X28 sport or M?

[sjones0812]

I am thinking about getting an X1 28i and am not sure about going with the sport or M.

I have the M Sport on my e93 now and love it except for the fact that when you hit a bump or pothole you need to get out and make sure you tires and car is in 1 piece. Does the X1 have this same problem with the M Sport?

I like the M body kit but you lose the heated steering wheel...is it really worth it? (I do live near Boston)

Either package I will be getting every option, I always load up the car.

Also not sure what color would be best...I love LMB (I have it now), but not sure I want 2 cars same color in a row.

Any suggestions would be great.

[Eric5273]

Test drive it and ask the car salesman to take you over some rough roads.

I drove the base car (non-M Sport) with both 17" and 18" wheels, and the 18" was rough enough over the roads that I would not have even considered going to the M-sport, and instead I opted for the base 17" wheels.

It's too bad they use such low profile tires on an SUV. I used to have a 2006 X5 and I had the sports package on that one which gave both the 18" wheels and the tighter suspension. However, those 18" wheels were 55-series non-run-flat tires which seems like a good size for a nice smooth ride on an SUV. So the ride was not bad, and the handling around turns was excellent. But the X1 has 50-series tires on the base 17" wheels, and sports-car-like 45 series tires on the 18" wheels. That's the same size tires I had on my old Acura NSX. Plus these are run-flats too. Not exactly what you want on an SUV if you want a decent quality ride over rough roads.

This is just my opinion and I'm sure many here disagree with me, but what's the point of getting an SUV if you're going to end up with a ride as stiff as a Corvette? If you wanted sports car handling, just get an M-car instead.

In the end I suppose everyone has their own needs and objectives. I guess if you want a sports car like ride and handling, and maybe you only get an SUV for the extra interior space and trunk space, then an X1 with M-sport package makes sense.

But for me, the purpose of an SUV is the extra ground clearance, winter weather capability, and smooth ride.

[Twix]

Test em back to back. I love the m sport exterior but find the interior to be ugly. That's the reason I went with the sport, I get red stitching on my seats and door trim. Also, I didn't want to lose the heated steering wheel as I live in the Great White North, eh.

[sjones0812]

Yeah, I have changed 4 tires on my e93 M sport so that is why I am concerned with getting the M package again.

I have an Explorer for a real SUV.....this is my solution to getting more room for the family and work over the e93 convertible....but still have the BMW look and feel. Going to a 328 sedan from a vert feels like a downgrade to me.

I think the nicer interior and heated steering wheel might sway me to the sport version.

Even though I have a black Explorer I might look at getting black with black interior.

[odieman23]

go xDrive28i with M sport package..I have one...is a tiny mean looking suv!!..heheh

[BeEmVe]

Oddly enough my wife did a test drive in March with a heated steering wheel and did not like it. So definitely test that out as it is the perfect time of year.

[sjones0812]

I really do like the thick M steering wheel in my car....I might miss that more then wanting heat for the 2-3 months I might use it.

[Eric5273]

Originally Posted by sjones0812

Yeah, I have changed 4 tires on my e93 M sport so that is why I am concerned with getting the M package again.

I have an Explorer for a real SUV.....this is my solution to getting more room for the family and work over the e93 convertible....but still have the BMW look and feel. Going to a 328 sedan from a vert feels like a downgrade to me.

I think the nicer interior and heated steering wheel might sway me to the sport version.

Even though I have a black Explorer I might look at getting black with black interior.

If you have an Explorer, then maybe the M-sport is a good option for you. I guess it all depends on what kind of handling vs. ride quality you prefer. Only way to find out is to test drive them. Make sure to have the salesman take you on some rough road to test out the ride quality, and some nice curves or highway ramps to test out the handling.

