on each key, what pressing the unlock button does. One press either all doors or just drivers door. daytime running lights on or off when do memory settings restore, at pressing unlock on key fob or when drivers door opens. do alarms auto arm
Considering the discount offered on European delivery, and the ability to order the vehicle the exact way you want it, why are any of you buying from stock, near MSRP?
+ save $2500 explore europe at your lesiure in your x3
- wait 3 months to go to europe wait 2 months afterwards for delivery pay $500-1000 for plane and hotels
up to you to decide between those, for me I would do the european thing, only because I want to go to europe. Most want to have their vehicle right away which sounds just as good
My dealer has given me a price on a X3 3.0i $1775 below ED MSRP. The sales person also said it came with mats. Has anyone got a lower bid?
You save $1000 on a two week car rental in Europe in addition to the $2500 difference in ED price. That is a decent return on the money invested for the 6-8 weeks waiting for the car to delivered.
If you want the base model with the sunroof, why would you want to choose a color you may not like, or pay a few extra thousand for options like NAV.
If you want all the options though I guess it doesn't matter. The way I would get the X3 it would sticker for $32K and change. If I went to a lot I'd bet most would be $35K+. Seeing the prices on the options, that is where BMW makes its money. I know other mfrs. have high option prices, but more so for the luxury imports.
I've been reading this board for almost two months and would like to first thank everyone for the valuable input (except for those who are on here for the sole purpose of bashing the X3...test drive it...like it, buy it...don't like it, share your experience, then move on)...
my test drive experience was the similar to most people on the board...first impression...not too excited about the appearance...a little too much black bumper...wheels a little too small...BUT once I got inside the car, a NEW and MODERN looking interior!...(though gauges are too small)...and WOW, the panoramic roof!...then when I drove the car, I truly understood the ultimate driving experience!...an SUV that handled and performed better than most sedans...there after, the exterior grew on me too...it took about a week and 4 visits to the dealership...then I was sold...
then came the ordering process (I know a lot of people ask how long certain procedures take)...I don't have the car yet, but I can elaborate on my own experience...
01/10/04--Ordered car from dealership 01/12/04--Order shows up in Owner's Circle 01/22/04--OC update with VIN number 01/28/04--OC update to Scheduled for Production 02/04/04--OC update with Factory Ordered Options 02/05/04--OC update to Awaiting Transport
I am paying MSRP on my X3 3.0i (a dealership in Boston next to a university where the kids have rich parents has its disadvantages...that and I am not trading a car so no price fudge-factor there)...however my dealer is throwing in carpet and all-weather floor mats for free after the price was determined...my X3 is due to arrive on the 1st or 2nd week of march according to my dealer...
I have been on the VW/Audi boat for the past 4 years...before that I had always wanted a 3-Series sedan...but RWD in New England plus a semi-dated interior styling turned me away...but with the X3, I finally saw a reason to buy my first BMW...this car will definitely appeal to the younger generation and true bmw fans...someday I will trade in my VW Jetta for an A4 Quattro sedan to complement my new BMW SUV...but I have to slow down for now...my salary at age 26 can't cover all these costs!... :-)
I know its been brought up before, but anybody have any new updates on the cost of the auxiliary audio adapter and how it works?...
my dealer quoted me $2500 for the aero kit (he's not sure if this includes labor)...what are peoples comments after seeing the pictures?...I know you lose out on the Park Distance Control, but do you lose the headlight washers too?...
has anyone gotten pricing on the 18" star spoke or y-spoke wheels as a separate accessory?...I didn't want the sports package as I thought the ride was stiff enough already, but I would like the bigger wheels...
if anyone has inquired about finance rates, what kind of numbers are you guys being offered?...my dealer threw out 3.9% as a possibility, but he will get back to me on that...
i know you are happy at ordering your x3, but the title of the thread is 'bmw x3'.it is not for only posting positive opinions of the x3. what are you driving now? i think you can guess what i am driving. i'll have my neighbor look for you at lrp next spring, since you are a 'true bmw fan'. he might be upgraded to an instructor, next time. all i know is that when we go to the local indoor Kart track, he kicks my butt!
Hi V Lee! My understanding is that the Aero Kit is only available for cars without, PDC, Head Light Washers and a trailer hitch. The price I was told was $2595.00 with availability sometime in March. I don't recall if there were additional charges for labor and painting.
