babypuppi: [7] Bmw X1 Reliability Becomes This Month Discuss

From the October 2014 Issue of Car and Driver

If you’re into fantasy, the calendar runneth over with conventions you can attend dressed as a sci-fi or comic-book character. Who doesn’t look good as Yoda? But if you just want to go somewhere in costume, you could simply sit in traffic in a modern crossover, pretending to be fully engaged in the “active outdoor lifestyle” that automotive marketers so fastidiously craft around such vehicles, and nobody will call you a weirdo.

It is into this costumed realm that BMW inserts its smallest crossover, the X1. This diminutive machine borrows its underpinnings from the E91 (previous-generation) 3-series station wagon. It’s taller and more outdoorsy-looking than any wagon, though, and BMW hopes the “X” in the model name also flips the switch in consumers’ brains from “wagon = leprosy spreader” to “not a wagon = buy.” Actually, there are officially two Xs in the name. Ours was an X1 xDrive28i, the lowercase “x” denoting four-wheel drive. Further evidence that the X1 is a wagon in disguise: This is the only capital-X model that BMW offers without lowercase-x four-wheel drive (the X1 sDrive28i drives only its rear wheels; at $31,725, it’s the cheapest model in BMW’s current lineup).

But because we are located in New Nunavut (a.k.a. Ann Arbor, a.k.a. Moscow on the Huron), we ordered our extended-stay X1 with four-wheel drive. We also ordered it with everything but shift paddles and Servotronic variable-assist steering. Some staffers wished for the latter, as the steering was rather heavy at parking-lot speeds. We did add the Premium package (upgraded leather, keyless entry, and power front seats), Driver Assistance package (rearview camera and proximity beeping), and the Technology package (voice-controlled navigation with real-time traffic info). Check all of those boxes individually and you’ll be handed a $7400 upcharge. But if you want all three, you can just check one box, the Ultimate package, for a discounted $6650.

View PhotosA.J. MUELLER , JOHN PHILLIPS, MICHAEL SIMARI

And then there’s the $3000 M Sport package (stiffer suspension, Pirelli P Zero run-flats, sport seats, and different fascias and rockers), $600 19-inch wheels, $500 heated front seats, $350 satellite radio, and $875 Harman/Kardon surround-sound system. We’re not big on self-sacrifice.

Paint colors other than black or white cost $550, and for reasons nobody remembers, we chose Valencia Orange. So we ended up with an X1 costing $47,370 and painted to look like road barrel. That might seem like a lot for a compact crossover, but it’s about $6000 less than BMW asks for the current 3-series wagon with the same level of equipment. Think of the X1 as a budget alternative. Or, given its tweener styling and seating position, think of it as high-water pants—a familiar article hiked up a couple of inches.

With those pants held up by the M Sport’s stiffer suspenders, roll was nicely controlled, and the Pirellis helped our long-term un-wagon stop from 70 mph in just 151 feet. That’s a significant 38 feet less than we recorded in an earlier test of a similar X1 fitted with all-season Pirelli Cinturatos, and better than any current-generation 3- or 4-series we’ve tested.

The proportions may be different, but on the inside, where it matters the most, the X1 isn't that much different from the 3-series wagon.A.J. MUELLER , JOHN PHILLIPS, MICHAEL SIMARI

Unfortunately, the P Zeros didn’t help improve much on that other X1’s 0.82-g skidpad lap, mustering just 0.84 g when new and 0.86 g once we’d diminished the tread blocks with use. Despite being one of the last BMWs with hydraulic steering, the X1 doesn’t have a particularly talkative helm, and its tendency toward understeer doesn’t make that a very fun 0.86 g.

We’re mystified as to how a little thing like the X1 could possibly weigh 3824 pounds. And yet, even against that mass, the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder feels strong. Its great low-end torque and full-bodied, even pull from any rpm hucked the X1 to 60 mph in 6.0 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 14.6 at 95 mph. The engine and ZF eight-speed automatic are a great pairing, the latter orchestrating effortless and imperceptible handoffs from one gear to the next.

