[suman]

Originally Posted by arup.misra

a) No spare tire and replacement tools - Unlikely but what if you get a flat tyre? Sorry if this is a noob question

It comes with Run Flat Tyres (RFTs) where you can drive for upto 250 kms (as per BMW) without damaging the tyres. In real life, within the city, you'd have to drive a max of 10 kms so should be fine. If you're doing highway driving through lonely territory, maybe safe to carry a smaller size spare?

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

Is it worth diluting the brand for such an offbeat neither here nor there crossover?

It may not be selling in other markets, but in India it is the best selling BMW. In June 2011 they were able to sell 403 units, that's higher than any other premium crossover.

Originally Posted by Guna

@ Anshuman, is the driving position slightly upright or is it much like in a sedan?

The seating is slightly higher than a average sedan, comparable to a Tallboy hatchback.

Originally Posted by arup.misra

@anshuman - Great review mate. Neither too short nor to long just perfect. Couple of points from your review

a) No spare tire and replacement tools - Unlikely but what if you get a flat tyre? Sorry if this is a noob question

The RFTs can be driven even without any tire pressure for around 200kms, they also replace 2 or 3 damaged tires free of cost if you have taken the BMW secure(Zero depreciation Insurance).

[Swanand Inamdar]

If Clarkson's review is anything to go by, I am sure more than half the audience have already lost interest. Not did he just ridicule it, he killed the whole god damn thing.
But then, to each his own I believe.

I never knew that the X1 CE was more popular than the 320D CE! I always thought it to be the other way around./

[Santoshbhat]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

It may not be selling in other markets, but in India it is the best selling BMW. In June 2011 they were able to sell 403 units, that's higher than any other premium crossover.

Wow! Those are amazing figures. That's the power of the brand!

But will they be able to hold on to it? is the question. Sooner or later the word will be out that the product is not what it's perceived to be. People who would be looking to buy this offering from BMW would not be first time car buyers. These are people looking to move up from their Toyotas, Hondas, Skodas, VWs, etc... who make darn good automobiles.

[.anshuman]

X1 also seems to have an alignment problem, the local dealership says it's generic to most cars. My friend's car had a weird tendency to pull left, even after several visits to the Service Center they could not sort out the issue, finally they said it was the Pirelli tires that were causing it and changed the Pirelli tires with the Bridgestone tires at ~5000kms.

Now the car seems to be running fine, even i did not feel any pulling to left but my friend says he still gets a feeling of the car pulling to left.

The car has done 9000kms till date and there are no other issues to report.

[Guna]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

X1 also seems to have an alignment problem, the local dealership says it's generic to most cars. My friend's car had a weird tendency to pull left, even after several visits to the Service Center they could not sort out the issue, finally they said it was the Pirelli tires that were causing it and changed the Pirelli tires with the Bridgestone tires at ~5000kms.

Is it all the time or only on some roads which have overdone slope on either side (to let the rain want flow)? I have felt in on most cars I have driven and they almost make you feel that there is a flat tire on the left. This mostly happens at crawling speed and it disappears as the speed build up.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by suman

It comes with Run Flat Tyres (RFTs) where you can drive for upto 250 kms (as per BMW) without damaging the tyres.

Nope. If you drive on run-flats for 250 kms, the tyre is completely gone & you need to replace it at a cost of over 20K (25,000 for the X1??). Plus, what if I'm in the middle of the Bombay-Goa highway, with either side's BMW dealer more than 300 kms away?

My post on run-flats from the 525d review thread (Basically, I think they are rubbish):

A major downside is the absence of a spare tyre. Not only that, but there isn’t room for a spare in the boot either (the E60’s boot could accommodate a space-saver tyre). Good luck if you have a flat tyre mid-way to Goa (with Bombay & Goa, both, 300 kms on either side). The maximum distance that you can drive on a runflat puncture is either 240 kms (Driver + 1 passenger), 145 kms (Driver + 3 passengers) or 48 kms (Driver + 4 passengers + luggage). All of this at a maximum speed of 80 kph. I’d much rather pull over and change to a spare in 10 minutes. To add to that, if you drive the stipulated distance on a flat tyre, you will need to replace it. Cost = Upward of Rs. 20,000 each. Click here (Run Flats could go Flat) to view an interesting discussion on runflats.

