[davyk31]

Agree Roger but 32k for a 320d isn't exactly reasonable in my book. New prices have gone crazy high.

[davyk31]

Chris, your length of ownership helped negate the depreciation, had you sold after 2 years you would have suffered more obviously. However, you won't sell a 6 year old Touareg today for 16k.

[Sir_Pigley]

Originally Posted by rogerxp

When you compare the X3 2.0d M Sport, in standard guise, at £34,135 I don't think it's all that expensive when compared to a 320d M Sport with leather (standard on an X3) which weighs in at £32,285. So for an £1,850 increase you get more space plus 4x4 if that floats your boat. I think the X3 looks expensive on the face of it but not really when you compare it to an alternative Beemer.

TBH I think £32k+ for a mid-size 2 litre diesel 4dr family saloon with minimal option is also bonkers. If it wasn't for such low interest rates that we enjoy these days nobody could afford these cars.

[rogerxp]

I absolutely agree. When you consider you can get a 'virtually' comparible Qashqai for over £10,000 cheaper, and absolutely fully loaded to boot, it makes it hard to resist. Yes, OK, it doesn't have the Beemer badge on the front and the materials might not be quite up to the same level, but really, would the majority of driver (i.e. women) notice??

The big Nissan is where I'm heading next probably (admittedly the 2WD version to maximise efficiency).

[creepy coupe]

My Brother in law has recently bought a new Qashqai and I'm mightly impressed with it so far.

Originally Posted by rogerxp

I absolutely agree. When you consider you can get a 'virtually' comparible Qashqai for over £10,000 cheaper, and absolutely fully loaded to boot, it makes it hard to resist. Yes, OK, it doesn't have the Beemer badge on the front and the materials might not be quite up to the same level, but really, would the majority of driver (i.e. women) notice??

The big Nissan is where I'm heading next probably (admittedly the 2WD version to maximise efficiency).

[chrisbin]

Originally Posted by davyk31

Chris, your length of ownership helped negate the depreciation, had you sold after 2 years you would have suffered more obviously. However, you won't sell a 6 year old Touareg today for 16k.

But that surely applies to any car....??

And maybe not £16k at the moment, but certainly £15k.....and if we get a bit of snow prices will go up too..

Sorry to go on, but you criticised the Touareg for its depreciation and I just don't think its a fair cop, and certainly shouldn't put someone off a very capable vehicle.

Oldest new model I can find at the moment has lost c.£4k in its first year....again, doesnt seem bad to me...??

Our neighbours have a Qashqai and its a great vehicle with excellent spec....just not sure how long the interior will stay looking good - plastics feel a lot cheaper...

[rogerxp]

Originally Posted by chrisbin

Our neighbours have a Qashqai and its a great vehicle with excellent spec....just not sure how long the interior will stay looking good - plastics feel a lot cheaper...

Fair point. I had to query that the seats were in fact made from leather (on top Tekna spec) as they looked a bit PVC, but they assured me they are leather - in fact had a pop at the poor leather Beemer uses!!!

For sure, I'd have an X3 over a Qashqai any day of the week, but in these tough times I'm happy to pay £90 p/a road tax, 'claimed' 60+ mpg, xenons, leather, sunroof, 360 parking cameras, 7 seats, etc, etc, all for £24k without much bartering (this being the new 1.6dci which more efficient & faster than the old 2.0dci). To be fair, there's nowt wrong with Nissan, I've now had 3 of their spicy flavour cars now and each has performed faultlessly and been cheap to maintain.

...but going back to the OP's original question, I'd prefer an X5, but if you wanted to control the outgoings a bit, then the X3 (especially the new one) is a belter and easier to manouvour given its smaller dimensions.

[kaishang]

Originally Posted by jdcampbell

TBH I think £32k+ for a mid-size 2 litre diesel 4dr family saloon with minimal option is also bonkers. If it wasn't for such low interest rates that we enjoy these days nobody could afford these cars.

Is that how much the new 320d is going to cost?!? That's nuts!

[chrisbin]

Originally Posted by rogerxp

For sure, I'd have an X3 over a Qashqai any day of the week, but in these tough times I'm happy to pay £90 p/a road tax, 'claimed' 60+ mpg, xenons, leather, sunroof, 360 parking cameras, 7 seats, etc, etc, all for £24k without much bartering (this being the new 1.6dci which more efficient & faster than the old 2.0dci). To be fair, there's nowt wrong with Nissan, I've now had 3 of their spicy flavour cars now and each has performed faultlessly and been cheap to maintain.

Agreed!

But on the X3/X5 issue, it just seems to me that the X3 has you paying too much, for not enough!!

