BMW X3

trader_tom

Hi, I asked my dealer about the 2005 changes. According to what he has heard, there are no announced design changes expected. He did say they expected a 1% price increase on 2005 orders, and that 2004 order allocations were drawing to a close.

According to the BMW Owner's Circle, mine was built in 2 weeks, and is awaiting transport right now. Not sure how long the process takes from there, but I am starting to get a little "antsy."

Tom

kirkd1

My wife just this morning picked up her new x3 2.5. hope it's a good one. I didn't buy the wheel locks they wanted to sell me in the "finance" office. Just have a thing about buying add-on stuff. anyway can you folks tell me if, one, are these wheels being stolen? and if so then two, are the bmw locks the ones to buy?

aukema

Read all the postings since we left. Seems most are complaints, so I thought I would add my positive experience to balance the discussion.
Just returned after ED where we put 2000 mi. on our x3 3.0. Drove on autobahn at 120 mph, narrow streets and on sharp mountain curves (riding the breaks, I’m a virgin BMW owner and haven’t adjusted to the capabilities). Didn't experience any creaking but I was paying a lot of attention to the scenery and kids complaining about my driving, so I could have been distracted. We did notice wind cavitations when one window or moon roof was open over 80mph. Problem solved when we opened a second window. It was really a shocker getting back into our 87 Pathfinder at the airport (no breaks, considerable play in the front, no acceleration, heavy leaning in curves). We can’t wait to be reunited with our X3.

cc42

Just took delivery of my new X3 3.0 (Silver gray with Sand Beige interior) After all the complaints on this site I was beginning to wonder if it was the right choice. Now that it's arrived I am thrilled with this vehicle. The design both interior and exterior is cutting edge (color choice is important!). The ride is better than my 330 and handles nearly as well. The drivetrain performs very strong although I can't wait to get past the break in period to really experience the high RPM range. The sunroof and interior bike rack features are just plain impressive...

harplayr

With all of the nit-picking going on, it's refreshing to hear the reason most of us chose the X3. It's a blast to DRIVE!

My wife brought up a good point on the small "click" I sometimes can hear. She reminded me that in my old 325 I wouldn't even hear it as that car transmitted so much more road and engine noise to the cabin.

I still say this is the best car I have owned.

jimbob533

I am certain that if you had the problem of creaking (which is far more than a small click), you wouldn't characterize your efforts to rectify the situation as "nit-picking." It's odd, but it appears as though some posters who are lucky enough to be without creaking want to ignore those of us with the issue. How dare we rain on your parade? If it doesn't affect me, it doesn't exist. Now, I find that to be a sad commentary. I thought the idea of these boards was to impart information, whether good or bad. Clearly, there is a problem, and it should be rectified. You can enjoy driving your vehicle; we just want to enjoy driving ours. That's why we bought 'em. If it were not for those of us who took the time to write, BMW would still be stating that they “haven't heard of the situation.”

cville

Don't misunderstand. Other than the creaking problem I think its a great vehicle. I took it on a thousand mile trip over a weekend and I found it to be everything I had hoped it would be. However, as the number of postings will attest, creaking is obviously a problem for many of us. If they can fix it, I would have no other complaint. As for the lemon law, my state has one, and if the creaking can't be fixed, it is the obvious place to start. Before I go that route, my hope is that the dealer's fix will work, but it will take time to find out.

odysbmw5

How do some of the new drivers feel about the safety of X3 Versus say the X5 and other SUVs? I am looking at sharing the X3 with my 17 yr old....

saugatak

I'm amazed at the amount of backlash this guy is getting for complaining about a genuine problem.

I'm not. There are some pretty serious defenders of the X3 here. Say anything critical about their car . . . watch out!

harplayr

jimbob53,

"It's odd, but it appears as though some posters who are lucky enough to be without creaking want to ignore those of us with the issue. How dare we rain on your parade? If it doesn't affect me, it doesn't exist. Now, I find that to be a sad commentary."

Why blast me for posting a positive experience? IMO this forum is for both positive and negative experiences. Just because you are disgruntled, don't bash those who are not.

