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We have a limited number of reviews for the 2010 X3, so we've included reviews for other years of the X3 since its last redesign.
Sheared Motor Mount Bolts
wrh47, 04/15/2013
updated 04/15/2016
2008 BMW X3 3.0si 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl 6M)
51 of 52 people found this review helpful
2008 BMW X3 with 59,000 miles sheared all 4 motor mount bolts in normal street driving. BMW said Âtough luckÂ. A quick internet search indicated this was not an isolated incident, many other relatively low mileage BMW's have had sheared motor mount bolts. I believe this problem to be a serious safety issue and filed a complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. I encourage others that have had similar problems to file NHTSA complaints at the following website: safercar.gov Click the ÂREPORT A VEHICLE OR CHILD SEAT DEFECTÂ Tab and submit your complaint. If there are enough complaints, BMW will, hopefully, be forced to acknowledge this problem.
- Safety
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- Value
Practical mpg and traction - Fun driving dynamics!
Brice, 04/08/2017
updated 10/18/2022
2009 BMW X3 xDrive30i 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl 6M)
28 of 28 people found this review helpful
2009 BMW X3 with full options - I bought this car used in March, 2017 with 83,000 miles on it to replace a 2007 BMW X3 with 165,000 miles which was the nicest car I had ever owned. This one is better. The transmission on the 2009 is smoother than the 2007, this one has the upgraded stereo and it sounds better, but also just the tuner knob is nicer and easier to use. It could be just my perception, but it seems more stable in corners at speed. Gas mileage is great on both - I get 21 or 22 mixed, and 26 to 28 highway in the Rocky mountains between 50 and 80 miles an hour. MPG is one of the best features, and it comes from a powerful engine that is ready to pass anything, anytime even going up a mountain. Front seats are fully adjustable and very comfortable. Drive noise is quite minimal, making it hard to drive anything less insulated. The over all size is small, which I like for fitting through traffic and parking, and I find the cargo space to be large for the size of the car. Traction control with Michelin X-Ice tires is excellent on snow, frozen hard surface snow, and good on clear ice. Braking is crisp and tight, as is the steering. The ride is firm, but I found I like it better than Mercedes ML350 and ML 550 that I test drove. Driving it really does feel like a sporty car - much better visibility than a Porsche Cayenne, and the Porsche and Mercedes 550 felt too tight in the cockpit for me. I'm 6'3", and my only real complaint is that the transmission box is wide in the X3 and pushes my right foot in at an odd angle that makes my knee and hip feel tweaked. It bugs me, but when my 2007 got totaled by a friend, and I had to replace it, after looking at the Mercedes and a Mazda CX-7, this one is just soooo fun to drive (and the gear shift is useful and fun) and gets such good mileage, that I couldn't get as excited about anything else. **If you get one, you must rotate tires regularly. Irregular wear on tires will confuse the traction control and transmission and make you think it's a junk car, but it's your tires and/or suspension** **~update at 142,000 miles~** Still the same impression as I wrote previously. Have had no mechanical issues, just changed the oil, coolant & tires. Apparently my body has now warped to function with the wide console, as my hip is no longer sore from the funny angle of my right leg. Great vehicle! Still fun to drive! Beautiful. **Update at 185,000 miles** (now have owned it for 5 years, and driven it about 100,000 miles in the Colorado Rockies, occasionally pulling trailers with scaffolding, or motorcycles as far as Los Angeles quite a few times) Well, at last she had some real problems this year. The water pump when out at 175,000 - please trust me when I say you are best off replacing with only an OEM BMW water pump - mine cost $1600 to replace, parts & labor. Also the transfer case broke a tooth on a gear, and it would lurch mildly going uphill in 1st & 2nd gear, and make a big clank sound in the back end. Replaced with a rebuilt transfer case for about $3000 parts and labor. My mechanic said I now need to replace all 4 oxygen sensors for $1200 parts and labor. So after no real expenses other than gas, oil, tires, brake pads, and wiper blades, this year is a $5500 year. Interior still in good shape, heated seats and steering wheel still work great, stereo still great. I expect I will also need to get the struts replaced next year for about $600 as I can feel the suspension isn't as crisp. For me, the car is still a good vehicle, and a good investment. But if you want to avoid these type of expenses, in my very limited experience, I would suggest not buying an X3 with over 150,000 miles, or selling it at about 160,000 or 170,000. I am keeping mine, as the repairs this year will still be less than 2 years worth of car payments for a small luxury SUV, and it is still very powerful and comfortable (the seat is as firm and clean as ever). I am still getting about 27 miles to the gallon, and I drive this car hard, always up and down the mountains in sometimes very, very bad road conditions. I still warmly recommend this model and year.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
N52 engine really has problems
1978bmx, 04/03/2010
2008 BMW X3 3.0si 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl 6M)
28 of 28 people found this review helpful
I purchased my x3 new, did my research and the x3 came in to be up there with the 3 series in quality. At around 60k the valves started to tap like crazy, (metal on metal sounds- if yours is doing this it is not normal! It needs to be repaired- don't let the dealer service people tell you it's air bubbles in the oil. It will lead to premature engine failure this should be covered under warranty) the tapping sound was especially loud with cold starts. The engine cylinder head was replaced, but the sound is more of a thumping slamming sound now, it will be in the shop this week again! Even the BMW techs I've talked to, feel the quality of BMW is really slipping.
This can't be an SUV
asiafish, 02/05/2009
2009 BMW X3 xDrive30i 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl 6M)
22 of 22 people found this review helpful
My wife was tired of her Camry and wanted to sit high in traffic. Looked at the RX350, the E35 and even the new GLK, but nothing matched the driving dynamics of the X3. I don't even like SUVs, but I really enjoyed driving this one. Brakes are even stronger than in my Mercedes, and perhaps the best highway ride of any car we've owned. Only complaint is the stereo controls are small and look alike, which is a common problem in BMW interiors. We got a very basic X3. Vinyl seats, base stereo, no nav and no option packages. Ours has the automatic, heated front seats and privacy glass; no other options. What is amazing is that even without any of the packages the car looks and feels great.
Never again
ohicks, 10/08/2014
2008 BMW X3 3.0si 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl 6M)
40 of 42 people found this review helpful
First and last BMW. Quality is not what you would expect from a high end vehicle. Problems started almost immediately, the warranty covered the repairs not the in convince of the wasted time. After warranty ran out.. 55k miles...replaced window regulator on passenger window, at 60k miles, replaced all 6 sparks plugs. at 65 k, replaced valve cover gasket. at 67K, replaced water pump. Now at 68k, all 4 engine mount bolts have sheared..vibration broke the water pump. Never again.. Disappointed in BMW's responses.
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