Bmw x3?

[Jrboulder]

I'm entering that stage in life where I'm rethinking old porsches as daily drivers. I was planning on getting an early Boxster S or a cheaper 964 seeing as I am done with 944's (good cars but they suck time and money at the speed of light). While both cars would do the job they are not exactly what I want in a Porsche. What I want in a Porsche pretty much excludes it from DD duty. Plus, with porsches you are completely kept to the network of paved roads and very well maintained gravel roads. I can't carry lumber with a Porsche. I can't carry my golf clubs in the 964. I can't bring 3 adults along in either. I love cars that handle well and I do all my own maintenance. I think I just need something bigger, newer, and more reliable.

I would be looking at the 2004-05 3.0L 6-speed models.

Has/does anyone own(ed) one or have any thoughts about it?

Please don't say get a cayenne or truck. I don't want either.

Jackson

[speeder]

I read a sparkling review of a new 3.5 x-drive model but I guess that doesn't really answer your question. They're all competent little SUVs and more fun to drive than the competition, I'd venture.

[Jrboulder]

Jeremy Clarkson doesn't think so highly of them although he went mudding with summer tires...

Their shape is a little bit ugly. I love the B-pillar forward but as you go rearward it begins to look like a 3D drawing that got goofed up and came out a bit skewed. Luckily I don't care buch for image. A third of the time I dress like I'm playing golf, a third of the time I dress like I'm from the REI catalog, and a third of the time I dress like a railroad track worker, and usually for the wrong occasion.

I assume it would be wise to replace the water pump and all coolant hoses at any milage above 100k. The parts are pretty cheap and it would be some cheap peace of mind.

[Dottore]

We have one—a 2008 model—with the big 3.0 liter diesel. It's slightly truck like—but I really like the firm ride and the masses of torque. It's slightly more spartan than the equivalent small SUV from Mercedes or Audi etc., but it also has a simplicity and purity of purpose that I really like. It's not for off-roading. Instead it is a perfect small touring car—with room for the dog and luggage and picking up cases of wine and such.

Make sure to get the second series—which was a vast improvement over the first series.

The third series came out in 2010, and is apparently the best yet. Germany's Auto Motor and Sport magazine claims that if you can own only one car, this is the most perfect car on the market today. Gave 100 points out of 100!

It is incredibly well designed with a huge interior relative to the fairly small size of the exterior. It is really to the SUV world what the BMW 3 series is to the car world.

[speeder]

That's exactly the way that the LA Times writer characterized it. Like a 335i sedan with different coach work. Very similar to drive. Can't get any better than that.

[LeRoux Strydom]

We have a 2005 X3 3.0i with auto box bought new, currently on 142000 km.

They are great cars, and I would buy another if this one ever dies.

The early models had some issues, the transfer case puked on ours at about 120000 km but it was not terribly expensive to fix. I also had to replace the coolant expansion tank and fix a leaking input selector shaft seal on the gearbox. Something I have to do in the near future is to replace the VANOS seals.

Make sure you get the 3.0 with the N52 motor (2006 onwards I think), it is a worthwhile upgrade from the earlier M54 motor found in 04-05 models.

[PorscheGAL]

Originally Posted by LeRoux Strydom

We have a 2005 X3 3.0i with auto box bought new, currently on 142000 km.

They are great cars, and I would buy another if this one ever dies.

The early models had some issues, the transfer case puked on ours at about 120000 km but it was not terribly expensive to fix. I also had to replace the coolant expansion tank and fix a leaking input selector shaft seal on the gearbox. Something I have to do in the near future is to replace the VANOS seals.

Make sure you get the 3.0 with the N52 motor (2006 onwards I think), it is a worthwhile upgrade from the earlier M54 motor found in 04-05 models.

+2 on the 2006 and later.

I had the 2005 M54 X3. It was the worst car I have owned. At 60,000 miles on the odo I spent thousands fixing things. Radiator replaced, Gas leak, Back windshield fluid leak that flooded the back seat. Electrical issues. Final blow was an A/C leak that would have required pulling out the entire dash to get to the problem. This was in the span of 8 months.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by Dottore

We have one—a 2008 model—with the big 3.0 liter diesel. It's slightly truck like—but I really like the firm ride and the masses of torque. It's slightly more spartan than the equivalent small SUV from Mercedes or Audi etc., but it also has a simplicity and purity of purpose that I really like. It's not for off-roading. Instead it is a perfect small touring car—with room for the dog and luggage and picking up cases of wine and such.

Make sure to get the second series—which was a vast improvement over the first series.

The third series came out in 2010, and is apparently the best yet. Germany's Auto Motor and Sport magazine claims that if you can own only one car, this is the most perfect car on the market today. Gave 100 points out of 100!

It is incredibly well designed with a huge interior relative to the fairly small size of the exterior. It is really to the SUV world what the BMW 3 series is to the car world.

You had a diesel X3? I didn't think they offered that. I just bought a 2011 X5 with the diesel engine.

[red-beard]

Yep, Internationally, the X3 has 2 different diesels available, but not in the USA...

[Rick Lee]

There is an X1 in countries other than the US now. It looks a lot like an X3, but only comes in diesel (AFAIK). My wife really wants one, but the US release date keeps getting pushed back. We checked one out at BMW HQ in Munich and saw a few in China recently.

[red-beard]

On the International Website, you can get the X1 with the small 4 cylinder gasoline engines.

[ZOO]

I've been in one at an HPDE event -- one of my instructors uses his to pull his FF. Heavy rain and a wet track had him playing with the X3, and he kept at it once the track dried. Hugely competent around the track -- much more so than I would have expected.

In another sesssion it took me several laps to catch him in my Miata and once I did he hung with me much more than I would have expected.

[Jrboulder]

Thanks everyone!

It looks like I have my answer.

If I'm going to be looking at the 06 and up (and preferably the 07+) I will still want it in manual. I don't think I have seen an 07+ in manual. Does anyone know if they made 07+ in manual?

[Dottore]

They surely make it in manual...but whether this is available in the US I couldn't say.

That said the slush-box on these cars is superb. Completely seamless.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by Dottore

They surely make it in manual...but whether this is available in the US I couldn't say.

That said the slush-box on these cars is superb. Completely seamless.

They do. I rented a 1 series 5 door manual, which I expect is now the X1, in Spain with a 1.8l Diesel engine. Fantastic car! It did about 4l/100km, or about 52 mpg.

[daepp]

A buddy of mine is an exec with BMW. He and his wife can trade into any BMW every 8K miles. They both drive X3's.