As far as color, I ordered Sapphire Black Metallic with black interior. I actually went into the dealership with the plan to get Jet Black with black interior, however in the showroom there were 7 different BMWs (1 of which was an X1), and 4 of them were all Sapphire Black Metallic including the X1. Once I saw it I was sold. IMO it's the best color hands down. I went out to the lot just to look at the Jet Black, and in comparison it's just really plain. When I mentioned it to the salesman, he said there is a reason why they always load the showroom with that color.

Budget was a big concern for me as I was only going to add a few options, but I decided to spend the $550 and get the metallic paint. It's really an awesome color. If you decide to get black, make sure to check it out in person.

[cwickberg]

I wouldn't know why you wouldn't get the M sport. If you want luxury, go with MB, If you want a smooth drive, go with Lexus, If you want a performance drive and feel for the road, go with BMW.

Other than lighting package, M Sport was on my must have list...

[Kool-Kat]

Depending on the color you want, I'd go with the Sport, since it has the black bumper fascia and mirrors if you live near Boston which I do too, it's definitely worth it, I use it a LOT. Without it ur hands will be freezing on those harsh winter days.

[Black Flagged]

i here your dilemma, and its not a easy one. all three lines have something i love and something i didn't care for! it took two months to decide on the one for me. i love the looks of the "M sport" and the 19's that it comes with, but i had five other bmw's and they all had black interior. i wanted coral red and the "sport line" has red stitching on the steering wheel and the boarder on the matts, and it looks great. but for some reason i love the wheel that the "sport line". it just looks better than the "M-sport" wheel. so i went with the the "sport line", BSM on coral red. i have had it for 2 mons now and "I LOVE HER" she looks amazing

[HotRodW]

We're not suppose to bitch about the ride because that apparently makes us less BMW-worthy, but the truth is the M Sport's is firm, and can be downright harsh on some roads. I have a couple of local roads that really beat me up, and long stretches of expansion joints take their toll as well. I like how the M Sport handles on twisty back roads, but I spend far more time on the highway. I actually inquired about swapping to the standard springs, but my SA told me they aren't interchangeable. I replaced the runflats which helped, but a lot of people won't want to do that. If BMW would just offer body color trim as an appearance package on the Sport line, getting the ideal ride/handling/appearance setup would be much easier. They can still reserve the staggered wheels, special colors and badges for the M Sport trim to differentiate the two lines. While I'm making suggestions, I would also like to point out that the 35i's brakes should be standard on all lines with 18" wheels.

[sjones0812]

After having the e93 with M Sport I'm torn, love the ride/ hate the ride.

I need to switch from the 2 door convertible to 4 doors because now that my 2 year old is front facing and tall....she does not have leg room with Mommy sitting in the car also.

The dealership is in Boston...so any road I test drive on is not smooth

If I go with black I would get the Sapphire black and sport package to get the black body parts.

Budget is not an issue since I am coming from a car with MSRP $58k.

I have a $50k budget this time so I am possibly looking a the following cars.

2014 MB C300 sport fully loaded
2014 BMW X1 (sport or M) fully loaded
2014 BMW X3 with most options (nav and tech)

[Eric5273]

If you have a $50k budget, I'd suggest checking out 2 more cars: Mercedes GLK and Range Rover Evoque. I think the X1 is a better deal than those two, but if money was no object I would have gone with one of them instead of the X1. My budget was limited to $40k.

The Evoque actually drives very similar to the Xdrive28i, but just feels more premium. I really liked the base model as it came with Alcantara seats and real brushed aluminum trim -- not that painted plastic stuff that is supposed to look like aluminum. The lease price on a similarly equipped Evoque would have run me about $100 more per month, so I opted for the X1 for that reason.

But my X1 is only around $37k MSRP. If you are looking at a more loaded car, then the price may be similar. I'd say the GLK is a good competitor for the X3 and you should definitely check it out.

[sjones0812]

Just saw a GLK drive by. Looked nice, might have to check it out.

50k is my limit ( can go higher, just prefer not to) with options so base needs to be around where the X is.... Options add up fast

[Eric5273]

Keep in mind that some items which are optional on the X1 are standard on those other cars. For example, if memory serves me right the GLK has power seats with memory standard, while that is optional on the X1. There are a few other items like this as well.

