Tesla really needs to step up their SUV game (BMW iX impressions)

My situation is I'm getting divorced, and I either need to refinance my current car or get a new one. Today I test drove a 2024 BMW iX and I left blown away.

Yes, it's a little smaller (5 seats vs. 6, but considerably more useable cargo area). It lacks air suspension (they stopped that after 2023 apparently). It's not quite as fast to 60mph (I tested).

That said, the interior comfort is on a completely different level. Real leather seats with a decent massage function, the ability to change bolster shaping, outstanding sound system (I tested the Bowers & Wilkins upgrade w/ the bass shakers in the seats), the list really goes quite a bit on.

The HUD was excellent, as was the parking camera and a few other little features the X lacks. Car Play on a big, wide screen is just great. There isn't a back screen but after having that for a year in the X I'm convinced it's not a value add in any way.

The handling is considerably better, and the drive overall is very nice with much better road noise isolation than a model X.

It might not be your taste or whatever, but the important point is this: I can get a lease of an absolutely loaded out iX for less than I pay for my X currently. It's a better car in almost every way. I'll miss the windshield, and air suspension, and.... that's about it TBH.

I'm a huge Tesla fan, but IMO they really need to step up what they're offering for six figures if they want to stay competitive.

"BMW iX electric SUV in Costa Rica" by mariordo59 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
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[brooklyn]

I was offered something like $100 Uber credit on my sole visit to a SC. Is that not standard for service visits?

 

[rzn89]

I was offered something like $100 Uber credit on my sole visit to a SC. Is that not standard for service visits?

I had to leave my car due to a small rattle sound. It was the trunk latch. They gave me $100 Uber credit, car was ready 3 hours later. Used it to go out to dinner and and get drunk with the wife!

 

[maytaurustiger]

I was offered something like $100 Uber credit on my sole visit to a SC. Is that not standard for service visits?

When I was supposed to pick up my MX, it wasn't successful since there was something wrong with the left FWD so they were able to give me Uber credits to pick me up from my house to Tesla the next next day after they fixed it. Then a few days later, the left FWD still wasn't working so I brought my car in and they gave me a loaner and said if they didn't have one then they will give me Uber credits instead. I was able to get my car back on the third day.

 

[Ocelot]

Maybe its the Canadian Centers that do not offer any uber credit? Either way, should be part of standard service when people are dropping off their vehicle.

I forgot to mention the most frustrating part, which reinforced my "oldness". As said when I went to pick up the model X an error message on center screen was showing, noting "center screen not connected to vehicle" or something like that. There were no service center people there (had all left for day). So the sales person, had no idea what it was but stared at the screen for several minutes and told me to "make another appointment with the app". To which I said, can you please tell them about it. To which he replied " easiest to go through the app". So I am standing there, talking face to face with someone who works there, picking up my car which has a complete new issue probably related to the service, and I'm told go on my phone to book another appointment. Communication defintely needs improvement! Even when talking to someone face to face you get redircted to the app!
Generation Gap'd.

 

[holeydonut]

I was offered something like $100 Uber credit on my sole visit to a SC. Is that not standard for service visits?

How is someone supposed to take kids to/from school in car seats or get their MIL to her appointments using Uber credits when the Tesla is out of commission for 30 days?

 

[brooklyn]

buy an Audi - get a loaner. You'll get no pushback from me on how lacking the Tesla ownership experience and service is. Not sure what I'll do in a few years when it's time to move on from my MSP, but another Tesla seems highly unlikely at this point.

 

[DCGOO]

Maybe its the Canadian Centers that do not offer any uber credit? Either way, should be part of standard service when people are dropping off their vehicle.

I forgot to mention the most frustrating part, which reinforced my "oldness". As said when I went to pick up the model X an error message on center screen was showing, noting "center screen not connected to vehicle" or something like that. There were no service center people there (had all left for day). So the sales person, had no idea what it was but stared at the screen for several minutes and told me to "make another appointment with the app". To which I said, can you please tell them about it. To which he replied " easiest to go through the app". So I am standing there, talking face to face with someone who works there, picking up my car which has a complete new issue probably related to the service, and I'm told go on my phone to book another appointment. Communication defintely needs improvement! Even when talking to someone face to face you get redircted to the app!
Generation Gap'd.

So… If he could and did, how would that create another appointment for you? After all he has no access to your phone nor your service records. You would have to call in and ask when. We all know how good they are at answering phone calls. The advice you received was sound.

 

[DCGOO]

Yeah the lack of a loaner is so weird. Tesla customers seem totally fine with it though?

I don't understand how people with families drop off their family vehicle for extended service without a loaner. How are you all picking up the kids without your car seats? Or schlepping a bunch of people around without... a loaner car?

Honestly you COULD order up an Uber to go pick up your kids for you.

 

[Mr X]

Drove an iX. It is awful.

 

[alexgr]

Honestly you COULD order up an Uber to go pick up your kids for you.

