Any experience with high mileage BMW X3's?

"TFen" (tfen)
12/29/2016 at 20:37 • Filed to: None

Brother in law just sold his E46 coupe and is looking for an SUV.

Around here, clean first gen X3's can be had for $7000-$9000 with around 120,000km. Any experience with the older ones?

DISCUSSION (18)

LOREM IPSUM > TFen
12/29/2016 at 20:54

No personal experience with the x3, but like all BMW’s expect that the entire cooling system and the entire suspension will require replacement every 75000 miles or so... give or take. Plus whatever else happens to go wrong.

It’s all about the BMW experience though. Personally, I’d resent eventually dropping thousands in repair money on an x3.

If you’re gonna do X, make it a v8 X5 imo.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > TFen
12/29/2016 at 20:59

Love ours, over 100k miles, but it’s a second gen.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > TFen
12/29/2016 at 20:59

Love ours, over 100k miles, but it’s a second gen.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > TFen
12/29/2016 at 20:59

Love ours, over 100k miles, but it’s a second gen.

DipodomysDeserti > TFen
12/29/2016 at 21:07

I know some of the 1st gens had cooling system issues. They weren’t made by BMW, so maybe they’ll hold up better than most modern BMWs. Of course my wife’s ‘13 X1 is trouble free at a bit over 100k Km

190octane > LOREM IPSUM
12/29/2016 at 21:09

We almost did this recently with a 2014, but after looking at trade in values on 2011 X5 V8s on kbb to get a gauge of depreciation ($50k to $20k), then looking at our current truck’s trade in value for a 2011 ($37k to $34k), I decided it wouldn’t be a prudent financial decision to essentially light tens of thousands of dollars on fire.

That X5 is quick and about as much fun as you can have in a SUV on road.

TFen > LOREM IPSUM
12/29/2016 at 21:14

Yeah... there goes your credibility.

We’ve been driving BMW’s for the last 8 years or so. The E46 was the worst for cooling system issues and it only needs to be dealt with once if you replace the expansion tank and water pump with a metal impeller at the same time.

Thanks for playing, though.

TFen > DipodomysDeserti
12/29/2016 at 21:15

Who were they made by?

(Our family has had great luck with our BMW’s)

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > TFen
12/29/2016 at 21:32

Magna Steyr

TFen > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins)
12/29/2016 at 21:39

I just read up on that. Pretty interesting.

From what I’ve read, the E83 seems like a real winner. I guess Magna took quality control very seriously.

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > TFen
12/29/2016 at 21:44

They build the g wagen so I guess the quality should be better than Dingolfing.

itranthelasttimeiparkedit > TFen
12/29/2016 at 21:54

We have an 05 and a good friend did too. Pretty solid, I had to do a big AC repair this year but otherwise we’re at almost 100k miles with no major issues. When it gets texas cold (like under 30) the awd disengages and throws an error, but that is (probably) a known issue with the little fan gear that engages/disengages it. Still drives fine. Good solid SUV but it does not seem like a BMW to me, its a little too utilitarian.

We got the 2.5 - don’t. Its slow as hell. I can only drive it in sport mode, even then you have to rag on it pretty good. Get the 3.0 (I think later on they did a 3.5)

DipodomysDeserti > TFen
12/29/2016 at 21:58

Magna Steyr of Austria made all the 1st gen X3s.

TFen > itranthelasttimeiparkedit
12/29/2016 at 22:12

Thanks, that’s really good insight.

I’ve already told him to stick to the 2006+ 3.0's. The N52B30 is one hell of a motor. Good friend of mine has one in his 2006 330i, it has close to 300km on it now and still feels great.

LOREM IPSUM > TFen
12/29/2016 at 22:31

...and valley pans, and heater control valves, and rear heater hoses, and rad endcaps...

It might be totally reliable and cost effective though. If not, it’s your brother in laws problem I guess.

TFen > LOREM IPSUM
12/30/2016 at 01:10

Every 75,000 miles, right?

The E46 we just sold had 280,000km on it. The cooling system was addressed once, preventively, at just shy of 200,000km.

Stop regurgitating BS you read online as fact... Especially on a site like this where people know better.

LOREM IPSUM > TFen
12/30/2016 at 08:38

Shall I snap some pictures of the Bavarian creme puffs in my driveway to prove my first hand experience? Perhaps some of my extended families bimmers as well?

Nah, I’ll just ignore you from here on out.

Had they kept that e46 it would have started puking coolant again at any time having only been serviced once in it’s 173000 mile lifetime. Probably dumped it because they couldn’t sucessfully diagnose the 80kph shimmy.

What happened to being excellent to people as rule #1?

Dick.

TFen > LOREM IPSUM
12/30/2016 at 10:33

You’re ridiculous.

The post was asking if anyone had any first hand experience with a particular model (which turns out to be excellent, btw).

You have absolutely zero to contribute on the matter, instead you respond with a bullshit blanket statement for an entire brand (which turns out doesn’t even manufacturer the model in question, btw) and then recommend a vehicle that isn’t even in the same ballpark (size, reliability, cost of ownership, vehicle dynamics, you name it)

Look up the definition of excellence, cuz that ain’t it.

And for the record, owning a clapped out, neglected, E38 does not make you an expert on BMW’s... It makes you a car enthusiast with poor judgement. The E46 we just sold had 280k on it and just sold for $4500 because it was in damn near mint shape and was always maintained. As lame as it is, he sold it because their new dog didn’t like the angle of the rear seats, and was always sliding around on trips. Hence the search for an SUV.