BMW X3

roadburner · December 2007

Any tips on negotiating or suggestions?

Go to www.bmwusa.com and do a search for CPO X3s in your area. That should give you a rough idea of whether the price is in the ballpark. FYI, CPO certification adds @$1000 to the price. Make sure that you take an extended test drive, some folks(not me) find the sport suspension calibration a bit too hard-core.

utexas06 · December 2007

Can you tell me more about this sport suspension? I haven't test drove this vehicle yet. Some car review websites don't seem to recommend the sport suspension, however many BMW owners' reviews say they like it. When would I expect a rough and stiff ride? When I'm driving on a bumpy road? What about normal everday driving?

roadburner · December 2007

When would I expect a rough and stiff ride? When I'm driving on a bumpy road? What about normal everday driving?

I had a 2006 X3 3.0 loaner that was equipped with the Sport Package and it felt plenty compliant to me. That said, all but a couple of my BMWs have been equipped with the sport suspension. That's why you need to test drive the car over the types of roads you typically drive- because you alone can make the final call as to whether that suspension calibration is your cup of tea.

cotmc · December 2007

On the surface, that does seem like a very good price for a 2006 X3. Just a couple small points:

1) If you know the last 8 digits of the VIN, a BMW service advisor should be able to give you service/repair history for that X3.

2) While I was shopping for a used X3 a few months ago, one dealer (not a BMW dealer) advertised "leather" seats on their 2005 X3 3.0i. Upon closer inspection, I could tell they were leatherette (vinyl) seats, not leather. At first, it's not very easy to tell the difference, because BMW does a good job with their base leatherette seats. I knew these were not leather because I had recently visited a BMW store. If you live in Texas, you probably want to make sure those seats are not black vinyl. They might look fine, but they won't breathe!

roadburner · December 2007

I don't care what BMW NA recommends, I'm having the ATF and the F/R final drive oil in my wife's 60K mile 2004 X3 2.5 changed next week. I'm hoping to drive it past 200K without any major drivetrain repairs.
Stay tuned... :P

cotmc · December 2007

I don't blame you. Just curious... How long does BMW NA specify for those oil changes? I would have guessed they recommend these fluid changes at an Inspection II (60K) service, but obviously not. Does BMW NA treat these as lifetime fluids??

On a previous topic: Any good suggestions on how I can research BMW TSBs? I'd like to point my Service Rep to the proper TSB involving the window/door seals. I'm taking our '04 X3 in this Thursday morning for service, and I'd like to get the intermittant window noise issue resolved before our newly acquired X3 reaches its 4th birthday. Thanks!

cotmc · December 2007

I think I can now answer my own question. Looks like the appropriate TSB is SI B 51 28 05, "Window Guide Noise", dated February 2007.

The next question is whether I first try the Tech Protect product you referenced, or should I first ask BMW Service to perform this TSB now? I will probably ask for the TSB...

jrynn · December 2007

In X3's from 2006 and earlier, it is INCREDIBLY easy to tell whether the seats are vinyl or leather. It doesn't take a "close" inspection. There's a "stripe" of very obvious vinyl fabric in the center of both front seats. They're just plain ugly.

In 2007, BMW solved that aesthetic problem.

roadburner · December 2007

How long does BMW NA specify for those oil changes? I would have guessed they recommend these fluid changes at an Inspection II (60K) service, but obviously not. Does BMW NA treat these as lifetime fluids??

The ATF is to be changed every 100K. Everything else(final drives and transfer case) have "Lifetime" fills.

roadburner · December 2007

I just picked up the X3 from the dealer and the cost for changing the ATF and transfer case fluid came to $207. Not counting tires(4 Pirelli P Zero Nero M+S- @$400), it means that the truck's maintenance expense for 2007 has amounted to less than $260.
Just another year of "breathtakingly expensive" servicing costs for my two BMWs...

alaskan_otter · December 2007

Now that I'm out of warranty, thought I'd report on what maintenance issues my car has undergone. The only issue I've had to pay for was a $487 repair for a leaking crank-case valve. The $2100 passenger airbag sensor failure I got covered under "dealership goodwill" I suspect because my sensor has failed twice so far. The failure of the windshield wiper pump I also got covered under "goodwill". I've replaced the Pirelli tires with a new set of the same at 55,000 miles and am looking forward to reaching at least 100,000 miles before trading in the car for a Series 1 or a hardtop convertible. I think I have one of the first X3s produced (with the rough suspension) but it has been a driving delight.

roadburner · December 2007

am looking forward to reaching at least 100,000 miles before trading in the car for a Series 1 or a hardtop convertible.

