mindanalyzer

Hi
I just traded my 2013 FWD RDX with tech for a new 2014 BMW X3 with the following options:
- Xdrive28i (AWD, excellent system)
- Alpine white with sand beige 'nevada' interior (same exterior and interior color as the RDX)
- Premium pkg (leather, pano moonroof, comfort keyless access, power folding/auto-dimming side mirrors, memory seats, etc)
- lightning pkg (adaptive bi-xenon in the front and LED in the rear)
- Driver assistance pkg (sensors in the front and in the back with a cool radar display, nice camera with vivid colors and dynamic lines)
- Fineline wave wood trim (beautiful)

MSRP $46275
purchase price $41000

Well, so far I am very happy with the ride and options of the X3. I decided against the bmw technology pkg because it is quite expensive and I could achieve the same (or better) with a smartphone navigation app

I like many things of the RDX and I still think that it is a very good car that offers an excellent value, but there were a few things that played a role in my decision. First of all, I have been in love for a while with the looks and sporty style of the X3, lively 2.0T engine, excellent 8 speed trans w/ "pilot joystick", exhaust design, lightning system, ride quality and known road manners

... plus some other issues that [at least in my book] are negatives about the RDX:

- Absolute hate for the honda VCM system and the weird (humming) noise it makes at 35-45mph, totally killing the fun of the otherwise excellent and bulletproof V6 engine.
- Very noisy suspension system (both front and rear). By the way, I have a pair of brand new KYB GAS shock absorvers (in the red box and made in Japan) for the 2012 model that were suggested to help with these noises in the 2013 model, but that in the end were never installed. I paid $100 in amazon; if you are interested send me a pm with an offer
- A recurrent subtle [and sometimes not so subtle] vibration (steering and gas pedal) at 75-85 mph. In the 20 months of ownership I have been to the dealers due to this situation at least 3 times and I have been given as explanation 'balancing issues' but after some road balancing and such, 2-3 more months down the road, the same issue would resurface. note: I dont remember having ever hit a curb or any other object so I cannot understand this


Well, all in all I wished I had kept my RDX for a long time, but the sum of all these [little] issues was killing all the fun and I decided that it was worth to take my chances with a bimmer with the purpose of trying to get the joy factor back

... now to the showers

rosen39

The X3 was one that I also looked at. I could not get used to the seats though. They just seemed too firm. The engine "stop/start" technology at a stop light was a pain, but the dealer said you could manually turn it off each time you started the car, or after one month, the dealer would de-activate this feature. You are fortunate that all services are covered for four years. All cars should come with that.......it's mostly fluid and filter changes. The BMW will also cover brakes and rotors. The BMW is a good handling car, has a 3,000lb. towing capacity (better than the RDX), and a passenger seat that can be adjusted "up and down". Keep us posted on your findings with the new car.

hondu

I like the 2015 LCI changes for the X3 even more so, but I imagine you got such a great deal on yours because it was a left over 2014?

ossaguy

Congrats! I was lookin at one too,but the salesguy kept almost warning me about the "firm" seats and ride.I was having back problems a lot at that time,so firm just sounded painful. I never got to the level of taking a test drive.

Is that the engine to get? I think the one I was shown was larger,like a 2.5,or 3.0?

What impressed me so much was you could just see the quality of the fit and finish everywhere on it.

That would be neat if you could post some pics,and keep us posted on how it does in the coming months.

When doing a trade it in on such a new car, did you have to take big hit on it ? It sounds like you got a great price on the Bimmer.Any tips on negotiating trades?


Steve

ceb

The smaller engines are quite reliable. You'll have your share of annoying issues and the dealership experience will be crap but I'm sure you'll like the car.

Smartphones will never be a replacement for built in nav systems until they work seamlessly without a cell signal. If you drive outside of urban areas where cell signals are unreliable, I predict that you'll be buying a stand alone nav.

mindanalyzer

As you well put it you always take a hit trading such a new car but I owed $24000 for the Acura and was given (appraisal) $28500, so I had an equity of $4500 plus the important fact that in Florida you pay sales taxes (7%) not based on the purchase price but the difference between the purchase price and the trade in value ($13k something in my case), so I saved a few thousands there.

