[redonebe]

Hello,

I am from Belgium and currently driving a BMW X3 2.0D for 4 years and 160.000 km without any problem. This weekend i am going to test drive the 2.0 AWD Prestige.

This was my shopping list:

BMW X3: New model next year. Can not wait that long
MB GLC: delivery 02/17 did not even bother a test drive see above.
LR Disco: After a visit to the dealer we decided this was a step down compared with the X3.

When we were at the dealer we saw the F-Pace as a potential replacement.

Are there any other F-Pace owners on this forum who previously owned an X3 and can tell me what the + or - are.

Regards,

 

[Cobstar]

I'll be interested to see responses to your query.
We already have an X3 and plan to add another SUV or 4x4 to the fleet to replace my 1 series.

The X3, F-Pace and Discovery 4 are on our shortlist.

 

[Bobcat]

I've only test driven the X3 (2.0d M-Sport) and F-Pace (2.0d Portfolio). Both AWD, automatic and on standard (non-adaptive) suspension. I felt performance was similar but the F-pace's ride was much more comfortable whilst still handling just as well (to be fair, the M-Sport trim contributes to X3's hardness). Both cars use ZF's 8HP auto transmission, so behaviour is very similar there. I felt the F-Pace's seats (sampled in Portfolio and R-Sport) are much more comfortable

I liked the X3, but it just didn't feel special enough to tempt me to replace my 7 year old Audi Q5. The F-Pace did and I ordered one straight after the test drive.

 

[Boxbrownie]

Having a two day test drive of the GLC this weekend, to me the GLC is plusher inside than the FP Portfolio I tried, and hopefully the engine more refined and quiet. We will see...

 

[JLRnumber5]

Hello,

I am from Belgium and currently driving a BMW X3 2.0D for 4 years and 160.000 km without any problem. This weekend i am going to test drive the 2.0 AWD Prestige.

This was my shopping list:

BMW X3: New model next year. Can not wait that long
MB GLC: delivery 02/17 did not even bother a test drive see above.
LR Disco: After a visit to the dealer we decided this was a step down compared with the X3.

When we were at the dealer we saw the F-Pace as a potential replacement.

Are there any other F-Pace owners on this forum who previously owned an X3 and can tell me what the + or - are.

Regards,

It's a bee-emm-double-yawn

nuff said!

 

[CarlFRZ434]

Hello,

I am from Belgium and currently driving a BMW X3 2.0D for 4 years and 160.000 km without any problem. This weekend i am going to test drive the 2.0 AWD Prestige.

This was my shopping list:

BMW X3: New model next year. Can not wait that long
MB GLC: delivery 02/17 did not even bother a test drive see above.
LR Disco: After a visit to the dealer we decided this was a step down compared with the X3.

When we were at the dealer we saw the F-Pace as a potential replacement.

Are there any other F-Pace owners on this forum who previously owned an X3 and can tell me what the + or - are.

Regards,

It's a bee-emm-double-yawn

nuff said!

Couldn't agree more.....dull, dull! Can't believe they thought the Disco was a step down? Had a Disco 4 HSE myself and was fabulous motor.

 

[Cobstar]

redonebe's X3 has obviously been a good car for the family's needs over the last 4 years and handled a relatively high mileage well. Choosing a car is horses for courses as everyone's needs and budget are different. It would be boring if we all liked or wanted the same things.

Personally I don't find the X3 boring - it meets our needs very well, deals with our offroad needs, and it's got the fab XF 8 speed gearbox and some nice toys (the original owner specced lots of options).

The X3 and the Disco 4 are very different beasts to each other although both are due for significant revisions next year. The Disco obviously doesn't meet redonebe's needs. It would be interesting to know in what areas the OP thought the Disco was a step down. And the F-Pace is different again. Any of the three could work for me - none of them tick all the boxes, but they all tick enough boxes to still leave them in the running.