I'm planning on keeping mine so that my son can drive it when he obtains his license in @4 years. I'm hoping it will survive until le goes off to college.

I think I have one of the first X3s produced (with the rough suspension) but it has been a driving delight.

I agree; I have an early build non-sport and the ride is a bit firm but certainly not uncomfortable. My dealer gave me a new X5 3.0si loaner and I have to say that I was glad to get the X3 back. The X5 was a very nice drive, but my X3 feels more nimble and does a much better job of communicating with the driver.

nyccarguy · December 2007

your 184hp X3 will make a great car for a young driver. I am a little shocked that your son's first car will be equipped with a slushbox. Are you going to teach him to drive on the Club Sport too I hope?

roadburner · December 2007

your 184hp X3 will make a great car for a young driver.

That's what I'm thinking; not enough power to get him into trouble, but not a total slug either.

Are you going to teach him to drive on the Club Sport too I hope?

Actually, I plan to start his driver training next summer in the Wrangler. It's a pretty easy MT to learn, and he'll have plenty of room to maneuver on the old farm road.

mfleming3 · December 2007

Is BMW no longer making the 2.5-liter engine in the X3? Thanks.

roadburner · December 2007

Is BMW no longer making the 2.5-liter engine in the X3?

Not for the US; the only available engine is the N52N 3.0 liter.

cotmc · December 2007

"My dealer gave me a new X5 3.0si loaner..."

My dealer was swamped yesterday, and all the BMW loaners were gone. Instead, I was given an Enterprise rental car: a silver Kia Sedona minivan!

:mad:

I'll get the X3 back tomorrow morning.

x3lemon · December 2007

I bought one of the original X3's - a 2.5 when they first came out. I had a 528i previously. It was a disaster. The main problem was the noise that came from body flex - creakin' like an old ship as well as the awesomely rough and hoppy ride. I dumped the X3 and got a 330i. My wife wants an X3 - do they have the body flex and hoopy ride fixed?. Thnx

roadburner · December 2007

My wife wants an X3 - do they have the body flex and hoopy ride fixed?

Nothing to fix; our X3 has a 3/04 build date and at 56K it does not exhibit either problem. Perhaps you got a bad one.

driver100 · December 2007

and am looking forward to reaching at least 100,000 miles before trading in the car for a Series 1 or a hardtop convertible.

I didn't think I would find a car I would like better than my 2004 X3, which by the way was a 2.5. But, I am really enjoying my 2008 hardtop convertible 6 speed manual. Only regret is getting 228 instead of 335. It'll do very nicely, but that extra turbo boost in the 335 is real nice. You also have to accept, you can't carry around as much stuff.

roadburner · December 2007

But, I am really enjoying my 2008 hardtop convertible 6 speed manual.

I drove the 328i 6 speed at the US Press launch and I actually liked it just about as well as the 335i. They are both fabulous cars.

driver100 · December 2007

I agree they are both fabulous cars. My wife has a 4 door 335xi and although it is more fun driving the Cabriolet, I like the exhaust sound from her car (British sports car from the 60's) and the power boost, and the gear shifting is smoother with the extra horses.

One big improvement over the X3 is 30 miles per gallon vs. 25.

But, Like I say, the X3 is a great vehicle...I rent a lot of different cars and I always enjoyed getting back into the X3. However, if you don't need the extra room inside or 4 doors, and like the idea of a convertible, then at least try a Cabriolet 328 or 335!

One more thing. I had to take my son-in-law to the airport in his Suburban. Who buys those things? The steering is loose and all over the road, the steering wheel is so thin it looks like it was made for a Kia, the shift lever mounted on the steering column looks and feels like it was made from a piece of pipe, and the door handles - which are hidden under the arm rests, look like they were made from the same piece of pipe. The dash and instruments are hard to read and find, and it looks like the parts came out of a parts drawer - no sense for style or integrity. It sure felt good to be back in my bimmer!

roadburner · December 2007

It sure felt good to be back in my bimmer!

