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So far, does your X1 meet your expectations?

  • Below Expectations

    Votes: 6 7.0%
  • Meets Expetations

    Votes: 21 24.4%
  • Exceed Expectations

    Votes: 31 36.0%
  • I'm still waiting for my X1!

    Votes: 28 32.6%

So far, does your X1 meet your expecations?

17K views 82 replies 30 participants last post by  Supagoat 
#1 ·
1. Below Expectations
2. Meets Expectations
3. Exceed Expectations
4. I'm still waiting for my X1!
 
#44 · (Edited)
I agree 100% regarding the business radio. However, our 128i redials the last person called through the radio interface when pressing the steering wheel button, not the first in the directory. It is not safe to navigate the radio interface while driving,

The voice recognition system is too cumbersome to bother with (hit speech button and say help for instructions). I wish the speech button on the wheel could activate Siri.

I regret not getting iDrive in the 128i, ordered the X1 with it.
 
#66 ·
I second that thought. The voice recognition system in the BMW is two generations old. I would like to have Siri answer the request when the phone button is pushed. Instead, I get a half functional system that lets me change settings but won't allow me to dictate a text. My $100 dollar aftermarket radio in my Subaru can do it, why can't BMW? Don't get me wrong, Siri is not perfect but 100% more functional.
 
#48 ·
Jeebus, how many Corvette drivers do we have on this forum anyway?? Am I in the wrong place? It says "BMW" up top! :rofl:

Seriously, it seems like over half the regulars I see on this forum (granted I've only been here a few weeks) have Corvettes, and that's awesome!

^^^^^ also a Corvette owner :)

Which brings me to another observation... it doesn't surprise me that those who frequently drive their Vettes would find the X1 to be slow, but in my case, I was pleasantly surprised with the X1's power, even from the 4-banger that I have. I bought the X1 to be my new winter vehicle, and it replaced a lethargic Ford Ranger that was so slow, it wasn't even funny. The winters up here last for about 5-6 months, with no break... meaning, once it snows and gets cold, it does not melt off a week later, like it might in places down south. It piles up, side streets build up more and more ice, and it's not until spring before conditions usually improve. So, my Vette spends the winter months in storage and it will be April before I drive it next. I stored it mid-October this season, and have been driving that Ranger ever since. Now, going from that ratty old Ranger to the X1, makes me feel as though I now have a Corvette for the winter months. It has suddenly made waiting for spring a little more bearable!
 
#49 ·
After going through just about everything I always end up with a Corvette, they are impossible to beat for the fun per dollar - if you can get away with not having a back seat. Especially when you can walk into a dealer and buy one for 13 grand off sticker without much arguing. I get to drive year round on some pretty great mountain roads so its an excellent car to have around here. Thats why I thought the M3 would be nice, to have the performance AND a back seat, I was pretty disappointed with it overall though.

To be honest I've been into building LS1 powered F-bodies for years and have had several 8 and 9 second 1/4 mile street cars. And I recently just sold my mid 10 second 2011 mustang GT daily driver - the Vette feels slow compared to them.

I didnt find the 4cyl X1 that slow most of the time, it was about on par with my old A4 felt like, you just arent going to get that big V8 grunt with a 2 liter four cylinder no matter what you do. What I didnt really like about it was the trans was always hunting for the right gear it seemed, the 6cyl seems to be pretty happy no matter what gear its in. Its just the whole displacement thing. If you switch it over to DS with the six it tends to shift around a bit more, I didnt fool much with the 4cyl, just turned that silly ASS thing off.

I could probably live with the 4cyl if I was back in the city, but here there are short expressway entrance ramps and 70mph speed limits, many 55mph roads with no stoplights for miles that you have to get on with few gaps between cars. You get to use the wide open throttle 0-60 several times a day. The 28i just seemed to hang there forever when you get on it, not so with the six, that was good enough for the wife and I. Granted the cost is up there on the six and in reality if you are looking for a small SUV the six is a bit of overkill. The 28i is a much better better bargain and most likely thats why around here where the X1 is pretty popular I havent seen another 35.
 
