BimmerFest BMW Forum banner

X3 xDrive28i vs xDrive35i

25K views 47 replies 17 participants last post by  glennk 
#1 ·
I test drove the X3 earlier today and was fully impressed. Never thought I'd be interested in a true SUV (SAV)! So, here comes the pesky questions:

1. I've looked at the government fuel economy ratings between the two engines (21/28 vs 19/26), but they are usually far off from reality. Are they closer in economy in the real world?

2. Did you purchase the x28 model and regret not getting the x35?

3. Dealer is telling me if I get my order in this week, that they can get it from the factory by end of year. Sound right?

4. Dealer is saying I should be willing to pay the average rate from TrueCar. Seems a bit high and don't really want to go much over $800 over invoice. Plus, I've got discounts coming in from military and holiday discounts.

5. With #4 said, I have a trade in. Trying to balance out everything to get the best offer. Recommendations?

6. I've heard of hiring folks online to manage the entire car buying process for a fee. Thoughts?

Thx!
 
See less See more
#2 ·
Just ordered 28i. Mileage varies by driving habits. Test drove both 28i and 35i and found minimum difference between both models. The advantage of 60hp and 40 torque difference will kick in at very high rpm. Again it is only my personal opinion. Try test driving both models without identifying them. I have no regrets buying 28i. As for delivery times, my order that was placed one week ago on Nov 25th will complete production on Monday, Dec 3rd and I am expecting the car within a week from Monday. My dealer said they have been getting the delivery in 11-12 days from the order. For trade-in, do ot bring the trade-n until the sales terms are finalized and not yet signed. This way dealer cannot mixup the sales discount and trade-in value to confuse you. Any time you bring a middleman, you and the dealer both are losing money. Instead submit an offer to multiple dealers and go with the best offer.
Good luck.
 
#3 ·
My wife and I have been looking at a replacement car for her and took the X3 for an extensive test drive yesterday. However I have had several BMW's and will provide my input to your questions (below).

I test drove the X3 earlier today and was fully impressed. Never thought I'd be interested in a true SUV (SAV)! So, here comes the pesky questions:

1. I've looked at the government fuel economy ratings between the two engines (21/28 vs 19/26), but they are usually far off from reality. Are they closer in economy in the real world? .....Agree with the previous poster, it will vary depending on driving habits and conditions. I have read from others where they were getting low 30's for highway driving.

2. Did you purchase the x28 model and regret not getting the x35? ....We only test drove the x28i but I have experience with the x35i in other models. If I was the primary driver, without question I would opt for the x35i. However I love power and acceleration. For most uses the x28 would be a good choice.

3. Dealer is telling me if I get my order in this week, that they can get it from the factory by end of year. Sound right? .....This statement echos what my CA told me. However our timeline is to have the X3 by early April. Point being, there doesn't seem to be any lag with production and shipment.

4. Dealer is saying I should be willing to pay the average rate from TrueCar. Seems a bit high and don't really want to go much over $800 over invoice. Plus, I've got discounts coming in from military and holiday discounts....A range of $500-$800 over invoice minus any incentives, IMO, would be reasonable. It is not a new release or the hottest SUV/SAV on the market. Be professional and respectful during the negotiations but hold your ground.

5. With #4 said, I have a trade in. Trying to balance out everything to get the best offer. Recommendations?....Agree with the previous poster, keep the number separate (new vs. trade-in). Research ahead to get an average number by looking up the value from KBB and Edmunds.

6. I've heard of hiring folks online to manage the entire car buying process for a fee. Thoughts?....Don't bother as the broker would receive a commission. Simply be well informed and confident in your approach. I would also recommend contacting one of the forum sponsors as thee would give you an honest (if not the best) price.

Thx!
 
#4 ·
Frantastic! Thanks for the quick (and awesome) responses. I'm currently driving a GTI 6-speed with the APR Stage 1 upgrade. Something tells me to get the turbo 6 to keep parity with the GTI, but my rational (and cheap side) says to get the 4. Decisions decisions! Don't want buyers remorse...
 
#5 ·
The selection of the 28 versus 35 should also consider how you drive.

Do you do mostly city driving? If so I would go for the 35. Far more fun and you don't have to hear the pesky diesel chatter of the n20 turbo 4...I don't... but some find it loud and annoying at stop lights.

If you do hwy like me 90% of the time go with the 28. Gas milage is very good. I have gotten as high as 38 in f30 and 32 in f25 loaner cars on my daily all fwy no traffic 120 mile rt commute.

As for purchase how are you at negotiating? I love that part and confidence rules, just remember the BMW buying experience isn't the same as with Chrysler or GM. You will be treated with respect. If not walk.

Here are my rules for buying;

1) always be closing...meaning be confident about you offer, calculator in hand, know your options in advance and always have end game in sight

2) focus on final purchase price of $500 over invoice. Never get bogged down in payments. Always stop the sales person and remind them that heck you might pay cash.

3) if necessary only give them one chance to talk to boss and tell them next time you talk to boss.

4) always negates price, loan and trade in separately! This is key!

5) never purchase what the loan/paper work guy is trying to sell you! No...the wheel and tire insurance is not worth it!

6) car is made in Spartanburg, NC. Yes end of year is feasible.
 
