[BarrySt]

Help, I've been considering replacement cars and am completely at a loss: New 330d M-Sport touring now to avoid VAT increase in Jan, or wait for new X3 30d in April? Any suggestions or alternatives?

It's going to be my only car: usually just 1-2 people inside, very occassionally more or the odd larger item. Any non-Beemer suggestions OK as long as they are German! Like to drive quickly!

Thanks/Barry

[chris330D]

Might sound obvious but it depends on what you want to do with the car. IMHO you pay a lot of extra cash for an X3 and what do you get? A bigger, heavier car with 4wd. Great if you want/need 4wd and a high up driving posisition. The touring is fatser, cheaper and more economical. Obviously I am biased and have just ordered a new 330d just as you say to avoid VAT. From what youre saying , touring for the win!!

[E92BSM10]

E91 or if you want a 4X4 maybe a Q5 or something like that

[doughboy]

330d tourer man.

X3 is a hopeless fashion led piece of tat. don't drive, don't look good, don't do even proper 4wd usefullness with shite slick summer tyres and low ride height.

in marketing world, as all smaller 4wd chick mobiles are, they are defo only aimed at women too.

3series too manly? by an X3 or an X1 or a mini countryman......

[kaishang]

Get The car you want. A £1000 or so VAT increase isn't much in terms of getting the kind of car you want.

[pjs]

New 5 series touring, surely an option

[V330d]

Originally Posted by pjs

New 5 series touring, surely an option

thinking of a 5 myself but the cost difference between a 330d and a 530d is just too big esp when compared to the 320d vs the 520d where the 5 really isn't any more expensive. (and I'd want a 535d !! and thats silly silly money)

[misterS3]

Why not the twin turbo 335D? Is the price difference that great? or has the single turbo engine caught up? I'm not up on current model.

What about A6 3.0 Tdi Quattro? If you need 4wd? (just a suggestion)

Or non-german (sorry) Subura Legacy? (if you need 4wd)

[rogerxp]

Originally Posted by doughboy

X3 is a hopeless fashion led piece of tat. don't drive, don't look good, don't do even proper 4wd usefullness with shite slick summer tyres and low ride height. in marketing world, as all smaller 4wd chick mobiles are, they are defo only aimed at women too.

Can't really argue. Think my M Sport looks pretty good though but the rest is spot on.

[Cafe.Racer]

Touring! FFS,

[parapaul]

Unless you want to look like a city mum doing the school run, get the 330d

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by parapaul

Unless you want to look like a city mum doing the school run, get the 330d

bingo.

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by rogerxp

Can't really argue. Think my M Sport looks pretty good though but the rest is spot on.

Oops, sorry Roger.

No offence meant

[SteveC]

The 330d is a blast to drive ....the X3 isn't

The 330d is a great handling sports saloon with exceptional acceleration and roll on power for a car that gives 45mpg driven hard

The X3 is a great handling SAV that's rather lumbering when compared to the 330d

[BarrySt]

Many, many thanks for all the replies / suggestions - tend to agree with what you are all saying. I'm off to the dealer today to have a drive of the 330d and choose colours after having a sleepless night undecided - so this really is a real help, I was just about to delay decisions till next yr.

- 5 series is a good idea but would mean smaller engine
- considered Audis - again good idea for 4WD but not too sure about them for some reason (interior style prob)
- 335d I did consider as a used model but 330d seems good performance/economy compromise
- agree £1k VAT diff is not make or break in decision
- Subaru - oh no

And my wife agrees with you all - she likes fast driving too.

[HighlandPete]

Some of the comments appear a bit severe, then suppose on a 3-series forum it is not too surprising.

We've an X3 M-sport in the family and to be absolutely frank it is a superb bit of kit, I'd have a 3.0d bi-turbo tomorrow, if I could carry my mother in one. Even more versatile than the 3-series touring, IMO. Well suited for the family in the Highland environment.

Forget the stereo-typing and see the X3 for what it is. It is a very underestimated machine, particularly if you are not into the larger X5, the light is now beginning to dawn... try and get a decent one and you'll find they are scarce and prices are holding better than most cars out there. Virtually no depreciation in two years on a nearly new example and would be snapped up by any BMW garage.