Our X3 is the SO's car and was bought as a four year old car last year with around 56k on the odometer. We unexpectedly had to replace a 5 year old 4x4 and couldn't replace like for like. Given the budget and the need to find a replacement car quickly the X3 was the best solution. We test drove a second hand Freelander 2 as well - right price, right spec for our needs but the LR Dealer experience was appalling which put us off. By contrast the BMW sales experience was a lesson in how to sell cars and provide a good customer experience.

Unfortunately the LR dealer where we had a poor experience also has two of the Jaguar franchises in our area.

 

[The Gman]

redonebe's X3 has obviously been a good car for the family's needs over the last 4 years and handled a relatively high mileage well. Choosing a car is horses for courses as everyone's needs and budget are different. It would be boring if we all liked or wanted the same things.

Personally I don't find the X3 boring - it meets our needs very well, deals with our offroad needs, and it's got the fab XF 8 speed gearbox and some nice toys (the original owner specced lots of options).

The X3 and the Disco 4 are very different beasts to each other although both are due for significant revisions next year. The Disco obviously doesn't meet redonebe's needs. It would be interesting to know in what areas the OP thought the Disco was a step down. And the F-Pace is different again. Any of the three could work for me - none of them tick all the boxes, but they all tick enough boxes to still leave them in the running.

Our X3 is the SO's car and was bought as a four year old car last year with around 56k on the odometer. We unexpectedly had to replace a 5 year old 4x4 and couldn't replace like for like. Given the budget and the need to find a replacement car quickly the X3 was the best solution. We test drove a second hand Freelander 2 as well - right price, right spec for our needs but the LR Dealer experience was appalling which put us off. By contrast the BMW sales experience was a lesson in how to sell cars and provide a good customer experience.

Unfortunately the LR dealer where we had a poor experience also has two of the Jaguar franchises in our area.

Cobstar it's not a slight revision of the disco 4 next year it's a complete replacement more like when the freelander was replaced by the disco sport..... So completely new chassis 300kg lighter as no dual chassis, styling apparently more like a disco sport XXL but it will still be the big Severn seater all purpose "proper" off roader..... IMHO the FP and it are not competitors, more seats,serious rather gentle off-roading large family towing beast, it won't handle or perform like an FP, it will probably be a great car and if i needed all the attributes it has then an FP, X3, GLC would not be competitors..... A land cruiser, shogun, G Wagon would be but for various reasons the current old version completely blows those away hence there popularity even if most owners dont actually need more than 20% of its off road capability...... Good news for us country folk who want to buy second hand Chelsea tractors that have not spent 30,000 miles bouncing down country lanes and fields.....

 

[Daddy999]

Me and the wife Test drove an x3 and an x5, both nice cars but they felt somewhat.......old tech and.....well boring? to us anyway. Didn't like the x3 at all, x5 was nice. Was driving home from x5 demo, saw F Pace at jag garage, looked around it, test drove and Deposit went down! To me and the wife it was a very easy decision to make, it was us the perfect blend of size, comfort and practicality.

 

[redonebe]

Sorry but i went for the Disco Sport, not the big brother because i can not afford a car with 203 g/km CO2. Taxes in Belgium are too high.

The X3 was the first car i ever owned that never let me down. Not a single glitch. The only visit to the dealer was for regular maintenance. And i owned MB, Audi, Ford, Peugeot, Jeep, Honda, Chrysler, Ford and Saab. The 2 worst in that row were Audi and Honda. But this was 20 years ago. The average fuel consumption was very good. 43 mpg.

The only thing that bothered me were the seats. Not enough thigh support and they could not be tilted. Should have taken the sport seats.

This was the first thing i noticed in the FP. Much better seats but i need the 10-way electric front seats option on the Prestige to get the tilt.

I am looking forward to the test drive on saturday.

 

[Cobstar]

Sorry but i went for the Disco Sport, not the big brother because i can not afford a car with 203 g/km CO2. Taxes in Belgium are too high.

