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BMW X3

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Comments

  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,200
    First, the X3 only weighs about 600-700 lbs. more than the 3-series.. Perhaps you were looking at Gross weight, instead of Curb weight..

    I agree.. I'd rather have the 3.0 also... For '05, you could get a decently equipped X3 3.0 for $40K.. The base price is $37K with automatic and moonroof standard.

    There will most likely be new engines for next year.. With the 2.5 having about a 30 HP boost.. That may also be a viable option, if you are thinking of getting an '06 model.

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  • odysbmw5odysbmw5 Member Posts: 9
    I have an X3 3 Months old---I am lusting after navigation ---what are the options?
  • harplayrharplayr Member Posts: 70
    I have seen postings on other boards, and have read in Consumer reports that the 05 X3 has a softer suspension.

    Is this true?
    What has changed?
    Can these changes be applied to a 04 X3?
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    I'm planning on taking factory delivery of a X3 in late may. Just test drove and 05, 2.5L auto, and I would say the suspension is just as stiff as ever, BMW!

    Currently driving an AWD 01 RX300.

    Has anyone towed the X3 behind a motorhome, all wheels on the ground? Owers manual implies one can and the marketing material says the AWD system can uncouple both front and rear from the drivetrain.

    Service manager said no so I went to order shop manual from parts and was told that BMW uses CD's but doesn't sell them to thrid parties. Parts guy said check on the internet for "knock-off" CD's.

    Ordered a set on ebay.

    It is a strange new world out there.
  • nanos203nanos203 Member Posts: 1
    where did you drive an 2005 x3? i take it you're not in the US?
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Salesman said it was the only one they had, selling like hotcakes.......

    Tried to sell me on an 04, much better deal...
  • jane3jane3 Member Posts: 21
    Can you do this by yourself, or do you have to do it at the dealer? Basically, would like the drivers seat to adjust for myself and spouse automatically when we unlock with specific key....thanks all
            BTW, just picked up on lease a 2004 X3 3.0 titanium silver, black interior with premium and cold weather pkgs. This was bascically what I had with my leased 325xi (prem and cold pkgs)...just upgraded the engine and cargo space!! And for less than what I leased the 325xi. (which was my main goal).

    "They need one key in the ignition while programming the truck. This key automatically becomes key #1 and is assigned to Memory #1. The other key becomes key #2.

    Turn key #1 to position 0 or 1, make adjustments, press memory button (starts flashing) and then press memory 1. Repeat for Key #2."
  • harplayrharplayr Member Posts: 70
    I got this from another board. This guy is a BMW Mechanic, and his info has been reliable to date.
    It cover the Sport Package only. No info yet on Non-Sport.

    2005 X3(SPORT)softer Ride? changes? it's mm's :

    Message: this is my finding after
    new car prepping 2005
    X3 Sport Package 2.5 and 3.0
    (stick & auto trans) for delivery this week:

    .................................................................- ......
    for 2004 , the info on Sport Package suspension bits:
    ------------------------------------------------------------------ ------
    anti-sway bar front dia. 23.6 mm
    anti-sway bar rear dia. 18.7 mm
    front coil spring wire dia. 14.4 mm (same as non-sport package)
    rear coil spring wire dia. 17.5 mm ( .4mm thicker than non-sport)
    front shock # .... 110+800 (different than non-sport)
    rear shock # .....81.49.0.300.516 ( different than non-sport)
    ............ the seat of pants feel of tiny to small road bumps is a "sharp" or "hard edge" feeling to tiny impacts
    .................................................................- ......
    for 2005 , the Sport Package suspension bits:
    ------------------------------------------------------------------ ------
    anti-sway bar front dia. 23.5 mm
    anti-sway bar rear dia. 18.5 mm
    front coil spring wire dia. 14.6 mm
    rear coil spring dia. 17.4 mm
    front shock # ........260+800
    rear shock # ..... 81.49.0.300.843
    ........... the seat of pants feel of the 2005 Sport package over small road bumps is "soft" or "rounded edge" feeling . Much nicer indeed ......
  • kohinahikohinahi Member Posts: 112
    Your truck needs to be programmed for key memory. This is just, for lack of a better analogy, initializing your keys for the truck. If you lose your keys, you'd have to go over this process all over.
    You cannot do this by yourself - the truck needs to be hooked to the BMW computer.

    You should be set once your keys are initialized. It will remember (Or revert back to!) your settings - Seat, mirror, climate control, radio station, etc.

    Also, my experience has been that the settings are dynamic....it remembers your last settings. If you adjust your seat position while the key is in the ignition...the setting will change to the new position.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,200
    I doubt the seat position is dynamic... Let's say key #1 is hooked up with seat memory position #1.. Every time you use key #1 to open the door, it just moves the seat, mirrors, etc. to position #1, whatever that is..

