I zip a X1 to Vancouver, BC.

"Jimmy Tango" (jimcalliu)
08/24/2014 at 02:56 • Filed to: None

TL;DR: I zipcar a X1 over the weekend to Vancouver, and have tons of fun with it, yet decide that X1 isn't really my car.

Living in Seattle has a bonus (at least for us dim sum craving folks) that Vancouver is only a couple hours drive away. I took my family to our friendly Canuck city for a foodie weekend. In case you don't know, Vancouver (Richmond to be specific) has the best dim sum restaurant selection, possibly better than Hong Kong.

I haven't wrote about why I am driving a Mazda 3 but it's the only vehicle that my family own. Since this is the first "roadtrip" (I define it as anything beyond an hour driving, YMMV) our family takes after Mazda3 becomes our only vehicle, we decide to try BMW X1 out.

To rationalize this decision, I have to come clean on how I am a big supporter of car sharing business. I have both ZipCar and Car2Go membership (and use them when I need them) ever since I knew them (ZipCar since 2009, Car2Go since 2013). I also use Uber when I am on a date with my wife and plan on enjoy adult beverages. I truly feel that, if I am not rich enough to have personal chauffeur or multiple vehicles cater to my needs, the existence of these business can only benefit me.

We are also shopping for my ideal car for family. Mazda3 is nice and all, but the road noise level alone isn't something we can put up for more than a 30 mins drive. We have good experience with our previous BMW (e46 coupe). Despite it's sportiness everything, the 2004 330ci still the quietest car we've ride in beside our parents' german executive sedans.

Seattle Zipcar has an okay selection. When I was a student I mostly use Prius and Honda Insight since those are cheap and drifting a Prius is fun. I ride Mini Cooper to party, and Subura Impreza or Honda CRV to snowboarding. Now that I am looking for future family car, the only two cars I could see fit our taste are X1 and Q5. Q5 has a daily rate of $121.89 before Per Trip Waiver, so I decide to try out X1 first.

X1 has a couple advantages going in my mind. It's the easiest entry point if you want a 3 series chassis (E91 to be exact) but not uber pricy ($30,800 base). If you want the cheapest inline six among current BMW lineup, X1 x35i only set you back $38800 (compare to 335i sedan start with $43500). X1 is also immune from the criticism of electronically assist steering in current 3 series (or everything other than X1 BMW makes in that regard), as it inherits hydraulic steering as another characteristic from E90 era. Not to mention if you wants a more practical yet not humongous variant of BMW 's offering, X1 is the wagon-like crossover instead the real F31 wagon, which you would have to pay 60k sticker price for (yup, I was eyeing a MSRP 63k wagon that was sold before I set foot on the dealership).

The only inconvenience of this whole experience was that I need to take bus to pick up X1 in downtown Seattle (and I returned on Monday when I go to work, since it's close to my office.) I could have rented for another overnight, which I believe it would be another $50, but I decided my one way bus trip (free) and my time (25 mins) was a good trade for $50.

Our trip conclude to be $219.59 as I pick up the car 30mins earlier (extra $6 plus tax) than my start time.

Now, if you are not familiar with how ZipCar works, you'd think $220 is a lot of money to rent a car for two days. I think so too. But if you know that also includes insurance and gas, you could argue it's not as bad of a deal. The follow is the proof how much I put into this X1's belly.

This was for 3/4 of tank. ZipCar has a policy that you ought to return the car with at least 1/4 of a tank, which is what the previous Zipster did exactly. And I refill it up again after the trip although I only use 3/4 tank to complete 315 miles round trip to Vancouver.

So it works out to be like $82 a day including damage waiver, I don't feel any rental company I rent from could give me such a deal especially they don't have a BMW to begin with. (and I have plenty experience on neighborhood rental companies, maybe I can get to that in the future when I write about how my e46 force me to play rental game.) Not to mention if you want to get a super early jump on your road trip, or didn't want to line up Monday morning in a crowded Enterprise office to return your car before you go to work, ZipCar is your friend.

The really driving experience is....so so. I will say I get why N20 is a good engine. It is about 25 MPG even when gas is free and I try to be right foot happy the whole trip. Plus plenty of city driving in Vancouver, with 2 hours of stop and go border wait. It also gives you the max torque (258 lbft) just above 1250 rpm. Why is that important, you ask? Imagine you approaching behind a bus doing full stop, and you turn your wheel slightly to dart to left lane while pedal down as you shoot pass the bus, that's the near idle rpm you have to work with when you need passing power, and N20 gives you that. The seating position is only 3 inch higher than sedan but you can feel it. The body roll is not significant but it's there. And road noise, while significant improve from our tame Mazda 3, it's no where close to what we experience in e46.

Interior wise, it also lack some. Being the entry model, X1 didn't come with 4 zone climate control like it was on 3 series (my backseat passengers voice this complaint.) The leatherette interior had my wife fooled but not me, however I could skimp on it as it's a $1450 option on X1 currently. The hard plastic on this 2015 X1 x28i truly stripped model is also obvious. See below image.

(Since there is not navi screen, I have an extra space to put my stuff, yayy!)

(Plastic everywhere!)