As for the Y spoke wheel (Style 114) these are only available with the X3 3.0i Sport Package. This I am confident about this as I ordered the Sport Package and I considered them but the tires are not “All-Season” tires so I didn’t get them. (I might be one of the only ones on the X3 Town Hall Discussion group that ordered the Sport Package.)
As for financing, I noticed you are from the Boston area. AAA has financing rates at 3.99% for 36 or 48 months. The membership fee is minimal.
I have been “Awaiting Transport” since 1/30/04.
I saw a photo of the aux audio adapter mounted in the glove compartment with an IPOD attached (on OC web site). Don't know what it costs, but I think it's a dealer installed option.
hehe...I never said no negative opinions...these people should still share their experiences since its valuable input...but don't just hang around the board for the sake of bashing other people who had good experiences with the X3... I've got a 2000 Jetta GLX VR6... I'm not much of a racer...been to NHIS a few times, but never to LRP...looks like a cool place though...if I'm looking for a need for speed, I drop by F1 Boston for a few laps in a mini formula 1 kart... like I said, the X3 would be my first BMW...I'd be embarrassed to call myself a true BMW fan so fast...its just a BMW that I feel other people my age would love to get...
I'm most likely going to hold off on the aero kit for now...I'm actually more interested in getting just the 18" wheels (keep the 17s for winter)...the dealer told me that a lot of people just order the wheels as an accessory for a lot of cars that they sell (if they don't want the sports package)...I'll let you know when I have more pricing details...
my dealer said at least 3-4 weeks from the time OC says Awaiting Transport...
for financing, he also said 3.9% from BMW which would be nice so that I could keep the paperwork all in one place and it looks like you can manage payments right through OC too...a nice perk...I'm already an AAA member...its 3.99% up to 60 months...too bad I'm not in RI, its only 2.99% down there...
again, I'll let you know when I get more info on rates...
THANK YOU!!!... I've been looking for some info like this forever!...the dealership that I go to has no clue about this option...hopefully a picture will give them a clue and they can get me some pricing info... I'll post what I find out when I get a reply from the dealer...
11/30--Ordered car from dealership 12/02--Order shows up in Owner's Circle,with VIN 12/04 --Scheduled for Production 1/3 en Route 1/30 at Prep center 2/5 still at prep center, but actually at dealer will pick up 2/7
01/28 - Ordered car at the dealership 01/29 - Dealer enters into the system and gets the prodn number 02/02 - OC shows the correct color 02/04 - OC shows the options 02/06 - OC shows the vin number and status changes to scheduled for production 02/08 - Scheduled for production
Mid-End March - Date given by the dealer for delivery
I'm still waiting for delivery of my X3. When I check the Owners Circle, it says "in transit". Under details, the estimated delivery date is 2/4/04.
How accurate is the OC estimated delivery date usually? Do they update the OC daily or weekly?
Unfortunately my dealer is no help on delivery dates. All I can get from them is that they will let me know when it comes. They say that there is no way for them to get accurate delivery info.
Hi everyone! Has anyone taken delivery of an X3 with Park Distance Control (PDC) or seen one at a dealer? I noticed on my BMW OC Order Detail that it states PDC (rear only) however the X3 brochure I have states it is a front and rear system. Can anyone confirm its operation to be front and rear or rear only?
Can anyone who has received delivery of their X3 3.0 (non-heated steering wheel) tell me if it has a 3-spoke or 4-spoke steering wheel? All the brochures and web say it should be a 3-spoke, the dealer insists it will be a 4-spoke.
I just received my X3 Saturday, after ordering it in late November and thought I could provide a few comments to the questions I've seen on this board over the past month.
This is my 5th BMW since 95, my trade was the 95 M3, and our other car is an 01 M5.
Owner's Circle reports that the car has just today reached South Carolina, so I think the dealer's info is a little more up-to-date.
The car came with a 6 speed, tinted glass, luxury and sport packages, terra cotta leather, mystic blue exterior, HIDs, Nav, stereo upgrade, rear bags, almost everything. I had been looking at the more luxurious X5 V8, but my better half preferred the smaller car. In this comparison, the deference in MSRP was actually over 14K with similar equipment. I know this is a strange comparison, but I personally would have had to go with the new X5 V8 drivetrain.