#51 ·
Seems that everyone likes extra packages/options.
I just got the base xDrive28i without any package/options.
The engine and transmission are the parts that really attract me.
Have it for 3 weeks, love the driving experience except the auto start/stop system which is really frustrating and turning it off is now the first thing I do right I start the engine, and do not care about the lack of "technology".
The weight and range of the steering are just perfect.
Real fun to drive!
 
#54 ·
yeah, it makes a world of difference not having to remember to do something every time you get in the car!

if possible, ask if there will be any ECU updates to the throttle hesitation as there have been in other models (5 series).
 
#55 ·
Just browsed others' replies, and seems that throttle hesitation bothers many owners. Since I only drove mine for a few weeks (all local), it seems that not a big issue for me, and I certainly will keep an eye on it in the future.
Not sure about whether adjusting the ECU can help though, but will talk to dealer when getting the ASS off.
 
#56 ·
When you change the default to OFF, is there a way to manually turn it on?
Scenerio: If you are waiting for a freight train to go by, you could shift to Park and press a button to turn the engine off. Or is it the same if you just shut off the car and manually restart it later?
 
#59 ·
This is my first post :). I leased a white X1 3.5 X-Drive in December. This is my first BMW. What a terrific car! This car handles and accelerates like no other car I have ever driven. Like some of the reviews say, this is a rocket ship. I have 1100 miles on it so far.

A couple of concerns I have are:
1) The push start button is a pain to use to turn vehicle and accessories off. I understand you have to have your foot off of the brake, but that's counter intuitive.
2) There is a rather disconcerting whirring/rattling sound at idle coming from engine compartment when car is warmed up and I come to a stop. The dealer told me this is the number one complaint they hear. Service advisor said it is caused by turbo winding down and there are no bulletins or recalls yet. So, live with it. Anyone else have this problem?
 
#60 ·
This is my first post :). I leased a white X1 3.5 X-Drive in December. This is my first BMW. What a terrific car! This car handles and accelerates like no other car I have ever driven. Like some of the reviews say, this is a rocket ship. I have 1100 miles on it so far.

A couple of concerns I have are:
1) The push start button is a pain to use to turn vehicle and accessories off. I understand you have to have your foot off of the brake, but that's counter intuitive.
2) There is a rather disconcerting whirring/rattling sound at idle coming from engine compartment when car is warmed up and I come to a stop. The dealer told me this is the number one complaint they hear. Service advisor said it is caused by turbo winding down and there are no bulletins or recalls yet. So, live with it. Anyone else have this problem?
If you hold the button down for like 1/2 a second longer when shutting the engine off the accessories will turn off.

Have not noticed any weird noises when coming to a stop, havent really listened that hard though.
 
#61 ·
Overall, I am very happy with my XDrive 28i. My only option is Mineral Grey. The size has turned out to be perfect for my needs.

Things I don't like:
1. Auto Start Stop. The car noticeably jerks when it restarts. If the wippers are on and it restarts, they will stop for a second or so while it starts.
2. Throttle lag. This is becoming less of an issue. I noticed it for a 2 week period and I think it's getting better.
3. Cup holder locations. Not the one you are thinking of. I don't like the one near the arm rest. It's hard to get to because my seat is more forward then most so I need to reach back to get it. I end up using the passenger cup holder. Cup holders was one thing Homer got right on his car.
4. Intermittent wipers. This is more of me issue. I need to read the manual on how to do this, but shouldn't it be intuitive?
5. My A/C doesn't seem to be as freezing cold as I like it on hot days.
6. So minor, but the open trunk button on my remote isn't ideal. I would like the trunk to kind of "jump" up, instead it is hard to tell if it worked.
7. Manual shifting is counter intuitive. Am I nuts? I went into manual and down shifted to a lower gear for a hill, but moving the shifter towards me actually goes to a higher gear. Is this normal? Did they mess up my car?

