I'm optioning a new X3 and am wondering if I should get the handling package. I'm optioning it with the sport package already. Anyone have experience/opinions about the X3 with and without the handling package? Is it worth $1400? Thanks in advance. Regards, Ray.
No experience with it but a couple of thoughts - if you could test drive one with it, and one without it, on a route that might let you feel the difference, then you'd have a much better idea if you might want it. I think there have been comments that you get used to the steering, but it feels unusual initially. If you're likely to drive it in such a way as to take advantage of the features (maintaining a rear-wheel-bias torque-split, the dynamic damper control, ie. shocks that adjust for performance, etc, and the steering), then the option price is probably a bargain compared to wishing you had it - and retrofitting any of it, if at all possible, would doubtless cost many times more. However, these systems add complexity, which likely means additional maintenance expense at higher mileages (assuming they're not problematic any sooner) - if the intent is a long-term ownership say 8 or 10 or more years, and running well over 100k or 200k miles, seems likely to me there would be needed repairs and/or maintenance of these systems; if you don't have them, well, there's one less thing to go wrong. So, depends on your plans there. If it's a lease and you don't necessarily plan to purchase at the end of the lease period, then I'd say, sure, why not. If you're a freude am fahren type, you may enjoy the everyday advantages of the handling package enough to deem their real benefits outweigh any potential or unknown downside.
Thanks for the reply. Since posting I've learned a little more about the handling package. It sounds nice to have but since this vehicle is mainly my commuter car I won't have much opportunity to experience dynamic damper control sitting in a 4 lane parking lot at 7:30AM so I don't know if it's worth $1400 to me. It may be very well be worth that to someone who can use it, however. Also, as you correctly stated, more complex systems in cars are future headaches. I am actually looking for a dealer with an X3 on the lot pre-built with the handling package just to try it but that's proving rare.