#6 ·
Good stuff -- it is important of course to negotiate the price and trade in as two seperate transactions. Treat it like you are "selling" your GTI to them -- which of course is what you are doing. Good luck -- and over too many years of buying and selling cars and trucks I have not found one bit of difference between any car brand -- domestic or foreign -- sales process, some are easy and some you just walk away from. It all depends on the particular dealer, the salesperson (and that is what they are -- sales persons) and what the sales manager will let them get away with:tsk:. Oh yes, I never let them keep me sitting while the sales person "runs this by the boss". My numbers are all firm before I go in there.:angel:
 
#7 ·
Last question...its for those that ordered their X3. How does the process work? Do you simply tell them what you want and then they order it? Down payment required? Is the sale finalized when ordering or is that done when the vehicle arrives?
 
#18 ·
We have a 2011 35 and love it. I have not driven the 4. The inline 6, even though it has been around forever, has been updated constantly and is a very modern and efficient engine. It is extremely smooth (inline 6's are inherently well balanced) and provides effortless power at any speed. Since the max torque is available from something like 1200 or 1500 rpm, you don't need high engine speeds to appreciate the extra power of the 6.

We see 24-25 mpg regularly. Most of our commutes are 10 - 20 miles between elevations of 6000 - 7500 ft. Observed mileage on longer trips is between 26 and 30 mpg, mostly determined by speed.

Re the ordering process. My understanding, dated by a couple of years, is that the factory allocates a certain number of vehicles for each dealer every year, based on sales and, undoubtedly, other factors. These allocated vehicles are scheduled for production by the factory, so the dealer knows when and which vehicles they will receive. The options, colors, etc. on most of these vehicles are determined by the factory, not the dealer. I assume that they look at a lot of historical sales data, perhaps sales regions, and who knows what else, to maximize sales.

A number of vehicles allocated to the dealer do not have their specifications preset. (They had a special term for these but I don't remember what it was.) These are the vechicles the dealer can use to satisfy orders for vehicles not presently available on the lot or in their near-term allocation pipeline. Just as with the other allocations, these "special order" (my term, not theirs) vehicles have a planned production date established by the factory. When you place your order, the dealer specifies all the options for your vehicle and attaches your name to it.

If you do place an order for an as yet unbuilt vehicle, you can, using BMW's web site, track it once it is placed in the production pipeline. In theory anyway. Back in 2011 we found that the web data was not very accurate or timely. Perhaps they have improved since then? They also produce a little video of your vehicle at a couple of spots on the assembly line.

I'm sure the dealers can take other approaches to satisfying a customer's needs: trade between other dealers, ask the factory to alter a schedule (probably not easy), increase/decrease allocations, etc. Would be interesting to know how all of that works and what the limits are!

Good luck with your new car!
 
#28 ·
glennk, what brand of vehicle do you currently have? If non-BMW, you may want to visit that type dealer to see what they would give as a trade-in. Depending on condition and miles, they could see it as a CPO vehicle. Otherwise try CarMax (if local) or AutoTrader.
 
#29 ·
The only problem with Craigslist is the amount of spam and there will potentially be a lot of it. Also if you current vehicle is fairly new, say 2-4 years old, this might not be the best method for advertising. It is free but not always effective. As noted in my prior post, try CarMax or AutoTrader.
 
#30 · (Edited)
I sold my 2 year old Nissan Murano in two days on Craigs list and my 3 year old Acura MDX in 6 days on Craigs list with no spam issues what so ever. It costs nothing to list or sell so why not try it? I came out ahead on both sales so it was a win/win situation for me. Basically take a few good photo's of your vehicle (inside and out), line itemize all the features and key points of it (mileage, color, condition, any bells and whistles, etc) and post it to your region. If you end up trading the car to a dealer, you can end the listing immediately. Here is a link to vehicles privately listed (non-dealer) on Craig's list in the Dallas area: http://dallas.craigslist.org/cto/
 
#31 ·
The hidden benefit in trade-in is that your trade-in value is deducted prior to the sales tax calculations. So if your trade-in is worth 10k and the 7% sales tax (depending your home state) you will save $700 on the net purchase price. Trade-in is recommended for higher trade-in values to close the gap between sales tax savings and dealer trade-in vs private party price. The other option is sell your car while waiting for the order if you could manage with your wife's car or public transportation. First finalize the deal with the trade-in with an exit clause in the contract for the trade-in. Three weeks is a very good time to sell your car privately. Always have your private party sales contract as buyer purchasing the car "As is" to avoid any after sales issues with the buyer. If this didn't workout then you always falls back to dealer trade-in.
Good luck.
 
#44 ·
Because you're in Dallas they may not be that necessary. Are you concerned about Mud? Northeasterners definitely need winter mats.
 
#39 ·
Night and day difference between the turbo 6 and na 6. I didn't drive the turbo 4 as it wasn't out yet. I have a 2011 X3 35i. If you are a performance guy or a mod junky...the turbo 6 should be a no brainer. Most of you probably won't, but if you ever feel the need for more power...a simple flash will give you between 50-100whp...depending on what company software you go with (i.e. Dinan, OE Tuning, etc). Just food for thought.
 
#42 ·
My wife was looking to replace her Lexus SUV, and we were given a 2.8 X3 to drive for a couple of days, then we returned it and were given a 3.5 model for a couple of days. The 4 cylinder has a remarkable amount of torque, and is exceptionally quiet when idling (no, engine not off!). It does of course have a different engine and exhaust sound than the 6 cylinder, but it was quite nice. Driving the 3.5, however, revealed a different launch, acceleration feel, and a throatier exhaust. While the turbo 4 is impressive (and gets better mileage) the 6 won her and my heart. Smooth, fast, responsive, and sublime. To us, the few extra dollars for gasoline was worth the uptick in confidence and overall feel of the bigger engine. (Obviously it's more expensive which is clearly a consideration too). Good luck with your choice - let us know what it is! ;)

Doug
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top