[super.cars]

Correct me if i'am wrong but the illumination and the range provided by Xenons and LED headlights are almost similar. Only difference seems to be LEDs give out pure white light while Xenons have a tinge of yellow. The range and illumination provided by laser headlamps are in a different league though.

A comparison,

Headlight Comparison : Laser v LED v HID Xenon v Halogen

Surprisingly Xenon when placed at the fog lamp position performed pathetically compared to halogens. That could explain why many cars still have halogen fog lamps. LED outperformed xenon and halogen as expected.

LED vs. HID xenon vs. Halogen light output

[venom_op]

Originally Posted by araje

Hopefully this review and introduction helps potential X3 buyers in understanding the car “before” buying the car.

[/b]

Thank you so much araje!! You're thread was what helped me seal the deal ,along with inputs from akshay1234, to go ahead and book my own Deep Sea Blue X3 20d xLine! I was initially planning on the Q3 but the lack of space along with a VERY tempting deal from BMW Bavaria helped me close on the X3!

Thanks again, and i hope my thread will be up soon too!

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by venom_op

I was initially planning on the Q3 but the lack of space along with a VERY tempting deal from BMW Bavaria helped me close on the X3!

Congrats Bro. So that makes four of us here with the X3 .

Q3 is one segment smaller and is about the same size as X1. The Q5 is the direct competition for X3. I was actually happy with both but X3 had a slight edge in the powertrain department. Secondly, they are selling Audi's by publicly announcing very low pricing and destroying the brand. In the apt complex where I stay in chennai, there are already 3 Q5, so if I went for Q5, I would be the fourth kid on the block. The X3 is more unique.

[venom_op]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

Congrats Bro. So that makes four of us here with the X3 .

Q3 is one segment smaller and is about the same size as X1. The Q5 is the direct competition for X3. I was actually happy with both but X3 had a slight edge in the powertrain department. Secondly, they are selling Audi's by publicly announcing very low pricing and destroying the brand. In the apt complex where I stay in chennai, there are already 3 Q5, so if I went for Q5, I would be the fourth kid on the block. The X3 is more unique.

Haha! I know what you mean. I liked the Q3 for the features and it definitely fit my bill more than enough. But then my dad FINALLY took interest in the Luxury segment, so we decided we might as well jump up a segment. Plus, like you said, very unique car. There's only 1 other X3 LCI in Nashik. And we have Q5s by the dozens. People seem to be fascinated by them.

I'm sure my Deep Sea Blue X3 will stand out, especially with the xLine Package.

[venom_op]

Guys! Can anyone please post shots of the interior in the night with the ambient lights? Does it have the same light locations as the 5 series? Or are there fewer lights?

[venom_op]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

Took delivery of my baby yesterday. Driven 750 kms so far and loving it. Driving very conservatively as of now.

The balance between drive and handling is just brilliant. Adding a few pics here. Will detailed review after I clock a little more...

Love the mocha interiors, sir! Looks brilliant! I wish i could've got it over the beige interior!

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by venom_op

Love the mocha interiors, sir! Looks brilliant! I wish i could've got it over the beige interior!

Unfortunately Moca is available only with the white. I would have loved the Sparkling brown or blue. However, I hate beige interiors. So I didn't really have a choice with exterior colors. However, I have got used to white now and no complaints.

[venom_op]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

Unfortunately Moca is available only with the white. I would have loved the Sparkling brown or blue. However, I hate beige interiors. So I didn't really have a choice with exterior colors. However, I have got used to white now and no complaints.

Oh. I didn't know that it only came with the white. The only reason to dislike the beige is that Jean stains come on easily. That's the only unavoidable stain.

Is there a difference in the quality of the leather? I do know that the Mocha has different stitching.

[venom_op]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

Congrats Bro. So that makes four of us here with the X3 .

Q3 is one segment smaller and is about the same size as X1. The Q5 is the direct competition for X3. I was actually happy with both but X3 had a slight edge in the powertrain department. Secondly, they are selling Audi's by publicly announcing very low pricing and destroying the brand. In the apt complex where I stay in chennai, there are already 3 Q5, so if I went for Q5, I would be the fourth kid on the block. The X3 is more unique.