    In other words, the key doesn't store the seat position.. it just actuates whatever memory setting that it was hooked up to.... It is the same as if you adjust your seat while driving... Unless you store it in the memory, the next time you actuate the memory setting, it will go back to the last setting stored.

    regards,
    kyfdx

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  • kohinahikohinahi Member Posts: 112
    Hi kyfdx!
    Yah, this memory seating stuff is really funky. Still have not figured it out 100%.

    On the Radio. It remembers the last memory bank...so if you pressed 3 last, it'll remember 3 the next time around, If you used AUX last, it'll remember AUX. The climate control works exactly the same, it remembers the last temperature you set.

    The seats seem to be similar in nature - I changed the settings while I was driving and it retained those settings. My memory position #1 had my previous programmed settings. I had posted earlier whether we had 3 or 7 seat memories, because that is what I seem to have - 7?!!

    Another thing to consider is that the X3 manual advertises that 4 individuals can have their own preferences of seat and mirror settings.....how is that possible???

    We've (my wife is, it works for me each time!) been having some issues with the seat setting. I (like you!) do not get to drive the BMW a lot, so can't give a 100% accurate answer.

    You seem to be right about the key not storing anything...just actuating the seat memories, but how do you account for the 4th driver memory?????

    Anyway, can't worry about these trivial things today - HALO 2 is out tonight!!! ;o)
  • jedjed Member Posts: 24
    Having read Jimbob's helpful statement as to the service bulletin for the creaking noise, as well as Harplayr's use of same, we took our car in about a week ago for "the fix." The service guy seemed bemused, and didn't indicate this was a known problem to him but he looked up the information, treated the car and so far so good. Before this service our car seemed to only creak on the left side doors and it wasn't noticeable except at low speeds on less than perfect roads. We're hoping the problem doesn't come back (Harplayr, is your fix still working?).
    Anyone who has the creak and didn't catch Jimbob's earlier information, I think it is message number 1291 on this board, and was posted in July, 2004.
    On a different topic, has anybody bought the roof cross bars, and if so, what do you think of the look?
  • harplayrharplayr Member Posts: 70
    Hi Jed,

    Yes, so far so good on the creak fix. I haven't washed the door jams yet, so that will be the real test for me, to see what happens when I do. I just know that I'll never wax the door jams again, as that is what made the creak real bad to begin with.
  • pmorpmor Member Posts: 1
    I've been thinking about getting an X3 for a little while -- the fun driving of a 3 series with a little more utility sounds like a good combo to me. I told a friend that I was going to check them out, and he said, "What? That's a chick's car!" After that, I started looking out for them on the roads, and I have noticed that the majority of X3 drivers I've seen are women. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area...anyone else notice this? Or is my friend nuts? (OK, I know he's nuts, but is he right?)
  • designmandesignman Member Posts: 2,129
    pmor... If you have any doubts just buy Chrysler 300 and fire up a stogie. Problem solved.
  • wcnetsurferwcnetsurfer Member Posts: 2
    Hi, all,

    Curious if anyone had any feedback on the X3 regarding:

    1) if you have the NAV and Park Distance Control, does the NAV screen display a pictogram of which PDC sensors are going off? A dealer told me this, but he didn't have an X3 with PDC and Nav on the lot for me to see for myself...

    2) for the absolute best rock bottom purchase price, is European Delivery the way to go, or can dealers usually do better than the 7% ED discount mentioned on BMW's website?

    Thanks for any feedback.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,200
    You really need to look into ED more thoroughly..

    The ED MSRP and invoice are both 7% lower than US MSRP.. but, it is still negotiable..

    So, even if the dealer would give you 10% off MSRP for US delivery, you might negotiate the same discount off the ED price...

    IOW, you'll always save more with ED.. whether it is worth the cost of the trip,etc.. is a personal decision.

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  • harplayrharplayr Member Posts: 70
    >>I told a friend that I was going to check them
    >>out, and he said, "What? That's a chick's car!"

    Don't worry, I can tell you that I am a Manly Man and drive a X3!
  • wcnetsurferwcnetsurfer Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the feedback.

    My family and I are already planning a vacation in Europe next March, regardless of whether or not we buy an X3, so from our perspective, there won't be any incremental trip costs - we wouldn't be going just to pick up the car.

    A local dealer quoted me $39,705 for ED for an X3 3.0 equipped with Prem. Pkg., Cold Weather Pkg., Steptronic ($0 cost option), Servotronic, Heated Wheel, Xenon Adaptive Lights, Power Folding Mirrors, Park Distance Control, Privacy Glass, Premium Sound, Nav System, Rear Side Airbags.

