BMW X3

It drives like a dream. It handles well & rides well. High fuel efficiency. Diesel engine perform well & plenty of torque. BMW has improved a lot in the past 10 yrs.

Purchased as a well priced demo (4,000 kms) in 2016 from Brisbane BMW I was delighted with my 2.0D X3 after a tragic experience with a possessed by the devil Volvo XC60.

The X3 is perfect in many ways - not too big and not too small. The 2.0L Diesel is powerful enough, yet does have a small amount of turbo large.

Inside the X3 is not as plush as the Volvo XC60 was - but it was still a nice place to be and in true BMW form, it was a delight to drive.

Over the 2 years I owned the BMW, I did 50,000 KM's - all trouble free. The servicing was a tad expensive, but no more then my Mazda 6 I owned some years back. Brisbane BMW where also a delight to deal with - a noticeable step above everybody else - nothing was too much trouble.

Having recently traded the X3 in on a new BMW - I still had original tyres on the car. It was near perfect in many ways and I only have praise for the BMW X3.

Couldn't disagree with some on the comments. My only advise is to stay away from BMW X3 or infant overall BMW range.
They may be good under warranty as soon as you are out of warranty BMW or Dealership dont cares any more.

Incident 1 - For me around 160K kms mark it all started with 3 light death combination, Airbag + 4x4 + Cant remember.

Inspection by BMW Dealership was advised to change entire Transmission, Motor etc with an estimate of over $18K
They charged premium to just diagnose the fault as local mechanics don't have fault description. BMW Hold it tightly the entire secret.
At the end found a local guy who replaced a small gear at cost of $260.
Complaint to BMW or Dealership result in only frustration as they didn't acknowledge the fault at all.

Learning 1 - Stay away from Big guys, they are only there to empty you bank account

Incident 2 - Started with a Engine Light around 170K Kms, took straight to Excellent local mechanic, I found previously, his equipment where not sophisticated to deal with the issue but he suggested DPF issue and he advised if its real DPF look in a range of $5K to get it fixed.

Found another DPF expert on Internet, set me back $1500 to get rid of the light

Learning 2 - There is no real after sale support or one point to go to, for every issue you keep looking for another service stations.

Incident 3 - This time Little Spring Indicator light around $185K kms. Took to last know mechanic cost another $1500 to fix.

Learning 3 - Stay away from BMW, by this time totally frustrated and trying to sell this crap

Incident 4 - $187K and almost all light on the dashboard, i started calling then christmas lights. A visit to mechanic and a fix was estimated to $4K-$5K. They where not sure till they open up few components.

Learning 4 - Decided not to spent any more and took it back just with the code reset.

Currently Situation - Decided to keep driving till it goes to junk yard. Spoke to few wholesaler and they estimated the car worth $3000 in current state and $1500 if it stop working.
Driving till it die down and will sent it to Junk Yard.

Note: I have not mentioned other issues like timing belt, Bluetooth, Power Steering etc as I am thinking they are general wear and tear.

I own this car just over a year and I am in love with it--I use it mostly over the weekends as a family car--Love driving it--though it is SUV but feels like a sedan-I am simply in love with car and highly recommend everyone--Love the panoramic sunroof--SUV but compact !!

I have now owned my BMW X3 30d for 6 months
Performance is 5 star, absolutely fantastic, super quick for a diesel.
The fuel efficiency is excellent when driven sedately.
Finish and ergonomics are perfect
Road noise is present but I believe my tyres may be the culprit.
I have given the BMW X3 4 stars, it deserves 5 stars but price is the only negative.
I forgot to mention the fun factor when pulling away from the lights leaving many fancy pants vehicles in your rear view mirror!!

We recently purchased a BMW 30i (including, M package, Comfort package and the panoramic roof).

I spent a bit of time researching the options and felt that the familiar BMW dynamic was right for us. Certainly a very crowded segment and the BMW fully equipped was a bit of a stretch. I really felt that while the BMW wasn’t necessarily the best in all categories it was excellent when looking at each of my criteria. If there was a weakness it was that I was sitting taller in this vehicle than I was accustomed, but that was more a reflection of the move from a small sedan to an SUV. Certainly some of the vehicles I considered were better in some of the criteria but were let down in other aspects.

The BMW was, I thought, the most rounded choice. This was to some extent subjective. I have owned BMWs before and the cabin and driving dynamic is familiar. I was also looking for something which felt substantial and well planted for both urban and country longer distance driving. Some of the direct competitors were other BMWs. The X1 or X2 options were appealing as they was cheaper and more car like, but I didn’t find their cabins as comfortable or as well equipped. I also considered the X3 30d which was really excellent, but I couldn’t justify stumping up the extra money and diesel was a bit of an unknown quantity. Similarly the extra for the X3 M40 was hard to justify as an everyday driver.