The X3 was the first car i ever owned that never let me down. Not a single glitch. The only visit to the dealer was for regular maintenance. And i owned MB, Audi, Ford, Peugeot, Jeep, Honda, Chrysler, Ford and Saab. The 2 worst in that row were Audi and Honda. But this was 20 years ago. The average fuel consumption was very good. 43 mpg.

The only thing that bothered me were the seats. Not enough thigh support and they could not be tilted. Should have taken the sport seats.

This was the first thing i noticed in the FP. Much better seats but i need the 10-way electric front seats option on the Prestige to get the tilt.

I am looking forward to the test drive on saturday.

Enjoy your FP test drive tomorrow. Please let us know how it goes and what you think of the car afterwards.

 

[Cobstar]

Thank you for your feedback The GMan - much appreciated. Have to say I'm not convinced by the spy pictures of the Discovery 5 as a genuine replacement for the D4.

We always seem to end up with an esoteric bunch of cars to explore as possible options to buy. I really like the look of the F-Pace and everything I've read about its performance ticks what I want from a vehicle if I'm moving to an SUV. I know the 2.0D would probably meet my needs but the 3.0 V6 (whether in petrol or diesel) seems to better suit the character of the car. But also significantly increases the purchase price. The D4 ticks a lot of other boxes and I've always wanted a Land Rover - and now the SO might consider it as a serious contender.

Time will tell what we go for next.

In the meantime I'm really enjoying the discussions on this forum and learning more about the F-Pace's pros and cons.

 

[The Gman]

Thank you for your feedback The GMan - much appreciated. Have to say I'm not convinced by the spy pictures of the Discovery 5 as a genuine replacement for the D4.

We always seem to end up with an esoteric bunch of cars to explore as possible options to buy. I really like the look of the F-Pace and everything I've read about its performance ticks what I want from a vehicle if I'm moving to an SUV. I know the 2.0D would probably meet my needs but the 3.0 V6 (whether in petrol or diesel) seems to better suit the character of the car. But also significantly increases the purchase price. The D4 ticks a lot of other boxes and I've always wanted a Land Rover - and now the SO might consider it as a serious contender.

Time will tell what we go for next.

In the meantime I'm really enjoying the discussions on this forum and learning more about the F-Pace's pros and cons.

Pleasure Cobstar, we have a small holding in the hills so need two X 4x4's, one heavy duty (the disco) and one with enough grip to get to the house, I have 3 different ways in or out but all have very step hills and are not gritted or snow ploughed. To be honest the most fit for purpose access car rather than workhorse would be a panda 4x4 light weight, skinny tyres.... Slightly lacking in street cred though :mrgreen: hence the succession of audi's I have had. A BMW 335 D X drive estate was on my list as like you by the sound of it I wanted an enjoyable drive first and foremost which is also 4x4 second..... Hence giving the Macan serious consideration.... But these days I don't want to feel like I have to be "on it" all the time.... and the Macan was a bit to restless for me...... Why I think the FP SC should be ideal

 

[redonebe]

Just finished the test drive with the FP 2.0D Aut. Prestige with 19" wheels.

I have to say that i was not impressed. After all the comparisons with the Macan ( which i have never tested ) i expected something more spectacular to drive. But maybe this is only with the 3l engines.

The positive points:

Driving position.
Seats.
Sound isolation.
Touch screen.

The negative points:

Interior material quality. Black shiny plastic.
Steering not that sharp.
Steering wheel too thin.

But overall i had a good feeling and it stays on my list. The only problem is the delivery time. Still this year but probably early December.

 

[Jasonfpace]

3.0d is a complete different car to drive and feel. Drive it and you will see

 

[redonebe]

Jasonfpace,

I believe you but The 3 l is way over my budget.

 

[Jasonfpace]

It was mine too but when you add on the extras the difference in price comes down. I had a 2.0 on order at £45k and now at £52,8k for the 3.0d. I'm planning on keeping for 8-10 years like my current Vw Touareg. Over time I think it will be worth the extra. Totally understand though everyone has a cut off.

