I’ve got an offer on a 42k model for about $399/mo plus around 1k drive offs. It’s something I’m considering. There’s also a couple of loaners around that I could do for a bit less I think. The seat is probably the least comfortable out of all the ones I’ve listed though, mostly due to size I think. The X2 seats are much better IMO.
I saw one on the road last night driving home and just couldn’t get past the design of the car at all. I need to drive one I guess, but after checking it out at the auto show I much preferred the XC40 and XC60 and even V90. Unfortunately the only Volvos on Turo is one S60 in westwood for like $70 a day. I think there’s one XC90 on there for about $100 a day as well.
Yeah I worked for a guy who had a Porsche Cayanne back when they first came out, and he’d always try and hide it from clients so they wouldn’t think he was gouging them to pay his car note!
Yeah I like the Stelvio, I really do, there’s just two things: there’s almost no info or feedback from people who own the car on how well it’s held up. I mean it’s the first model year of a vehicle from FCA and I think there’s going to be a TON of issues to deal with.
Secondly, I think the one I want (Ti or Ti Sport with most of the options) will be over $400 for sure. Probably in the realm of $420 to $440 including tax. Also the insurance is at least $30 more a month vs the other vehicles listed so I have to factor that in as well.
Ingress was my biggest challenge with my s90. Plenty of room, but I had to fall down into it and climb out of it. Also, if there wasnt enough room to open the door all the way, getting in and out could be a challenge (mainly because I didnt want to scrape the door against something else). But my frame of reference was a full size SUV that you climb up into and do a controlled fall out of).
1 Like
Not to take this off topic, but there is this show called “Ballers” that starts Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. He’s a big guy, and in the show he plays a financial advisor that works with wealthy clients, mostly NFL players. In the show, he drives a Range Rover. Now if he came out of a tiney X1 or a Subaru, I think there would be some serious credibility issues. It just wouldn’t look right. His clients are driving Ferraris and other million dollar hyper cars, so his Range Rover is more of a modest, practical car in comparison.
Obviously the Range Rover is out of your price range, but I think you need a bigger SUV, not a full size like the Expedition, but maybe something like the Explorer - a larger midsize SUV, similar in size to the Range Rover but less expensive. Maybe even a 2019 Dodge Ram dual cab with the Black Appearance package.
I was trying to be done by yesterday to catch the end of the month deals, but I really needed a mental break and it seemed like it was going to be way too nuts and frustrating dealing with these places over the weekend, so I left town for a couple of days instead. It was good because it gave me a chance to really think things over.
The new plan is to have something in the next week or so, as I’m without anything at the moment and just renting things on Turo. The big problem is I’m so busy with work it’s really hard to go out and look at a bunch of cars let alone test drive them. Turo helps, but there’s a few I’m looking at that just aren’t on there.
Fair enough on all points.
The reason i asked on the timing i that there are a ton of 2018 Stelvio’s out there and as the months progress on closer to 2019 models getting released the incentives will continue to get better and better. But based on your other post, its more urgent.
The Infiniti QX50 & Acura RDX are on our short list of “small SUVs” to look at. If neither of those works out, we’ll probaly Stelvio it up in a month or two…
Yeah I can’t really wait much longer. They may be getting better, my local Alpha sales lady has been calling daily but she always somehow manages to have the worst timing. I doubt she can touch the deals I’ve seen here anyway.
I sat in the new QX50 the other day when I test drove the current Q50. Didn’t have time to drive it, but it seems really really nice. The current deals are pretty bad compared to the rest of their lineup though, and I’m sure they’re somewhere between $400 to $500 on even the best deal possible, but will be leasing for sub $400 in another 6 to 12 months.
I test drove the 2018 RDX because hey, there’s huge discounts on them and I liked the interior much better than the new RDX, which I disliked so much I didn’t even bother to test drive one. I mean there’s a giant knob right in the middle for some reason with “DYNAMIC MODE” in giant text surrounded by acres of shiny black plastic and a touchpad operated infotainment just to round things off.
The 2018 RDX was the poorest riding SUV I’ve driven. It was almost like it had solid axles, and rode really similarly to the Tacoma TRD Off Road, but without the Tacoma fun or style. Just kinda bouncy and at the same time stiff and unsettled.
1 Like
Good info on the RDX 
Please do chime in with what you end up
Well later he’s driving a Bentley Bentayga… so… to the OP, time to hunt for a deal on a Bentayga!
