X3 vs Touareg

richieg

I currently have a 04 530D and am thinking of changing to an SUV (the family is getting bigger!!). I am looking at an 05/06 X3 2.0D or 2.5lt Touareg. Does anyone have any views/recommendations on 1 or the other. Any drivers here with experiences of either?

E92

Why not try and find a 530d Touring instead?

A X3 would be a lot smaller, actually the bigger X5 has less space than a 5 series Touring.

Anan1

E92 wrote: »

Why not try and find a 530d Touring instead?

I agree. Unless crossing fields is a requirement, an estate car would be better than an SUV. Nicer to drive, more economical, classier, and safer too.

cantdecide

Touring would be my choice too.

If you're set on the SUV idea and you've done research enough to decide it's between these only, Touareg is a more complete package IMO.

Jimbo

Toureg is a pretty good car. Alot bigger than the X3, better looking too. Toureg suffers from a bit of body roll in the corners though

DonJose

The X3 was ripped apart on Top Gear, I'd go with the 5 Series Touring, if you need a good 7 seater look at the Mercedes E Class estate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nX-bxVLrGg

Rowley Birkin QC

X3 looks to much like an in between job, not really a proper off roader and not really a car. I always have a little laugh to myself when I see one on the road.

TheBazman

If your heart is set on an SUV then Touareg - test drove one and very impressive - much bigger than an X3.

However I agree that a 530d Touring is probably a better option

Jay P

You dont need an SUV, get an MPV instead, they are much more economical, and better for our precious fossil fuels. And the X3 is rubbish for the record. And if you do get an SUV, get something Japanese, some of those are fairly cool.

f22

I agree with the estate choice.

If you insist in an SUV avoid the X3 like the plague, over priced ugliness and you'll look like a girl driving one.

E92

Jay P wrote: »

You dont need an SUV, get an MPV instead, they are much more economical, and better for our precious fossil fuels. And the X3 is rubbish for the record. And if you do get an SUV, get something Japanese, some of those are fairly cool.

If you need a car with lots of space, you need a big estate like a 5 series touring or Volvo V70 or whatever. The OP drives a 3.0 litre car, all the MPVs are 2.0 so he's going to find an MPV extremely slow indeed. And if you look at the statistics, you'll find that big MPVs are little better than 4X4s too. I just don't see what a 4X4 or MPV for that matter does that a large estate car doesn't bar going off road(and as 90% of SUV buyers never go off road, this is a silly point for arguing in favour of an SUV really) and having 7 seats(and this is irrelevant to the OP too, because neither 4X4 the OP is considering can seat 7).

cantdecide

E92 wrote: »

If you need a car with lots of space, you need a big estate like a 5 series touring or Volvo V70 or whatever. The OP drives a 3.0 litre car, all the MPVs are 2.0 so he's going to find an MPV extremely slow indeed. And if you look at the statistics, you'll find that big MPVs are little better than 4X4s too. I just don't see what a 4X4 or MPV for that matter does that a large estate car doesn't bar going off road(and as 90% of SUV buyers never go off road, this is a silly point for arguing in favour of an SUV really) and having 7 seats(and this is irrelevant to the OP too, because neither 4X4 the OP is considering can seat 7).

Aha. So you admit the BMW X3 is rubbish:D:D:D

E92

cantdecide wrote: »

Aha. So you admit the BMW X3 is rubbish:D:D:D

I've never been in one, so I have no comment to make about it;)!

cantdecide

E92 wrote: »

I've never been in one, so I have no comment to make about it;)!

just yanking your chain but we do know what you really mean....

E92

cantdecide wrote: »

just yanking your chain but we do know what you really mean....

I only said what I said to see what you'd say;)! But the X3 has been severly criticised, and it does look extremely ugly, unlike the X5, which is what a BMW SAV should look like. It is meant to be the worst BMW since the Z3, which isn't meant to be great either.

Zonda999

It is indeed the worst car BMW make by a significant margin, the main problem being that it has no proper class to fit into.It costs nearly as much as a base disco or touareg and it isnt as flash as any of them.Also the fact that the 2.0 diesel engine is still the engine from the old 3 series(150bhp) shows it is out of date.I cant see it being directly replaced.Possibly indirectly replaced by the supposed bmw people carrier of some sort.Responding to the thread, i quite like the touareg but avoid the 2.5 TDI engine.Its also used in the transporter van so that gives you an idea of how fast and refined it is.The premium for the 3.0TDI is money well spent

cantdecide

E92 wrote: »

I only said what I said to see what you'd say;)! But the X3 has been severly criticised, and it does look extremely ugly, unlike the X5, which is what a BMW SAV should look like. It is meant to be the worst BMW since the Z3, which isn't meant to be great either.

My opinion on them is If Carlsberg made Rav4s...