Note that BMW NA won't let you order this combo, but it came exactly as ordered through the dealer. The dealer was great to work with, though my discount was not what I've seen quoted on this board - they did throw in black mats, BMW sun screen, and a 6 disk changer. I've seen several comments about the carpet - mine is black, not gray. In fact, the interior holds up well to the standards set by late model 3 Series sedans, and I've put a lot of miles on them over the past year. Fit and finish exceeded my expectation after seeing some of the comments here and noting some rough spots on the test vehicle back in November.
So far this is the cleanest of my BMW purchases from a quality and dealer performance standpoint; I really haven't found a problem. We personally prefer the manual tranny, for the fun and the added performance. For us the 3.0 is necessary, probably because of the M cars we've been driving. We have the all season 18 inch tires, not the speed rated wheel/tire upgrade. The suspension setting is about right for us. The car is so far very tight.
m5x3 are you goin to order the alarm? Do you think the dealer would include the alarm in the price? And you didn't say the price you paid for everything.
Nice to hear someone is happy with their choice and not getting harrassed by some BMW hater. I also got the Terracotta interior with Jet Black exterior and some guy harrassed me about my gray carpet. I now assume mine will have black carpet since yours does. I also got a pretty loaded one with premium, sport, Y spoke wheels, Xenon, heated seats, premium stereo. I have a 2003 M3 and a 2002 M3 both with 6 speeds so I actually wanted an automatic. I'm trading in my 2001 X5 3.0 and also almost went for the X5 4.4 and probably would have if I didn't have 2 M3's. My X3 is en route so I expect it in the next 10 days and will give an update of the sport package with the Y spoke wheels. Everyone says the ride is firm but no one has actually driven one. I'm used to a firm ride with the M3's. I'm a little suprised by the comparison of X3's to FX's because personally someone who has a BMW probably wouldn't consider An FX but maybe a VW Tourag, Porsche, Volvo or Bens., Audi or other European brand. I doubt if many people buy German auto's and also Japanese, I would think typically if someone buys Japanese brands they stick with them and the same for European.
M5X3 or anyone else...where can I find pictures of the terra cotta interior? I ordered an X3 3.0 with black sapphire paint and terra cotta interior but I do not know what the interior looks like. Can you direct me to some web pics? I ordered through overseas military sales and they have limited resources but they do offer $2k off and you can special order the options. I live in Asia, so I do not have access to a dealer. I will be picking up the X3 late Spring in the States.
M5X3 and Scotth6: I have an X3 3.0 on awaiting transport with the Sport Package. I am anxious to hear about the ride quality after so much bashing by the automotive press. Please let us know what the final production version rides like with this option. Congratulations on your purchase!!!
If you go to the BMW USA website and build a vehicle on line it will give you a picture of the interior. Your dash, console and doors will be black. I got the dark wood interior so I don't know what trim you got. The picture really doesn't show the carpet very well so that is why there is confusion as to the color. My dealer says gray but m5x3 says his is black so I say black, my dealer is wrong most of time anyway. I wanted to get the Sirius radio option but my salesman says it a rip off and I would be better to go to Best Buy and get XM radio installed.
"I'm a little surprised by the comparison of X3's to FX's because personally someone who has a BMW probably wouldn't consider An FX"
I can understand where you are coming from. However, I think you should go down to the Infiniti dealer and take a test drive. I didn't even know about the FX until last summer when I went to run an errand with a friend in his FX. I couldn't believe how awesome it was. When you read the reviews on various sites, 9 out of 10 rave about this "bionic cheetah." They accolades are very BMW-like.
Some people do buy both German and Japan cars as we have the 99 528i and 97 Pathfinder LE. I keep wanting to get rid of the Path but that damn thing doesn't cost a cent repair-wise, and with the leather interior is a pretty nice ride. It's hard to part with something like that!
jjman - I don't plan to get the alarm, and haven't talked to the dealer. The remote and key security meet my needs unless I come up with some new issue.
Sorry, I don't have the price stuff with me, but I did pay pretty close to MSRP. As I said, the dealer threw in some nice extras (mats, 6-disk changer, BMW sunshade...). I might have worn them down for a few hundred dollars, but this was their first X3 order, they were fair on the trade, it's the 4th car I've bought from them, and I happen to be one of the few people that thinks he gets value for his money from the dealer. These guys have really worked with me in the past. A few hundred dollars would not be worth my time nor the loss of goodwill with these guys.