Combining the sport suspension with the largest available wheels and tires, the sidewalls of which were pared down to minimum height, turned out to be a bad idea. Almost everyone who drove the X1 complained about its harsh ride. The X1’s tidy size and upright seating position can make it an ideal urban cruiser, but the warty roads around southeast Michigan just made it unpleasant. And when a pothole inevitably poked a hole in a run-flat Pirelli, we found neither a spare nor a can of Fix-A-Flat in the trunk. The owner’s manual said, “Use the Force, dummy!” or words to that effect, so we limped the tripedal X1 on, grumbling that the supposed pain-deferment offered by run-flats is only one more chip in the dying art of self sufficiency.

View PhotosA.J. MUELLER , JOHN PHILLIPS, MICHAEL SIMARI

The logbook bloated with complaints about other refinement issues. Noise from wind, the road, and cold brakes in the winter were frequent targets, as was seat comfort. While we liked the cabin’s excellent outward visibility, we found the front seats too hard and the rears too small for all but the youngest children. But no feature was so loathed as the stop-start system. On restarts, the engine sends an uncouth jolt through the X1’s structure. At long lights, it sometimes refired while the car was still stationary, and the driver felt a sudden tug against the brake pedal. Thankfully, there’s a button to disable it.

At a light in Chicago, our X1 experienced an even ruder jolt. Despite our eye-searing paint job, the driver of a Nissan Altima failed to notice the stopped BMW and slammed into it from behind, folding the tail pipe under the car and denting the hatch. The X1’s popularity in Europe meant that parts were slow to arrive, as everything BMW could produce was going onto new vehicles, we were told. And so our Florida Sunkist wagonoid spent nearly a month at the body shop. And a month after we paid that $3655 bill, we wrote another check, this time for $468 for a new windshield. Ten days later, we took the X1 to the dealership for a new right-front wheel bearing, replaced under warranty.

Thanks to BMW’s Ultimate Service program, which covers scheduled maintenance for the first four years or 50,000 miles, our non-damage-related costs were nil. We took the X1 in for four services. At 11,766 and 22,571 miles, our dealer administered scheduled oil changes and inspections. At 29,090, we took it in ahead of schedule because BMW dealerships are more common in our area than they are around Darby, Montana, where John Phillips held the X1 in isolation for five months. And with 39,780 miles showing, it went in for a final service, during which technicians addressed a recall relating to the brake system’s vacuum pump.

View PhotosA.J. MUELLER , JOHN PHILLIPS, MICHAEL SIMARI

Driven by the intake camshaft, the pump might not get adequate lubrication and can fail, leaving the X1 with unboosted Model A brakes. A new spring governing the oil flow into the pump set things right, and, in an act of supreme benevolence, the dealer even replaced our missing rear wiper free of charge. For the second time. The best explanation we can come up with is that it’s vulnerable to automatic car washes.

Over the course of its 40,000 miles, the X1 failed to win many friends. BMW’s other crossovers continue to astound us with agility that defies their size. But with its flinty ride (okay, partially our fault) and dull steering, the X1 is not as engaging as the 3-series wagon it’s trying so hard not to be. Our online staff just added an arresting Estoril Blue wagon to its long-term fleet. Nowhere in that car’s logbook does anyone say they wish BMW had dressed it up to look like a crossover. —Jared Gall

RANTS AND RAVES

John Phillips: The ride is unacceptably rude. It’s not necessary for me to feel every single pebble and road irregularity.

Jeff Sabatini: The best thing about the X1 is that BMW seems to have made a clerical error in its pricing. You can get the equivalent of a 3-series wagon for an $8000 discount on a base MSRP.

Mike Sutton: It’s basically a $50K Nissan Juke.

