07-02-2011, 06:07 AM | #1 |
Major General
363
Rep 5,984
Posts |
Picked up our X1 yesterday.....
I have had so many BMWs over the years, I used to buy Audis but then bought a BMW and never looked back, well did go and buy a couple more Audis but realised that although they look nice they are pretty crap dynamically and you soon get bored.
I had E39's, 528i and then a 530i sport saloon and touring, then E46's from 320d to 300d and an M3 SMG, plus had an M3 CSL which I still miss every day, then 535d sport touring, E91 335i sport touring, and my wife has had 120d m-sport, 320d E91 m-sport, and 123d M-Sport. Have missed a fair few out, things like the E30 325i (awesome machie btw) and Mini Cooper, 318ti etc. Wasn't looking for an X1 at all, last year I got pulled for speeding and I was on 9 points (one more stop and it is a ban) so I sold my M3 and bought a brown e320cdi Avantgarde Mercedes estate, and sold the 123d M-Sport and bought a Toyota Aygo. I bought it the morning after I was pulled over, in a bit of a strop. Actually been a good car, no raod tax to pay, 65mpg, fun, but too small, so only done 3000 miles in it, and done 44k miles in the Merc over the same 11 months. So decided to buy another E91 to replace the Aygo and share the miles. 3 different dealers mentioned they had been driving the X1 and loved it, said they preferred it to the 3 series, nearly as dynamic and far more comfy. I will be honest it did not interest me at all, but my wife loves them and had mentioned she would like one as she missed her 123d badly, so I took it out, and immediately fell for it. It is certainly more like a 3 series than a 1 series. I took it out last Monday, and buy Tuesday had done a deal on one, it arrived on Friday (yesterday). I went black with the X-Line pack an alu rails, I just prefer the X1 in the darker colours personally. We have done it as a company car, so went manual, 18d sDrive, with the only real option being leather. Did around 80 miles yesterday and last night and it is a cracker, my first manual car for about 10 years, and I adore it. However, one slight problem! My wife is struggling with it, she is only 5'4" and around 26" inside leg, and she is having real problems with the clutch, it is heavy and she is struggling to get it all the way down. She has the seat as far forward as it will go, but she says sitting in traffic and at lights she can feel a real strain on her lower back. I am seriously hoping this is just a case of getting used to it, if not I will have to swap it for an auto, which is going to cost me big time! People mentioned the build and interior plastics etc. and I just thought I would live with it, however I think they're great. They are better than in the 1 series and most other brands. All in all a great car, with one major niggle! |
07-03-2011, 07:13 AM | #2 |
HongKongX1
6
Rep 69
Posts |
Great post and i couldnt agree with you more. I havent owned half as many BM's as you, only an E36 and an E24 635 CSI, however after buying numerous other brands since then, and after recently sitting in some new A3's and Merc's, i instantly new that our next car would be a BMW. Luckily my wife shared these same feelings, and soon we will be picking up our X1 sDrive18i Sport.
|
Appreciate
0
|
07-04-2011, 07:16 AM | #5 |
Major General
363
Rep 5,984
Posts |
Yep have done.
Also, made her wear some Nikes today as wearing flip flops is probably not the best footwear for getting used to a manual car with!! Things are looking better. She managed to get across town with kangerooing too much. So it's a keeper. Right, tuning box needs to be ordered as does stereo upgrade. I'm off to price stuff up. |
Appreciate
0
|
07-04-2011, 01:35 PM | #8 |
Major General
363
Rep 5,984
Posts |
It was because it was going to be a company car, and the 18d sDrive manual costs me £160 a month, where as the 20d sDrive Auto would cost me £260 a month in tax, on a car that was £300 a month that seemed silly.
I also fancied a manual after 12 years in autos. Plus, I will be honest here, I thought it was going to be a second car that did 5000 miles a year, and because of that cost was everything. However, now I have had it a few days I have realised that I love it, so much so that I will probably sell my Brabus tuned E320cdi estate and use this as the main car. If I had realised that at the time I would have bought a 23d auto. Regarding tuning box, I will go for a DTUK one, just deciding whether to go for their Green box or the CRD-T unit, which attaches to the boost as well? I have that sort of thing on the Merc from Brabus and it is very good, actually better than any map I have had previously. £225 vs £360. |
Appreciate
0
|
07-05-2011, 03:04 AM | #9 |
Mario
26
Rep 981
Posts |
Hi gizze,
Congratulations on your purchase. Can you not trade it up with BMW? Up here in the North they are still selling like hot cakes and second hand ones are very scarce. Maybe people are expecting a bad winter again. Anyway, if you do go for a auto eventually I suspect that the 8-speed will be available shortly. The auto in my X1 is very good but I recently drove a new X3 with the 8-speed box and its a cracker.
__________________
"Do or do not, there is no try!" - Master Yoda
"Always in motion is the future" - Master Yoda "Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is" - Master Yoda "There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living" - Nelson Mandela |
Appreciate
0
|
07-05-2011, 03:07 AM | #10 |
Major General
363
Rep 5,984
Posts |
I could do but to be honest I am quite enjoying the manual at the moment.
I had the 8 speed auto in a new F11 520d, great 'box and best thing about the car along with the media features and internet etc. Didn't like the new 5 series at all though. |
Appreciate
0
|
07-05-2011, 03:19 AM | #11 |
Mario
26
Rep 981
Posts |
Yep, its very good. I am quite happy with my 2.0d. I also test drove the 2.3d and enjoyed the wee bit of extra power but felt it did not quite go as well with the auto box. Difficult to explain but it seemed to hunt more for the right gear and did not feel quite as "settled" as the 2.0d.
Now if only BMW would drop a 3.0d in that engine bay together with the 8-speed....I would be seriously tempted to trade up
__________________
"Do or do not, there is no try!" - Master Yoda
"Always in motion is the future" - Master Yoda "Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is" - Master Yoda "There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living" - Nelson Mandela |
Appreciate
0
|
07-05-2011, 07:36 AM | #12 |
Major General
363
Rep 5,984
Posts |
We had the 123d auto last year, and it replaced a 177bhp 320d auto E91, I found the gearing too short on the 123d, annoyingly so. It was constantly swapping cogs and was a bit thirsty sat at 80mph too.
However, if I was speccing up an X1 with loads of toys I would probably still go for the 23d for some reason! haha |
Appreciate
0
|
07-05-2011, 09:29 PM | #13 |
Administrator
40712
Rep 21,238
Posts |
Congrats! Good to see you staying within the BMW family.
__________________
Check on the Latest BMW News
Become a fan of Bimmerpost Facebook Follow us on Bimmerpost Twitter Subscribe to Bimmerpost Youtube Channel |
Appreciate
0
|
Post Reply |
Bookmarks |
|
|