Scotth6, I think you have an accurate description of the terra cotta combo. Some might describe the black dash as charcoal, but mine sure looks black to me. And even my wife likes the way it looks.
Again on the sport package ride, I'm glad I got it. I like it better than the softer setup. But then I traded the E36 M3 and my other car is my second E39 M5. It drives a little more like a truck than the M5, but I expected that. And the real advantage of X3 is its handling compared to other, mostly heavier SUVs. I happen to think the FX is a good choice and got very close to buying one. The decision changed last fall when I finally got my wife, who will drive the X3 as much as I do, to go shopping with me. She liked the FX and MDX, neither of us liked the Toureg, Porsche, Volvo or Mercedes, but when she compared them to the X5, BMW was her first choice. By the time they came out with the new V8 drivetrain, and I got her to drive it with me, our salesman actually introduced the X3 to the equation (this was in November), and that's what the boss decided we wanted and I liked the idea of saving the money. One thing to note, the X3 appears to have a little more EPA cargo space than either the FX or X5. And its performance is pretty close with the 6 speed and sport package.
The carpet sure looks black to me. I don't know how to get the part number without bugging the dealer. The salesman said he chose black because he thought it looked better.
Well, this will be my first BMW and I was wondering if the average driver (currently driving RX300) is going to notice the difference in engines. Is the 2.5 really sluggish or does it provide zip that the 3.0 offers? Also would like any feedback on prices paid- anyone get a discount? Thanks
I think the general consensus is that the 3.0 is "decent" and there is a bit of concern regarding the "zip" of the 2.5. The 2.5 automatic does 0-60 in 9.3 sec, that is not really "zippy", the standard is a bit quicker. Of course, nobody has reported yet on a test drive of the 2.5 so maybe we will be pleasantly surprised.
If zip is a concern, better go with the 3.0.
Regarding discounts, most posts indicate MSRP or very close with discounts of maybe 1000-1500 at best.
The update in owner's circle is anywhere from a day to a few days late. Also, your next phase is awaiting transport. That time is actually from factory to port/ship. enroute is from ship to prep center.
after almost 3 weeks of awaiting transport, my status just changed to en route to vehicle prep center. guess i have to wait 3 or more weeks before i can drive my x3.
I found the Owner's Circle updates to be of marginal use. Several times my dealer had info that showed the car much further down the path than the OC showed. In fact, I had to rush final money and trade details because the car arrived last weekend while the OC was still reporting it en route to South Carolina. After taking delivery from the dealer last Saturday, I continued to log on for kicks - the status yesterday (Wednesday) was that it was at my dealer in final preparation for my arrival.
I've searched through the posts and cannot find anyone who has driven the 2.5i. Is there anyone out there who has? I am about to order, but would like to keep the price down, so am leaning toward the 2.5 in order to get other options that would otherwise be out of grasp. Any opinions on leatherette compared to leather?
Leather vs Leatherrete I have seen cars with leather and leatherrete but was unable to distinguish between them until I checked the sticker or asked the owner.
The sales person also said he gets confused between them most of the time.
However, I should warn you that I have never had a car with leather. I believe leather will have more wrinkles(in a good way) when compared to leatherette.
2.5 vs 3.0 I believe the dealers in NJ already have 2.5 so you should be able to test drive one of those. I think the base price diff between 2.5 and 3.0 is 6K but most of the options that are part of the prem. package in 2.5 are standard in 3.0 (except moon roof). So, If you are going to order 2.5 with prem. package you should consider 3.0 more seriously. Also, gas mileage is slightly better for 2.5.
I've had several cars with leather. I have to say, the Leatherette for the X3 looks very good and the dealer even says it will outlast the leather. I did consider it at first but then decided on the leather for the following reasons. First, when you get into a car that has leather, it has that distinct leather smell, especially when the weather is warmer. Second, I like how leather starts to look after it's been worn a bit. It acually gets softer with age (assuming you take care of it). Third, it's a bit smoother, i.e. when sliding into the seat, the leatherette seems to stick a bit more. These are perhaps all small points that may not mean much to someone else. Good luck.
hate to ask dumb questions but i never had a car with leather seats. how do you take care of it? i have recaro seats so the only cleaning i do is vacuum.
