Please discuss thank you in advance
Perhaps the irony of an M or competition M as an SUV finally sunk in…
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There is no real world use case for a 500 hp SUV. People are realizing that even during pre pandemic times, you can only use maybe 6/10 of the engine without getting yourself into massive trouble. The real appeal of an X3M is cruising by crowded restaurants in comfort in order to get people to stop eating mid bite to turn their heads and look at you because your exhaust goes POPPOPPOP for $800/month. Factor in the insurance premium hike that they received from their 4th ticket within 3 lease payments, and lack of crowded restaurants, paying an extra $300+ a month over a base X3 for the marginal benefits that an M model grants no longer seems worth it.
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Couldnt have said it better!
If you’re getting an X3 to show off, then you probably don’t make good decisions…better cars for that than a small suv
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I think this is a car whose novelty wears off by the fifth payment.
This is exactly the type of vehicle I would have impulse-purchased 10 years ago, and enjoyed immensely until the remorse set in.
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it feels good in test drive, but when you start driving these in day-2-day traffic and stop signs and lights the novelty wears off very quickly and its like constantly trying to rein in a big beast wanting to get away… gets tiresome
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The ride is also pretty terrible, and that’s coming from someone who has driven some pretty stiffly sprung cars in the past. On the first test drive it feels “sporty,” but spend more time and it’s just a bit much.
Completely agree. When I drove one by the UDE in NJ that’s exactly how I felt. Like walking a big dog as a kid.
show me where I can pick up a used one now as the people who are turning them in now took the initial depreciation hit for me.
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I had the same exact question… 4 now available? Must be some kinda LH record… and was thinking of getting a X3M or X5M haha
The reason is simple it’s an M car and people don’t understand that… they go in thinking because it’s an suv it will be a nice and comfy ride, the competition suspension is very stiff.
It’s essentially a taller m3, many women aren’t used to the power… one wife and one mom has already had enough (two x3ms up in transfer section)
From my experience, mom had an x3 m40 and transferred out because of how small it is, she test drove the x3m comp for sh*ts and giggles and was put off from it by the suspension, she also remarked how it felt very rwd like and not as planted as an suv should feel.
500 hp sounds like nothing since the hellcat, z06, shelby, amg’s, v8 m8 cars, etc etc have been dropping 600+ hp but it is still a lot of hp for something so small.
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At least most aren’t the poor guy paying $1100 a month like that Bill guy was who was trying to flip his here. He had to close his thread out of embarrassment. Poor guy. I can echo others above… the ride quality isn’t great either.
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It’s the ride and also some remarked that the car is gutless at low RPM’s. There’s been a few that ended up ditching theirs for the M340I which they claim was much better in initial acceleration as well as comfort. Supposedly the X3M has the hardest suspension of its competitors.
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You can do the same with the M40i for $100 less.
I guess the lesson here is not to get an X3M for someone without them test driving it.
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And test driving it on real roads, not just the test drive roads
I legit popped 3 tires last year in the same town driving to work. As nice of a town as Newton/W Newton, MA is, the roads must be worst in the state.
Worse than parts of the Pike between Framingham and Boston?
The ride is the deal breaker for most people. The engine is incredible, but on normal roads it is unbearably stiff. I think It is amplified by the ride height and it bobbles you around on city roads like nothing I’ve experienced. Somehow feels worse than just about every single sports car I’ve spent an extended period of time with (911, F-Type, RS5, M3 etc). Oh yeah, and $1k+ for winter tires might have something to do with it too.
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This! Completely agree. The stiff suspension is a lot more noticeable because of how high the vehicle is. But, clearly BMW have got something wrong here because other companies make great handling SUVs that ride stiff, but are nowhere near as rough as the X3M. Try driving a Macan or a Cayenne and you will see what I mean.
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