[lancer_rit]

nice crisp review of X1. Frankly, I find the X1 neither here or there. It does have "teeny" bit more legroom than 3 series, but the rear is claustrophobic, and has the high tunnel as in all Germans. Looks are ok-ish, a 3series looks better any day.
Drive and handling can't be like 3 due to higher stance, seating etc. And it does look like a big hatch/small estate..

Maybe they should have put the spare tyre on the outside rear hatch door like a Safari ? Would have made it look more SUV ;-)

[suman]

Originally Posted by GTO

Nope. If you drive on run-flats for 250 kms, the tyre is completely gone & you need to replace it at a cost of over 20K (25,000 for the X1??). Plus, what if I'm in the middle of the Bombay-Goa highway, with either side's BMW dealer more than 300 kms away?

My post on run-flats from the 525d review thread (Basically, I think they are rubbish):

Up to 4 Run Flats in a year are covered under Insurance (irrespective of whether or not you opt for BMW Secure). They may be rubbish but you are likely to run into issues with warranty if you change to tubeless and your alloys get damaged. Thus, not too many people would take a risk.

And I wasn't propagating the runflats in case you misunderstood - I was answering a question on why there is no spare tyre. Not sure if you missed the remaining sentences in my post -

Originally Posted by suman

In real life, within the city, you'd have to drive a max of 10 kms so should be fine. If you're doing highway driving through lonely territory, maybe safe to carry a smaller size spare?

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by Guna

Is it all the time or only on some roads which have overdone slope on either side (to let the rain want flow)? I have felt in on most cars I have driven and they almost make you feel that there is a flat tire on the left. This mostly happens at crawling speed and it disappears as the speed build up.

My Friend is a petrolhead too with a long list of cars owned till date so i really do not doubt his observation if he says the car pulls to left. BTW BMW guys admit this to a known issue.

[abishek2222]

That was a great and short review, realized how difficult it was when i had to write one. Absolutely no complaints about my X1.

[noopster]

Lovely review .anshuman! I like the X1: it looks very BMWish and somehow different at the same time, plus the CE has all the right frills. For an urban softroader, I'd toss between this and the Yeti but the Bimmer wins oout on sheer badge value here!

Runflats however are a deal-breaker for me. High time BMW started offering regular tubeless + spare as an option. Forget halfway on the Bombay-Goa highway, what do I do if I get stuck on the e-way?!!

[mdsaab]

Does BMW offer tubeless tyres and a real spare in examples sold in other countries?
if so,
then it's high time BMW introduces the same in India.
But if they don't offer tubeless tyres and a real spare anywhere.
Then i guess there is not much they can do.
Unless they think India is a very important market which it is. and launch a model with better suited tyres for India.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by mdsaab

Does BMW offer tubeless tyres and a real spare in examples sold in other countries?
if so,
then it's high time BMW introduces the same in India.
But if they don't offer tubeless tyres and a real spare anywhere.
Then i guess there is not much they can do.
Unless they think India is a very important market which it is. and launch a model with better suited tyres for India.

I checked in the BMW Singapore website. Customer has the option to choose between normal tyres or run-flats. It’s quite strange that they do not provide a similar option in India.

[mdsaab]

Originally Posted by vb-san

I checked in the BMW Singapore website. Customer has the option to choose between normal tyres or run-flats. It’s quite strange that they do not provide a similar option in India.

Thanks for taking the time to check it out VB.
That's very strange indeed.
especially since i have heard a lot of Indian's complaining about the tyres, wanting normal ones instead of the run flats.