Comments
on each key, what pressing the unlock button does. One press either all doors or just drivers door.
daytime running lights on or off
when do memory settings restore, at pressing unlock on key fob or when drivers door opens.
do alarms auto arm
Am I missing something?
save $2500
explore europe at your lesiure in your x3
-
wait 3 months to go to europe
wait 2 months afterwards for delivery
pay $500-1000 for plane and hotels
up to you to decide between those, for me I would do the european thing, only because I want to go to europe. Most want to have their vehicle right away which sounds just as good
I also wouldn't want them to drive the dealer to drive my car. I would rather pick it up.
I wanted to do european delivery also... but thinking about it, there were lot of things to plan. jjman summarized it all.
You save $1000 on a two week car rental in Europe in addition to the $2500 difference in ED price. That is a decent return on the money invested for the 6-8 weeks waiting for the car to delivered.
If you want the base model with the sunroof, why would you want to choose a color you may not like, or pay a few extra thousand for options like NAV.
If you want all the options though I guess it doesn't matter. The way I would get the X3 it would sticker for $32K and change. If I went to a lot I'd bet most would be $35K+. Seeing the prices on the options, that is where BMW makes its money. I know other mfrs. have high option prices, but more so for the luxury imports.
my test drive experience was the similar to most people on the board...first impression...not too excited about the appearance...a little too much black bumper...wheels a little too small...BUT once I got inside the car, a NEW and MODERN looking interior!...(though gauges are too small)...and WOW, the panoramic roof!...then when I drove the car, I truly understood the ultimate driving experience!...an SUV that handled and performed better than most sedans...there after, the exterior grew on me too...it took about a week and 4 visits to the dealership...then I was sold...
then came the ordering process (I know a lot of people ask how long certain procedures take)...I don't have the car yet, but I can elaborate on my own experience...
01/10/04--Ordered car from dealership
01/12/04--Order shows up in Owner's Circle
01/22/04--OC update with VIN number
01/28/04--OC update to Scheduled for Production
02/04/04--OC update with Factory Ordered Options
02/05/04--OC update to Awaiting Transport
I am paying MSRP on my X3 3.0i (a dealership in Boston next to a university where the kids have rich parents has its disadvantages...that and I am not trading a car so no price fudge-factor there)...however my dealer is throwing in carpet and all-weather floor mats for free after the price was determined...my X3 is due to arrive on the 1st or 2nd week of march according to my dealer...
I have been on the VW/Audi boat for the past 4 years...before that I had always wanted a 3-Series sedan...but RWD in New England plus a semi-dated interior styling turned me away...but with the X3, I finally saw a reason to buy my first BMW...this car will definitely appeal to the younger generation and true bmw fans...someday I will trade in my VW Jetta for an A4 Quattro sedan to complement my new BMW SUV...but I have to slow down for now...my salary at age 26 can't cover all these costs!... :-)
my dealer quoted me $2500 for the aero kit (he's not sure if this includes labor)...what are peoples comments after seeing the pictures?...I know you lose out on the Park Distance Control, but do you lose the headlight washers too?...
has anyone gotten pricing on the 18" star spoke or y-spoke wheels as a separate accessory?...I didn't want the sports package as I thought the ride was stiff enough already, but I would like the bigger wheels...
if anyone has inquired about finance rates, what kind of numbers are you guys being offered?...my dealer threw out 3.9% as a possibility, but he will get back to me on that...
thanks!...
what are you driving now? i think you can guess what i am driving.
i'll have my neighbor look for you at lrp next spring, since you are a 'true bmw fan'.
he might be upgraded to an instructor, next time.
all i know is that when we go to the local indoor Kart track, he kicks my butt!
As for the Y spoke wheel (Style 114) these are only available with the X3 3.0i Sport Package. This I am confident about this as I ordered the Sport Package and I considered them but the tires are not “All-Season” tires so I didn’t get them. (I might be one of the only ones on the X3 Town Hall Discussion group that ordered the Sport Package.)
As for financing, I noticed you are from the Boston area. AAA has financing rates at 3.99% for 36 or 48 months. The membership fee is minimal.