Yes it appears that your noise is greater that what I and many others are experiencing, which would indicate to me that you have a legitimate gripe. Not all X3's are having this problem, and this would indicate to me that a solution can be found. I agree that this problem you are having should be addressed by BMW, and that they should be required to find a way to fix it, or buy the car back.

jed

Harplyr might agree that "nit-picking" was a word taken more negatively than he intended, but perhaps his point was that the concern over creaking should not lead prospective buyers to ignore the x3 virtues.
This car drives like a dream, seems quieter than my 2001 325, and has been geared in such a way that the added weight (compared to the 325) does not make the car too slow to get going. Making sure the tire pressures are correct resolved the ride issue for us.
We've had the 2.5 steptronic x3 for less than a month, and I find enough power for my conservative driving style, even on a trip to the mountains.
I think, however, that I have heard something akin to the "creak" and as some others have commented, it seems most noticeable at a slow speed going over bumps. I'm grateful that people are taking the initiative to get this problem resolved, and that they are providing helpful information on this board. When the BMW rep called to ask about our satisfaction with the car I referred her to this board for more information on concerns about creaking around the windows, along with some other suggestions, but added that I love the car. We don't have the panoramic roof.

trader_tom

I am in agreement with you that it is nice to see some positive comments mixed in with the rest of the comments. Unfortunately, you can go to any forum and find that the hard core contributors generally have a gripe to make public. While this tends to taint the opinions of an open forum, they are fully entitled to share their experiences and hopefully remedies. If a concern has enough strength, such as the creaking windows, then maybe it should be given its own forum category.

Personally, I came to this forum to get feedback from owners and potential owners in order to affect my purchase. Obviously, there is an item of concern with the windows/doors, but I have not seen or heard enough about this to affect my purchase. I had to go back to some of the very early posts to get some more pertinent information, but I am hopeful that there will be better information currently.

So I hope you will continue to offer your positive, neutral, or negative experiences. Some of us really do want to hear it all.

As far as nagging problems, I already own a Land Rover, so you can assume I have more than average experience with and tolerance for vehicle quirks and quality shortcomings

Tom

tdono

Fairly" because some of the stereo controls are difficult to find at night, the position of the five speeds on the shift-it-yourself automatic's selector is the opposite of the normal arrangement; the instruments glare badly and are difficult to read at times in sunlight; and the accelerator pedal is too stiff for smooth takeoffs.)

harplayr

No.
I can find the Stereo controls without looking, and having the channels and volume on the wheel makes it even easier than on my previous car. I have never had a problem reading the instrument panel, or with smooth takeoffs.
I believe that the transmition adapts over time to driving style.
I rarely use the "shift-it-yourself automatic selector", it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out though. I suppose that if I did use it, I would quickly get used to it.

It sounds like the reviewer needs to spend a bit more time getting acquainted with the car.

trader_tom

I test drove an X3 2.5i that had only a few miles registered on the odometer. Compared to the others I drove with some miles logged, the accelerator did feel stiff, almost crunchy. If you pushed the pedal to the floor, it felt like you were snapping rubber bands at several points in the pedal travel. I assumed this was just some needed break-in, since the other ones I drove did not exhibit this characteristic and seemed very smooth.

Does that sound like what you experienced?

Tom

jeff33

I now have 3000 miles on my 3.0i. I have never owned a BMW before and have never driven other BMW models, so take what I say with this in mind. The car drives like a dream. Front visibility is excellent, but side visibility is challenging. I find I must be much more careful than in my old Chevy Tahoe. Acceleration is great, and the ride is better than my Volvo, but not as soft as a luxury car, but that's ok with me. I had the tow hitch installed to haul my bikes. I have no desire to lose back seat space, cargo space, and remove the front wheel of the bike just to haul it. The tow hitch was not cheap, nearly $500 with labor, but so convenient. My Sirius Radio is now installed and I love it. Commercial free - with the BBC and every NFL game this fall the highlights so far.
My around town mileage is 20.3, which beats the heck out of the 13 I got with my Tahoe. Initially, I had some gurgling in the rain in my panoramic moonroof, but that seems to have gone away. I will have it checked when the first service (15,000 miles) is scheduled. I am very paranoid about the dreaded clicking sound. I listen for it and once in a while hear faint suggestions of it, if I have the radio off. I have noticed that if I crack the windows, it goes away. I think an early post suggesting a power window mechanism change is correct. The interior workmanship is excellent, and the buttons are easy to find. I can find them now on their location even though I need reading glasses. The steering wheel buttons are a joy to use. I also really enjoy the automatic wipers, which have worked without a hitch. In all, I feel very satisfied with every aspect of the car.

trader_tom

Thanks for your review.