HighlandPete

[creepy coupe]

I've just picked up a 3 series touring as a loaner for a few days, while mine's in for a couple of jobs.

Without wanting to offend touring owners, but what's their point, the rear load area is so small, it's hardly any bigger than an E90, the roofline drops off so quickly.

If you need room maybe a 5 series touring?

[Em135eye]

Find the back of the E91 plenty enough for our needs - dog, toddler, surfboards, etc. It's not big compared to some estates but the load area is MUCH more versatile than in an E90.

[creepy coupe]

Originally Posted by 335diesel

Find the back of the E91 plenty enough for our needs - dog, toddler, surfboards, etc. It's not big compared to some estates but the load area is MUCH more versatile than in an E90.

With the back seats down maybe.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by creepy coupe

I've just picked up a 3 series touring as a loaner for a few days, while mine's in for a couple of jobs.

Without wanting to offend touring owners, but what's their point, the rear load area is so small, it's hardly any bigger than an E90, the roofline drops off so quickly.

If you need room maybe a 5 series touring?

Having had an E39 5-series touring, the 3-series is a bit smaller, but still a very useful bit of kit compared to the E90 saloon, believe me, I use the car as a touring.

The 5-series are big cars these days, but still smallish boots, (compared to the real load carriers out there) the E61, bigger than the E39, the F11 is even larger.

That's where the X3 does come in to play, the rear space is more useful than the 3-series.

HighlandPete

[creepy coupe]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

Having had an E39 5-series touring, the 3-series is a bit smaller, but still a very useful bit of kit compared to the E90 saloon, believe me, I use the car as a touring.

The 5-series are big cars these days, but still smallish boots, (compared to the real load carriers out there) the E61, bigger than the E39, the F11 is even larger.

That's where the X3 does come in to play, the rear space is more useful than the 3-series.

HighlandPete

Pete, my comment re it might as well be an E90 was a bit glib perhaps. I was referring to a pre owned E61. One of which we have just taken on as a company car, which makes much more sense then the E91 to me.

I would have an X3 over the touring anyday.

[rogerxp]

Originally Posted by doughboy

Oops, sorry Roger.

No offence meant

No offence taken DB. I completely agree with your comments on why the majority of X3's are sold as it's exactly how I came to own one. I gave my wife my old E90 330d but she said it was 'blokey' and would prefer an X3. I bided my time for a real gem of an X3 to come along, which it did eventually, and grabbed it. The benefit of course was greater space but the trade off was worse mpg (and tax it transpired ).

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

Some of the comments appear a bit severe, then suppose on a 3-series forum it is not too surprising.

We've an X3 M-sport in the family and to be absolutely frank it is a superb bit of kit, I'd have a 3.0d bi-turbo tomorrow, if I could carry my mother in one. Even more versatile than the 3-series touring, IMO. Well suited for the family in the Highland environment.

Forget the stereo-typing and see the X3 for what it is. It is a very underestimated machine, particularly if you are not into the larger X5, the light is now beginning to dawn... try and get a decent one and you'll find they are scarce and prices are holding better than most cars out there. Virtually no depreciation in two years on a nearly new example and would be snapped up by any BMW garage.

HighlandPete

I also agree here Pete. I got mine for a real steal in February and it's still worth more than what I paid. If I forget about the ride quality for a minute (as it's way too hard on the M Sport suspension) I actually really like the car. The extra space is very beneficial. With out 3 year old we tend to favour UK breaks and the X3 just gobbles up everything we need to take. Ours is kitted up to the eye-balls so is really a nice place to be (sat nav, leather/electric/heated, pana.roof/upgraded stereo/ad.xenons, etc).

I was attempting to hold out for a 35d version of the X3 but would have preferred more kit rather than a bigger engine which is what happened. That said I don't think I'd go for the more powerful version now as I'm not convinced it can handle the extra power; I've had a couple of 'moments' in my 3.0d where I hadn't realised I was going as quickly as I was going into the corner.

I know this post looks like I'm agreeing with two conflicting arguements but they are both true in my case. Doughboy is spot on in how I came to own one (and in his comparison of an E91) and Pete in how I've grown to love the car and how useful & useable the extra space is (bar the suspension).

Sounds like an E91 is most suitable for the OP though due to rarely carrying more than 2 people (I'd be getting an E92 in his position!!!).