So finally took delivery of mine as well! Had it driven to Nashik as we could not find time to go to Pune!

She looks absolutely gorgeous in Blue!

[yash2424]

Great review.
Here is mine in the white/mocha combination.
Have clocked 10k kms with it without any problems.
There also was a recall in the middle for some anti rust coating issue!
Anyone have an idea of which mobile app can be used with the iDrive?
Another question to the owners, did you get a cigarette lighter with the car? Mines just got a plastic plug to shut the socket! Great cost cutting.

[venom_op]

Originally Posted by yash2424

Great review.
Here is mine in the white/mocha combination.
Have clocked 10k kms with it without any problems.
There also was a recall in the middle for some anti rust coating issue!
Anyone have an idea of which mobile app can be used with the iDrive?
Another question to the owners, did you get a cigarette lighter with the car? Mines just got a plastic plug to shut the socket! Great cost cutting.

Use the BMW Connected app. Works well. Also, i managed to activate Spotify on my iPhone while traveling in the US. So the BMW Connected app allows me to open a special app for spotify on the iDrive.

Also, yes. Just a regular plastic plug. Makes no difference to me since i don't smoke, though!

[venom_op]

But i managed to get these beauty shots of my car last night! It came out so well, i thought i'd share it with you guys!

Cheers!

[apurbasg]

Many thanks to all of you guys on this thread particularly Araje.

Apart from the test drives, seeing my friend's ASS predicaments on a Q7 and another friends ML 250 (which I found boring), this thread was really helpful in me buying a BMW X3 xline about 3 weeks back.

Wanted a black exterior. The only one available between the dealer's stock & Chennai factory, was with beige interiors. Although I would have preferred the mocha but then both a longer waiting period & a lesser discount, prompted me to go with black & beige combination. I have to to admit that given the neutrality of beige, its looks like a very nice combination or maybe my judgement is clouded at the moment with all the love & affection.

I got the car in my hand about 10 days ago and I have only driven 250km odd so my experience till now is quite limited. But I had a query regarding tyre pressure particularly in a city like Mumbai with quite dismal road conditions.

I had gone through the entire runflat thread and I was aware of what I was getting into but the bumpiness of the ride in the comfort mode has definitely taken me by surprise. The X3 xline test drive car definitely didnt feel this bumpy. Since I had read up on the runflats prior to the test drive so I actually took that car over quite a few uneven surfaces / pot holes to get a feel. It seemed much better than the Grand Vitara (2.4L Automatic) which I had as my last car and hence I was pretty cool. But this new car is actually feeling worse than the GV.
When I asked the sales girl who was handling my deal(she was pretty bad), she said in city 29 PSI is good. As per the specifications it seems to be 32 PSI. Normally its gonna be only myself or at the most one more person apart from me. So any suggestions on the ideal tyre pressure as per your ownership experiences?

Till now am driving pretty carefully as per run-in specs. But was driving on the sea link one night while returning from South Mumbai at decently high speeds (just under run-in speed limit suggestions) and it was very nice. Beautiful handling at the start and end of the sea link where it curves. I guess more on the experience in a few months.

Haven't bought the 3yr 40,000km BSI yet but planning to do so. Any cons on that? Is it worth it?

Araje, any luck with the navigation & other retrofits? Definitely would like to install at least the navigation.

Cheers!

[venom_op]

Originally Posted by apurbasg

Many thanks to all of you guys on this thread particularly Araje.

Apart from the test drives, seeing my friend's ASS predicaments on a Q7 and another friends ML 250 (which I found boring), this thread was really helpful in me buying a BMW X3 xline about 3 weeks back.

Wanted a black exterior. The only one available between the dealer's stock & Chennai factory, was with beige interiors. Although I would have preferred the mocha but then both a longer waiting period & a lesser discount, prompted me to go with black & beige combination. I have to to admit that given the neutrality of beige, its looks like a very nice combination or maybe my judgement is clouded at the moment with all the love & affection.