I have been “Awaiting Transport” since 1/30/04.
I hope this helps!!
MJM
I've got a 2000 Jetta GLX VR6...
I'm not much of a racer...been to NHIS a few times, but never to LRP...looks like a cool place though...if I'm looking for a need for speed, I drop by F1 Boston for a few laps in a mini formula 1 kart...
like I said, the X3 would be my first BMW...I'd be embarrassed to call myself a true BMW fan so fast...its just a BMW that I feel other people my age would love to get...
I'm most likely going to hold off on the aero kit for now...I'm actually more interested in getting just the 18" wheels (keep the 17s for winter)...the dealer told me that a lot of people just order the wheels as an accessory for a lot of cars that they sell (if they don't want the sports package)...I'll let you know when I have more pricing details...
my dealer said at least 3-4 weeks from the time OC says Awaiting Transport...
for financing, he also said 3.9% from BMW which would be nice so that I could keep the paperwork all in one place and it looks like you can manage payments right through OC too...a nice perk...I'm already an AAA member...its 3.99% up to 60 months...too bad I'm not in RI, its only 2.99% down there...
again, I'll let you know when I get more info on rates...
I've been looking for some info like this forever!...the dealership that I go to has no clue about this option...hopefully a picture will give them a clue and they can get me some pricing info...
I'll post what I find out when I get a reply from the dealer...
12/02--Order shows up in Owner's Circle,with VIN
12/04 --Scheduled for Production
1/3 en Route
1/30 at Prep center
2/5 still at prep center, but actually at dealer
will pick up 2/7
01/29 - Dealer enters into the system and gets the prodn number
02/02 - OC shows the correct color
02/04 - OC shows the options
02/06 - OC shows the vin number and status changes to scheduled for production
02/08 - Scheduled for production
Mid-End March - Date given by the dealer for delivery
I hope it will come sooner.
When I check the Owners Circle, it says "in transit". Under details, the estimated delivery date is 2/4/04.
How accurate is the OC estimated delivery date usually? Do they update the OC daily or weekly?
Unfortunately my dealer is no help on delivery dates. All I can get from them is that they will let me know when it comes. They say that there is no way for them to get accurate delivery info.
Thanks,
MJM
the part alone is $39.99...part + labor is $150...they drill a hole in your glove compartment and connect the audio adapter there...
Does anybody know where this is (I live in the Chicago area)?
How long can I expect from the date the status changes to at Vehicle Prep center to getting delivery?
This is my 5th BMW since 95, my trade was the 95 M3, and our other car is an 01 M5.
Owner's Circle reports that the car has just today reached South Carolina, so I think the dealer's info is a little more up-to-date.
The car came with a 6 speed, tinted glass, luxury and sport packages, terra cotta leather, mystic blue exterior, HIDs, Nav, stereo upgrade, rear bags, almost everything. I had been looking at the more luxurious X5 V8, but my better half preferred the smaller car. In this comparison, the deference in MSRP was actually over 14K with similar equipment. I know this is a strange comparison, but I personally would have had to go with the new X5 V8 drivetrain.
Note that BMW NA won't let you order this combo, but it came exactly as ordered through the dealer. The dealer was great to work with, though my discount was not what I've seen quoted on this board - they did throw in black mats, BMW sun screen, and a 6 disk changer. I've seen several comments about the carpet - mine is black, not gray. In fact, the interior holds up well to the standards set by late model 3 Series sedans, and I've put a lot of miles on them over the past year. Fit and finish exceeded my expectation after seeing some of the comments here and noting some rough spots on the test vehicle back in November.
So far this is the cleanest of my BMW purchases from a quality and dealer performance standpoint; I really haven't found a problem. We personally prefer the manual tranny, for the fun and the added performance. For us the 3.0 is necessary, probably because of the M cars we've been driving. We have the all season 18 inch tires, not the speed rated wheel/tire upgrade. The suspension setting is about right for us. The car is so far very tight.
It does have front and rear PDC.