Things I like:
1. The perfect size for ski trips and bike trips.
2. The USB connection to listen to music. On one USB drive I can easily listen and navigate through 100s of songs organized by genre, folder, artist, etc.
3. Handeling. It just drives great.
4. Looks.
5. Middle seat folds down to get skis in and still seats 2 in the back.
6. Getting good fuel efficiency compared to previous truck.
7. Great acceleration when on highway.
8. Simplicity of radio air/heat controls.
9. HD radio.
10. When I press the phone icon on the steering wheel, it calls my wife. No idea how/why it does that, but it's perfect since that covers 95% of my phone use cases.
11. Ability to move back seats up to 90 degrees when more room in trunk is needed.
12. Inside looks.
13. Driver's position in car.
14. Good visibility.
15. Good information display of gas mileage.
16. Just so much fun to drive.
 
#83 ·
7. Manual shifting is counter intuitive. Am I nuts? I went into manual and down shifted to a lower gear for a hill, but moving the shifter towards me actually goes to a higher gear. Is this normal? Did they mess up my car?
This is normal and lots of people get confused by it. The origin of 'push down, pull up' is from race cars with sequential shift sticks where the driver is under lots of G forces both braking and accelerating. When braking the driver is thrust forward by the force and pushing the stick forward is easy but pulling it back would be difficult, and the opposite is true for acceleration.

That standard got moved into passenger cars.
 
#62 ·
I use the passenger cup holder as well, unless my wife is using it.

The intermittent wipers are intuitive once you read the manual.

The manual shifting with the gear selector is counterintuitive and opposite every other car I've driven, including Infiniti. Paddles were a must for me.
 
#63 ·
The X1 is a good value for a BMW, but there are some minor annoyances that became apparent in the first 200 miles:

1. I am 5'8" and the driver's side mirror does not adjust close enough for me to see the side of the car.
2. The front door sills have these nice looking M-Sport protector plates. But rear door sills have nothing but bare painted metal ready to be scratched by the kids' shoes. Nothing available from BMW accessories neither.
3. The rear seat back has these wide sloping bolsters on either side that force the LATCH hooks to be too close together. As a result, our Recaro child seat does not fit. Our other child seat barely fits but cannot be tightened snugly.
4. The height adjuster on the non-powered seat requires you to hoist yourself up off the chair in order to raise it. Why don't they have a ratcheting adjuster like everyone else?
5. The storage bin in the center arm rest is pretty useless because it's got these contours inside for the cupholder (which is unnecessary because you already have the detachable cup holder there). The Iphone holder takes up even more space.
6. There is no way to lock up the car except with the remote. And there is only 1 button inside to cycle through locking and unlocking the car. Even our old $14000 2004 Scion had lock/unlock buttons on either front door and allowed anyone to lock up the car without the key.
7. No height adjustment for seatbelt anchor. No lights on the sun visor mirrors. You'd think these things are standard on every >$30k car.
8. You store your favorite radio stations carefully in the IDrive presets, only to find out that you have to set them all over again in order to use the 1,2,3***8230;.. buttons on the radio itself.
9. There is no water temperature gauge. Lots of cars are missing that nowadays, but at least they give you a little blue light that tells you when the engine is cold. No such light in the X1 though.
10. ASS sounds good in theory. But then the fine print in the manual tells you that using ASS will shorten certain unnamed components' lives.

Now I don't want to be totally negative. There are good things I've enjoyed about the X1 too:
1. The power is great if you don't mind revving the engine above 3000rpm
2. The handling is phenomenal with the sport suspension
3. The sport seats are excellent and supportive
4. Parking sensors are very useful
5. The oil level checker is nice.
 
#64 ·
10. ASS sounds good in theory. But then the fine print in the manual tells you that using ASS will shorten certain unnamed components' lives.
I didn't see that fine print. I can see why that's the case considering how much the car rattles each time it re-starts. I honestly don't think this should have been implemented until it was more refined. In the meantime, it is easy to turn it off, which is what I do.
 
#68 ·
I use to want to just see the door handle of my car in the lower part of the mirror, but after somebody corrected me on how to fix it for blind spot monitoring I found out that I was doing it wrong. The correct way and the way that cars with BSM systems work is as follows in Car and Driver's link. Keep in mind this is a guide and not the absolute rule. YMMV, but for me it was a bit of getting use to before I realized how much better I was off having it this way. Perhaps BMW didn't goof and just set the angle to a min/max on purpose.
 