Alexander Stoklosa: I fail to see why anyone would spend nearly $50,000 on something that’s less useful than a Mazda CX-5.

Erik Johnson: The stop-start system’s harshness is embarrassing.

Eddie Alterman: This should have been the smart person’s way to get a new E91 wagon. It’s somehow less than the sum of its parts.

Don Sherman: Concluding ages ago that four-wheel drive is for wimps, I’d buy the rear-drive version of the X1 to clip $1700 off the price.

Aaron Robinson: This car makes me despise Michigan, its ride is so bad. It brings out the worst of the broken roads.

Daniel Pund: Say what you want about this jacked-up wagon, but at least our M Sport version doesn’t carry simulated skid plates and the ribbed plastic cladding of some other pseudo-SUVs.

Juli Burke: To fully shut down the car, you have to push the ignition button twice: first to stop the engine, then to turn off the accessories.

Whenever onlookers ask about our long-term BMW X1 xDrive28i, we astonish them with two facts: First, this crossover—it looks to us like a wagon, but for the love of the pharaohs, don’t mention that to Americans—weighs an astounding 3824 pounds. Second, although the X1 is the cheapest vehicle in BMW’s fleet—rear-wheel-drive versions start at $31,725—the as-tested price of our all-wheel-drive example pokes the stratosphere at $47,370.

The shocking sticker is partly our fault. We optioned up our X1 to include extras such as the $3000 M Sport Line package, $600 19-inch wheels, and the $6650 Premium package that adds a monster sunroof and power front seats. (Shouldn’t all BMWs have power seats?) Still, 47 grand is simply Godzilla money for an all-wheel-drive wannabe SUV that is slightly smaller in exterior dimensions than a Mazda CX-5 or Nissan Rogue.

We last reported on our X1 when its odometer showed 20,217 miles, back in July 2013. Six months later, our Valencia Orange X1—the paint was another $550—has racked up 12,462 additional miles and has visited Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Ohio, South Dakota, Wyoming, Quebec, and Montana. At none of those destinations did anyone praise the X1’s peculiar proportions—“an anteater nose attached to a refrigerator,” offered one heartless Montanan. Peculiar shape or not, the bodywork evinced nary a flaw until the X1 was cruelly rear-ended by a Nissan Altima in Chicago at 24,105 miles. Our X1 sauntered away with mere bruises, but the Altima was spewing fluids and limping like a rodeo clown—apparently mortally wounded. Repairs for the X1 cost $3655. We also cracked the windshield at 26,749 miles, which set us back $468. And at 28,643 miles, we had to rectify a coffee-grinder rumbling emanating from the right-front wheel. Yep, a failed wheel bearing, which BMW replaced gratis, with an apology.

View PhotosA.J. MUELLER , JOHN PHILLIPS, MICHAEL SIMARIRelationship Building

Our marriage to the X1, like all marriages, has weathered some rocky shoals. For starters, the automatic stop-start system is confounding. It transmits a too-harsh shudder through the car on startup, and it won't work at all if the ambient temp is below 37 degrees Fahrenheit. Neither will it work in "sop-and-go traffic," as the owner’s manual describes it. Really? Which means that, in our hands, we’ve left the system mostly disabled.

We also have issues with the steering. At highway speeds, it weights up nicely and is sufficiently accurate if somewhat numb. But at parking-lot speeds, the steering is so heavy that you’ll want to apply both hands for leverage, as if gripping an ax handle. It might do wonders for your biceps, but we’re now wondering if BMW’s Servotronic variable assist might have been the better route.

View PhotosA.J. MUELLER , JOHN PHILLIPS, MICHAEL SIMARI

But our biggest beef is that the X1’s ride is brittle, creeping up on abrasive. Yes, we were the guys who ordered the M Sport Line package with its dictatorial underpinnings, but there are plenty of other M-badged BMWs that don’t lacerate your kidneys. On top of that, the sport seats—although nicely bolstered—are narrow and as hard as cold-rolled steel. After a three-hour stint, one of your cheeks will likely go numb. At gas stops, we got into a routine of performing jumping jacks to restore feeling. And one final gripe: We’re trying our hardest to embrace a BMW motivated by four cylinders, but we’d have an easier time of it if the mileage exceeded 24 mpg.

