X3 Offroad capability

Hi

I am hoping to take X3 off road - with Wild Coast. Anyone with experience of using theirs off road.

The main use will be along gravel roads and to get to the coast itself.

Any advice?
 

M3_devil

Member
I used wife X1 to mozambique and went all over, softsand etc.

was impressed.

Prob will only have issue with steep inclines or bad roads

very impressed.
 

CamZo

///Member
Darkstarx3 said:
Hi

I am hoping to take X3 off road - with Wild Coast. Anyone with experience of using theirs off road.

The main use will be along gravel roads and to get to the coast itself.

Any advice?

Should be ok for those purposes anything else and I am afraid u might be disapointed with the x3
 

TOOFAST MP

New member
I used my x3 in the kruger park and I went up a few steep hills in it I was impressed with it but on the normal gravel it was terable with the m-sport suspension you could feel every bump on the road
Off roads not for me I was so worried about scuffing the rims or scratching my paint
Have a look on youtube were they have x3 going up those inclines
I don't think its that bad
 

Razz

Well-known member
I recently took my x3 up the route at the Helderberg farm and was expecting it to fail miserably, especially because of the sport suspension. It went up effortlessly. Was pleasantly surprised. Was not the hectic trail but still was not an easy track. Also concerned about scratches etc
 

TOOFAST MP

New member
Razz said:
I recently took my x3 up the route at the Helderberg farm and was expecting it to fail miserably, especially because of the sport suspension. It went up effortlessly. Was pleasantly surprised. Was not the hectic trail but still was not an easy track. Also concerned about scratches etc
I think my x3 will remain a highway cruzer and the bigest thing it will be climing is a pavment , I hate it when its full of mud and having to worry about scraping it. for me if you want to offroad you need to get somthing built to do so , not take something like a X3. X5 or range rover sport bundu bashing and geting it all knocked up
I can't imagine doing this,thinking the amount of money I pay for it every month
And then going wrecking it on rocks and driving through piles of shit and sticks
No thanks:nonono:
 

Twinz

Forum - Support
Staff member
The X3 will cope with gravel, sand, mud, reasonable depth of puddles and some steep climbing. But its not a Jeep offroader or even a Jimny.
:thumbs:
 
Twinz said:
The X3 will cope with gravel, sand, mud, reasonable depth of puddles and some steep climbing. But its not a Jeep offroader or even a Jimny.
:thumbs:

Thanks guys, I guess the above is what I am going to do. I was a bit worried about the stiff sport suspension.

Any ideas on the type of suitable off road tyres that I can use with this stiffer suspension. My current set are low profile 245-40 and 235-45 19"s
 

billbt

Member
Hey guys, just thought I'd put my 2 cents worth in. I have the 2.0d and we go to Botswana often, if you wanna test a 4x4, thats the place!!! The x3 has two bad short falls 1) ground clearance 2)no low/high range
I have found that the 2.0d runs out of grunt very quickly and stalls in deep sand, with out being able to change it into low/high range you will burn your clutch out trying to rev it past 1700rpm (turbo starts to boost) and dropping the clutch. As for the 4x4 system, it is really good. My advise is,drop you tyre pressures to about 1 bar, get into 1st gear and don't slow down until you are through.......
 

Photokid

New member
Your tyre profile seems too low for off-road use.
l doubt there is an all terrain tyre in that size with that ratio. Youd hve to come down to 17"
I've used the x 3 with 18 Inch M sport and that was scary on rocks. for gravel you'll be fine suspension wise. Your tyres may hinder you as they'll be prone to sidewall damage and your rims will get scratched.
As mentioned , any lengthy drive(10km or so) through sea sand and you'll be smelling a burnt clutch for days.
Do you drive a manual or auto?


X3 ///M said:
I think my x3 will remain a highway cruzer and the bigest thing it will be climing is a pavment , I hate it when its full of mud and having to worry about scraping it. for me if you want to offroad you need to get somthing built to do so , not take something like a X3. X5 or range rover sport bundu bashing and geting it all knocked up
I can't imagine doing this,thinking the amount of money I pay for it every month
And then going wrecking it on rocks and driving through piles of shit and sticks
No thanks:nonono:

One man's pile of shit driving is anothers sunday arvie. You'd be amazed at what a RR sport does off road.
Its all about how you drive off road. It does not have to get wrecked.
 

OppositeLockMT

Active member
We drove an X3 xdrive35d M-Sport (with 19s) down to Vic Falls once. Although you could feel every imperfection in the road, the car faired pretty well. All that torque helped ofcourse.
 
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