    Sound reasonable in your estimation or might there be more room to maneuver in terms of ED price?

    Thanks.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,200
    That is about $2000 off ED MSRP, which is already $2640 less than US MSRP.. I didn't price out the invoice price, but it looks about $1500 over ED invoice..

    A pretty good deal... It looks like he is passing along all of the ED savings.

    If he has already quoted that, he is likely to come down a few hundred more, if you commit to ordering it.. If you want delivery in March, I'd try to do it before the end of the year.

    regards,
    kyfdx

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  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Go online to Costco.com and click on services...

    don't go through the "build" routine, just select the vehicle you wish to purchase.

    You will recieve an email from the dealer's Costco appointed sales rep and then you can go in and see the Costco price and the factory invoice.

    I understand that the ED discount is in addition to whatever deal you strike with the dealer.
  • saugataksaugatak Member Posts: 488
    designman -- "pmor... If you have any doubts just buy Chrysler 300 and fire up a stogie. Problem solved.

    LOL.

    pmor -- I told a friend that I was going to check them out, and he said, "What? That's a chick's car!" After that, I started looking out for them on the roads, and I have noticed that the majority of X3 drivers I've seen are women. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area...anyone else notice this? Or is my friend nuts? (OK, I know he's nuts, but is he right?

    Pmor, isn't SF the one place in America where a man can drive a chick car, wear chick clothes, wear chick makeup, and no one will even notice?
  • designmandesignman Member Posts: 2,129
    ROFLMAO. Where you been man? I can’t dilute all of this car seriousness alone. I need some support ;-)
  • beemcitybeemcity Member Posts: 50
    Hello Everyone, my wife and I are expecting a child in April 2005, I was wondering if anyone out there has put in a child seat in the X3 and if they had any problems doing so? I am assuming all the X3 models would be able to handle one, but if there was anything specific I should avoid, etc, please let me know!

    -Thanks
    AAP
  • beemcitybeemcity Member Posts: 50
    Thanks for the link and the warm wishes., I will take a look at the link. Enjoy the X3, I love the ride, it gets better by the day.
  • kohinahikohinahi Member Posts: 112
    I have installed a child-seat and a booster seat in the X3.....there are no problems with the installation.

    It has Automatic-locking retractors on all passenger safety belts which aid in the installation of child seats and also has Isofix (Hard-Latch) attachments.

    The tether for the child-seat is towards the fore cargo area and I think you will lose a little cargo-room between the tether and the back of the seat.

    You can position the child-seat in any of the 3 positions on the back seat.
  • alaskan_otteralaskan_otter Member Posts: 28
    5000 mile report:

    Taking the car in this week to fix the passenger window that seems to have died.

    Other than this - and a cup holder that had to be replaced, so far so good. Still an enjoyable car.
  • beemcitybeemcity Member Posts: 50
    -Loving this car, drive it whenever I get the chance, even though fuel economy (around 18.5 mpg)) on a mixture of freeway/city driving isn't what I was hoping..

    -Everything working fine so far, couple of design things hope that BMW fixes in future:

    1. Need some sort of signal if trunk door is open
    2. On steering wheel, there is no way to switch between radio/cd
    3. Cupholder way too small (small gripe!)

    -Ride can be a bit bumpy, but I don't mind this one bit most of the time. Handles like a cat..

    All in all no major grips so far, besides the fact the rims get dirty very easily!
  • alaskan_otteralaskan_otter Member Posts: 28
    Turns out the passenger side window failed because the connecting pins came loose and the electric wasn't getting contact? That was the explanation from the dealer. It was a quick fix though. And during the half hour it took to fix it, I luxuriated in the BMW Service lounge watching CNN on a plasma screen, drinking coffee, eating a complimentary Krispy Kreme and checking email at the computer station. LOL.
  • saugataksaugatak Member Posts: 488
    Hey Designman, I've been REAL busy at work. I was actually back in NJ visiting the parents for the weekend.

    My sister's hubby just got a massive raise and he celebrated by leasing her a 645ci convertible which I drove all weekend.

    I'm going to the 6 series forum to voice my opinions on that car. I'd love to hear your responses.
  • corralcorral Member Posts: 58
    I have a 2004 x3 2.5 with a defective passenger side airbag occupant detection sensor. The sensor turns on the passenger side air bag off light and a red air bag warning ligh on the dash. Is this common? The dealer said the part is on back order and will not be in for several weeks or months, They claim everything works well and not to worry and won;t rent me a car. I am very displeased with Bmw and theeir customer service.
  • ulepulep Member Posts: 63
    i got my ipod integrated to my x3 today. as they were checking the x3 for any concerns from the manufaturer two things turned out. it was the heated seats and the controller or the computer in the engine(im not really sure). they said that these are just minor problems and didn't really specified whats wrong. does anybody know anything about this?
  • beemcitybeemcity Member Posts: 50
    Your mentioning about the ipod integration is interesting, as I have an ipod and was wondering what options exist besides getting an auxiliary input installed. What did they do for you and how much did it cost?
  • ulepulep Member Posts: 63
    $326.36 for parts and installation (with free carwash...hehehe).it's worth it. but if you have a nav system, forget it.
  • beemcitybeemcity Member Posts: 50
    Is it just called the ipod integration package?? That must be cool, now you can use your X2 controls to navigate through your Ipod.