The Nav outperforms the old BMW CD units.
exterior and some guy harrassed me about my gray carpet. I now assume mine will have black carpet since yours does. I also got a pretty loaded one with premium, sport, Y spoke wheels, Xenon, heated seats, premium stereo. I have a 2003 M3 and a 2002 M3 both with 6 speeds so I actually wanted an automatic. I'm trading in my 2001 X5 3.0 and also almost went for the X5 4.4 and probably would have if I didn't have 2 M3's. My X3 is en route so I expect it in the next 10 days and will give an update of the sport package with the Y spoke wheels. Everyone says the ride is firm but no one has actually driven one. I'm used to a firm ride with the M3's. I'm
a little suprised by the comparison of X3's to FX's because personally someone who has a BMW probably wouldn't consider An FX but maybe a VW Tourag, Porsche, Volvo or Bens., Audi or other European brand. I doubt if many people buy German auto's and also Japanese, I would think typically if someone buys Japanese brands they stick with them and the same for European.
Congratulations on your purchase!!!
MJM
I wanted to get the Sirius radio option but my salesman says it a rip off and I would be better to go to Best Buy and get XM radio installed.
I can understand where you are coming from. However, I think you should go down to the Infiniti dealer and take a test drive. I didn't even know about the FX until last summer when I went to run an errand with a friend in his FX. I couldn't believe how awesome it was. When you read the reviews on various sites, 9 out of 10 rave about this "bionic cheetah." They accolades are very BMW-like.
Some people do buy both German and Japan cars as we have the 99 528i and 97 Pathfinder LE. I keep wanting to get rid of the Path but that damn thing doesn't cost a cent repair-wise, and with the leather interior is a pretty nice ride. It's hard to part with something like that!
Sorry, I don't have the price stuff with me, but I did pay pretty close to MSRP. As I said, the dealer threw in some nice extras (mats, 6-disk changer, BMW sunshade...). I might have worn them down for a few hundred dollars, but this was their first X3 order, they were fair on the trade, it's the 4th car I've bought from them, and I happen to be one of the few people that thinks he gets value for his money from the dealer. These guys have really worked with me in the past. A few hundred dollars would not be worth my time nor the loss of goodwill with these guys.
Again on the sport package ride, I'm glad I got it. I like it better than the softer setup. But then I traded the E36 M3 and my other car is my second E39 M5. It drives a little more like a truck than the M5, but I expected that. And the real advantage of X3 is its handling compared to other, mostly heavier SUVs. I happen to think the FX is a good choice and got very close to buying one. The decision changed last fall when I finally got my wife, who will drive the X3 as much as I do, to go shopping with me. She liked the FX and MDX, neither of us liked the Toureg, Porsche, Volvo or Mercedes, but when she compared them to the X5, BMW was her first choice. By the time they came out with the new V8 drivetrain, and I got her to drive it with me, our salesman actually introduced the X3 to the equation (this was in November), and that's what the boss decided we wanted and I liked the idea of saving the money. One thing to note, the X3 appears to have a little more EPA cargo space than either the FX or X5. And its performance is pretty close with the 6 speed and sport package.
If zip is a concern, better go with the 3.0.
Regarding discounts, most posts indicate MSRP or very close with discounts of maybe 1000-1500 at best.
Good luck!
Do any of you have any idea what is frequency of update? I am just curious.
This process seems very slow.
Leather vs Leatherrete
I have seen cars with leather and leatherrete but was unable to distinguish between them until I checked the sticker or asked the owner.
The sales person also said he gets confused between them most of the time.
However, I should warn you that I have never had a car with leather. I believe leather will have more wrinkles(in a good way) when compared to leatherette.
2.5 vs 3.0
I believe the dealers in NJ already have 2.5 so you should be able to test drive one of those. I think the base price diff between 2.5 and 3.0 is 6K but most of the options that are part of the prem. package in 2.5 are standard in 3.0 (except moon roof). So, If you are going to order 2.5 with prem. package you should consider 3.0 more seriously. Also, gas mileage is slightly better for 2.5.
Good Luck.
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060627/FREE/60627001
I've had several cars with leather. I have to say, the Leatherette for the X3 looks very good and the dealer even says it will outlast the leather. I did consider it at first but then decided on the leather for the following reasons. First, when you get into a car that has leather, it has that distinct leather smell, especially when the weather is warmer. Second, I like how leather starts to look after it's been worn a bit. It acually gets softer with age (assuming you take care of it). Third, it's a bit smoother, i.e. when sliding into the seat, the leatherette seems to stick a bit more. These are perhaps all small points that may not mean much to someone else. Good luck.