09-24-2017, 01:23 PM | #1 |
Captain
1056
Rep 819
Posts |
Why lower your X1 instead of getting a 3?
Just curious on why people didn't get a 3 series if they want their car lowered? Is just the fact that it is a hatchback versus a sedan.
Personally, one of the major things I liked about the X1 over the 3 was the added ground clearance in the winter time. I guess I could see the appeal to it if I lived somewhere without snow, as they do look nice that way. Not criticizing in the slightest, really just curious |
09-24-2017, 05:12 PM | #3 |
Major
182
Rep 1,031
Posts |
If you are going to lower it why not just get the station wagon version instead?? They basically look the same and its already lower.
I don't understand lowering suv's. Ground clearance is sort of their thing. To each their own i suppose
__________________
08 M Coupe • Ceramic Black Fabspeed Headers • MCS 1WNR • Poly FCAB • Stoptech BBK • Vibra-Tech • Epic Tune • Apex EC7 • RPI Scoop • Eventuri • Stromung • Rogue X Pipe • Varis Diffuser • CF E92 GTS Wing • CF Roof
|
Appreciate
0
|
09-24-2017, 05:32 PM | #4 |
First Lieutenant
83
Rep 333
Posts
Drives: 2021 X3 M40i (times 2)
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Jacksonville, FL
|
Cheaper than a 3 believe it or not.
|
Appreciate
0
|
09-24-2017, 11:31 PM | #6 |
First Lieutenant
34
Rep 372
Posts |
Much more headroom than the sedan. More power than the station wagon. Cheaper than either. I don't need ground clearance and could use the better handling and ride quality compared to stock.
__________________
X1 35i, H&R springs, Bilstein HD shocks, BMS JB4, BMS chargepipe, xHP trans flash
|
Appreciate
1
hooligan_G016430.00 |
09-25-2017, 10:13 AM | #7 |
Lieutenant
76
Rep 435
Posts |
|
Appreciate
0
|
09-26-2017, 11:52 AM | #10 |
New Member
2
Rep 22
Posts |
Ditto, Way cheaper up here in Canada.
My 2015 x128 cost me $25kish after taxes, F30 Touring models $35K+ before taxes. I love the heavy steering feel of the x1 & i like the "old school" tech. And imo lowered X1's look better than the equivalent f30 touring.....Yea i said it.
__________________
2015 E84 x128i/Alpineweiss/TunerWerks Module/E38 MPARS/
1991 Toyota Soarer - turbo6 |
Appreciate
0
|
09-26-2017, 02:18 PM | #11 |
Second Lieutenant
145
Rep 277
Posts |
I wanted a 335i wagon but they don't make it in the states. When I found s nice wagon it was around 40-50k. So I got a 35i
|
Appreciate
1
hooligan_G016430.00 |
09-27-2017, 02:48 PM | #12 |
Private
17
Rep 89
Posts |
Mine is not lowered, just stock M Sport suspension. But I dont think X1s look like a station wagon. X1s for me are like bigger hatchbacks while station wagon look like a hearse
__________________
2013 X1 x35i M Sport
Past: 2011 Mazda CX7 AWD Sport | 2004 BMW 330i ZSP/ZPP | 2008 Hummer H3 | 2005 Honda Civic VTi | 1997 Honda Civic ESi | 1996 Nissan Sentra SS EXi |
Appreciate
0
|
09-27-2017, 07:46 PM | #13 |
Private First Class
14
Rep 148
Posts |
I wanted a 3 series wagon but could not find one since they were between model years. My Saab was dying so I had to buy something and the X1 won out. I will leave it at the stock height because that is how it is designed to perform best. If you change too much on a car, you bought the wrong car. Period.
|
Appreciate
0
|
09-27-2017, 09:52 PM | #14 |
Colonel
840
Rep 2,400
Posts |
As it's been said, no 335 (or M3) wagon sold here. And for the guys that bought the 2.0, the 3 series wagon is significantly more expensive.
So...cost and availability aside, I'm sure many of us would be rocking a 335 (or 328) wagon for sure. Regarding lowering an SUV...I don't really consider it an SUV. It's really just an E90 hatchback that BMW simply raised up a few inches. I think that makes it pretty natural for lowering. If they sold a 4-door M235 hatch here, then I could see your confusion.
__________________
'02 S54 M3 (500/500 GC/Koni)
'08 N54 135 (JB4, DCI, BMW PS/Bilstein B6s, H&R M3 FSB, Strongflex FCABs) '14 N55 X1 (JB4, BMS DP, BMS Intake, Alpina TCU reflash, H&R Sports, Bilstein B6s, E93 M3 RSB, Strongflex FCABs, baby seat) '08 N54 535xi touring (Bilstein B6s, Downpipes, MHD tune, baby seat) |
Appreciate
1
hooligan_G016430.00 |
09-27-2017, 10:01 PM | #15 | |
Colonel
840
Rep 2,400
Posts |
Quote:
While I don't find that lowering a car a couple inches is "changing too much", when the N55 X1 came out, what was the "right car" to buy instead of lowering/cleaning up the handling of the X1? A smaller FWD GTI or Focus ST? A more expensive, slower 328 wagon? Our lightly modified (DP, tune, suspension) X1 gets around a 1.5 mile road course faster than my M3 did (albeit not as fun)...all while being much more practical day to day. It's a great little car made even better from a performance standpoint by a very little bit of work. Can't find much fault in that. I will agree that cars like the Golf R (which came years later) have made it a little harder to justify modifying an X1 (unless you really need that little bit more space the X1 offers).