The Evoque actually comes very well equipped, and most of the features are appearance items like special leather & wood. If you stick to the basic alcantara with aluminum trim and just add some options like the panoramic roof and navigation, you end up around $45-47k MSRP and have a car that has all the features of a loaded X1.

I'm not suggesting that one of those two vehicles is a better deal than the X1, but you should certainly check them both out as they are both very nice cars.

[Peckhammer]

I just went through this quandary, and I drove all the lines, and tried an m-sport with 19" rims and one with 18" rims.

My significant other and I both preferred the m-sport with 18" wheels. Some of this decision was based on the look, but most of it came down to the suspension and handling. It's firm, but on most roads it's not too harsh. The sport seats really help with that.

I found that the sport-line had a bit of a wallow to it under quick/hard cornering. The m-sport did not, and we are both satisfied with the ride. We took a spirited ride today and I was effortlessly drifting the car through corners. This car handles fantastic and inspires confidence. My drive today also included a gravel forest service road. I have no regrets on getting the m-sport.

That said, I took my 77 year old dad for a ride last weekend when he visited us in Seattle. I could tell that he was not as comfortable as he would have been in his CRV. And he was definitely uncomfortable when riding in the back seat, which was a direct result of the suspension.

I know Boston well, so I could understand someone wanting the standard suspension if they are mostly commuting in the city, and/or they are never going to push the car hard in corners. As others have stated, you should take a sport-line and an m-sport on Boston's harshest road as well as some highways and base your decision on the results.

[sjones0812]

I guess if I get the tire protection I really don't care it the tires get trashed due to having the stiff M sport stiffness

That is the only issue I have with having the M sport.

How is the backseat for an adult?

Mercedes GLK and Range Rover Evoque look nice but once you add all the options to match a fully loaded X1 it goes past $52k.

Also, if I stay with BMW I get the loyalty program.

[Twix]

My AC Schnitzer springs aren't nearly as harsh as the M springs and offer an extra 12mm lowering. Just sayin.

[Peckhammer]

Originally Posted by sjones0812

I guess if I get the tire protection I really don't care it the tires get trashed due to having the stiff M sport stiffness

I got the impression that tire protection included rim protection during the sales pitch I got in the business office. The guy said the run flat side-walls are so hard that the rims can fracture easily. He said that they just had a customer who ruined the rim going over a rail road track, $650 he would not have had to pay if got the tire/wheel protection. Sales pitch or design flaw?

Originally Posted by sjones0812

How is the backseat for an adult?

It's not bad. If you have the panoramic sun roof, the view is awesome. I'm 6' tall, and it's O.K. for a couple hours. If the font passenger has the seat all the way back, it is a little cramped.

[KapaluaGirl]

Hands down, MSport all the way. I love the ride. I have an s drive 28i Msport fully loaded and it drives like a bat out of hell-hugs corners and is fast. The only thing I would wish for is manual. Heated steering wheel is n/a as I live in South Florida I agree with previous posts... If you want a smooth, linear ride, get an RX350... but there is zero fun in that!

[Eric5273]

Originally Posted by KapaluaGirl

If you want a smooth, linear ride, get an RX350... but there is zero fun in that!

RX350 would have cost me about $150/month more than my X1. Plus the RX350 is way larger and heavier and gets really lousy fuel mileage, about 8 mpg less on the highway.

Gotta compare apples to apples. RX350 doesn't even compete with an X3. I think it is more of a competitor with the X5.

Also, keep in mind you live in Florida. In the Northeast our roads have huge pot holes. My last car had 18" wheels and I bent a couple of them. It was NOT fun, nor was the terrible jarring ride every time I had to drive through NYC. What's wrong with wanting both a smooth ride and good performance?

I don't need to take my car on a track, but I do like it to be fun to drive AND deliver a nice smooth ride over rough road.