Slap and Tickle

On the upside, the X1 evinces wondrous roll control and is a joy in the hills. It attains 60 mph in 6.0 seconds, which makes us wonder how quick it might have been if it were 358 pounds lighter—the weight of a Subaru Forester 2.5i. With the rear seats flattened, the cargo bay swallowed a 64-gallon trash can. The Eco Pro system, which softens throttle tip-in and encourages premature upshifts, works beautifully as a snow-and-ice setting. The X1 sits up high, with vast headroom and a big slab of a windshield affording panoramic sightlines down range. Its platform feels as confident as an Eagle Scout. Apart from our own self-inflicted damage, the car has so far been a cheap date.

But virtually every editor who has driven our Valencia orange more than 500 miles has said, “Not bad, but for $47,000, I’d rather have a 328i xDrive sports wagon [starting at $42,375].” Our marriage to the X1 clearly won’t end in divorce, but tune in 7321 miles from now, when a forced separation is mandated. Let’s see who gets the last word. —John Phillips

Months in Fleet: 13 months
Current Mileage: 32,679 miles Average Fuel Economy: 24 mpg
Fuel Tank Size: 16.6 gallons Fuel Range: 382 miles
Service: $140 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0
Damage and Destruction: $4123

By now, we all know that everyone is supposed to be driving smaller vehicles. But we’re not doing a very good job of it. At almost every redesign, cars and trucks gain size, mass, or both. Even the smallest vehicles often get bigger when redesigned, creating a cycle whereby the bottom slot opens up, ready to be filled by a new, smaller model. Within BMW’s SUV lineup, the X3 was the little guy, but after a couple of redesigns, it had grown enough to open up space beneath it for its own little brother.

Enter the X1, BMW’s newest and smallest model line. By giving it an alphanumeric label beginning with an “X,” BMW indicates that it considers this a crossover. But it looks an awful lot like a wagon, and its suspension is an awful lot like that of a 1-series, which is in turn much like that of an E90 3-series. We were thinking of the X1 as a 3-series wagon, but then BMW introduced the latest 3-series wagon. So now the X1 is back to being a tiny crossover that, with its tall windshield and airy greenhouse, looks kind of like a startled station wagon.

View PhotosA.J. MUELLER , JOHN PHILLIPS, MICHAEL SIMARI

Going for Broke

“Startled” also accurately describes many staffers’ reactions to our X1’s sticker. At a base price of $31,725, the X1 is the cheapest vehicle in BMW’s current lineup. All-wheel-drive four-cylinder X1s carry an entry price of $33,395. The only option not on ours, however, is the Servotronic variable-assist power steering. For $250, we got BMW Apps smartphone integration, which just about all of us are morally opposed to on the grounds that smartphone apps are tremendously distracting no matter how you interact with them. Satellite radio cost $350, even though we’ve already upgraded to a Harman/Kardon sound system for $875. For $3000, the M Sport line adds a firmer sport suspension, M wheels, an aerodynamic body kit, sport front seats, and various other trim bits, but it took another $500 to get those seats heated and another $600 to add an inch to the wheels, making them 19s. Valencia Orange paint (it has already gotten us waved at by one DPW truck driver) was $550, and even though the $6650 Ultimate package includes a panoramic sunroof, auto-dimming mirrors, Comfort Access keyless entry, navigation with real-time traffic info, USB and iPod adapters, and voice controls, it’s not so ultimate that it includes xenon headlights, automatic high-beams, or ambient lighting. That stuff is included in the $1200 Lighting package. Our as-tested price: $47,370.