As for the negotiation, this specific BMW dealer is doing a lot of construction work and currently have their lot cars in a rented garage, with limited space. They needed to clean up space to receive some new 2015 models and were offering 4K of rebates on 2014 models; so I jumped on top of that and asked for an extra 1.2K discount. They accepted it and the whole deal went very smooth; as a matter of fact, this has been my most favorable car experience ever [and the Acura one had been pretty good by the way back in dec 2012]

happy_chrissy

Are you worried about how much the repairs would cost after the 4 year/50K warranty expires or did you purchase an extended warranty?

One of the reasons I got the RDX was because I like to keep my cars for awhile and I drive 20k miles a year, so I know in a few short years, I would have to pay a lot of money for maintenance! What are your thoughts, anyone?

mindanalyzer

Not really, in a few months (you got to add it before the 15 month or 15k miles) I will be adding a Geico MBI (Mechanical breakdown insurance) for cheap to my insurance policy that will be valid for 7years or 100k miles with $200 deductible. that's what I had with the Acura (that never used anyway)

ps: BTW the quality of the ride in the X3 is dream-like, what a marked improvement from the RDX. I dont mean to badmouth the RDX but I have to be honest: I dont even know what to say, you wouldnt believe it until you ride it for 2-3 days. I find the ride very stable and quiet, sporty but comfortable at the same time, the X3 feels heavy (I like this) with an awesome suspension (one of my main issues with the RDX), The Xdrive system is great when I make a turn kind of hot, the sport driving mode stiffen the steering wheel a big deal and the fineline wave wood trim is beautiful. I really dont mind paying a lot of money for a car but the joy factor has got to be there, otherwise there is no point

hadokenuh

This is exactly where the Germans get it right. The suspension isn't very stiff but yet very sporty and the car just hugs the road. The Japanese counterparts have to have stiff suspension to do the same, eg G37S, 370Z, TL SHAWD, early IS-F, etc.

Enjoy your X3. I like this generation X3. It has grown big enough but not too big like the X5.

ceb

You never really were a fan of your RDX.

Look at the coverage of the Geico plan carefully as you might have a very unpleasant surprise. It is an inclusionary plan (meaning only listed items are covered) so it really is only good for catastrophic failures of major systems. Further, I'm not sure what coverage there is for the electronic bits and IIRC, the deductible applies for each failure - not each visit - so a transmission failure and a seized engine are two failures.

Modern BMWs have turned into boulevard cruisers and have lost their sportiness - great for the majority of drivers.

mindanalyzer

Now that you say that, I admit that I never felt overwhelmed by my RDX. I was coming from a chevy avalanche LTZ [SUV/Truck with a superb ride] and it felt the same as when I went from an Audi A4 to the Lexus IS250 (Mrs Slowpez) -> Basically a downgrade

I really wanted to like it as I was planning for a LONG term ownership of at least 7 years and thus tried to persuade myself that keeping it was the right choice, but truth be told I could never get over the VCM weird noises [in city driving], the sub-par suspension system, the lurching at low speed (caused by the trans), lack of rear LED and MOST of all the ride quality (some people might like it, but I dont).

At least I am happy now, and at the end of the day that's what counts. I will research again the Geico MBI (already did and I thought it was pretty good) but if I decide that the coverage is not enough, then I simply buy an extended warranty (about 3K) and goodbye worries

ceb

The last car I was overwhelmed by was my new 335 - not because it was so good but because it was so bad. It wasn't just the car that (literally) was a lemon but the gawdawful dealership experience that went with it.

