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      10-08-2011, 03:37 PM   #1
crunchingnumbers
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2010 X6 purchase

I meant 2012 X6 purchase - sorry

I have driven a RR sport for 5 years and over the summer decided it was time to get something new. I liked the X6 and test drove a new RR sport also.

Somehow I convinced myself to keep the RR sport for it's practicality and then got a 335I convertible for fun and also because I had never owned a convertible. The 335i is great to drive and I made it the way I wanted it, but after 5 months it's spent all it's time sitting in the garage because it's not practical to drive to work (which is where I am most of the time, spending 20+ days a month in hotels out of state + baggage, so no opportunity to drive the 335i).

Now Im looking at getting an X6 and trading in both which the dealer is of course happy to do . The fact is the X6 is unique and I just don't see too many manly SUV/performance types out there. The RR sport is getting a little long in the tooth and cannot touch the tech of the BMW class. I also want a car that I can enjoy all the time - two cars is overrated in my situation.

I have read review after review and looked at specs. I am going to load it up and add the performance package at $2,800 +$1,000 to paint/fit, which imho makes it look a lot better and quite frankly I think the X6M is just too much money. Like my 335i, I wanted the M sport package which I understood was supposed to be around in 2010, but my dealer told me no can do.

My big question regards the model and performance i.e. 3.5 versus 5.0. I have dismissed the X6M as too expensive for me even though top of the line performance would be attractive. Is the performance difference between the two that much different (I would want something at least as quick as the stock 335i) and is it worth considering the performance tune from bmw for the extra 49 hp. Has anyone done it.

I will be going to my dealer this wednesday to try to make a deal and below are the options I'm looking at. General comments on the two variants and options to get etc would be very much appreciated from everyone.

Black Sapphire Metallic
Oyster Nevada Leather
Dark wood trim
Cold Weather Package
Premium Package
Sport Package
20" Light alloy Y-Spoke wheels
Technology Package
3 Rear Seats
Running boards
Soft-close automatic doors
BMW Apple iPhone Media / BMW Apps + Adapter
BMW Performance Black Kidney Grille
Performance Aerodynamic kit - matched color

Thanks in advance.

Last edited by crunchingnumbers; 10-08-2011 at 05:37 PM.. Reason: Title Wrong
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      10-08-2011, 03:52 PM   #2
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I think you mean 2012 X6, not 2010....

That said, I would get the active steering. It was impossible to find a car to test drive with it (dealer eventually got a trade in) and it is one of my favorite options on this car.

PS - get the V8 for the sound alone.
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      10-08-2011, 05:36 PM   #3
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2012 X6 Purchase

Yes I meant 2012 - oops.

That's interesting on the active steering. At $1,500 it's an expensive option, but I have read comments on the X6 steering at low speeds etc. At least someone says it's worth getting. As far as the V8, I am leaning that way.

Thanks for the reply.
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      10-08-2011, 11:22 PM   #4
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the x6 xd35i is no slouch on curves and i've never wanted more power during merges / passing. however, if you want something as "quick" as a 335i you're probably better off with the v8.

SOUND: i agree with doug about the exhaust note. induction, exhaust, and engine sounds are quite disappointing on my x6 35i, but it's a commuter car. i have other toys for "weekends."

STEERING: i do NOT have active steering (in the US is bundled with the active suspension, which i didn't want because of ride stiffness / weight / complexity concerns, so i just got the Sport Activity Pkg for the nice 20" snowflake wheels).
slow steering ratio, fairly high effort at low speeds makes parking much more of a chore than on my other cars.
If i could do it again, I'd probably get the Sport Pkg + active steering.

FUEL ECON: with my 6-cylinder, i only get about 12-14mpg in short stop-and-go driving (more freeway gets me up to 17 tops).

VENTILATED SEATS: cooling is kinda weak and disappointing, with intrusive fan noise on "HI." This is my least favorite option, but I'd still probably order it again.

that said, all x6s are nice cars (but so is the range rover).

happy shopping!

.

Last edited by somonster; 10-08-2011 at 11:33 PM..
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      10-09-2011, 10:11 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by crunchingnumbers View Post
Yes I meant 2012 - oops.

That's interesting on the active steering. At $1,500 it's an expensive option, but I have read comments on the X6 steering at low speeds etc. At least someone says it's worth getting. As far as the V8, I am leaning that way.

Thanks for the reply.
It is interesting you comment on the expense. When I ask my dealer why they don't keep at least one Active Steering car around, they say "nobody wants to pay for it".