#74 ·
Its funny you mentioned Kia. They were the only ones that I had problems pushing the mirrors out past the door handles. I haven't had any issues with the X1 and am awaiting my order right now. I found that the Kia and the Hundyai both had issues on their folding mirrors that were similar to some of the complaints here. With that said, in the same vehicle other people I went test driving with didn't have that issue.

I'm not defending BMW's engineers, I'm just saying even the best made cars don't always fit everyone. That is probably why you don't see Yoa Ming driving a mini or a fiat and you don't see Peter Dinklage sporting a Bugatti Veyron.
 
#75 ·
Many many years ago there was an article in one of the auto magazines that explained why we all were adjusting our mirrors incorrectly. Several years ago, there was an article in the AAA Magazine that pretty much said the same thing. If the mirrors are adjusted properly, there is not going to be a blind spot. I mean while the car is moving forward. It is very strange when you first set you mirrors this way and I bet it will take weeks to get used to it but it does work.
 
#78 ·
I'm still waiting for mine, but during the test drive I was amazed how well the n20 + ZF 8HP completely ignored the claimed curb weight. 3700lbs? bah whatever, just hit the petal on the right and go!

The handling was great in spite of the ride height and run-flats. If you look in the engine bay you can see that the engineers took great care to keep the weight of the engine off the front axle which really helps the car feel light and nimble, which makes the choice of tall springs and run-flats all the more sad. It's like training your butt off for the 100 meter hurdles only to show up for the track meet in work boots and have 3 alarm chili for breakfast.

Without living with the car for awhile, I won't say I necessarily dislike anything, but the degree in which software and electronics run the car does cause some concern. I'd hate for the car to be rendered un-driveable because some sensor somewhere malfunctions.

On the subject of too much electronics, I don't see how automatic climate control is a luxury or premium feature. A 2003 Hyundai Accent had a dial for temperature, and another for fan speed, plus very few buttons, and for all my complaints about that car, the AC wasn't one of them. I'm not sure waiting for a bunch of sensor's committee meeting to adjourn only to misinterpret my environmental wishes is going to make my driving life better. Well, anyway, I wait at least a 1000 miles before praising or ranting on this stuff.

Ah yes! That was a big help many years ago when I drove an MX5 since with the tent up, the rear quarter visibility was abhorrent.
 
#77 ·
Love ASS

Don't know why people dislike the auto start stop feature. Down here in South West Florida, where the lights take an eternity to change, turning off the engine sure makes a lot of sense. If components wear out prematurely, so be it, it's leased anyway.

I guess everyone has their hot buttons with cars. I hate the GPS and radio. Worst upgrade I've ever paid for.
 
#80 ·
Don't know why people dislike the auto start stop feature. Down here in South West Florida, where the lights take an eternity to change, turning off the engine sure makes a lot of sense. If components wear out prematurely, so be it, it's leased anyway.

I guess everyone has their hot buttons with cars. I hate the GPS and radio. Worst upgrade I've ever paid for.
I actually am a bit shocked to know people use the ASS feature in areas such as SoFlo and Texas. My experience with it is that it tends to have an adverse effect on the AC.

As for people having issues with the ASS, I think those people may not like the fact that it may (in some instances) produce throttle lag as the system powers back up and gets ready to move. I haven't seen it yet... but then again I am not any where close to finishing the break in period. I know in high metropolitan areas with constant stop and go traffic I turn it off only because the constant starting and stopping isn't good for MPG nor the other parts. In the burbs or areas such as you describe with longer lights I'm all for using it.
 
#81 · (Edited)
According to the manual, ASS is conditional, one condition being that the AC must be sufficiently charged for the given climate setting. If you been driving awhile and hit a stop light the AC should still be able to blow cool air for a while, but if you've just turned on the car after sitting, and you've got the max AC button pressed, ASS won't work.

Should be the same with the heater, no ASS if the engine's cool. No ASS if the battery's not charged. No ASS if the starter or alternator is malfunctioning.

It's not vulgar if it's a donkey or an acronym.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.
LOL, athletes should stick with 2 or less on competition day.
 
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