E92

Zonda999 wrote: »

It is indeed the worst car BMW make by a significant margin, the main problem being that it has no proper class to fit into.It costs nearly as much as a base disco or touareg and it isnt as flash as any of them.Also the fact that the 2.0 diesel engine is still the engine from the old 3 series(150bhp) shows it is out of date.I cant see it being directly replaced.Possibly indirectly replaced by the supposed bmw people carrier of some sort.Responding to the thread, i quite like the touareg but avoid the 2.5 TDI engine.Its also used in the transporter van so that gives you an idea of how fast and refined it is.The premium for the 3.0TDI is money well spent

I thought the biggest problem apart from the looks was the ride in an X3, as well as the fact that the X3 had an interior that wouldn't pass in an American market car.

The X3 will be replaced, it is going to go head on with the Disco, while the X5 will go after the Range Rover, and the X6 is meant to be competing with the Porsche Cayenne, and the X1 is going to be a rival for the Toyota RAV4/Land Rover Freelander etc(and it looks even uglier than the current X3 btw).

As for the BMW MPV, there are photos of a BMW "Progressive Activity Sedan" on the internet, this is the BMW MPV, but it kind of looks like the X6. I wish BMW would stop trying to find niches that don't exist, and tried instead to make things like iDrive more user friendly and reliable.

Zonda999

Even if it replaced by a better model it willl always be in the shadow of the X5 - The original "Chelsea tractor" for the WAG's.

junkyard

The X3 is a heap of junk alright, I can vouch for that, the 530d touring is a super car but go for the automatic, I can vouch for that too. As regards space, my X5 has a lot more room in it than the 530d touring has. As regards driving, the X5 and the 5 series are very similar to drive and performance and handling from the X5 is amazing for a 4x4. Towrag is heavy on tyres though, anyone I know who had one always commented on it.

Oilrig

Where did you get the X3 vs Touareg?

Try X5 vs Touareg...

X3 is a Golf sized thing, 3 series on stilts, 3 series = Bavarian version of the Ford Escort...

Cheers,

PS Touareg... or whatever its called.

richieg

My car currently has over 70k on it and I want to get something with lower mileage. There are little or no 3.0d X5s with lowish mileage. That is the reason I chose the X3 instead.

prospect

X3 is rubbish, I have been in one and know an owner who hates it (even though he is a bmw fan, although not a petrol head).

Most honest BMW faithfuls will distance themselves from the X3.

Touareg is a lot bigger, but not particularly nice to drive either. If your heart is set on an SUV I would look at an XC90 or Landcruiser.

junkyard

prospect wrote: »

If your heart is set on an SUV I would look at an XC90 or Landcruiser.

Both are tractors compared to the X5 though.

budweiserfrogie

I can see why you would need a bigger car due to a growing family. But does a growing family not need more seats than what you already have. The X3 has less seating room, the X5 has about the same and the toureg has also about the same as your 530. All your choices are 5 seaters so i don't see your choice making any practical sence to your situation. Your main gain with your proposed moved would be a much larger fuel bill!! Listen to your own argument and start looking for a 7 seater. I'm sure many estate cars have 7 seats as an option in the extras list for example an Audi A6 Avant?

Cyrus

richieg wrote: »

My car currently has over 70k on it and I want to get something with lower mileage. There are little or no 3.0d X5s with lowish mileage. That is the reason I chose the X3 instead.

but theres prob less space in that than there is in your 5 series

are you sure you dont just like the x3 and are ashamed to admit it

prospect

junkyard wrote: »

Both are tractors compared to the X5 though.

I'll give you that. The new X5 is a very refined machine, however, "tractors" is a slight exaggeration.

Always fancied a LC Amazon myself.

prospect

budweiserfrogie wrote: »

I can see why you would need a bigger car due to a growing family. But does a growing family not need more seats than what you already have. The X3 has less seating room, the X5 has about the same and the toureg has also about the same as your 530. All your choices are 5 seaters so i don't see your choice making any practical sence to your situation. Your main gain with your proposed moved would be a much larger fuel bill!! Listen to your own argument and start looking for a 7 seater. I'm sure many estate cars have 7 seats as an option in the extras list for example an Audi A6 Avant?

Not always the case.

Two young kids in child seats will use the entire back row of a car. You can fit two child seats in most cars. However, you will not fit 2 x xBuggies or 1 x xDouble Buggy and the myriad of other paraphenalia in the boot of alot of cars, this is where a lot of the trouble starts.

richieg

That is where I am coming from in terms of space. I don't think I need 7 seats as it is the 2 of us and 2 kids. Its more for carrying around the amount of stuff they need. My wife is looking at a corolla verso herself but I would prefer to have 2 car options rather than rely on bringing the 1 whereever we go

E92

richieg wrote: »

My car currently has over 70k on it and I want to get something with lower mileage. There are little or no 3.0d X5s with lowish mileage. That is the reason I chose the X3 instead.

70k miles or 70k km? Either way its not a lot. There should be loads of life left in a car with only 70,000 miles up on it. Ok its high enough for a 4 year old car, but its hardly intergalactic mileage we're talking about either.

A reliable car will do 250,000 miles easily if it's always serviced on time and well cared for.

Lex Luthor

E92 wrote: »

Why not try and find a 530d Touring instead?

was going to say the same.....can't see the point of the X3 at all.

If you really want a SUV, then the LR Disco would be my choice, otherwise an MPV is probably more practical if its just a family run about you need.