Newbie with some questions.

[Snerkler]

Hi,

I currently own a Freelander 2 Metropolis which I think's great but it's coming up time to change my vehicle and am taking out an X3 X30d M Sport and have a few questions.

The car I'm looking at has the VDC and it all seems a bit confusing. I thought I understood it as I had a similar thing in my M3, although they called it EDC. I could set it to comfort which made the suspension softer, sport which firmed it up then Sport + which was quite stiff. I assumed the X3 would be the same. However, I see that the standard cars have sport, comfort and eco modes which apparently change the steering and throttle as well as the suspension, and then if you combine the two you can get comfort + too. Can someone clear this up for me please? Can you set the suspension to really soft without changing throttle response and steering response.

Sometimes with my Freelander when pressing on it can be very floaty but for the most part I like the softness of it, especially when driving around the pothole roads of Sheffield and over speed bumps. How soft and squidgy is the X3 in comfort and comfort+ modes? Can you go over the square type speed bumps without slowing?

Any help appreciated.

Cheers, Toby

[Winslet]

Toby

I can't totally answer your query as my X3 doesn't have VDC but in the past month I have moved from a SD4 Freelander to a 30d X3.

Like chalk and cheese is one way to express it.

Mine isn't a M Sport but it does have sports suspension on smaller wheels though. Much more controlled than the Freelander - much better handling but just as comfortable on rough roads, if not better. Quieter too. Not sure about your speed bumps question - the track must be narrower on the X3 so probably not as often as you can in the Freelander which can straddle quite a lot of them.

The X3's auto gearbox box and engine are in a different league. I tend to stick with comfort as the default but sport makes a difference to the gearbox in particular, not just in keeping to later up changes like the Freelander. About 20% gain in mpg.

I'd be interested to know your thoughts after a test drive.

Hope that helps.

Andrew

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[Snerkler]

Thanks for the reply, much appreciated. I will definitely post my thoughts after the test drive. I didn't realise that the track on the X3 was narrower, that will definitely make a difference on the speed bumps, but hopefully it will still ride them OK (a lot of the roads I travel on have these speed bumps  ). I guess it can't be as bad as my M3 though, I used to have to slow to 10-15mph  )

[snrbrtsn]

I've no experience with the x3 or vdc system however extensive time with the 5GT F07 with the similar system
Normal, sport & sport +

Normal mode was well normal
Sport mode adjusted the throttle map to give longer gear changes (similar to putting gear lever to left)
Sport + mode tightened the steering

Each mode could be user configured

After much and many forum debate & BMW literature review,  the mode switch was confirmed to have no altering charactistics with the suspension, as most cars had no direct link to the struts.
What I can't confirm is whether vdc equipped cars have....

Nevertheless the tweak to the steering weight gave the illusion of a tighter chassis similar to lowering & stiffening

[Snerkler]

Thanks for the reply. The VDC definitely affects the suspension, it stands for variable damper control after all interesting that the other modes don't though, or maybe they do but only when combined with the VDC? It's a shame BMW don't make these things clearer. I'll ask the salesman today but I'll not hold my breath that he'll know the answer

[Snerkler]

So just back from the test drive, taking out an X35d M Sport and I promised to give some feedback. Firstly the difference between this and the Freelander 2 is chalk and cheese. Everything is more responsive in the X3, the steering, the throttle etc etc, the X3 is far more refined. Overall it's in a different league. However, for all the flaws of the Freelander it has character and is a car that you just enjoy, even though on paper it should be rubbish. The X3 feels a bit more generic, very very nice indeed but without the same level of character. The 3 litre 6 cylinder engine is great though, so much more responsive than the Freelander, the hesitation is my biggest frustration with the Freelander.

The VDC makes a huge difference. Even in comfort mode it's nowhere near as lofty and soft as the Freelander, however bizarrely it rides bad roads and speed bumps better. The Freelander bounces over them in a soft squidgy way, but the X3 just makes them feel like they're not there. Impressive. In Sport and sport plus though you do get shook about so best left for smooth roads, which you don't find often in Sheffield.

I was only out for about 40 mins but in that short time by low back was killing me. I know it takes a while to get your seat adjusted right, but my back's still hurting now which would be a worry.

That being said I did like the X3, and overall I would say it's a better car and so was happy to negotiate a deal. However, I'm sad and frustrated to report that the figures were way off. I say frustrated as the dealer knew my budget etc before I went in and advised me that they had an amazing offer on this week and I wouldn't be wasting my time going up and that they could reach a deal. Hmmmm, started off £300 over my monthly budget and ended up £160 over my monthly budget. Why even ask me to go up, did they think I was going to magic up £160/month from somewhere?

Anyway, rant over I was really impressed with the X3 Msport. Really nice car, very nice drive and typical BMW classy interior with unrivalled iDrive. Shame I can't afford one, although I may look at used ones now.

[X5Sport]

If you suffer from a lower back problem then you might be better off looking for a car fitted with 'comfort' Seats.  They have something like 14 different adjustments, are easier to live with than sport seats and absolutely worth having.  Not sure if the X3 variants have them but the X5s do. 

[Snerkler]

I don't think the X3 Msport has them tbh, but normally it takes me a while to get used to new seats anyway. I've had M3's and Scoobirs before and so should be OK with sports seats once I've got them set right 

[Winslet]

Interesting feedback on your test drive. You appear to see the same strengths that I do. I see what you mean about the character of the Freelander, but the driving experience in the X3 far outweighs this in my opinion.

I did a 250 mile round trip today and got out feeling as if it had been 250 yards! I do have the electric seats and lumber support options on mine. The original buyer specced them and I thought they would be the least useful of the options it has, but both are useful.

I checked the the tracks... the X3 is only 6mm smaller at the front. Whether wheel width affects the inside value for ease of going over square speed bumps, I don't know. The M sport staggered set up surely must.

Shame about the dealer and any deal. I went for nearly new and the savings it offers and travelled some way to get the spec I wanted.

Best of luck.

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