How terrible of an idea is it to switch to an X3 M?

[xBoffx]

Originally Posted by PureModelsOnly

Oprah is richer than Beyoncé just sayin

She is, eh? Hmmmmmmm.........

[Thescout13]

Originally Posted by SeatownF80

I drive an F80 and my wife drives a Cayenne. It's refreshing once in a while to say fuck you speed bumps and accelerate like you trying to catch some air instead of granny rolling over it.

This. We had a loaner X3 M40i, and man if I didn't take corners harder, ignore potholes and drive like I stole it with confidence

[mcc3456]

Originally Posted by kolosy

i love my f80, but if i'm going to honest to myself- i'm not going to track it. lots of reasons, not least of which the amount of time it takes me to get anywhere outside of the city (Chicago). so given that, and the atrocious state of Chicago's roads, and the pretty slick new infotainment system the next generations have... maybe?

Not a terrible idea at all. These hot SUVs are very fun AND practical. 99.9% of M3 owners never track their cars.

Just do what meets YOUR needs and lifestyle without caring what other forum members think. Just do you. Good luck!

[tropicalypso]

I wonder if I can convince my wife to trade in her X4M40i for the new X3M...

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by Thescout13

This. We had a loaner X3 M40i, and man if I didn't take corners harder, ignore potholes and drive like I stole it with confidence

Are potholes that bad in your area that you need to watch out for mid corner craters?

That’s a really clear case for a performance SUV on 18s

[kss]

Originally Posted by mcc3456

And a hell of a lot smarter too.

I prefer Beyoncé’s umm other “assets” more than Oprah’s smarts - the same way I prefer a Ferrari to a 5 or 7 series.

[Thescout13]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

Are potholes that bad in your area that you need to watch out for mid corner craters?

That’s a really clear case for a performance SUV on 18s

Oo yeah. Where I live, the roads are atrocious. Made riding my ZCP on the 666s hard as hell. The extra tire and clearance makes driving a bit more fun day to day here.

[danniexi]

Originally Posted by G35POPPEDMYCHERRY

on topic: the rear end of the new BMW suvs are sexy AF. But that god damn grill is atrocious. WTF were they thinking if I have the perfect image to describe what I see everytime.

if you know you know

i kinda dont mind the larger grill on the recent models, only because the front of these cars have gotten large as well.

‘its only your imagination. only your imagination.’.

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by Thescout13

Oo yeah. Where I live, the roads are atrocious. Made riding my ZCP on the 666s hard as hell. The extra tire and clearance makes driving a bit more fun day to day here.

You should switch to 18s with cup2 tires rather than 20s with pss.

[Thescout13]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

You should switch to 18s with cup2 tires rather than 20s with pss.

I should. But didn't want to spend another 3-5k on tires, and recently sold my ZCP any way. Just have my wife's non-ZCP now and her 19s are good.

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by Thescout13

I should. But didn't want to spend another 3-5k on tires, and recently sold my ZCP any way. Just have my wife's non-ZCP now and her 19s are good.

nice! Congrats on the sale

I always thought the 20s where such an indication of how much ///Marketing went into “competition package” instead of ///Motorsport.

[Powerslide]

Originally Posted by kolosy

the appeal to me is that it still handles (should handle? haven't driven obviously) well and has gobs of power, but is also better suited for shitty chicago streets and long drives.

base x5 is 350ish hp, and ginormous. "expensive x3" is just shy of 500hp and roughly the same size as a 3 series.

Most important thing - you need to get what YOU want and not give a crap about what others would do. If you like the X3M - go for it without any regrets!

I also live in Metro Chicago - about an hour from Autobahn and not much farther from Blackhawk up in Wisconsin. Unfortunately I don't get to the track more than 2-3 times per year -but even still - holding on to hopes I can get to either place at least that many times in 2019. However - I've had so much fun the few times that I have gone that I can't wait to get out there again even if rarely!

If you've given up hope that you'll go to the track - all the more reason to not hold back on X3M if that's what you like (not sure what aftermarket support for track use the X3M will have - but doubt it will approach what is available for M3/M4).

Either way - good luck and do what YOU want to do - and don't worry about what others might think...

[kolosy]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

Are potholes that bad in your area that you need to watch out for mid corner craters?

That’s a really clear case for a performance SUV on 18s

i lost a tire to a mid-corner pothole recently. slashed the sidewall right open. thankfully it was a winter conti and not the summers. might have lost a wheel on the 20s, too.

[damnitBobby]

I bought a ‘18 SQ5 about 1.5 years ago. Cool SUV but it did get old after a few months. The higher center of gravity and weight are always there. It was a nice experience but I’ve learned i’m a sedan guy.

[Thescout13]

Originally Posted by damnitBobby

I bought a ‘18 SQ5 about 1.5 years ago. Cool SUV but it did get old after a few months. The higher center of gravity and weight are always there. It was a nice experience but I’ve learned i’m a sedan guy.

That's good that you learned that. I really go back and forth sometimes. I try to convince myself I'm a truck guy, have it for 6 months then invariably turn it in for a sedan/coupe. I'm interested in trying an M SUV to see if things change.

[Maitre_Absolut]

Originally Posted by Thescout13

That's good that you learned that. I really go back and forth sometimes. I try to convince myself I'm a truck guy, have it for 6 months then invariably turn it in for a sedan/coupe. I'm interested in trying an M SUV to see if things change.

