Jump to content

BMW X3 'off-road' ability?


karlbird
 Share

Recommended Posts

Looking for a new car.

What I am after doesn't exist, with a budget of less than £10k I want a smart (as it will be my only car), comfortable, reliable 4x4 that does not cost the earth to run and does around 40mpg.... What I want is a Land Rover Disco that meets the above criteria - so until they come up with something I will have to keep dreaming!

Narrowed it down to a Freelander 2, but thats on the small side, willing to compromise there though as I have seen how good they are off road, especially with the addition of AT tyres.

Does anyone have a BMW X3 and if so could they comment on what its like 'off-road'? I am not talking full on green laning etc, just the average shoot field perimeters, muddy rutty tracks and some inclines and more mud.

It needs to be a family car (well not so much family as a dog when I get one later in the year), good on long runs both comfort and economy wise and also be a lamping/shoot truck too - so all in all I am asking a lot but willing (read as having to!) compromise somewhere.

Regards,

Karl

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking for a new car.

 

What I am after doesn't exist, with a budget of less than £10k I want a smart (as it will be my only car), comfortable, reliable 4x4 that does not cost the earth to run and does around 40mpg.... What I want is a Land Rover Disco that meets the above criteria - so until they come up with something I will have to keep dreaming!

 

Narrowed it down to a Freelander 2, but thats on the small side, willing to compromise there though as I have seen how good they are off road, especially with the addition of AT tyres.

 

Does anyone have a BMW X3 and if so could they comment on what its like 'off-road'? I am not talking full on green laning etc, just the average shoot field perimeters, muddy rutty tracks and some inclines and more mud.

 

It needs to be a family car (well not so much family as a dog when I get one later in the year), good on long runs both comfort and economy wise and also be a lamping/shoot truck too - so all in all I am asking a lot but willing (read as having to!) compromise somewhere.

 

Regards,

 

Karl

 

There's a thread on the X3 a bit further down the page, basically they will cope with clay ground muddy car parks and farm tracks no problem but they are not and never were intended as a dual purpose vehicle (Clarkson is a multi millionaire but nonetheless idiot for not knowing this). You will love owning one, it beats most of the cars on HonestJohn's list into a cocked hat, Hyundai Santa Fe/Kia Sportage.............. :rolleyes::rolleyes: purrleeease.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Id stick with the Landy, they're the daddy of offroading! My mrs grandad has a 03 plate disco and I remember one year we were about 3 feet in snow and snowed in were we lived with my mrs grandparents. We needed to get out and went out in the disco, it was like the snow wasn't even there! No slipping, no sliding, no nothing!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gents,

 

Thanks for your replies.

 

Rav4 is definitely too small i think.

 

The X Trail is one I need to look in to, wasn't on my list but definitely sounds like it is worth a look.

 

I'll have a look for the X3 thread, see what that says.

 

A couple of the guys on my shoot have CRVs and they seem to have difficulty on the rough stuff a bit more than I would like.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At the end of the day it's a road car, put at tyres on and you reduce both it's ability on road and reduce its economy. You have to accept limitations off road, it will be better than a car but it won't be hardcore. A gun last year drowned his x5 trying to follow a ford ranger through a dee push puddle they just aren't designed for much more than tracks and grass.

The freelander option don't be too sure on getting 40mpg unless you only do long journeys and have a light foot. The ones I know seem to average about 35mpg but they are vastly better off road. At the end of the day you need to look at the amount of miles you do and how much time off road.

I have an l200 day to day and do about 12k a year and it's off road 2-3 nights a week lamping. Works for me but most of my driving is lanes

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...