I got the car in my hand about 10 days ago and I have only driven 250km odd so my experience till now is quite limited. But I had a query regarding tyre pressure particularly in a city like Mumbai with quite dismal road conditions.

I had gone through the entire runflat thread and I was aware of what I was getting into but the bumpiness of the ride in the comfort mode has definitely taken me by surprise. The X3 xline test drive car definitely didnt feel this bumpy. Since I had read up on the runflats prior to the test drive so I actually took that car over quite a few uneven surfaces / pot holes to get a feel. It seemed much better than the Grand Vitara (2.4L Automatic) which I had as my last car and hence I was pretty cool. But this new car is actually feeling worse than the GV.
When I asked the sales girl who was handling my deal(she was pretty bad), she said in city 29 PSI is good. As per the specifications it seems to be 32 PSI. Normally its gonna be only myself or at the most one more person apart from me. So any suggestions on the ideal tyre pressure as per your ownership experiences?

Till now am driving pretty carefully as per run-in specs. But was driving on the sea link one night while returning from South Mumbai at decently high speeds (just under run-in speed limit suggestions) and it was very nice. Beautiful handling at the start and end of the sea link where it curves. I guess more on the experience in a few months.

Haven't bought the 3yr 40,000km BSI yet but planning to do so. Any cons on that? Is it worth it?

Araje, any luck with the navigation & other retrofits? Definitely would like to install at least the navigation.

Cheers!

Congratulations Apurbasg on your new X3 and might i say excellent choice with the color! I always wanted the black but since it wasn't in stock and the discount was too good to leave, i went in for the Deep Sea Blue! Have to say i'm loving the color now! Just such a vast range of hues it throws in different light.

Coming to your first question, the dealership delivered the car with the customary overinflated tire pressure of 38 psi. First thing i did was get the car to a tire shop, get rid of the air, and set it up at 32 psi with nitrogen gas.

I've found that to be the ideal tire pressure.

Coming to your second question: BSI!

Think of the BSI as a safety net. Should you ever have to pay for more than your regular service part replacements? Ideally, no! Is it possible? Maybe!

BSI will basically ensure any niggles or issues that may or may not crop up are taken care of by BMW at no cost to you (since you've technically already paid ). And since this covers 3 years, why not? I know many people who've had their premium cars cough up huge bills at random without too much running.

Also, I hope this will kind of ensure that dealerships don't take you for a ride and make you replace parts unnecessarily as it will be a cost to company thing.

I've had this happen to me way too often at the horrible VW Showroom here!

My car has done about 2500 now and so far so good. Worst part is, work has kept me so busy i've not even had the chance to take it out of the city!

Hope to do so soon and head up to Mumbai!

CHeers!

[apurbasg]

Thanks venom_op. Yep I got lucky with the colour cause there was a Black exterior in the factory in Chennai and that too from Sep'15. Otherwise I was gonna settle for a white with mocha interiors which was in stock with the dealer in Mumbai.
Re: tyre pressure. I guess I was a bit daft or gullible in this matter. I asked the showroom guys about the tyre pressure when I was checking everything prior to delivery. They showed me the place on the door where the pressure chart is stuck and said that its 32, but you can keep it on 29 in city. I then specifically asked if the pressure had been checked and they said yes sir its been set at 32. After writing the earlier post I was speaking to another friend who had bought a 530d a couple of years back from the same dealer. He told me to not trust these guys and check at my regular place (known established petrol pump in my case). To my amazement it had 36 in each of the rear tyres and 38 in each of the front tyres! Deflated it to 32 in all the 4 wheels and now it feels amazing. Huge difference. Am pretty sure driving in this Mumbai heat at such over inflated levels havent helped the tyres either. But then who do I catch now
I hear you on the BSI. As I mentioned, I was anyways planning to take one, but then wasnt sure if the amount of 1.75L is really spent on an average or its more like an insurance.

Cheers!