Hi everyone - going through somewhat of a dilemma right now. I'm a serial BMW M3 owner whose F80 lease is coming end of term. I despise the looks of the new generation M3, so that has turned my attention to other models. I've basically narrowed things down to either the BMW X3M Competition or the Model Y Performance. I know it will be tough to get an objective view here, but any thoughts/leans on which way to go? I'd love to hear from some others that may have been in a similar boat.
So, I likely should read this entire thread before responding....
With that being said, my and my wifes current vehicles are VERY close to the ones the OP is considering, so I feel I have a fairly good perspective on this.
My own vehicle is a model 3 performance (2018 not a model Y performance, but very close). My wifes current vehicle is a 2019 X3 M40 (not an X3 M but very close). As a "BMW family" for more than 15 years, with my wife and I driving only leased BMWs during that time, I am very familiar with BMWs.
As someone who bought my model 3 performance at the end of 2018 I have 2 years in that vehicle.
My wifes BMW we ordered (as we did our last 3 each BMWs) and it has almost every option. She loves that vehicle. Its very nice inside, very solid, nice door thunk when you close the doors, and feels like a proper "mass market luxury" vehicle. I say "mass market luxury" as in BMW X3s, 3/4 series, Similar Audis, Similar Mercedes. She loves that car, and I used to like driving it too until I got my model 3 performance. Her car is fast. Not model 3P fast, but its very fast for a midsize SUV. It has adaptable suspension, etc.
I only drive her car when I need to, now. I like driving my model 3P much (much much) better. Its not a luxury car though, not even close. Thats fine, I dont mind that. its "good enough" in the quality department. Certainly not luxury (not close to the X3 we ordered at all), but not nearly as bad as you read here on TMC while will have everyone feeling like the car is about to fall apart before you drive it home.
Even though the "luxury" is clearly lacking in the model 3p, the driving experience is certainly not. I dont think the Y drives quite as good as the 3, just like an X3 doesnt drive as good as an M3 (the real one, the one you are talking about from BMW). I happen to think that the model 3P drives better than an M3, once you get past the lack of engine sound.
Now that I have had a model 3P for a couple years, I dont see how I could go back to any ICE vehicle as a daily driver. My wifes X3 lease is up the beginning of next year, and we need to decide what to do. She loves this car, so we may buy it off lease, even though thats generally a bad idea for BMWs. I was hoping that by that time, BMW would have something comparable (or someone else would) but no one is yet anywhere near close to teslas combination of battery efficiency and driving experience.
One final thing. OP, you are comparing the wrong two cars. You should be comparing the Model Y to an X4 because thats a much closer comparison to body shape, etc... so you should be looking at an X4M, not an X3M as comparable vehicles. My wife hates the "bubble look" of "lifted cars" like the model Y or the X4/X6, so I am kind of stuck until there are SUV shaped vehicles she likes, that are full electric, from a company I dont mind owning an EV from. Right now thats Tesla... and..... /shrug..
lol