SQ5 for 2 years

[JNW1]

We have two labrador bitches that weigh roughly 25kg each and they fit fine in the back of the G21. They're young enough and fit enough to jump into an SUV at the moment but, like isleaiw1 said, it's different as they get older and when they've got less spring an estate will definitely be easier for them to get in and out of than an SUV.

I was actually going to suggest something like his RS4 as an alternative to the X3M; probably better to drive and no less practical for what you're after - ditto a C63 estate. But then I'm not a fan of SUV's and I know others feel the same about estates, ETTO!

[Goneinsixtyseconds]

It might just be me, but I really didn’t like the X3M when I tried it for a few hours. But then I don’t like being high up in a fast car, just feels too detached, especially with the lack of cockpit cocooning in the X3. I do like being high up in something more wafty and leisurely to drive though.

Eventually went for slightly less hardcore M Lite X3.....and didn’t take to that either. Full M and M lite are both perfectly capable and quick cars, I just didn’t like them, for that detached feeling when driving down country roads. Felt fast, but not fun. Therefore I couldn’t see the point.

I know others don’t feel the same, so I’d suggest an extended test drive in one to make sure you get the fun factor that you get in the M3. Sytner in Sheffield were going to lend me an M2 for 48 hours, but they only had a manual that I didn’t want. If they’ve got an X3M, maybe ask for an extended test. (Original salesman refused extended test, so I escalated as it is offered on their website and site GM said ok).

[Sennen]

If you like driving get an RS4 or wait for the M3 Touring, no amount of fettling or additional HP is going to get an SUV into the same league for driver enjoyment.

As the old saying goes.......... You cant polish a turd

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

Lets take the drive out of it and talk practicality for a minute... is the X3M a practical dog car? I havent had one but found my SQ5 a bit short in the boot and so whilst it had space it was width wise not length wise. I find the boot shape of the RS4 much more practical - but my dog goes in a crate and it will fit length wise in the 4 but not in the SQ5 which may flatter the former.

Also height - Terry, yours will have no problem with the height and doubt a Vizla will either but my elderly Spaniel was starting to look at it with a "you want me to jump up there" sort of face. Lower load height of estate much appreciated.

Is an X3 really big enough for 2 vizlas? A friend of my brothers has 2 weimeraners and he reckons he needs to swap his RRS for a Disco 5 as the RRS too small....

You wont be going very fast with the dogs in the car. I'd swap the scenic for a better dog carrier / family wagon and keep the M3 in the garage for fun drives....

From my perspective, as you say, height from the ground isn't a factor, and with almost any car except a 5 series estate I will need a boot crate which takes up the whole of the boot. You're right that an estate has a deeper boot length, so a crate for a 3 tourer is roughly 95cmx93cm, whereas an X3 or Q5 one is more like 100x85. So really neglible difference in that regard. What the SUV boot offers is a bit more height within the boot space, so our dog could at least sit normally, whereas she can't really do that in the tourer.

My situation is a little different to Stefan's I suppose, in that I think our tourer is preferable to a Scenic (purely IMHO, nothing against Scenics!) in that it's an entertaining steer in it's own right, and a perfectly good dog wagon (once I've bought a full crate rather than a half one).

[AyrshireColin]

Can't help on the M3 to X3M side of things but have had F31's, now in an X3 and have 2 springer spaniels so can comment on the estate/SUV side of things.

My dogs are far happier in the X3. I don't use a dog crate so when they are in they do as they please/use the space as they please but they seem to like the X3 and the increased headroom (they're never in the car for any longer than 10 minutes max. so can't comment on 'journeys'). My older dog is 11 now and you can watch him and see that he almost has to gee himself up to jump into the X3 (no issue, just actually thinks about it!) whereas the estates were lower and there wasn't even a thought went into jumping in. Only really an issue if you consider older or smaller dogs I suppose!

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by Sennen

If you like driving get an RS4 or wait for the M3 Touring, no amount of fettling or additional HP is going to get an SUV into the same league for driver enjoyment.

As the old saying goes.......... You cant polish a turd

Originally Posted by JNW1

We have two labrador bitches that weigh roughly 25kg each and they fit fine in the back of the G21. They're young enough and fit enough to jump into an SUV at the moment but, like isleaiw1 said, it's different as they get older and when they've got less spring an estate will definitely be easier for them to get in and out of than an SUV.

I was actually going to suggest something like his RS4 as an alternative to the X3M; probably better to drive and no less practical for what you're after - ditto a C63 estate. But then I'm not a fan of SUV's and I know others feel the same about estates, ETTO!

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

It certainly does. I remember that problem well - didnt want a family bus as 95% of my driving was alone, Mrs needed a family bus but wasnt very spacially aware, so she had a nice small hatch and I had a bus. I could do 800 miles a week, just me in the car, in a people carrier!

I'm not sure you need 500hp to have fun on country roads and you might enjoy a slightly lower powered but nimbler package more - like an M340iT or maybe even an Audi. I certainly find the RS4 a better size on country roads than the M5 that preceded it, and it feels smaller and more nimble than the SQ5 but that might be my imagination as not had the SQ5 for 2 years

I fundamentally prefer the idea of fast estate, than a SUV also. I was also looking at the new M3 Touring, but it's not coming for a while yet, and would probably then have to be a new car, when I am looking to avoid buying new cars on PCPs. The X3M has been out a while now, with AUCs in the low 50s, so trade in plus cash and a cheap loan is doable. Thankfully for right now, no poressing need to change, beyond the fact that I am always thinking of changing my cars!