Used X3 for sale
1...
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
Worth It! Find a good, affordable mechanic.
Turbo Inline 6, 10/30/2019
2011 BMW X3 xDrive35i 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 8A)
79 of 80 people found this review helpful
This is long but it’s the review I wish I had when I bought my BMW X3. I bought a preowned 2011 X3 35i in October 2019 and it’s a joy. A turbo charged inline 6 engine, I’m excited to drive it every day. Here’s what I learned: shop for your independent BMW mechanic before you even shop for the car. I think you’ll love your BMW! I love mine. However, you need to negotiate the lowest purchase price possible and have about $3,000 saved for repairs. The repairs will happen. You don’t want to be caught off guard. Before this, I drove a Toyota for 17 YEARS, almost 300k miles and sold it. It’s STILL out there going strong. Then, I had a Subaru Impreza for 1 year and I never liked it. Also sold it and it’s still out there going strong. I strongly debated buying a BMW. They are simply not as reliable as Toyota. BMW must have consistent care, where a Toyota will basically never die no matter what you do. When I was a dumb 20 yr old, I drove my Toyota for like a month with no oil and it Did.Not.Die. I only took it in when I heard a sound from under the hood, which turned out to be the 100% dry dipstick rattling in the empty oil reservoir. Now I’m older and more responsible. I decided to buy the car I REALLY wanted this time because life is short. I chose the more reliable X3 35i engine over the 28i that has terribly expensive timing chain failure issues. Don’t buy a 2011-2014 28i. Less reliable, less luxe, less fun to drive. I bought from a private seller and had my X3 inspected by a BMW shop pre-purchase. The car had solid maintenance history too. 5 days after I bought it...starter died, a $650.00 repair. I did everything right, and a surprising repair can still happen. Save a repair fund in advance so you aren’t going into debt. Know in advance which mechanic you’ll use. Know that on a preowned BMW, control arm replacement is gonna happen to you. It’ll be about $1200. Other common repairs after 70k miles: Water pump, $750. New battery, $300. Oil pump or oil pan, $650. You will love having a turbo BMW. You will be amazed and delighted by the luxury features and comfort. At the end of the day, any car could be a lemon money pit. Don’t stress and be afraid to buy a BMW, like I was. Research any car’s maintenance record and amount of owners. Have it inspected before you buy. Don’t trust a dealership to do all that legwork for you. Don’t overspend money you can’t afford to lose if the car is a dud.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Over 130,000 miles and still going strong!
Rich Couturier, 05/03/2016
2011 BMW X3 xDrive28i 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl 8A)
27 of 27 people found this review helpful
Really a great SUV. Great visibility, great looks, strong powertrain, extremely functional, appropriate repair/maintenance costs. The in-line six cylinder engine is very strong and reliable. Two notable repairs. Replacement of water pump and supply/return hoses at 99,000 miles (covered under extended 100k warranty). Replacement of intake air valve actuators at 125,000 miles. This was a tricky problem that local BMW dealer could not figure out, but independent BMW shop did. Normally scheduled maintenance, tires and brakes. No oil leaks. Great 8-speed transmission that continues to shift strongly and crispy. Zero problems with electronic all wheel drive system. Getting ready to replace struts, control arms and tie rods at 150k. Squeaks and rattles are worse than expected. We've had 20" wheels with low profile tires, so this might be responsible for beating up the vehicle over time. I despise the navigation and Bluetooth. Navigation is "much dumber" and "much slower" then iPhone Maps. Bluetooth constantly loses pairing. Callers on other end of phone calls cannot hear you talk at all. All-in-all very happy w the X3. Would buy another one, except for the fact that this one is paid off and running very strong.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Going to reach 200k Miles soon
McKinley W., 02/04/2019
2011 BMW X3 xDrive35i 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 8A)
23 of 23 people found this review helpful
I bought this car because I wanted to keep the all wheel drive option and SUV body type after leaving an LR3 for 9 years. The BMW is a car you keep. I do my own maintenance and when you do, you appreciate the build quality of a car over the initial wow factor. I would say the weakness of the X3 are the amount of sensors in the car; if a sensor wears out the car will act like it is broken when it is not. Handling is just like any other BMW, awesome. The more powerful engine is the one to get if you plan on living with this car. This is not the car you get and keep for a couple of years. Some things to look out for are engine oil leaks, various modifications that are poor in standards, and unresolved electrical issues. Pluses are I don't think I need to replace the suspension yet, transmission shifts smooth as warm butter, and the technology that came with it originally is still to some degree better than cars 8 years newer. One bad point is BMW discontinued the BMW connected drive option for this car and the communication box is on a 2G network. If you can get over that, I say get this vehicle. Treat it right and you will have a friend for a long time.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Bought this used with 80k miles on it...
mark, 08/07/2017
2011 BMW X3 xDrive28i 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl 8A)
14 of 15 people found this review helpful
If you're reading this you're buying used... I gave my son my X5 with 170k on it and still running strong. I have a couple of Porsches that I'm trying to keep the mileage down hence the X3... It drives like a new car. It was well cared for and serviced. the car runs strong, smooth to drive and effortless on long trips. The key purchase point for me... it could handle a wet golden retriever full of sand, plants from home depot, bikes and surf board... all or 16k. I'll give this to my one of my kids when it hits 180k...
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
love hate relationship
GoWyo, 09/26/2016
updated 09/29/2017
2011 BMW X3 xDrive35i 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 8A)
21 of 24 people found this review helpful
I bought the car brand new in 2011. I love how this car drives. Super fun and sporty. Hands down there is nothing on the market to compare to this little turbo six. Hence the love part. The hate part is the water pump going out with only 45,000 miles on it costing me over $1000. to fix. Constantly having battery problems with it in the cold winter, tail lights going out. The mechanic told me to save my money cause that"s how BMW's are. It's a high maintenance car but a blast to drive. It will be going down the road soon and will not be replaced by another BMW. I'm just not into the high cost of the maintenance regardless of how fun the car is to drive.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
1...