 

[Cobstar]

redonebe - interesting feedback. How did the 2.0 litre F-Pace compare with your current X3?
What other cars will you look at now?

 

[JLRnumber5]

Just finished the test drive with the FP 2.0D Aut. Prestige with 19" wheels.

I have to say that i was not impressed. After all the comparisons with the Macan ( which i have never tested ) i expected something more spectacular to drive. But maybe this is only with the 3l engines.

The positive points:

Driving position.
Seats.
Sound isolation.
Touch screen.

The negative points:

Interior material quality. Black shiny plastic.
Steering not that sharp.
Steering wheel too thin.

But overall i had a good feeling and it stays on my list. The only problem is the delivery time. Still this year but probably early December.

Hi Redonebe

You seem to be happy (or at least don't mention) the power/performance of the 2.0d and criticism seems to lie more with the handling. That makes me question whether the car you drove had Adaptive Dynamics and whether you played about with some of the settings? I found sharpening up the steering is quite noticeable and would definitely call it out as one of the cars strong points. Particularly in comparison to the X3. So it does make me wonder if your car was configured with AD.

You can spec the car with a sports steering wheel as an option so that criticism is easy to fix.

Also you could consider a Portfolio model which does help improve the cabin quality (although some of the hard plastics still exist)

Hope this helps.

 

[redonebe]

It was mine too but when you add on the extras the difference in price comes down. I had a 2.0 on order at £45k and now at £52,8k for the 3.0d. I'm planning on keeping for 8-10 years like my current Vw Touareg. Over time I think it will be worth the extra. Totally understand though everyone has a cut off.

The price for the 3l is one thing but the taxes in Belgium are not in favour of high co2 for a company car.

redonebe - interesting feedback. How did the 2.0 litre F-Pace compare with your current X3?
What other cars will you look at now?

I think there was not much difference in performance but the FP had only 1.000 km so i expect it to get a little better after it is broken in. My wife told me it seemed slower and it was certainly slower for the first 100 meters but after that i had no complaints. But then again if i want something fast i took the 3.0. 132kW is enough for the daily commute.

I now have to decide if i keep my X3 until to new model X3 is available, buy the current X3 now or go for the FP. The GLC is not an option because i do not want to wait a year for a new car.

You seem to be happy (or at least don't mention) the power/performance of the 2.0d and criticism seems to lie more with the handling. That makes me question whether the car you drove had Adaptive Dynamics and whether you played about with some of the settings? I found sharpening up the steering is quite noticeable and would definitely call it out as one of the cars strong points. Particularly in comparison to the X3. So it does make me wonder if your car was configured with AD.

You can spec the car with a sports steering wheel as an option so that criticism is easy to fix.

Also you could consider a Portfolio model which does help improve the cabin quality (although some of the hard plastics still exist)

The power/perfomance is as expected from a 132kW engine in an 1.800 kg machine. Nothing special but enough to do my daily commute. The handling was not bad but not as sharp as the current X3. There was no AD on the car and i did not change any setting except Sport an Dynamic mode. Also on the highway at 120 km/h the X3 is like running on rails, if that is the correct expression, where the FP was more seeking its path. Maybe the tire pressure was not correct and if i decide to continue with the FP i will certainly have another test drive to check this out.

I do not find the Sport steering wheel in the option list for Belgium but i also noticed the Prestige in Belgium is not the Prestige in UK we are missing a lot of features. But this is not a big issue. After a few weeks you get used to this. When i drive my wife's car, with the M-Sport steering wheel, and go back in the X3 it feels also thin.

The extra leather in the Portfolio is certainly nicer to look at but does not change the plastic look of the center console and the build quality of the arm rest.

Overall the SO and i found it the most beautiful SUV on the outside. The build quality on the inside is not on the level of the German cars but certainly not bad. Seats were very good.

When we drove back after the test drive we were certain that the FP is better looking in and out as the X3, but the ride quality was not noticeably better.