3 Likes
I suggest you reconsider your choice in the Jeep GC. I have a MY17 Limited with almost all options and the seats (leather) are horrible. For extended drives, it is really uncomfortable. My wife is in a MY17 QX50 and the seats are wayyyyyyyyyy nicer and a lot more comfortable. The GC is so bad I’m thinking of trading it in as soon as I can when there’s a good deal on another “luxury” SUV.
1 Like
I’m 6’3", 215, broad shoulders, with a wrecked back. My #1 and #2 criteria while shopping for a car is comfy seats and ingress/egress.
I just test drove the Forester 2.5, Outback 2.5, and Ascent all back to back. Forester was the worst. I cut my drive short, I just knew it wasn’t for me. Go drive one, for whatever reason it feels very different from the Outback and it noticeably crappier inside. Seats are meh. Outback is the sweet spot, drove better than either the Forester or Ascent. Not sure if it gives off the right vibe for your rich clients, it’s a pretty workmanlike family/dog hauler. The Ascent has seats that are really neat looking but not any more comfortable than the Outback.
The Ascent looks better in person than the pictures, so it may cut the mustard with your clients. It’s brand new so the lease isn’t going to be friendly.
I also drove the 2019 RDX. Front seats are very comfy. The back seats are awful, my head touched the ceiling, so if you are picking up clients then look elsewhere. The dealer here is not budging from MSRP, and a lease would hit near $600.
Also just drove a 2018 XC60 T6. The screen-only controls are not that cool, but otherwise it’s a sweet ride. Unreal how nice the seats are. I could road trip all day in that car. If you can hack a lease on one you should consider Volvo.
I had a loaner X1 while my BMW was in the shop and the seats were terrible for long drives. The rest of the car was fine with the understanding that it is the cheapest BMW out there.
With any BMW the trick is getting the sport seats. Don’t settle for an X1 with the standard seats. Sport seats are only a $400 option- the problem might be finding a car with them. I believe they are standard on the M-Sport version but adding M-Sport will probably push you past the $400 a month price point. But if you are in LA there are a zillion X1’s out there and I’m sure you can find one.
When you look at the photos of a car the sport seats have the extending thigh cushion. If you see a break in the seat bottom the car has sport seats. Single part bottom regular ones.
If you like your stereo good look for the HK stereo upgrade. That might be harder to find on an X1 than sport seats though…
Any good BMW sales person can find you a car configured the way you want. There are hundreds of them in So. Cal. Might want to reach out to the BMW folks here on the site.
I probably can’t even afford an oil change on a Bentayga 
My client that has one raves about it though. For $3k plus a month it’d better be good.
I had a '16 Grand Cherokee over the weekend (right after being in a Q50 for a few days) and drove it about 600 miles filled with camping gear. It was fantastic, except of course highway MPG could be a little better. Even still I averaged about 23 MPG going up and down serious mountain passes.
Mine was a super base trim though, and the seats were fabric. The fabric they used was nice enough and the seats so comfortable that I didn’t even care at all, and it was nice not getting roasted alive every time I sat down. It only had 10,000 miles on it though, so maybe the padding just wears out quickly or they changed the seats on the '17s? After a few hours it was only slightly uncomfortable but then I adjusted the lumbar and that helped a lot.
The ride was so smooth and the power was so effortless and seamless that I remember just grinning from ear to ear just driving down the street when I picked it up. And the radio? The sound is FANTASTIC, even on the base trim! It’s one of the few cars I’ve been in that I’ll probably miss driving for sure.
Now would I need something as big as a GC everyday? Probably not even close, and I could always rent one for like $50 or $60 a day for a weekend trip if I needed. This is why I’m having a hard time deciding what I really need out of a daily driver. Luxury of a BMW/Mercedes/Infiniti? Utility of a Jeep or Forester? Practicality and lower cost of a Sedan?
Yeah the seats are pretty small and hard, almost Chevy Bolt like. It’s a shame because most everything else is great including the iDrive which I thought I’d hate.
I’ve looked at tons of X1 inventory and it’s almost impossible to find one that has the “Sport Seats” as a standalone option. Same goes with the LED headlights. If they do have either of those they’re included in a $3k package like the M package or Premium package. Hell, it’s hard enough to find one that’s not jet black or alpine white.
An M Package X1 would probably be over $400/mo for sure, most of them have an MSRP around $46k. Also I think the M Package just looks dumb on the X1. There are some with a “special edition” package floating around which includes the sport seats and some other stuff at a much lower MSRP. I’ve only seen two so far though, and there’s no way I’ve found to search inventory for that package, I just happened to see them on the lot.