A couple observations:
1) I've got a loaner (another Tesla) when I dropped my Tesla for a 3-hour service. Tesla got much better on it these days.
2) It is against Uber policy to order Uber for kids. Your account can be suspended.

 

[maytaurustiger]

Drove an iX. It is awful.

Please share your experience because I'm curious between MX vs iX now haha. Thanks in advance!

 

[alexgr]

Please share your experience because I'm curious between MX vs iX now haha. Thanks in advance!

I am intrigued too, will try to see it tomorrow. Awful is so exciting!

 

[maytaurustiger]

I am intrigued too, will try to see it tomorrow. Awful is so exciting!

Nice! Please share your experience if you can. Thanks in advance!

 

[Ocelot]

So… If he could and did, how would that create another appointment for you? After all he has no access to your phone nor your service records. You would have to call in and ask when. We all know how good they are at answering phone calls. The advice you received was sound.

So… If he could and did, how would that create another appointment for you? After all he has no access to your phone nor your service records. You would have to call in and ask when. We all know how good they are at answering phone calls. The advice you received was sound.

Acess to phone? Service records? What are you talking about? Imagine this. You work in a place with about 10 employees . It’s a small isolated building. You just had a customer come in and ask for a different employee, as that is the employee who did the work and something is not right. That employee though has left. So when you see that person the next day you ask them to phone the customer. Oh wait, do you want to me to break down, the myriad of ways that employee might remind them to give the message.


Sound advice? Why is it on me to get back to them? I am standing in front of them, during regular business hours!

You probably like exchanging twenty emails, going back and forth on something that could all be done in a 2 minute phone call.

 

[bpobill]

I'm saving between $650 and $750 each month on fuel. No way I'd ever think of buying another ICE. And given my amount of driving, is impossible to consider any other brand due to the ubiquitous prevalence of super chargers everywhere I go now. Forget buying any other brand: I need to be able to fuel up everywhere, easily and Tesla has that nailed with the supercharger integration in the navigation screen. So convenient to see in real time how full a location is, so I can reroute to another less full super charger location.

I'm not interested in buying another brand that ignores the need for charging networks that make the EV even more convenient than an ICE. Plus I hope to never set foot in another stealership (dealership) for the rest of my time on earth. It looks like Ford might be starting to 'get it' about charging and transparent pricing, but all the other brands are just treating EV's like business as usual, ignoring charging and subjecting their customers to the evil stealership 'experience'.

Tesla supercharger network is leaps and bounds ahead of anyone else but they are not everywhere. Sure I can drive 20-30 minutes out of my way to get to one depending where im at and then another 30 minutes to charge. Also they are incredibly expensive. I took a trip to charlotte last December and decided to take my car and not my wifes sienna since we only had one of our kids with us. The cost to supercharge was MORE expensive than we would have paid for gas in her car that gets 36mpg and it would take 5 minutes to fill up or less. It was $23 and I got maybe 225 miles of highway range driving around 75-77mph. Then im stopping every 225 miles or so for half an hour. My wifes van will do 600+ miles and take 5 minutes to fill. The van is more comfortable, way bigger, and more practical for a family. Less fun and slow as balls but i'll take that all day long for a road trip. I can drive about 3x as far and fills up 6x faster.

Tesla has a monopoly on charging right now so they dictate the pricing and its very expensive. A semi fuel efficient car is similar in cost to supercharging. Now my day to day its way cheaper charging at home, especially since I always have a fun/fast car. If it were gas it would be premium most likely. Im glad the superchargers are there but if I had to reply on them I would stick with gas.

 

[watsongrg]

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"BMW iX electric SUV in Costa Rica" by mariordo59 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
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Just wait until you try to charge it at public DC fast chargers. What an ordeal that can be, if it happens at all.
Range isn’t that great either right ?

I was at a Buc-ees in Alabama last weekend. while my y was charging I was watching the poor folks at the EA CCS stations.
everyone but the Rivian was having a problem. A guy in his new BMW never did get a charge to happen. He was struggling with the BMW app and the EA app and the card reader and the other reader. Omg.
im glad TESLA supercharger don’t work involve that crap.

 

[Gumball]

Tesla sells every X they make, why change or look at the “competition“?

 

[Lartymarf]

I’m a big BMW fanboy in the late 90s and early 2000s. Since then, I’m more and more convinced that BMW design team is a group of blind monkeys. It used to be when I saw a new BMW I would say “wow what a beauty!” Now when I see a new BMW I say “wow that is so… ugly…”

 

[holeydonut]

Honestly you COULD order up an Uber to go pick up your kids for you.

Can't tell if you're trolling. But if you actually have kids there is no way in good conscious you would order a random Uber driver to pick up your 3 year old from day care. If I attempted to do that here in California, I'd have my kids taken away for endangerment.

But I guess free will means that I "COULD" do a lot of stupid things. Honestly.

 

[Ciaopec]

At home. And the new place I'm moving to is letting me install a 220V outlet in the garage, so it's an easier choice for me than some for sure.

Might want to see if they'll let you install a 240v instead.