Shark_V8

We are going in circles - went from SUV's to a small car to a pickup truck/small car. After 3 years, the idea to "hey" go back to an SUV and rationalize the truck/car combo. Truck saw only 3K km this past year (I personally don't like trucks, too big and slow). Let's get to the test drives:

Q7 redesign was first. It's big, smooth, posh. Just too posh. Quite the spaceship. The Q5 we found to be tight. It was a great drive but felt small and load space wasn't much bigger than the Kia Soul we have. Then onto KIA's Sorento and Sportage - the option list on these, on paper looks good but I am not sure 1/2 the stuff really works. Cluttered dash layout, impostor-ish design.

Somebody wanted to trade our truck for a X5d, which put me into a BMW dealer. The X5 I wrote off as likely to man-size big, but the new X3 re-design there, whoa I thought that could be the one for my wife. Took a Saturday to test out the X3 and then the Tiguan, The Tiguan is spacious but a little too-impersonal. The X3 fit/sized just right, drove fantastic and the load area is also ample. The tech is pretty impressive too, with a depth of features, touchscreen, heads-up display and more. Clear winner in this battle

Did some wheeling and dealing, trading in and got the X3 in Phytonic blue with Premium enhanced. So what does this have to do with the A8?

Well as I was driving the X3 back home here, I really felt the need to lower it on the curvy highway. Can't be done. It has a sport mode but at that height, it was a bit wasted. I also felt the need to put the thing on spacers as the wheelbase felt narrow. It handles well just isn't what I'm used to, I guess. Yeah it's strange, slightly disappointing to layout all that cash for what?

dvs_dave

volvopentaman

BMW's are crap cars. Well specced, but bad parts quality especially in the engine compartment.

I assume you haven't searched around how much expensive engine problems those cars have regardless of engine or model year. BMW just hasn't got even one engine right, that could be a long-runner like a Volvo 4, 5 or 6cyl or a VW/Audi W12 or V8 or 4cyl 8v.

All 4cyl are crap, some fail at 20k (N47) some at 100k. Chain problems on basically all 4cyl, diesels have even harmonic balancer problems and all plastic parts basically fail. (have had several friends with failed 4cyl at under 100k miles)
All 6cyl gasoline have either chain (M50) or vanos problems (M52,54,N54), some even have piston-ring problems at relatively low miles. 6cyl diesels have a lot of accessory problems (EGR etc) at too low miles (have rebuilt several BMW 6cyl under 130k miles)
V8 engines... well not any better, twinturbos have turbo failures, older engines have vanos and chain failures.

carkarl

I was wondering why you didn't have Q3 on the list to compare if you had a Tiguan, but then found the surprising statement that a Q5 felt too small... is the Tiguan really roomier than a Q5?

We really like our Q3 and how it handles. I consider it a 4-door car with a regular trunk or a 2-door with a huge cargo area. It has proven an effective replacement for our B5 A4 avant, serving the same utilitarian purposes while being much more comfortable.

Greg5OH

dont forget all the rod bearing failures across hafl the BMW lineup! N63, e39 m5 e60 v10 etc.

That beign said I assume you wanted something brand new? I really like our '13 Q7 diesel. A littel small TBH, rear cargo area is comivcal. but very nice from a driver perspective

Shark_V8

I had a chance to drive the X3 and the A8 back to back this past weekend. Actually there were very similar in terms of being quiet and composed. The A8's older transmission is pretty crude to the precision of the X3 - with paddle shifters no less.
The X3 also lurched less on the bumps and dips in the road.
The X3 sits high up and that I like but I would space it out an 1" at least on the rear and then I think it would feel right to me. It feels a little narrow.

You'd think that in 2018 BMW could produce a little turbo 4 engine that is reliable enough?

I'm looking at X5's now