I am in a similar position, in that I have never owned a BMW before, and I am very much looking forward to the delivery of mine. I was glad to hear of your experiences, and particularly your mileage estimate (whew!) I do have a few questions.

There have not been many comments about the stick shift. Is yours an AT or 6-speed? Also, were you able to get in the Sirius promotion they had a while back, or did you have it installed after delivery as a dealer option? Please share some comments about Sirius pricing, operation, and signal reliability.

Thanks, Tom

jeff33

Dear Tom: I have an AT and have not used the manual shift option. It's one of those "when I get time" things of the future. I ordered the Sirius as an option when I ordered the car on the last day of February. When the car arrived in April, I was told by my salesman that Sirius would not be available until July. The price was taken off at settlement. On july 8, I paid $325 for the radio modulator and installation kit and $140 in labor for a total of $465. (This was $130 LESS than the salesman originally quoted me in the February order). This includes a 15 month subscription. I went to the Sirius.com website and wrote a contact email telling them I had subscribed and asking them for a password so I could listen to it while on my computer. They responded within 18 hours and sent me a password. I was told I will have a "welcome kit" within 1 or 2 weeks. I have found several new stations added since the salesman gave me a channel card back in Feb. I live in a rural area with many overhanging trees as you drive and have found minimal and momentary problems. The sound is excellent. There are a few commercials on the talk channels. If you go to sirius.com, you can register for a 3 day pass to try it out. I will need to see the fine print before I would sign up for more than a year. One year is $9.99 per month. Shorter terms are a few dollars more. I understand that the subscription is for the radio in my car. What if my car is demolished? Do I lose the prepaid funds? My questions are in this vein. I really enjoy Sirius and find its offerings superior to XM because I enjoy NPR, BBC, etc. There are music offerings of every sort, even a reggae channel. The last I looked, XM had no public radio offerings. I hope this is helpful.

pipo

I ordered my 2.5M in June for $1745 off MSRP with mats thrown in. I'll be picking it up within the next couple of weeks.

Are there any recent buyers/leasers who are seeing better deals? If the market is significantly lower on these vehicles, I want to go back to my dealer and negotiate a better price. Otherwise, I'll leave him alone. Any info would be appreciated.

livinbmw

there's 1.9% apr for 60 mo.

kirkd1

this is my girlfriend's TRUCK. I am glad it's not mine. I borrowed it for 3 days while my 02 530ia was in the shop and it beat me to death. car and driver said that you need a kidney belt and i would agree. where my 530 gets 19+ mpg in town i got 14.54 mpg same driving. i called the salesman to ask if we could get out of the lease, of course not. i tried to get her to buy the 325it. i didn't try hard enough.

another thing or two that isn't the end of the world but....for the money i think that the computer should be full function/display all the time and it should have dual climate control

vsroman

my tires were WAY over-inflated by the dealer and since I matched the air pressure to what is stated on the door jamb, my X3 drives beautifully. By the way, my 3.0 gets 19 MPG and 23 MPG if it is all highway. I sometimes can't believe that an SUV can handle this well!

harplayr

"my tires were WAY over-inflated by the dealer and since I matched the air pressure to what is stated on the door jamb, my X3 drives beautifully. By the way, my 3.0 gets 19 MPG and 23 MPG if it is all highway. I sometimes can't believe that an SUV can handle this well!"

I had the same experience. Tire pressure is critical to ride quality.

trader_tom

Where can I find more information on this financing package? I don't recall seeing it on the BMW web site.

Can anyone else confirm details on the 1.9% finance deal (states affected, models included, delivery date deadlines, etc.)?

stever

You can go to our Incentives page and play with the zip codes to see what BMW is offering in different areas.

Steve, Host

livinbmw

In negotiations I would include as a condition of your purchase that the dealer extend the 1.9% x 60 mo.