I personally think that once you drive it, you will want it. I sort of find the "nobody wants to pay for it" comment silly when you consider things like...
Soft Close doors $600
Sports package $4,100
Aero kit $$$$

I mean, let's be honest, we can do without ALL of these (and lots more) - in fact, we can buy a vehicle a lot less expensive than the X6 - but we WANT this car and a $1,500 option that really improves the driving experience should be a no-brainer.
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      10-09-2011, 08:14 PM   #6
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doug_999 - I think that is a fair comment. Subjective choices but i may rethink that option as you raise a perfectly valid argument. At the end of the day, if we don't understand it very well or how it supposedly benefits us we tend to dismiss it. I am going to see if they have maybe an X5 or something else with it installed so that I can get a sense of what active steering brings to the table.

I can well imagine myself mumbling loudly when i find myself wishing I had it whilst trying to negotiate driving somewhere. Funny you should mention soft close doors because I don't think they're particularly important. As for the sports package and aero kit with a performance ECU bump - aaah, that's a different story

Also thanks to somonster for the comments.
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      10-10-2011, 01:05 AM   #7
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+1 for Active Steering - a must OPTION!
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      10-10-2011, 08:32 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by doug_999 View Post
... I would get the active steering. It was impossible to find a car to test drive with it (dealer eventually got a trade in) and it is one of my favorite options on this car.

PS - get the V8 for the sound alone.
I'm with Doug on this
I loved my AS on 335i and absolutely loved it on X6 50i i test drove
I think it's a-must option
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      10-10-2011, 08:50 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by crunchingnumbers View Post
......... Funny you should mention soft close doors because I don't think they're particularly important. ...........
Yea, I skipped soft close doors. How silly I thought. Now every time one of my kids doesn't close the door all the way (or maybe it is me?) I think "How silly that for $600 I could have had the damn option and I skipped it".

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      10-10-2011, 10:11 AM   #10
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The active steering is one of the many things I love about my M. It is there helping you like all of the other technology. It allows easy movement in tight low speed conditions, and then when going fast, the ratio adjusts to increase the precision in steering movements at speed. It also adjusts the steering resistance in the M when using the Sport mode.
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      10-10-2011, 12:23 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LANDLORD View Post
The active steering is one of the many things I love about my M. It is there helping you like all of the other technology. It allows easy movement in tight low speed conditions, and then when going fast, the ratio adjusts to increase the precision in steering movements at speed. It also adjusts the steering resistance in the M when using the Sport mode.
Hmmm, if I'm not mistaken, you don't have Active Steering on the X6M. IF it is like the M5, you have a variable ratio, but it does not adjust with speed. Basically, with the variable ratio in the M5, the first x amount of turn does not do much, but that increases the more you turn the wheel. So it is a bit like Active Steering (and certainly not as bad as regular) but the one difference is that it will not adjust on you at speed. This is on purpose because on the track (where we all take our cars right?), if you are in a turn and slowing down, with Active Steering, you actually have to unwind the car because the ration changes with speed. This can be annoying on the track they say. In real life however, it rarely happens - but with the M cars, they take the chance of that happening out.

Let me know if I am wrong.
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      10-10-2011, 10:19 PM   #12
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You must be right, I never thought of it that way, and it makes sense. The steering has great response at high speeds, and allows precise adjustments. I just assumed that was because of the ratio changing. They have done a great job with the M in so many ways, I need to get some track time to really explore it. Thanks for the explanation!

I can feel the resistance change when I turn on the Sport mode immediately.
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      10-11-2011, 02:23 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by doug_999 View Post
a $1,500 option that really improves the driving experience should be a no-brainer.
in the US, I think you have to buy the "Sport Package" to get the active steering. I'd like the active steering, but I didn't want the potentially stiffer sport suspension / adaptive drive option.

on the X6 35i/50im active steering is really $5500 option (sport package + active steering add-on),

what BMW should really do is just increase the base price $1500 and make it standard if it really makes the car better to drive.

oh well. still love my x6.

.
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      10-11-2011, 09:07 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by doug_999 View Post
Yea, I skipped soft close doors. How silly I thought. Now every time one of my kids doesn't close the door all the way (or maybe it is me?) I think "How silly that for $600 I could have had the damn option and I skipped it".

Best option by far for me
No more slamming doors and more importantly - it does not wake up my kid when i get in/out
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