Not an ‘X’ but is an Xdrive

[X5Sport]

After struggling to find a BMW with the right seats for my injured spine, and not wanting a full sized ‘X’ car, we’ve settled on a G21 M340d Tourer. A bit of a change from a 2-er 220xD Gran Tourer but BMW have ceased accepting orders and there’s no replacement. I’m told it’s a rocket ship if pushed.

Component shortages either meant waiting and finding we struggled to get anything as the situation deteriorates over the next 6-9 months, or look at something else. Some reports are saying the shortages may last into 2023, and the lease ends next July.

I never expected to go that far up the range but electric seats with lumber supports aren’t available at any 1,2,3,X1,X2,X3 variant except the M’ designated versions - and no that doesn’t mean MSport trim either. Comfort Seats we’re only available on the 5er and only at significant extra cost on what would have been a very limited spec 520d. Tether half is also afflicted by motion sickness so firm suspension is key as the slightest sign of a wallow sets her off. In our E53 (rear air) she lasted about 5 minutes. I specced the X6 as springs all round and she’s fine.

We tried to get info about the new 2er Active Tourer however apart from spy shots there is absolutely no useful info on specs or prices.

No delivery date yet, but a placeholder to get a build slot is in the system. Likely to be after Xmas. If the spec gets ‘downed’ then we’ll cancel and the dealer is happy with that.

Other half now wearing a sh!t eating grin - she’s an absolute petrol head - or whatever the diesel equivalent is….

[sapphireblack]

Hmm, reads like you may need to defect from the BMW brand, Volvo, VW perhaps?

[X5Sport]

We looked hard at VW as well, and they have the same problem with electronics. We’ve had four Škodas over the years, but now they all come with a DSG gearbox and the last Škoda (2015 Superb Estate) was fitted with one. I can safely say it was the worst gearbox that I have ever had the displeasure to drive. Most likely the limits that VAG based on the Škoda badge rather than the box itself. Recoding it to use Audi operation software improved it. We gave it back two years into the deal after one too many scares trying to pull out of junctions and having the gearbox take up to three seconds to decide whether it was selecting 2nd or 1st. That didn’t inspire confidence! Another thing that put me off another one was that we have a big UK gearbox rebuilder nearby and their car park is now full of DSG equipped VAG cars. When I had my E53 it was full of BMWs with failed 6 speed autos.

We tried an XC90 but she got car sick. Service costs were high too - not that BMW are cheap, however the service interval was 10k. I know some worry about long service intervals, but the Škodas and Beemers have never shown issues and our current fleet are more than 10 years old. I do change the oil at 12 month intervals though….regardless of mileage.

Having had BMWs since 2004 we haven’t really found anything that drives like one and are spoilt. I guess it’s what you get used to, but we both love the way they drive. The Gran Tourer was never going to set the world alight (it’s no slouch though), but it drives better than any other MPV I’ve tried.

[sapphireblack]

Have you said why you're not just keep the existing vehicle? If its leased, isnt there an option to buy with these arrangements? I have only ever bought outright pre-owned, I've no experience of other procurement types.

[X5Sport]

We never intended to keep this one and the need for a 7-seater has gone away, but we still need a big enough boot to make is useful. It was mainly to help move my elderly parents about but as they are now in a Retirement Village almost 100 miles from us and three hours away (welcome to the southern part of the M25) they aren’t close enough to make us ‘useful’. My outlaws live even further away and we need a decent motorway cruiser which this one isn’t really. We have to use a roof box to get everything in the car if going to see them for a week.

If we’d bought a 3er last time then it might well have been a keeper, but I struggled to get into the F-series. Having had a broken neck and being very tall, it makes getting through door apertures a bit of a challenge. The G-series I don’t have trouble with - which surprised me if I’m honest.

The option to buy is there but we both decided this one wasn’t the one to keep. This new one might be and it could replace the X6 which is 11 years old in October and rarely gets used now. Not much justification I guess

As our sin has got to the point where we don’t need to carry all of his

The current one is OK but it’s not a keeper

[sapphireblack]

Fair enough but selling the X6

Mine will be my 'exit ' vehicle unless i persuade the wife to live in Greece full time again, unlikely!

I'm really taken with the original model Touareg (T1) i bought for Greece, it has many many features, moreso than my X6 which has plenty too. Lumber supporting seats!! Point being that they're ageing but good ones still exist. Buy one, add a warranty, sorted. I suppose you could say the same of X5s too though

[X5Sport]

I bought the Comfort seats for the X6 and they are fantastic. Selling it would absolutely be a last resort! Mine is under warranty as I bought it new and have kept it going (not cheap but the alternative is scary if a major fault occurs!). I would miss it terribly as it’s been a really good car.

Lumbar supports across a number of manufacturers is currently an issue with many no longer offering them in the passenger seat due to chip shortages - I assume that must be in the controller thought it’s a puzzle to me really. They used to be purely mechanical but now seem to be electric.