Like I said, it's there but typically the dealer will not write contracts at buy rate.

new2bmw

As if the creaking was not enough, last Saturday I am 100 miles from home and without warning, while stopped at a light, the engine suddenly began to miss so violently the car starts rocking back and forth, the check engine light comes on and there was almost no power when I pressed the accelerator. I could only very slowly pull into a parking lot that was luckily next to me where the engine promptly died completely. I left it off for ~5 minutes and then restarted the car. It ran fine after that, with no engine missing or error lights seen since. The dealer looked at it and found nothing wrong. Anybody else seen this problem (2004 X3, 3.0, Auto, 1500 miles) ?

trader_tom

The Incentives page for Edmunds does show the 1.9% rate for 60 months in my area (Upstate NY). The sales manager did not know anything about it (although the X3s on his lot had 1.9 on the windshields.) Also, BMW does not list it on their web site.

I expect delivery in mid August, so I will press this issue when I go to finalize the deal. Something must be going on there, even if it is just the finance group managing funds on BMW's behalf.

jimbob533

Information from another board posted today:

"a little birdy just informed me of a cure for the noise heard from the top of the doors .......

Go to your BMW dealer and ask them to read a SIB 51 07 04
which tells them to clean the flock covered door seal
that is on the doors' top edge - clean it first
with 83.19.9.407.906 BMW Silicone Remover and
let it dry. Then apply 83.23.0.309.627
Cabaflo lubricant to the flock covering
on all four door seals. No additional
treatment is necessary after this
application - such as drying,
polishing the roof...etc."

tdono

Well, I got the BMW Dealer to install a alarm. If you don't know the Ultimate Driving Machine does not come with one! I complained to sales about the issue of this expensive SAV not having one. I was misinformed about programming the other functions. I was offered Low Jack and was steered away from alarm at finance. If this has happened to you contact the sales manager. Try to get the dealer to install the alarm. (Free) I was also informed by my salesman that the dealer couldn't install the Fog Lights. NOT! They are being installed today. 10% off. All these SAV should come with Alarm. BMW trying to make more money off you.

alaskan_otter

About the alarm - I was told the key fob has a chip embedded in it that cycles the code after each use and prevents the car from being started or hot wired. I have no idea if this is true, yet.

Also...about the rattling from the windows/doors (which may be different from the squeak). On the first models shipped there was a bulletin sent out that said the regulator wiring in the door panels flopped around. The fix was as simple as tying the wires and securing them in the door panels to prevent the rattle.

I take delivery of my car this week.

tdono

Never heard of this recycle of code. However, I need to read the owners manual and confirm. Did you purchase the alarm, or did you get it free? Ironically BMW charges for this alarm. I still do not approve of their marketing of the Alarm on the X3. Even the 3 series sedans. If they ever give you the line it is based off the 3 series. Reply it is a SAV not a car. That will reverse their thinking on what should be included. My opinion is alot of options should be included on these expensive vehicle. Auto Air, Fog Lights, and Cruise. Well thats my opinion. I bought the X3 only because of its sturdy build quality. However a good alternative is the Accura MDX. Accura makes good quality Cars and SUV'S.

alaskan_otter

Took delivery yesterday of my X3. I've only driven it 40 miles but nevertheless I have some thoughts already. I was driving a Jeep Cherokee so the difference in the two cars is quite obvious. The steering on the X3 is radically different - tighter, very responsive, etc. The ride is different as well. I didn't realize how smooth the Cherokee's ride was. You sure do feel the road in the X3 - but I'll gladly accept that for the greater handling anyday.

I had the iPod connection installed and even though I labeled the playlists BMW1,BMW2, etc - it is just playing anything on the iPod at random. I haven't read any instructions yet though. The sound is so crisp with the iPod that on some song selections there is an audible hissing noising - have no clue yet what that means. I don't hear the hissing/crackling when listening thru the iPod headphones. I'll research that.

So far my favorite thing on the car is that enormous panoramic moon roof. I love that design. I'll post more comments after I put some miles on the car today.

newbmr

tdono: I called my dealer (Allison BMW in SF Bay Area) and they flatly denied that alarms are being installed for FREE and that FOG LIGHTS can be installed on X3 2.5!!

Could you tell us the name and location of the dealer where you had these done? I would have more fodder when I talk to them next.

Anyone else had any success with this? Please chime in.

Also, I had the clown-nose programming done so that it flashes when I lock the car. I noticed that the side lights do NOT flash when the car is locked. Is this normal? Anyone had this done on a 2.5 that does not have the alarm?

Apparently this feature can be enabled but the service guy mentioned that the customer would have to pay for this as BMW does not compensate them.