They certainly spoil you. I recently bought a Mazdaspeed3 to play around with, and while build quality and reliability has been very good, it just doesn't feel as solid as a BMW.

nyccarguy · January 2008

This afternoon I performed my first repair on my wife's '07 X3. A few weeks ago she was backing out of a patient's driveway and didn't notice the stone wall behind her. Luckily she only cracked the right rear tail light & didn't do any body damage (or get hurt herself).

I got the part number thanks to a poster on bimmerfest and called a few local dealers. The closest dealership to my apartment is Westchester BMW (a BMW NA owned store) gave me a price of $95. He said he had one in stock and I could pick it up. I asked if they give discounts to BMWCCA members and he said they did. I had my wife go pick up the part (I was at work yesterday). She brought our BMWCCA membership card and got the part for $78 + tax (about $84). The dealership where we bought the truck from wanted $120+ tax for the same part.

Replacing the tail light assembly was a very easy DIY job. All you need is a 10mm socket to loosen the nuts on the inside of the truck about a quarter turn. The nuts then come out by twisting by hand. The new taillight assemble even comes with bulbs!

I definitely feel like I accomplished something today.

roadburner · January 2008

I definitely feel like I accomplished something today.

Good job! No doubt we will hear from some pitiful soul who took his X3 to a profit-hungry dealer and got charged $500 for the same work... Common sense, CCA membership, a little research and a willingness to do a bit of DIY service goes a very long way toward making a BMW inexpensive to own.

nyccarguy · January 2008

Thanks for the vote of confidence!

I've never actually worked on cars before. I always take them in for service & repairs.

Little by little I am learning that some things aren't that difficult. Last summer I got a flat tire. I called AAA & they said they'd be an hour. I didn't want to wait and I figured if worse came to worse, the AAA guy would help me if I ran into ttrouble. So I swaped off the tire and put the dougnut on before I knew it.

It just takes a little patience.

Once we sell our condo (hopefully by the the end of next January) and buy a house, I plan on buying a really cheap car ($2K to $3K) to play with and learn how to fix and do maintenance. Maybe a high mileage E36 or E30 :shades:

jrynn · January 2008

My wife wants an X3 - do they have the body flex and hoopy ride fixed?. Thnx

Ummm. Why don't you take one out for a test drive on your local roads? Perhaps your definition of "hoopy" is different than other posters.

Me? I'm plenty happy (not "hoopy") with the way my 2006 X3 rides. It's as close to a sports sedan as any SAV/SUV I've ever had the pleasure to drive. But, c'mon. It's still an SAV/SUV, and along with the ability to haul two adults, two kids in carseats, and two medium size dogs in the cargo area, there is a trade-off in handling compared to, say, a 3-series sedan.

roadburner · January 2008

I plan on buying a really cheap car ($2K to $3K) to play with and learn how to fix and do maintenance. Maybe a high mileage E36 or E30

Let me know when you are ready; I love spending other people's money- particularly on cars, motorcycles, and home theater...

nyccarguy · January 2008

I'll definitely consult you when the time comes! I've always said my minimum BMW requirements are a stick and Sports Package. But with so many aftermarket suspensions, I could just get one with a stick!

I've been meaning to ask you, why'd you change your name?

roadburner · January 2008

I've been meaning to ask you, why'd you change your name?

Send a message to my CarSpace page.

markcincinnati · February 2008

Well, the lease on the 2005 X3 is just about up -- and, guess what? Despite countless test drives of other cars, the EX 35 from Infiniti just didn't do it for my wife.

So, she ordered a new X3 with the SAV package and just about every other thing they can be had with. It was built on Valentine's day and should be here in 3 weeks!

Platinum Bronze, two tone black/beige interior:

SAV Package
Premium
Cold Weather
Navigation
Sat Radio
HD Radio
Heated Steering Wheel
Servotronic
Xenons
Parktronic
Steptronic (yep, she gave up on the notion of another stick, now that she works in Urban Cincinnati)

kyfdx · February 2008

Great news!!

So... when do you turn in the other one?

nyccarguy · February 2008

This past Saturday after work, I loaded up our '07 X3 3.0si with the wife and kid and headed to our friends' house in Framingham, MA (about 175 miles or 2.5 hours) from our suburban NYC condo. The speed limit on most of the roads in CT & MA are 65 MPH and people really move.