So I opted for a very well equipped 30i. This is a petrol option. I like a car that has a little bit of a sporty edge - something which is nimble, solid and has a bit of grunt when I need it. I haven’t been disappointed. The 30i is more than adequate in a performance sense. I like that I can change the personality of the car via BMWs profiles I can jump from comfort (which is great for most driving needs) to sport (which tightens up suspension and changes the steering and automatic gear box). Part of the M package brings crucial improvements such as sports brakes and adaptive dampers - well worth having. I also like the changes that the M package brings to the external styling - especially in Alpine White.

There seemed to be different impressions of the ride quality by various reviewers. My own impression has been of a very quiet, comfortable ride and I found this was the case even in X3s not equipped with adaptive dampers. The ride quality was in my view a real strength of the driving experience. Interior space is also excellent especially for the front seats, but really the rear seats and cargo space are very substantial too. Fuel consumption has also been good running at about 8.3 per 100km combined.

As you will undoubtedly read the BMW infotainment system is the best on the market and that has certainly been our experience. The larger touch screen combined with the idrive knob, and steering wheel controls provides easy access for the driver and the interface is very intuitive. The driver assistance technologies are also outstanding - park assist, active cruise control, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring and autonomous driving. From a purely subjective point of view I think the external and internal appearance / styling and quality are excellent.

Competitors I considered were Mercedes, Porsche, Audi, VW, Volvo and Mazda. I also had a look at Hyundai - was impressed with their SUV offerings and warranties.

Two Months Into Ownership
Always good to provide a progressive report on my impressions after having had the car for a bit longer.

I have really enjoyed driving the X3 30i. I have been doing more city driving than country driving on balance, but did about 1000km on an interstate trip too.
This is a wonderfully versatile vehicle. I really found the long distance travel to be very comfortable, quiet and the performance for cruising and overtaking etc was excellent. Fuel consumption in the country was mid 7 litres per 100km - pretty good. The driving aids are also handy especially the active cruise control and the heads up display which both help to manage the driving experience.
Around the city I am getting fuel consumption in the high 10 litre per 100km range, but this depends on the sort of city driving I am doing and how I drive. I can get down around 10 if I try. Combined my computer shows 9.6 litres per 100km.
As a city vehicle this car has been excellent. I have great visibility and the dimensions aren’t too big so parking hasn’t been a problem. Also the camera view provides really good visibility around the vehicle. I haven’t really used the parking assist but will try this and see how it goes.
Certainly drives well in the city easy to manoeuvre and punchy when needed. Great for carrying people - plenty of space and comfortable. Recommend the heated seats on cold winter mornings.
A great car - hasn’t missed a beat.

Owned a MY2015 X3 F25 LCI 20d xDrive with M Sport package (panoramic sunroof, 20" M light alloy wheels Double-spoke 310 M wheels) for 2.5 years, traded it in for a F87 M2 in early 2018.

Fuel consumption:
Overall it's a good mid-sized family SUV, fuel consumption is consistently below 10L/100km for Sydney urban driving. Outside of Sydney metropolitan area, it can go well below 7L/100km on the highway.

Chassis / Suspension / Ride quality / Ride Comfort
The chassis/suspension is on the firm side, especially paired with 20" wheels and Run-flat tyres (totally ruins the ride comfort, the only pro is that you can push hard when cornering due to firm suspension settings and wide rear tyres, very little body roll, but what's the point to do that in a X3?). Ride for passengers can be quite harsh, especially when go over speed humps. Seats are not fluffy enough (especially rear). Overall interior design is about 5 years behind Mercedes-Benz and Audi competitors. The G01 X3 is catching up but still not good enough.

Handling is first class in its segment/class (GLC, Q5). Powertrain (4 cyl. diesel) is average, B47D20 + ZF 8HP provides no excitement for its size (1700kg+). In addition, the way a diesel engine works is totally different from petrol engines, people need to understand what they are buying before making a decision. I'd never buy diesel-powered passenger car again (it was my 1st and last), especially with DPF. Even the straight six 30d doesn't offer good NVH (low speed low rev vibration, diesel noise from outside of the cabin. I don't drive enough to benefit from diesel engine (less than 10,000km per year).

If you want to buy a pre-owned F25 LCI X3: my suggestions are 1. pick one with DDC (dynamic damper control - similar to adaptive suspension - VERY RARE in Australia), mine didn't have it and that's why ride quality was so bad. 2. Don't go for wheels larger than 19", it doesn't help to run faster. Last but not least, don't buy if you don't have to ;-)

Reliability issues:
1. rear door window had a window seal rubber failure
2. Door and interior noise (lubricate rubber needed)
3. Front wheel speed sensor failure
4. as a result of #3, electronic parking brake failed (this is my first car with electronic parking brake and it did fail!!! so I rolled back to a F87 with handbrake!).

Out of warranty ownership can be bad for this generation. Consider twice before buying.

Great car. Drives very well with good control. Loads of features and Diesel engine gives great mileage. I tried Merc GLC but I found it a bit delicate ( not my type). The sporty version looks a bit sturdy. I am happy with this car. I might go for a bigger engine next time.