    Anyone have any other connection experiences, as to what works well, maybe a less costly option?
  • provoloneprovolone Member Posts: 3
    The iPod connector cost me $135 and installation was $40. I think your stealer took you for a ride!
  • jane3jane3 Member Posts: 21
    Hi all, on my 325xi, when I use the steering wheel controls for my radio, I can scan between all 12 preprogrammed FM stations. On my X3, it scans the 6 preprogrammed on the current FM holder (ie FM2 vs FM1) I have to manually hit the FM button to scan the other 6 stations...
       Is this the norm? just wondering, thanks
  • bmwnabmwna Member Posts: 32
    Check your email for our offer of help. If you prefer, you can call us at 800-831-1117, and please mention Reference #200433800354 so that we can help you more efficiently.
  • kewilpeekewilpee Member Posts: 15
    I dropped a down payment on a new 05 X3 3.0 loaded to the max today. And I realized that heated side mirrors was not available. Not even on the cold weather package. Surprisingly only the X5 offers them. Very strange since my 1995 325i has them?? Did BMW engineers miss an e-mail or something?

    LOL, anyway can't wait for it to be built, I might be able to drive down to Austria, and get a plant visit the days my car is being built and catch a glimpse at it.

    Jan 28 is all of a sudden to far off!!!!
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,200
    Are you sure they don't have them? Maybe they are standard, so not listed in any option package? My 3-series also has heated side mirrors, and I assumed all current models were the same...

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  • kewilpeekewilpee Member Posts: 15
    better check again, i have looked everywhere and can not find then as a extra, like i said some one must have missed a meeting, and forgot the mirrors. this is not so bad in a fair weather climate region, but scraping mirrors to go to work can be a nuisance for a $40K SAV.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    We say heated mirrors come standard:

    2005 BMW X3: Reviews & Specs

    Steve, Host
  • wilkichwilkich Member Posts: 52
    I looked at and drove an 2.5 X3 on Sunday. As a previous owner of a 99 323, I was really looking to like it. However, I have to say that I was not tremedously impressed with the X3. It seemed nicely put together but there was definately a lack of punch in the low end of the torque and it oddly had a lot of road and wind noise. I really wanted to like it but don't know whether I would want to fork over $10k more than a better equipped Outback, which in the 2.5 turbo variant is much more fun to drive. Can some owners set me straight?
  • brihambriham Member Posts: 33
    I think it's got a bit more to it than the Vitara or Sportage. It's more like a 330 in an suv body.

    Check it out:
    http://www.automedia.com/autoReviews/rts20040901x3/rts20040901x3.- asp?affid=
  • kewilpeekewilpee Member Posts: 15
    Thanks Steve I still cant find it in the book but on a spec sheet made up by my dealer i found this:
    HEATED WINDSHIELD/WASHER JETS/MIRRORS

    OK one more day down till 28 Jan
  • njdriver1njdriver1 Member Posts: 97
    Anyone noticed a problem with their gas gauge? I've gotten into the car with the gauge pegged at zero with the yellow light on, only to watch it slowly rise over a few miles, or, seen it slowly drop after a few miles. This can be extremely distressing if I haven't re-set the trip odometer after each fill-up.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,200
    The answer.. hills....

    Does yours have the OBC... check the miles to empty.. If it gets down to 50, get to a gas station asap...

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  • beemcitybeemcity Member Posts: 50
    This is my first SUV, but I noticed that my rims get this black residue on them fairly quickly and it's hard to remove, even though the weather has been icky, is there a chance any of this residue is from the brake pads?
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,200
    Yes, there is a chance.. a 100% chance.. Get some P21s wheel cleaner, or buy the stuff at your BMW parts counter (expensive).

    I don't really wash my car all that often, but I clean the wheels weekly... If you leave that brake dust on, it will eventually mar the finish on your wheels..

    (It might look bad, but that is what it takes to get great brakes.)

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  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    That the gas gauge in most new cars is driven by an ECU. For many years manufacturers have struggled with the non-linearaity of the fuel gauge tank sensors and this would be a way to solve that and many other problems...hills, etc.
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