I hope you have a good car and a good dealership experience. I wish you no Enterprise Kia Rio loaners like I got once.

mindanalyzer

thank you for the good wishes;

maybe both of us had lemons

happy_chrissy

MBI Exclusions

Exclusions to this policy include regular maintenance services such as tune-ups, suspension alignment, wheel balancing, filters, lubrication, coolant and fluids, spark plugs, brake pads and linings, brake shoes, and tires. Also, breakdown repairs made necessary by intentional damage, corrosion, misuse, or improper maintenance are not covered. Mechanical Breakdown Insurance coverage is in excess of coverage provided by your manufacturer's warranty from the geico's website.

mindanalyzer

Some pics here, Steve

ossaguy

That's a beauty!





Steve

AXMACD

I also looked at the X3. It was a used 2012 35i in beige with the brown leather inside, had all or most options available but all I really cared about was that it had Navigation. I ultimately decided against it because it had 45,000 KM and the warranty was only good until 80,000 KM and I've heard a BMW is only good until the warranty period expires and the dealership is 2.5 hours away. If I could afford a new one I would have looked into it but seeing as I didn't want to spend upwards of 60k on a new one, I went with the RDX.

mgookool1

Congrats on the new ride! These new 2.0T engines are quite remarkable. I have a 2013 528xi w/ the 2.0T and absolutely love it. Great power and excellent gas mileage. The navigation sys would've def been worth it...

I have coded my car so the start/stop is turned off by default; close wins/sunroof/mirrors w/ fob; sports display for hp/tq on navi; video-in-motion; and actual psi readout for tpms, not just the "green" tire display.

Unlike my 2008 750i w/ the V8 that was always in the shop, this car has not seen a dealer since its been bought. I find it safe to say, the smaller engines are def more reliable than the larger ones.

Now I do love the 14' RDX Tech my wife has...but it really is lacking in some areas, its still however, a great vehicle! Might just upgrade it to an MDX in the future for some more room and comfort. Honda/Acura reliability speaks for itself and with that being said, with having a BMW in the household, its great knowing the Acura will always be there lol...;-)

Congrats again, and good luck with your new vehicle...BTW, I also had the Geico MBI and removed it, considering everything in your car is covered by bmw 4yr/50k I believe and you can pickup BMW extended coverage that can give you a better piece-of-mind.

PM me if you're interested in coding

mickey513

Thanks for the review OP. I am holding off on my purchase of a small SUV and pretty much narrowed it down to the refresh RDX or a BMW x3 (xdrive 28). I love whats the RDX offer but not a fan of the VCM engine. The BMW I know will cost me more to maintain but hey, I love the looks of the x3 but will probably wait for the new engine coming for it.

S1LV3R-S4MUR41

I remember reading a stat that ~50% of Luxury car owners are leasing, as opposed to the ~20% of Economy car owners that are leasing. Point being, if you buy a BMW, odds are you're leasing. I'm pretty sure they bake maintenance into their lease payments.

As for the new B48 engine...I keep hearing MY2016 and MY2017. Your guess is as good as mine. Considering they just released the M235i and the 435i with the N55, it would be an interesting switch to the new B58 after 1 or 2 model years. Thoughts?

k7baixo

I would have bet anything that you were correct but.....

linky

"Luxury sales have been helped by -- and contributed to -- record-high lease rates. In the first quarter, 30.2 percent of all financed new vehicles were leased, according to Experian Automotive, compared with 24.4 percent just two years earlier."

S1LV3R-S4MUR41

LOL keep reading, the very next line in that article states,"For luxury vehicles, analysts say 50 to 60 percent are leased, which creates a steady flow of returning customers in addition to those newly able to afford an upscale brand."

k7baixo

Now that makes complete sense. My apologies.

S1LV3R-S4MUR41

Haha no worries man, love that you actually went ahead and tried validating a fact I stated. Most people accept everything they read on the net without exception.

FredS

Consumer Reports in this category rated the X3 #1 and the RDX #2. The X3 is $14,000 more than the RDX. If money and net worth is not important to you than obviously the BMW if it is than obviously the RDX is the choice. There is an economic term called the law of diminishing returns. Would never own a BMW out of warranty.

ceb

I would never own a BMW in or out of warranty in the US again. I'd be perfectly happy with a BMW (regardless of warranty status) in Germany.

Comfy

Could you explain the reasons for this comment a bit more. Thank you.