Now up until Saturday I don't think I've driven the X3 in about a month

. My wife uses her X3 for work and we've been racking up the miles on it (lousy 15,000 mile per year lease :mad: ). We've actually been using my Prelude as the family hauler.

Since I worked, she drove most of the way up. When I got up, she pulled off to a rest area, we all bathroom broke and then it was my turn to drive. Put the Tranny in DS mode and let it rip on the on ramp...YIPEE :shades:

The ride home Yesterday was pretty subdued. I was traveling in the center lane, moved to the left to pass a slower car. Looking down at my speedo I see I'm a little north of the 85 MPH mark. As I'm passing, a blue 2 door Chevy Blazer pulls right up to maybe 2 feet off the back of my bumper. I dropped the hammer, passed 9 cars, and then moved over. I was amazed at how stable the X3 was at speeds over 100 mph. It felt like it could keep going too!

markcincinnati · February 2008

Well, my guess is about a month. The thing is already on a boat sailing across the pond. . .

I must say, the spiffed up interior and the extra grunt from the uprated 3.0 engine are welcome -- and, what the heck, even the miles per gallon are up about 10%.

The new one we test drove, rode very nice and was very quiet, too. The new dash and the two tone interior are sweet. I really liked the old interior, Teraccotta(SP?) but the new one is overall so much more upscale -- it finally doesn't look cheap (by comparison.) You know, though, I only stopped liking the 2005 interior when I saw the upgraded one. . .

kyfdx · February 2008

I might have to keep an eye out for it...

It's funny... I saw a classified ad for an '04, 3.0 with stick... silver-grey with Terra.. Low miles (38K), but it's in Philly...

Those 3.0 sticks with Terra.... how many could there be?

nyccarguy · February 2008

I saw a screamer ad in the paper here (for a few weeks now) for an '04 3.0i X3 (55K miles) with a stick. They were asking $15,XXX and have dropped the price to $13,XXX. I'd be willing to bet it'll go out the door for maybe $12K??????????

roadburner · February 2008

There was a manual 2002 X5 3.0 with SP for sale(on eBay)in the Louisville area a few months ago. I probably would have picked it up if it had been fitted with the CWP. I talked to my salesperson at Swope and he told me that he had only seen two manual X5s. One was ordered for a customer and the other was ordered by accident- thanks to a green pea who didn't know the BMW NA ordering system. He said that they almost never got rid of that one... OTOH, his demo was a six speed X3 3.0.

quattroporte12 · February 2008

Hey guys im also looking at a used car right now. The two ive narrowed it down to now are the BMW x3 and Infiniti FX. I did BMW driving school which was awesomee, so i kinda wanted to stay loyal to BMW, but i know theyre expensive to maintain and i was thinking the fx would be a little more reliable. Ive driven both, and the bmw seems to be more of an suv (atleast the driving position) whereas the infiniti feels like a jacked up sports car when youre sitting in it (which is pretty cool, ive never been in a car like that). What i cant figure out is which one handles better...I drove both pretty hard, and the fx35 was a little peppier. But in terms of handling, they were both AWESOME for suvs. Which one do you guys think is a better handler on road? and i can assume the x3 is better offroad as well. Any opinions or help would be great!
Thanks!

cotmc · March 2008

Hey all,

My wife's X3 3.0i is coming up on its 4-year anniversary, and so the BMW Maintenance Plan and its full factory warranty are about to expire. We purchased this X3 as a CPO vehicle about 6 months ago.

I made an appointment just a few days prior to its birthday for an inspection and a 2-yr complementary brake fluid change.

My question is: Are there any common maintenance or warranty items of the X3 that might typically need to be addressed around the 4-yr/50K timeframe, or 1-2 years thereafter? I'd like to make sure any marginal items are worked/replaced while I still have the full coverage from BMW. I'm not concerned about the major items already covered by the CPO warranty; just the items that are typically excluded. I'm aware of some of the items for the 3-series cars, such as the front bushings. Unfortunately, I'm rather ignorant regarding which items I should address for the X3.