This one may well be my runout car as I retire in under 6 years now. We had really hoped that electric tech would have made further advances too. It has, but it’s still not good enough and if you want range then that comes at a price that most people cannot afford plus the infrastructure isn’t there. My outlaws live in rural Wales, and once you get off the M4 and hang a right, the ground gets ‘a bit lumpy’ which will kill a battery in short order - and there aren’t any charging points. Going downhill doesn’t put as much back in as going uphill takes out. They’re 300 miles away so we’d have to stop at least once. That could make a 6-hour journey closer to 9-hours if the charging points (a) work and (b) aren’t available when we stop.

[sapphireblack]

BMWs comfort seats are indeed very good, have them in my X6 and were in the old E53, if they had been air conditioned too better still. One feature of a freinds MB i am always envious of.

All being well, i will hit 71yoa next month, the X6 still has less than 35k on it so replacing it would be illogical. I don't imagine i will ever own an 'EV', i have no desire to.

There must be a vehicle on the market that will tick all your boxes, it seems its not likely to be a BMW though.

[X5Sport]

The order for the M340D is about to go onto the queue. Just paid the deposit. We have agreed that if BMW drop anything off our spec then I get my money back and we look elsewhere. I’ve only got 52k on the X6 so it’s not really run in

Current spec is:

M340D Tourer
3.0D B57 twin turbo engine, 335bhp (700nm/516lb/ft torque)
xDrive (no RWD only version offered as that will be for the new M3 in 2022)
8sp ZF Auto (Type GA8HP70X) - looks like a variant of the one in my X6.
Portimao Blue
Visibility Pack
Comfort Plus Pack
Technology Plus Pack
Live Cockpit Pro
OS7 iDrive
Towbar
Pan roof
Oak Grain interior (instead of brushed alu)
Larger Fuel Tank
19" wheels with RFTs
Sport Seats with lumbar support
....other bits are standard.

We got 10% off the asking price and an increased trade in value on the F46. Delivery not yet confirmed. Could be January as the model is made to order so needs a build slot. Might be made in Germany or Mexico (most 3-series are made there now).

[X5Sport]

Had a loan of an M340d Touring today. What a beast! 700nm torque on a car 250kgs lighter than my X6 - and that’s 100nm more for the same capacity twin-turbo engine. Absolutely effortless driving with a real kick in the back when ‘making progress’ is needed. Fortunately tamed a little by being equipped with the xDrive system. Changed the colour from Portimao Blue to Mineral Grey as it looks better on that car, now with red callipers in place of the blue option.

The only downside is that BMW have put my delivery date back by at least three months because of parts shortages. I’m not really surprised as I have seen comments on other BMW forums (only whilst doing research of course) about deliveries being ‘moved to the right’ but it does mean I’ll now have to get a service done and new tyres fitted. This was something that I hoped to avoid - even if only just - but such is life.

Demo car - in the same colour and trim - I’m not ordering black wheels or grills due to the £750 extra cost. Ours will be Cerium Grey:

E32086AF-6658-4372-B3DD-C5FA65CE066E.jpeg (243.55 KiB) Viewed 56023 times

The power bit:

10E25186-FB81-494B-B09D-65143DBBADF5.jpeg (227.01 KiB) Viewed 56023 times

Our order will look like this (at present)…

0493F8A3-A07F-47CD-BADA-777D222E320C.png (431.09 KiB) Viewed 56018 times

I hate waiting…..

[Leslie]

Changed the colour from Portimao Blue to Mineral Grey as it looks better on that car, now with red callipers in place of the blue option

I hate waiting…..

Tricky choice as the blue does look good but good things come to those who wait

[sapphireblack]

Looks pretty damned good imo. Surprised the engine bay is so cluttered looking. No beautification covers to hide the busy under-bonnet stuff

[X5Sport]

Just had a call from the Dealer to tell me that production has now slipped to at least mid-April with delivery in May ‘22. Was originally last week, then January. That means about 9 months from order. My E53 took 10 months in 2005 as the UK versions were made in small batches rather than being slotted in as they are these days with fully automated production scheduling. From press reports Toyota are either halting or severely slowing production at 5 of their plants. The Toyota Supra has the same engine as the M340d, part of a deal as BMW use their 8-sp autos (under the Aisin banner) in the FWD models such as the 2 series.

[sp3ctre]

Wow, thse parts shortages are getting ridiculous now, that's a hell of a wait. Nice looking car though.

[X5Sport]

No change in the date (yet) but we’ve gone for a new colour. Individual Oxide Grey 2 with a Mocha (dark brown) leather interior. Seen too many Black/Blue/Dark Grey 3 series so wanted something different. Haven’t got any pics as the only ones I can find will be copyrighted. Nearest I can get is from the BMW Configurator…..interestingly you can’t currently order the M340d (the LCI version is due next summer) so I’m guessing delays mean only the new version can be ordered in due course so only the M340i is available for now.

C1893FFB-F4DB-4EA2-BB7C-07D1021FD941.jpeg (72.58 KiB) Viewed 55108 times