I think even the base stereo in the X1 is pretty good. I’m not sure if the X1 I drove had the HK or not, but usually they have HK badging on the speaker grills and I didn’t see any. I’m not sure if the HK is included in the convenience or premium package, because I don’t remember seeing any with a “Premium Audio” option or anything like that.
Which car did you take in for service that you thought the X1 felt cheapish by comparison? To me it feels pretty well made compared to say a 3 series, and leagues better than the Audi Q3.
I’ve been trying to drive a Forester for more than just around the block. The big issue is that the Subaru dealers near me have really shitty store hours, and there’s none within about an hour radius on Turo. Really I need to get one on the freeway and see how the noise is, what the ride is like, and how good/bad the CVT is. I drove an Impreza for a couple of days and it was pretty bad in terms of power and refinement with the 150hp engine and CVT.
I’ve ruled out the Ascent because I really don’t need something that big, plus it just came out and there’s probably no deals on them. I saw a Touring in the dealer though and agree it looks pretty nice.
I also agree that the Outback is the nicest inside, but I don’t like the way it drives, or the way it looks at all. It feels kind of like driving a bus to me. Also the style is just kind of bland. You could say the same about the Forester also I guess, but to me it looks much better.
The Forester suffers from lack of updates I think. Like why does the Legacy and Outback with almost the exact same headunit as the forester get an updated carplay headunit for 2018, and the forester is left to languish?
The touring trim is the only one that to me doesn’t feel really cheap inside, and it’s also the only one with a pretty good stereo system. It feels comfortable enough, though it also suffers from somewhat small seats. At least they are well padded though. It also has crazy good visibility.
Really the only reason I’ve considered the Forester or Subaru at all is they’re one of the more capable offroaders/softroaders that also works as a daily driver. Also they have really high owner satisfaction for some reason and good reliability if I decide to do a ton of miles and keep it right?
The backseats in whatever I get will probably never even be used except for storage and/or a bed for the dog.
I would consider a Volvo but there’s no way I’m getting the dealers around here under $450 on even an XC40, much less an XC60. It’s like they all live on the moon. It’s also another brand where there’s no dealers conveniently nearby, and none on Turo, so I haven’t looked at them as much as some other brands. Also I’ve never seen a deal posted here for anything remotely close to $400 on an XC60 so I haven’t bothered.
Funny you mention the Bolt because I tried a Bolt and the seats where the main thing I didn’t like about it.
OK- first thing is that what I posted before was wrong and apparently while sport seats are a $400 option they can only be added to a car with the “Convenience Tier” which is $2,500. So I might be wrong about you being able to get a decently equipped X1 under $400 a month. I really don’t like the way BMWNA has arranged these things in stupid tiers where adding sport seats or premium audio required another $3000+ in features.
My main car is a 328i GT. And it is a much nicer car than the X1 but configured like mine is you are looking at at least $20K more than the loaner X1 so that is not too surprising. I also had a first generation X1. The GT isn’t for you since you don’t need the back seat. The back seat of the 3GT is the main selling feature of the car.
Yeah, you see a ton of white and black because those are the “free” colors. The Alpine white is dull but it is the best for hiding the dirt. I also am not seeing many base cars- they all have stuff on them- so that the starting prices are closer to $39K than $33K.
If you didn’t see badging the stereo wasn’t HK. BMW base stereos tend to be at least decent here in the US. There are some upgrades you can do that are pretty easy to do if you end up unsatisfied.
If you think the X1 will work for you message @BMW_Dave, tell him what you have to have on the car and your price point and see if he can come up with something. I think there is someone from one of the Orange County dealers on here too. You might be hunting for a demo car though to get under $400 with the features you will want.
Yeah almost all of the X1s have convenience for $2500, because really who wants to spend that much on a BMW and not have a sunroof or Keyless Access?
I’ve been looking at maybe doing a loaner 328i GT, mainly because it’s way more roomy inside than a regular 3 series. I don’t care about the backseat too much, but I do love the extra headroom and huge hatchback cargo area it has. The style however I don’t know if I can get past. If I could get an incredible deal I’d consider one for sure. I don’t know if there are any around anymore though, it looks like it’s mostly 4 series GCs at this point.
I actually spoke with Dave already and he was really great, really the whole team over there were fantastic to deal with. We were right at $399 including tax on a nicely equipped X1 with $2500 in loyalty and incentives. Now that I have a better feel for what my needs are and that in reality I’ll never take an X1 offroad and I’d just rent something more capable if needed, I’d probably change up the options and get the S-drive version for sure. It just seemed kind of silly to spend so much on a BMW and only have a FWD car though.