I couldn't comment too much on X1 suspension since I have no clue how it compares to current 3 series. But I would say judging from it's inheritance of E91, it's probably the same part. The steering handling does feel a bit more in terms of feedback, but I don't know if I blame steering or Xdrive suspension for fuzzy road feel.

Acceleration wise, you can get up and going pretty fast. I didn't redline this car since that's not how I drive anyway, but there is something about the highway passing that I don't feel this car is there with me. When I was driving my previous 330ci, that mere 225hp always pin me on my back when I go full throttle. In X1's case, when I was driving 70mph on highway and try to pass a RV camping in left lane, I felt the turbo never kick in, and it took forever to get to that max 242hp which lie around 5000rpm. It could be just my rosy image of 330ci, but I don't feel X1 's pedal had me afraid of pushing it to the limit.

All in all, I can see X1 works for people who have an active lifestyle and fold the back seat down most of time, and seat up when hanging out with friends in the back seat occasionally. Without being a true SUV, X1 offers wagon like (but not quite) exterior and cargo room with easier hit on your bank account. It doesn't feel as nice and roomy as F30, I have to say, but you do gain extra headroom if that's important to you.

I rather have lower seating position and options to get some of the gimmick I like. But if I ever so determine on getting an X1, this is how I would configure it:

(and I swear there was no leather dash in the 2015 X1 I was in, yet this picture looks like it has.)

Photo credit: ZipCar, myself, BMWNA.

DISCUSSION (15)

AM3R > Jimmy Tango
08/24/2014 at 03:02

X1's are cool, I own an E90 and I drove an X1 as a loaner once. It was a fully loaded M-sport 35i.

M54B30 > Jimmy Tango
08/24/2014 at 03:18

You said it included gas, I think I missed or didn't understand that part... You said you put 3/4 into a 1/4 full tank and returned with a 1/4 tank... Isn't that how all car rental places work except a full tank is the norm?

Jimmy Tango > M54B30
08/24/2014 at 04:08

Ah, I can see how this might be misleading.

When you use ZipCar, there is a fuel card in the car let you fill up the tank without damage to your wallet. In my story it happens that my trip only takes 3/4 of a tank. I did mention that I fill it back up again so the next guy use it don't have to worry about it unless he drained the whole tank. If you were renting a car you would fill up the tank to whatever it was on your own dime, that's the difference.

Hope that explained.

Jimmy Tango > AM3R
08/24/2014 at 04:09

I would have loved it more had it was a loaded MSport! That color is good on X1 as well — there is one like this in my neighborhood.

heliochrome85 > Jimmy Tango
08/24/2014 at 11:13

I had one this past weekend as a dealer loaner while my F30 was in for its first service. The car was fun, but ultimately, I was glad to be back in my own car. The suspension is pretty good, however I agree the power delivery was lacking. Additionally, the interior is not nearly as nice as Id expect from BMW. Still better than the competition.

AM3R > Jimmy Tango
08/24/2014 at 12:12

I only had it a few hours so I can't really say too much about it, but it was a nice car! I wouldn't mind rolling in one for a few days if I ever had problems with my car.

Jimmy Tango > heliochrome85
08/24/2014 at 12:32

Yeah, I already see Merc advertising their GLK250, starting $33000.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Jimmy Tango
08/24/2014 at 13:28

woo! Seattle oppos!

also, I like the X1 a lot. it's one of my favorite BMW's

M54B30 > Jimmy Tango
08/24/2014 at 19:45

yep - thanks. I poked around on their site and saw that too. That's a great perk, too bad the nearest one is 600+ miles from me

Jimmy Tango > M54B30
08/26/2014 at 01:49

Yeah ZipCar is really for city use. But I would suggest that next time when you travel, look up zipcar in that city. Last time I traveled around San Francisco or Boston, I used ZipCar to go to some nearby places that using mass transportation would be hard to get to. And sometimes you really just need 2-3 hours for the car.

Not to mention the ones in San Francisco parked right underneath Shelton (a BMW 3er nontheless), where I stayed. They have nightly parking rate of $35. Yike for rental car!

Jimmy Tango > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
08/26/2014 at 02:46

yay Seattle oppos!

I spent countless hours on BMW configurator and Bimmerfest. My opinion is that a loaded X1 can still be very competitive to 335 or 3 wagon (similarly equip they both are $10k more). The downside being the stripped model is really not that impressive. Otherwise I can see X1 getting serious market share.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Jimmy Tango
08/26/2014 at 02:49

on a completely separate note, we should have a seattle oppo meet at some point...

Jimmy Tango > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
08/26/2014 at 02:55

I 'd like that. Not thing crazy (as I am not even proud of my car to C&C right now...) but instead of just wowing at cars on the road by myself gets old (okay not really.)

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Jimmy Tango
08/26/2014 at 03:02

Yeah, i'll make a post about it tomorrow, see who is actually in our area (I know of you, Spaceball, Saabstory (?) StuttgartObsessed, and I) I know there are are more, so i'll ask around!

Jimmy Tango > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
08/26/2014 at 11:39

Cool. I know twinturbobmw is in OR. I like his work on all the photography of C&C.