It won't. I had the "holy grail" of performance trucks meant to drive like a car, the Macan GTS. As much as I loved it and found it to be the perfect SUV, it isnt a sports sedan and you are reminded of that everytime you sit it in (high seating position).

My new take on SUVs is buy the least sporty version of it. 18s and all. There's no point in trying to make it something it inherently isnt.

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by Maitre_Absolut

It won't. I had the "holy grail" of performance trucks meant to drive like a car, the Macan GTS. As much as I loved it and found it to be the perfect SUV, it isnt a sports sedan and you are reminded of that everytime you sit it in (high seating position).

My new take on SUVs is buy the least sporty version of it. 18s and all. There's no point in trying to make it something it inherently isnt.

Seconded.

Lately, I have been taking that to sedans as well. Get a 330 and an all out sports car rather than a sports sedan that’s inherently compromised in terms of size, weight, daily driver suspension tuning trade offs, seating position, etc

[JoeFromPA]

So I'm in a not dissimilar boat than the Op and let me say a few things...

1. I had an X3 M40i for 3 days as a loaner and it was one of the absolute best all around vehicles for daily driving I've ever experienced. It sounded good, accelerated amazingly, handled well, had good steering feel, controlled it's weight excellently, and just exuded confidence in real daily driving. At the same time, you could lounge at 80mph blasting music and it was a great cruiser too.

It offered more usability, versatility, and more all weather capability - which is relevant in my area - than the f80 m3 I drive year round today and have for 60k miles since August 2014.

2. The X3M offers a compelling package on paper. IF M was able to tune the sport up a few notches while maintaining the overall excellent driving envelope of the x3 m40i, it will be a huge winner for BMW.

Is it track beast? No. But then again, neither has the m5 been for almost THIRTY YEARS. It's ok to want more m5 than m3, as long as you know that's what you are going for.

3. None of us have driven it yet. We don't know the suspension tuning, the s58 engine, and many other aspects.

4. For me, I like vehicles that can truly "do it all". I'm looking at whether the x3m can throw on a set of SUV all-season tires on ~18-19" rims and handle beach driving/soft sand duty in DE. If it can, then it's a single vehicle that maybe could satisfy my daily driving aggressive needs and yet ferry my 3 kids and wife out surf-fishing in the summer. That would truly be an all-in-one vehicle. And that turns me on.

[Humdizzle]

Originally Posted by damnitBobby

I bought a ‘18 SQ5 about 1.5 years ago. Cool SUV but it did get old after a few months. The higher center of gravity and weight are always there. It was a nice experience but I’ve learned i’m a sedan guy.

Originally Posted by Maitre_Absolut

It won't. I had the "holy grail" of performance trucks meant to drive like a car, the Macan GTS. As much as I loved it and found it to be the perfect SUV, it isnt a sports sedan and you are reminded of that everytime you sit it in (high seating position).

My new take on SUVs is buy the least sporty version of it. 18s and all. There's no point in trying to make it something it inherently isnt.

pretty much this. There is no such thing as an all in one car. best to have multiple cars to fill each role. An SUV will never handle like a sport sedan, and the sportiest sedans will never feel like a 2 seater sports car. My F80 is great, but it wont ever feel as connected as my 2700 pound FR-S

[dkhm3]

I have had my x5m for almost 3 years.

+
it is lol to go wot on a 5k lb suv - that almost never gets old
lots of space

-
I go through a set of rear tires 8k-10k miles- you will notice this too when you have a heavy awd pig, fronts last 12k miles, be ready to spend 400-500 a tire.
Zf8 speed is not fun to drive vs the dct
Even with performance, weight and awd understeer is unavoidable at 7/10's
AWD friction takes away engine punch at top end, does not surge like the m3 or RWD cars

These performance suv's are simply not sports cars, and they will never be able to hide their weight, you feel it in the corners, you feel it in the transitions, and you feel it while you try to punch through traffic. There is simply a "lag" of power delivery vs a lighter sports car/sedan.

If you are willing to take these compromises, then by all means, it is the car for you.

[Thescout13]

Originally Posted by dkhm3

I have had my x5m for almost 3 years.

+
it is lol to go wot on a 5k lb suv - that almost never gets old
lots of space

-
I go through a set of rear tires 8k-10k miles- you will notice this too when you have a heavy awd pig, fronts last 12k miles, be ready to spend 400-500 a tire.
Zf8 speed is not fun to drive vs the dct
Even with performance, weight and awd understeer is unavoidable at 7/10's
AWD friction takes away engine punch at top end, does not surge like the m3 or RWD cars

These performance suv's are simply not sports cars, and they will never be able to hide their weight, you feel it in the corners, you feel it in the transitions, and you feel it while you try to punch through traffic. There is simply a "lag" of power delivery vs a lighter sports car/sedan.

If you are willing to take these compromises, then by all means, it is the car for you.

All good points. But to be fair, the X5M is 1000 lbs more than the X3M will be. Doesn't mean the drive won't be similar but maybe not as bad as an X5M

[dkhm3]

Originally Posted by Thescout13

All good points. But to be fair, the X5M is 1000 lbs more than the X3M will be. Doesn't mean the drive won't be similar but maybe not as bad as an X5M

True- However, I think that maybe the m3 ruined it for me for the x5m, it is simply much more fun to drive, and tossable. Perhaps if a performance suv is your only car, you will be plenty happy.