As always, many thanks in advance.

shap1

The exact same thing happened to me with my 325i sedan at about the same mileage. It turned out to be a problem with the fuel filter and they replaced it.

erickpl

I believe that is one of the options you can configure when you purchase new. If you didn't do it at the time of delivery, they can charge you.

I had that done on my 3er a week or so after I took delivery. The service manager there took great care of me. Attitude towards them is everything.

-Paul

ezshift5

...the FX:

(1) X3 max MPG is aprx 27...

(2) FX max appears to be 34...

the image of the well-heeled BMW-type may encourage blowing off the rising fuel factor....

I yam what I yam..and that's often hard to define.

alaskan_otter

I just consumed the first tank of gas that the dealer supplied - and if the tank was filled on delivery at 17.7 gallons - I figure I got 16 mpg in the city. I'm sure on the second tank the mileage will improve.

I would like to know if driving in "SD" sports drive or just "D" makes a difference in gas mileage.

kyfdx

I wouldn't make that assumption on the first tank. Also, driving in SD will certainly hurt your gas mileage, as you are basically winding it out further in each gear and downshifting earlier as you brake. It is a lot more fun, though!

If your driving was entirely city driving, 16 MPG is not that bad for a full-time AWD vehicle.

regards,
kyfdx

jed

My thanks to Jimbo...for his information on the way BMW service can fix the creaking. It's not too annoying in my car, and pretty much occurs at slow speeds on bumpy stretches, but it's there. It will be interesting to read how people who take their cars in for this fix find the experience.

alaskan_otter

I haven't heard the squeak or rattle yet on mine so far at 300 miles. And I've been listening for it. Maybe the recently produced cars were fixed at the factory - that's what I'm hoping.

I have noticed a design issue. Yesterday we had torrential rains - and the side rail/ledge on the doors really attracts mud and water spots. (It's really noticeable on my black X3).

erickpl

Welcome to life with a black car! My black Civic has the same issue with the strips along the side collecting anything and every bit of dust, dirt, whatever.

Just gotta wash it more often and baby it!

-Paul

kdshapiro

FX getting 34 mpg. Wow those VQ engines are efficient. The G35 must get near 40 on the open road.

tdono

Well, The dealer is not informed well. I had FOG Lights (Kit) installed at my BMW Dealer. The dealer here would not program the Clown Nose. I had to opt for the alarm. The reason I got the alarm for free. Is because I thought the clown nose could be programmed. I asked about this during purchases. I was not told it cannot be programed with out alarm. Also was steered towards Low jack. So I complained to the sales manager that I was miss led. I received a free Alarm. As for Fog lights. It cost me $605.00 to have them installed. The alarm flashes the Parking Light and Tail Lights. Not the Side lights/Markers.

                 Good luck.

kyfdx

"FX getting 34 mpg. Wow those VQ engines are efficient. The G35 must get near 40 on the open road."

Umm... Does anyone really believe this to be the case?

regards,
kyfdx

tdono

Look Dude! "This chat room is about the X3 BMW". Not the Nissan or Infinity. Which are both Nissan.... Lol : ) Now we don't care about the FX, or any other Nissan. OK.... Go to the Nissan Chat room. You can chat with people of your status there.... This is only for the Ultimate Driving Machine only...

iagnos

Thanks for sharing all the information. Here's my report. I have a 3.0 with 3,400...Had the creaking as discribed in previous posts but it totally disappeared after 1,500 k....Love the car in all respects but was wondering if anyone could has had a similar experience with the Keyless entry. It periodically doesn't work...either to lock or unlock the car...no real pattern....I had an alarm installed and the problem persists. By the way TDON0, my side lights flash. The dealer tells me they can't find any problem and have requested assistance from BMW engineers... don't really have confidence in this process and was wondering if someone else has had this experience. By the way it happens with both keys...any help would be appreciated...

ezshift5

..FX = Forester X....(as compared to Bavarian Motor Verke X3..........regret any confucion..ez

harplayr

I had a similar problem, but only in a specific parking lot in downtown Chicago. The keyless entry has not failed any place else. I assume that there is some electrical interference (RF)at that particular spot. Does yours fail in specific areas, or is it random?

taztx

Hi, I got a X3 2.5 on July 29. I can simply say I love it!
I'd like to hear more experiences about installing the alarm for free. Anybody else got it (perhaps in the Dallas area)?