Thanks for any info you can share!

roadburner · March 2008

My wife runs an X3 2.5. I had the dealer change the ATF and transfer case fluid at @55K. The cost wasn't bad either: $208. I think that for as little as that maintenance costs it can't hurt to change these fluids at 1/2 the recommended interval.

cotmc · March 2008

Thanks for the heads up! I'll keep this advice for future reference. Our X3 has only 36K miles on it, now. Not bad for a 4yr old, eh? The previous owner put only 27K miles on it! I reckon this implies we've driven about 9000 miles during the six months we've owned it.

Anyway, at this time, I'm primarily looking for items which BMW NA still covers under their 4-yr Maintenance and New Car Warranty coverages. These coverages expire for us on March 26. I'm hoping to catch as much as possible prior to then. To do so, I'm looking for ideas of anything that might typically go out of tolerance, or need replacement, within a 4- to 5-year old X3. From past experience, I've noticed "Please do an overall inspection of my car" doesn't work quite as well as providing my service advisor with specific concerns, such as "I think I'm hearing some kind of thumping noise. Please inspect the front control arm assembly and see if the bushings might be replaced." Specific concerns to my Service Advisor help ensure that marginal components are fully inspected.

roadburner · March 2008

Anyway, at this time, I'm primarily looking for items which BMW NA still covers under their 4-yr Maintenance and New Car Warranty coverages.

The only warranty repairs have been:
Paint? coating was coming off console and front cupholder. Both were replaced under warranty within a month of purchase. The prior owner must have had a litter of heathens; the problem has not returned. Of course, my kid knows that he will suffer a very painful death if he screws up anything on our cars.
Passenger seat SRS sensor. Twice. Of course, the only way you know it's bad is when the SRS light stays on and the "Passenger Airbag Off" light stays on- even with a passenger in the seat...
Otherwise, it's been flawless. We'll probably keep it for at least 3-5 more years.

cotmc · March 2008

Of course, my kid knows that he will suffer a very painful death if he screws up anything on our cars.

:shades:

Passenger seat SRS sensor

Yeah... Even if the sensor was on the verge of failure, there's no way to get BMW to replace it until it fails outright. I guess having my kid jump up and down on the passenger seat for a few hours might help accelerate any oncoming sensor failure..., nah!

Coincidentally, we just started seeing a couple examples of abnormal behavior from our indash CD player. Nothing major. One store-bought CD, flawless in every other way, sometimes causes a "Disc Error" readout on the display. Also, it sure seems like the fast forward function moves along at a very slow speed. It takes about 15 seconds to skip ahead one minute of content. This is the upgraded audio system, too! I am going to see if my advisor can get this replaced under warranty. My concern is that the laser might be losing allignment, and eventually get worse over time.

roadburner · March 2008

I am going to see if my advisor can get this replaced under warranty. My concern is that the laser might be losing allignment, and eventually get worse over time.

We have the base system in ours and it hasn't given us any problems- which is more than I can say for the BMW/Alpine changer in my 1995 ti...

tekotoo · March 2008

Yes, strange question, but here it is:
I'm considering the x3, but have two 90 lb. dogs. They definitely won't fit in the 'cargo' space, but how about with the rear seats down? I know they don't go completely flat. Anyone else out there have dogs that like to go for rides and can give some advice?

alaskan_otter · March 2008

My dog is a 45 lb German Shepherd and she fits snugly in the cargo area with the seats up. With the seats down it would be a tight squeeze with two large dogs. The seats aren't that flat and have a small rise right behind the front seats. If the dogs are laying down and not standing up there would be enough room - but probably not enough for a very long road trip. For around town you would be fine.

markcincinnati · March 2008

. . .will be here within days. Platinum Bronze, virtually every option and this time with an automatic and with the SAV package in lieu of the Sport package. Two tone interior.

Ought to be quite the looker. Big snowfall here in Cincinnapolis this weekend and the '05 X3 wasn't even phased. My wife is so glad she re-upped for another X3; and, I'm glad we're done test driving.

Report when we know more. . . over and out.

tekotoo · March 2008

Thanks for the info.

kyfdx · March 2008

I'll be interested to see what they ask for your '05, once it goes back up for sale..

markcincinnati · March 2008

Pristine condition, all options, 6 speed stick, black, amaretto, 52K miles. I actually wonder if the dealer will even bother to keep it.

It is literally like new, but the miles may deter folks -- but I must say, it is in great shape . . .who knows.

BMW X3

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