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BH's Alpine White MY20 G01 BMW X3 xDrive20d M Sport

38K views 148 replies 27 participants last post by  muzzer 
#1 ·
After using the A4 Avant to tow for around 6 months the wife & I decided we needed a bigger, more powerful, AWD tow car

My selection was narrowed down to the X3, a Q5, a XC60 & a VW Tiguan
This was quickly narrowed down to the X3 & the Q5

I had made contact via email with both dealers offering the best deals on respective cars
3 phone calls to the Audi 'Sales Executive' & I'm still waiting for him to call me back. He was always on the phone & was going to ring me back

So Audi lost due to the lack of interest

The wife & I went into our local BMW dealership to have a look at a new X3 as I honestly hadn't seen one on the road. I took my best deal in with me just to offer them the business if they could match/beat the deal I had

The killer with BMW at the mo is their 2.9% APR finance for the last 1/4 of 2019
I was managed to negotiate a 'healthy' discount off list & got a decent price for the A4 Avant too

So all in all, the Hound is a happy dawg

Anyway they matched the deal & were able to trace a car that was on the ship with my exact spec!
Hopefully I should be in the new X3 mid November

I chose the solid alpine white as I don't like any of the other X3 colours, but I appreciate we are all different

Spec

MY20 G01 BMW X3 xDrive 20d M Sport
190ps & 400nm torque
Solid alpine white
Auto transmission
AWD
Vernasca leather - black with grey contrast stitching
Aluminum fine cutting interior trim with pearl chrome finisher
BMW live ****pit professional with 12.3" instrument display & a 10.25" control display with ID7

Options

M Sport Plus package
- 20" M light alloy Double-spoke style 699 M wheels, Orbit Grey with mixed tyres, front 8J x 20
with 245/45 R20 tyres, rear 9.5J x 20 with 275/40 R20 tyres
- Adaptive suspension
- M seat belts
- BMW Individual high-gloss Shadow Line with extended contents
- Dynamic safety
- Sun protection glass
- M Sport braking system
- Variable sport steering
Towbar, electrically folding


Must admit I'm quite surprised how much standard kit it has -
Power tailgate
Adaptive LED headlights
Power foldy anti dazzle mirrors
F & r parking sensors with rear camera
Heated front seats
Acoustic glazing
Ambient lighting
Parking assistant (Park Assist includes the Reversing Assist camera, lateral parking aid, as well as Active Park Distance Control (PDC)

I'm sure there's more but I just haven't had enough time to read up on it yet lol

Haven't owned a BMW since 2002 so quite interested to see how things go

More info as & when I get it
 
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#94 ·
Filled up with diesel for the first time today
Part of the deal was a full tank which was showing just under a 700 mile range when I picked it up

£50 worth of Shell diesel V-power today gave me an additional 300 miles on what was left, which was 105 miles, so 405 miles after the fill up
The BMW Connected app was showing 21% full before the fill up, 71% after
So £50 gives me 50% in the tank
So on that basis around another £30'ish of V-power to fill the tank I reckon
(68 litre tank)

Happy enough with that as I never drive any of my cars with fuel economy in mind :thumb:
 
#106 ·
First time towing today with the X3
Our caravan storage is only 5 mins away, so not much of drive to assess it
However the 'zoom to trailor tow hitch' which is part of the reverse camera is invaluable. Makes reversing up to the caravan a doddle



Gave a 12 year old in a Corsa a shock when I left him for dead at the traffic lights with the 'van attached :lol:
 
#108 ·
Morning Col.

On our way to collect the M40i today but I've ordered a couple of bits for it incl this bumper protector that you were asking about on the Xbimmers forum.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RGM-Rear...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

It'll be here in a couple of days so I'll let you know my thoughts on quality and fitment.
I had a RGM one fitted to a previous Mini and it was like an OEM part in terms of fitment and quality so I'm hoping this is the same.
 
#112 ·
New to us caravan day today
A Compass Camino 660
The collection combo pic lol



Pleased to find out that all the 13 pins were wired on the tow bar electrics
Was some doubt from the doom mongers on xBimmers that it would be
Fridge works with the engine running, leisure battery charging & ATC working as it should. Saved a scene at the BM garage lol
 
#115 ·
Changed the Dealer fitted number plates today
They were the cheapest, thinnest :censored: number plates I've come across - must be about 1mm thick FFS
Didn't help that the Dealer had done a :censored: job of putting the original plates on too
I've had 2 rear one's de-laminate since November

Dealer paid for some road legal 4mm thick acrylic ones which I've stuck on with 3M tape as opposed to screws

Looks a lot better & satisfies my OCD :lol:
 
#116 ·
First time away with the X3 & our new to us Compass Camino 660 caravan



Considering our X3 has a 20d engine it does pull our 1800kg surprisingly well
On our return journey home the X3 averaged 26.4mpg over a 85 mile journey on mainly motorways

I opted to leave the X3 in cruise control at 61mph (coz I can lol) so chose ease over mpg as I'm sure it would have been closer to 30mpg without CC towing

As it happens, we had to return home 1/2 way thro the break, so I did the same 85 mile journey without the 'van
Cruise set at 75mph in adaptive mode
50.2mpg average which ain't too bad for a SUV that weighs nearly 2 tonnes :thumb:

 
#118 ·
I still have the nav on the dash display & just use the nav you see in the pic as a 'filler' TBH
I don't have the HUD option my X3