__________________
'02 S54 M3 (500/500 GC/Koni)
'08 N54 135 (JB4, DCI, BMW PS/Bilstein B6s, H&R M3 FSB, Strongflex FCABs) '14 N55 X1 (JB4, BMS DP, BMS Intake, Alpina TCU reflash, H&R Sports, Bilstein B6s, E93 M3 RSB, Strongflex FCABs, baby seat) '08 N54 535xi touring (Bilstein B6s, Downpipes, MHD tune, baby seat) |
|
Appreciate
1
hooligan_G016430.00 |
09-27-2017, 10:10 PM | #16 |
Colonel
840
Rep 2,400
Posts |
I mean, look at what AMG did with the GLA (a raised hatchback SUV thingy)?
To make the AMG version, they dropped their hot motor into a GLA 250 and lowered it a couple inches. Why did they even make a GLA45 you ask? Because they don't sell the A45 hatchback here! Not exactly any different from lowering and tuning an X1, because BMW doesn't sell a small fast hatch or wagon here.
__________________
'02 S54 M3 (500/500 GC/Koni)
'08 N54 135 (JB4, DCI, BMW PS/Bilstein B6s, H&R M3 FSB, Strongflex FCABs) '14 N55 X1 (JB4, BMS DP, BMS Intake, Alpina TCU reflash, H&R Sports, Bilstein B6s, E93 M3 RSB, Strongflex FCABs, baby seat) '08 N54 535xi touring (Bilstein B6s, Downpipes, MHD tune, baby seat) |
Appreciate
1
hooligan_G016430.00 |
09-28-2017, 08:19 AM | #17 | ||
Private First Class
10
Rep 128
Posts |
Quote:
Quote:
I guess Golf R was a possibility in theory, but at $45K and no dealing, that is kind of a non-starter, not to mention overkill. However, the GTI seemed like a great idea. Audi's version of it is now an electric, and thus really expensive. I like the GLA, but not quite as sporting. Picked up this used X1 that I wasn't really looking for. I guess I assumed that all of the X models were pure SUVs. I'm like... hatchback.. BMW. Why didn't I know about this? |
||
Appreciate
0
|
09-28-2017, 08:30 AM | #18 | |
Colonel
840
Rep 2,400
Posts |
Quote:
Why would you think adding a set of springs would cause rubbing or some type of interference? They're only dropping the car a couple inches. There's still TONS of room to lower it more if you wanted. The front knuckle of the X1 has a hair larger opening than the E90. So there are X1 specific front struts. The rears are all interchangeable. Just to give you some idea of how little difference there is. Coilovers for the X1 are the same coilovers for an E90 xdrive, albeit with sleeves fitted over the front struts to increase their diameter where they enter the knuckle. The car is literally all E90 xdrive underneath. It's the 335 wagon/hatch we never got. Along the same lines, you could add longer springs to an E90, and wind up with a similar ride height to the X1. There's enough shock length to accommodate some lifting, even stock.
__________________
'02 S54 M3 (500/500 GC/Koni)
'08 N54 135 (JB4, DCI, BMW PS/Bilstein B6s, H&R M3 FSB, Strongflex FCABs) '14 N55 X1 (JB4, BMS DP, BMS Intake, Alpina TCU reflash, H&R Sports, Bilstein B6s, E93 M3 RSB, Strongflex FCABs, baby seat) '08 N54 535xi touring (Bilstein B6s, Downpipes, MHD tune, baby seat) Last edited by PrematureApex; 09-28-2017 at 08:36 AM.. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
09-28-2017, 09:40 PM | #19 |
Private First Class
14
Rep 148
Posts |
I am aware it is built on a 3 series platform. But when the manufacturer puts a different suspension on it and makes modifications to make it a different car, then you start lowering it and doing everything else you have done to yours, you are making too many modifications. In my opinion.
I bought the X1 because I wanted a sporty AWD wagonish car. It serves the purpose it is supposed to. Sorry, I have just never understood buying a car to try to modify it into something else. It is a discussion I frequently have with a good friend who has owned a WRX and Foesta ST, both with so many mods he should have just bought something else. |
Appreciate
0
|
09-28-2017, 09:52 PM | #20 | ||
Private First Class
10
Rep 128
Posts |
Quote:
From looking into suspension mods for other cars (I usually buy Japanese), they usually recommend changing the shocks when lowering, as the stock dampers often don't work as well out of their normal range. I would love to be able to lower and not have to worry about replacing the shocks as well. I don't think it would need much lowering to look better. (Then again, if my wife ends up driving it, she'd rather it be higher! Maybe I'd better leave it alone.. ) Quote:
|
||
Appreciate
0
|
09-28-2017, 09:55 PM | #21 | |
Private First Class
10
Rep 128
Posts |
Quote:
I have done a few mods on past cars, and I agree -- you just can't get your money out of the mods, and it just would have been better to buy a car that is like you wanted. Then again, sometimes that car doesn't quite exist, and sometimes it's fun to customize. To relate it to lowering the X1, I guess the alternative would be to by the GTI which isn't all jacked-up like the X1. ;-) |
|
Appreciate
0
|
09-29-2017, 06:46 AM | #22 |
First Lieutenant
34
Rep 372
Posts |
As was mentioned, what car compares to a lowered X1? The number of alternatives are scant. I cross shopped the Golf R (a little small) and the Macan (a little large and much pricier). I ordered the H&R lowering springs even before I took delivery of my X1, which I bought new.
I've always modified my cars to my liking--whether it's adding a tow hitch, more power, audio upgrade, etc. Shocks and springs is no big deal. Part of it is us being car enthusiasts.
__________________
X1 35i, H&R springs, Bilstein HD shocks, BMS JB4, BMS chargepipe, xHP trans flash
|
Appreciate
1
hooligan_G016430.00 |
Post Reply |
Bookmarks |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
|