Its midwinter arrival coinciding with a glut of machines more preferable for road trips, the X1’s mileage accumulation got off to a slow start. So far, its biggest outing has been a jaunt across the border to Montreal for a wedding. The trip gave us ample time to contemplate that combination of 19-inch wheels and sport suspension. On rough roads, it makes for a lot of harsh impacts and a not-so-smooth ride. And the 225/40-19s’ short sidewalls make them rather vulnerable. One particularly angry pothole, encountered right after the summer tires went on, cost us our left front Pirelli P Zero run-flat and $435 for a new one.

View PhotosA.J. MUELLER , JOHN PHILLIPS, MICHAEL SIMARI

We’ve had one stop for regular maintenance—an oil change at 11,766 miles that was covered under BMW’s Ultimate Service free-maintenance program—and two other dealer visits for small fixes, both covered under warranty. With 5439 miles on the clock, the right taillight bulb burned out. Since the bulb is integrated into the housing, though, the full assembly needed to be replaced. About 7000 miles later, we noticed that the X1’s tiny rear-window wiper blade was missing. No problem. At the dealership, new blades are “free to a good home.”

A Familiar Four

The high-visibility orange dinghy’s tidy size, large greenhouse, and tallish seating position make it a great car for urban commuting, although our observed fuel economy of 23 mpg trails that of our long-term 328i—it has the same 2.0-liter turbo four—by 4 mpg. No small part of that discrepancy is owed to the X’s 3824-pound curb weight, which surpasses the 3’s by just shy of 400 pounds. The 10-or-so-percent dollop of extra mass dings the X1’s performance as well, with 0 to 60 mph taking 6.0 seconds compared with the 328i’s 5.6 and the quarter-mile passing in 14.6 at 95 mph instead of 14.2 at 100. But, although the X1’s 0.84-g skidpad performance trails that of the 3-series by 0.04, the X1’s 151-foot stop from 70 mph is 14 feet shorter than the 328i’s performance (no doubt aided by the X1’s optional ultra-sticky P Zero summer-only tires). In both vehicles, the automatic stop-start engine function has drawn criticism for being too harsh. Fortunately, there’s a button on the dash to turn it off. Bummer that more cars don’t have dash buttons that instantly fix the things we complain about. We’ll add more such buttons to our wish list (and perhaps find more about the car to love, like, and respect) as the X1’s stay continues. —Jared Gall

Months in Fleet: 7 months
Current Mileage: 20,217 miles Average Fuel Economy: 23 mpg
Fuel Tank Size: 16.6 gallons Fuel Range: 382 miles
Service: $0 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0
Damage and Destruction: $435

Specifications

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 5-door wagon

PRICE AS TESTED: $47,370 (base price: $33,395)

ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 122 cu in, 1997 cc
Power: 241 hp @ 6500 rpm
Torque: 258 lb-ft @ 1250 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 8-speed automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 108.7 in
Length: 176.5 in
Width: 70.8 in Height: 60.8 in
Curb weight: 3824 lb

PERFORMANCE: NEW
Zero to 60 mph: 6.0 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 16.4 sec
Zero to 120 mph: 26.7 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 6.8 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 3.4 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 4.2 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.6 sec @ 95 mph
Top speed (drag limited): 143 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 151 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.84 g

PERFORMANCE: 40,000 MILES
Zero to 60 mph: 6.0 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 16.9 sec
Zero to 120 mph: 27.9 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 6.8 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 3.4 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 4.0 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.6 sec @ 94 mph
Top speed (drag limited): 146 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 155 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.86 g

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 22/33 mpg
C/D observed: 24 mpg
Unscheduled oil additions: 0 qt

WARRANTY:
4 years/50,000 miles bumper to bumper;
4 years/50,000 miles powertrain;
12 years corrosion protection;
4 years/unlimited miles roadside assistance;
4 years/50,000 miles free routine maintenance

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