Zooms in and zoom out like the nav screen on the dash

Was a quickly take pic with my iPhone as the lights were changing :doublesho
Nothing to do with you specs buddy more my photo skills or lack of 'em lol
 
#119 ·
Left Eye Kettleby Lakes this morning after a wonderful 10 night stay :thumb:

Easy drive down but the roads were horrendous - 10 miles of roadworks bad 2 incidents where one lane shut that caused absolutely havoc - 28.2mpg over 150 mile trip this time - bloody sat nav took us thro Melton Mowbray town centre which was interesting with a 24 ft caravan in tow lol

Return journey was a lot easier, quieter & quicker - 29.4mpg over the same route again with cruise set at 61mph

Mpg seems to improve with every journey I tow

Looking for 30mpg+ on our next trip :lol:
 
#123 ·
Insurance renewal time for the X3 :wall:

Renewal premium from M&S Insurance £417.84 ! :doublesho
Renewed with One Call Insurance
https://www.onecallinsurance.co.uk/
£400 excess, protected NCD, SWMBO & I to drive, parked on the driveway (altho I almost always garage it - keeping my options open lol) etc etc

£228.80 / annum!

Happy enough with that :thumb:
 
#124 ·
My X3M was about the same (just under £300). Quotes ranged from over £1000 and needing a tracker. We all know it pays to shop around, but still surprises me come renewal time!

trying to put daughter on wifes car....that is an eye opener for Learner driver insurance.....one company wanting £1500 excess!

(interesting mini fact about garaging - sometimes it costs more to garage your car as people have a tendency to do damage driving in and out)
 
#126 ·
First service today on the X3 today at the local BMW main dealer
My wallet is now £335 lighter for the pleasure - cheers! :wall:

Had the use of a 4000 mile 21 plate M240i as a loan car so had a little play but boy was the suspension hard :lol:

To add insult to injury it was insurance renewal day as well FFS :wall:
£230.17 / annum fully comp, protected NCD, etc etc
Renewed with Flow which is part of Liverpool Victoria

The X3's had plenty of use over the last 12 months since I last updated this thread

Its still averaging between 24-28mpg towing & always returns over 50mpg on a long run so happy enough
 
#128 ·
I thought I would give the 'Eco Pro' driving mode a proper try out today
I know I know its taken me almost 2 years :lol:

Same 70 mile journey, same speed on cruise control (73mph indicated 70mph true), almost the same traffic conditions, same ambient outside tempreture, same fuel load, X3 loaded the same

Driving mode - comfort - 48.9mpg
Eco pro - 48.7mpg

Tbh I don't like the way the gearbox changes up early on Eco Pro so for me won't be using it again - ‘tia a waste of a button IMHO
 
#129 ·
I thought I would give the 'Eco Pro' driving mode a proper try out today
I know I know its taken me almost 2 years :lol:

Same 70 mile journey, same speed on cruise control (73mph indicated 70mph true), almost the same traffic conditions, same ambient outside tempreture, same fuel load, X3 loaded the same

Driving mode - comfort - 48.9mpg
Eco pro - 48.7mpg

Tbh I don't like the way the gearbox changes up early on Eco Pro so for me won't be using it again - 'tia a waste of a button IMHO
I cant get on with Eco Pro in my 420d - agree its a waste of a button. Ponderous shifts, annoying display, doesnt save you any fuel
 
#130 ·
Bristle, Just read through this and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Great additions to the car over the ownership and IMO its the perfect colour. Always liked these in white.
I'll keep my eye on the prices over the coming years too, as I think the X5 is the higher demand car out of the two and these X3's may be a bargain in coming years.

We have electric tow bar on our Alhambra, but it just electronically drops down and we have to manually lock it into place.
Then when putting it away the button 'unlocks' the tow bar and it drops, we then have to push it back into its holding spot.
I have to say, your electronic tow bar looks like it'll be an awfully expensive cost if it ever went wrong, but it is certainly a great gadget to have.

Awesome thread mate and I guess my only question on this is, so you plan of changing cars any time soon or is this here to stay a while?

Karlos
 
#132 · (Edited)
Bristle, Just read through this and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Great additions to the car over the ownership and IMO its the perfect colour. Always liked these in white.
Thank you & thank you :thumb:
I have to say, your electronic tow bar looks like it'll be an awfully expensive cost if it ever went wrong, but it is certainly a great gadget to have.
I try not to think about that :lol:

Awesome thread mate and I guess my only question on this is, so you plan of changing cars any time soon or is this here to stay a while?

Karlos
Thanks again Karlos
 
#133 ·
Collected the X3 2 years ago today
https://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showpost.php?p=5599282&postcount=29

Good enough time to give it a detail me thinks





I've used exclusively Gyeon Cure on it for the last 2 years
Initially the Cure was a stop gap for the winter but I was so pleased with it & how it layered I've carried on using it since
Still got about a 1/4 of a 400ml bottle left
 
#134 ·
Just received a pair of these from Aliexpress for £13 delivered :thumb:

Before -



After -



Velcro's on the inside for a neat finish
As I have a rubber boot mat that goes into the offside recess I can only use the nearside one for the time being
Not an exact match, but it never was going to be being non OEM. Fits very well IMHO
 
#135 ·
Well that was :censored: painful
Car tax paid today - £490 - & not even a :censored: thank you either :(
Roads are :censored: too :wall:

On another note - looking like the X3 uses around a litre of adblue / 1000 miles
Don’t know if that works out but I have done a lot of towing so may increase with the ‘van on a seasonal pitch for 12 months so no towing for a while
 
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