Good evening everyone.
My wife and I are looking into making 2 purchases this year and could use some advice. The only Beemer we’ve owned was a 6th gen 328xi and it was a nightmare. Really turned me off to the idea of BMW. Which was unfortunate because I absolutely loved the way the driving felt. Recently I’ve seen that BMW has been doing much better and even being ranked top 3 for reliability by Car and Driver. So we figured we’d give this a shot considering we are comfortable financially.
We will be selling our 2018 Ram 2500 and 2008 Lexus ISF.
First car: hers. We are expecting our first kid and looking for something she can easily get a carseat in and put of while being 5’2". So we started looking at the x5 and x3. Not sure which route to go seeing as the x5 only seems marginally larger than the x3, but I do like that it has the b58 standard. Also looking at the 2019-2021 area so depreciation has kicked in nicely. Can the x3 comfortably fit a car seat and stroller? Which is more welcoming for long distance trips? How’s the reliability and cost-to-own on the 2 models?
Second car: mine. I’ve always been a sports car guy and always been NA. So not sure how I feel about everything being turboed. But that’s what’s out there now. I was originally looking atthe m340i. She shot it down since it seems to small. So now I think I’m between the 540i and the m550i. I like the 540i but it feels like it doesn’t have that sporty oomph I’d want compared to something like the m550i. The m550i though I’ve read nothing but “never buy a BMW v8.” Now I’ve been looking so we’d get a minimum of a 2020 since I believe that’s the n63tu3 which I believe has been running well? Is it worth it now or should we stick with the 540i since it also has the b58?
Additionally we both have androids and half the time people say these cars have android auto and the other half they don’t. So super confused and any help or advice would be appreciated lol!
Thank you!
Forgot to add both cars will be getting 5 year extended warranties if that matters.
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540i and the X5 40i.
We’re a family with two young kids, and recently went through a similar buying experience.
My wife who is the same size as yours, 5’2, ended choosing a 2019 X5 40i over a 2021 x3 30i. Once you actually get in them and drive around a bit, the X5 does feel a lot roomier than the X3, and she also felt that it was the more comfortable one out of the two. It’s been the perfect vehicle for our young family. (Plus the tailgate is a neat feature with the X5)
As for me, I went with a 2018 BMW 340i… and I haven’t been able to wipe the grin off my face since!
The important to remember is that whichever model of BMW you’re considering, the B58 is always the answer.
Yeah, that was my mistake, letting my wife test drive the X5 after trying out the much more affordable X3 lol. But there’s no denying it was the better choice for us.
I have 2 car seats in each vehicle. Backseat space in the 340i has not been an issue for my two young ones at all. I crossed shopped a G70 3.3t and S3 at the time, and personally felt the BMW had the most room back there for them. Thought about a 540i too, but felt it was a little overkill knowing my wife would always own a SUV.
Kids love being both cars equally though - mom’s because it’s roomy and has pretty lights, and dad’s because it makes loud noises and can go fast.
This is a great response. I’ll take it into consideration thank you so much!
M340 is fine for a car seat. It’s a small car at all
OK thank you.
I would go X5 over X3 in a heartbeat. We found the X3 too small, especially with a rear facing car seat.
If you need or want to fit a rear facing seat in your car:
BMW made an absolute gem of a family car in the 3-series and 6-series Gran Turismo. Both are built on an extended wheel base, which adds several inches of rear leg room to the car. This is key with a rear facing car seat.
Both cars are also fastback style hatchbacks with more rear cargo room than a wagon (and I believe the X3). I can not overstate the usefulness of these cars. Strollers, bags, etc are absolute no problems. Plus they can be had with the B58 engine.
Oh this is interesting. I’ve never heard about those. I’ll look into them. Thank you very much!
I FAFO’d by not getting a M550i and now I have deep regrets as I didn’t know BMW would discontinue it. The G30 540i ran great for me and is a brilliant car, but I really would like to try a V8 before they go away. I guess I could look into a used one, but I suspect these get driven very hard and I wouldn’t be confident in long term reliability unless I bought it new.
Both of my cars are really old, so this might not apply. However, if I didn’t love cars I wouldn’t have one. Period. If that doesn’t describe you, I would give it a second thought.
That said, the B58 is pretty solid. BMW has a good reputation with straight sixes. I would absolutely stay away from the V8s.
Think about how long you’d want to own it. If shorter term, it may be ok. Long term, I don’t know. I’d just get a Honda honestly. Or keep your Lexus. You’ll see pretty quickly that nobody gives a shit if you drive a BMW or not.