[davyk31]

Oldest new model I can find at the moment has lost c.£4k in its first year....again, doesnt seem bad to me...??

Agree they are great vehicles and not having a pop at you at all but the above statement should read that the oldest new model is retailing at 4k below cost, what the owner got for it will be very considerably less.

This does of course apply to all cars but I really can't see a 6 year old Touareg reaching 15k on a trade in.

The comment on the X3 is spot on, not enough for too much money.

[rogerxp]

Originally Posted by davyk31

The comment on the X3 is spot on, not enough for too much money.

I'm still not convinced with this comment chaps. Let's up the aunty to make it fair...

330d Touring M Sport - with leather - £37,830
X3 3.0d M Sport - £39,975
X5 3.0d M Sport - £49,480

Given these prices I think the X3 is a bit of a bargain - would you really say the X5 is worth £9,500 more than the new X3 - I'm not convinced...

[davyk31]

Without looking at each car in detail I suspect there a spec differences in that an X5 has better spec than the X3, wheel sizes etc. Also you need to look at what you would actually buy these for, the new X3 is in strong demand therefore low discounts whereas an X5 could be discounted to perhaps halve the difference.

[rogerxp]

Fair points. Group buy X5's it is then

[davyk31]

Does the x5 not come with auto standard and maybe media pack. That would narrow the gap even more.

Group buy of 40d M Sport sounds good to me!!

[RichardM]

Auto yes but not media pack, they still charge extra for that. It does have Xenons though, metalic paint, electric memory seats (M-Sport), heat-insulated glass and one extra speaker!

EDIT: I see they are saying on the X5 'complimentary specification upgrade now available on the BMW X5' which is the Pro media pack.

[chrisbin]

Originally Posted by davyk31

Oldest new model I can find at the moment has lost c.£4k in its first year....again, doesnt seem bad to me...??

Agree they are great vehicles and not having a pop at you at all but the above statement should read that the oldest new model is retailing at 4k below cost, what the owner got for it will be very considerably less.

This does of course apply to all cars but I really can't see a 6 year old Touareg reaching 15k on a trade in.

The comment on the X3 is spot on, not enough for too much money.

Equally not having a pop....but....

Retailing at £4k less than list price....you are right that an owner wouldn't get that as a trade-in, but then equally you would not expect the owner to have paid list price...!!!

Agreed not possible to get £15k trade in, I was talking retail price.

Our own personal example was purchase price of £38k, private sale of £16k.


Glad we agree on the X3!!!!!

Oh and Roger, if you think the X3 looks good value, then a Touareg at £38,170 list (including acres of space, leather, satnav, bluetooth, Dab, heated seats, folding mirrors etc etc) is a bargain!!!

[creepy coupe]

Was out for a beer with my BMW tech mate last night and he said he'd have the new X3 over the X5. He thought the new X3 offered 90% of the X5 ability without the bulk and running cost of the X5.and with the aerokit, you have to look twice to spot the difference.

[rogerxp]

Originally Posted by creepy coupe

Was out for a beer with my BMW tech mate last night and he said he'd have the new X3 over the X5. He thought the new X3 offered 90% of the X5 ability without the bulk and running cost of the X5.and with the aerokit, you have to look twice to spot the difference.

That was kind of the message I was trying to say (but failing) Del .

And Chrisbin, yes, the Toerag is better value, but the Qashqai better value again, all the way to the Yeti .

[chrisbin]

Originally Posted by rogerxp

That was kind of the message I was trying to say (but failing) Del .

And Chrisbin, yes, the Toerag is better value, but the Qashqai better value again, all the way to the Yeti .

Ok.....I'll give up at this point....!!!!

[rogerxp]

Ha Ha. I did look into the Tourag but got all confused as I wasn't familiar with the options so favoured what I already knew, rightly or wrongly. The Nissan just fits my current budget a little better until I can afford a new Cayenne .

[gIzzE]

Every single review of the new X5 I have read ends with 'it makes the X5 pretty much redundant.'

It is getting very high praise indeed.


Cars have been cheap for years, they are now getting back to what they cost 20 year ago.

By that I mean, that in 1990 a 325i was £15, when the average house price in the UK was around £60k.
Now a 328i is £30k and average house prices are £160k.

Sp still cheaper in real terms, but better less of a difference compared with 5 years back.


Look at VW prices, a well specced Golf GTi for example.

[rogerxp]

Originally Posted by gIzzE

Every single review of the new X3 I have read ends with 'it makes the X5 pretty much redundant.'

It is getting very high praise indeed.

I think this is what you meant Guy??