We purchased a new BPW X3 in July 2012. We wanted to buy leather seats but we were advised by sales staff that manmade leather the default was equally good and hard wearing. Seat cover started cracking in June 2015 (just before warranty expired). Seat cover was replaced by BMW under warranty.
Now in 2018 February Seat cover again has same problems. The standard seat covers supplied with a premier car does not even last three years. It is shocking to see such poor quality material being used by a leading luxury brand car in Australia.

Handles and drives well. good power from the turbo diesel motor.
Interior is fine. The ride is a bit hard in the back.
We bought this car from the dealer at 25,000km (little old lady owned, church on Sunday scenario). We started having issues after 80,000km.
Unfortunately there have been multiple issues with the transfer case (repairs $10,000), DPF (repairs $4,500), exhaust valve relay (repairs$8,000) and vibration caused by recall repairs replacement of the timing chain (ongoing $$$). The vehicle does a 100km round trip with minor small trips so not sure why the DPF would fail or block so early. The transfer case ended up being a $20 part and a $170 repair. The fault up for the exhaust valve issue we got reset from another mechanic and has not reappeared yet BMW quite happy to slug me $8,000 to fix. Its been 16 months of back and forth with the vibration issue and ended up getting another mechanic to look at. he found three bolts that were missing from the front diff that were removed when they did their timing chain recall.
Why BMW could find this simple problem themselves astounds me. Just happy to stick the diagnostic machine on and let the computer do the work. Hint: a computer can not see poor workmanship and missing bolts!
Handling, drive and comfort - Excellent (in the front)
Reliability - Terrible. Constant issues with a low kilometer vehicle which is sold as a premium product. Mutton dressed as Lamb
Repairs, Warranty, Services - Dodgy at best. Untrustworthy, liars and cheats.
Customer service and support - Worst I have come across ever!

April 30th 2018 Update: More Issues, different day. 130,000kM and out of action

Not the language I would generally use but after dealing with BMW locally with no joy, BMW nationally with no joy and BMW globally, it has come to my attention that they do not have a concern for any of their customers that are having ongoing issues with their cars. I have posted over 50 (other customer) terrible reviews on their Web Page to highlight their customer’s distress and they basically don't care. Maybe with the Ford case that has just been to court they might sit up and listen! Class action you say? This is what needs to happen using the thousands of BMW customers that have been affected from, not poor service, but total disrespect and in some cases fraudulent behaviour.
Just a recap. I took my X3 BMW into West Terrace for a transfer case issue which I later found out was an inherent problem with this model and should have been a recall issue. They charged me $8,000 to repair the problem which i said was ridiculous. They then said that they would wear half the cost and do it for $4,000. I took it to another European car specialist and they repaired it for $170.00!
While the car was in the workshop BMW informed us that we needed to have the timing chain replaced as part of a recall. BMW gave us no notice, no loan car and had our car for 5 days! When the car was given back it had a very bad vibration. This was noticed before getting less than a block away. I took it back and was told that this was normal and that the electronic timing system had to find itself and this would take a thousand Km's or so. After taking the vehicle back and also complaining numerous times over an 18 month period it got so bad that it couldn't be driven. We took it to another mechanic and they found that three bolts that hold the motor to the front diff were missing. BMW on West Terrace had either left three bolts out or they didn't tension them correctly. A basic issue that they couldn't find themselves or didn't bother checking. Complete arrogance! They did diagnose an entirely different problem they said would cost another extreme amount to repair which I later found out was false. Another dealer cleared the alarms and we drove for two weeks, went back and no alarms were found! Self-generated? Wrongly Diagnosed? Pretty poor for a BMW dealership!
Now there has been the online PMing of BMW letting them know of the issues I have been having and extending this through to illustrate other customer’s plights also. All I get is either a computer generated response saying that "We are very sorry that you Blah Blah Blah........." and 6 weeks later when you are still trying to get an answer another seemingly computer generated response tells me that "You matter has been dealt with and closed out in our system Blah Blah Blah......." Pathetic and yet another closed door.
The public relations person from West Tce BMW returned my call 5 days after I had left a message to say that she was very sorry and that she had this at the top of her list to resolve. She said that she would look into the notes and get back to me. I called back a week later and was told that she was just stepping into a meeting and would get back to me straight after the meeting. Another week later I rang again only to be told the same excuse again "word for word". Who do these people think they are? Now the DPF filter has gone and the turbo also. The car has only done 130,000kM with constant running from the hills to the city every week. I should have bought a Toyota!
Who is up for a Class action? Message me back and let’s show these clowns we are serious. In the interim I will chase up the solicitors that were responsible for the FORD fiasco!

Love this car, it's fancy from outside and looks great for any occasion. The interior is simple yet classy, will stand for so many years ahead. It's quite friendly and not too hard to use. Love the seats because it's adjustable in every way. All mechanic seems smooth and have no problem at all for the last 3 yrs we owned it.
Although I wish the Air Con can be more cooler. But this maybe because of the petrol efficiency and the machine stops everytime red traffic light and on again when it's green.

Best car we ever brought. Very comfortable and has enough leg room. One of the best features it allows is the pre conditioning where you turn the ventilation of your car on via your mobile before you get to the car, making he temperature inside the car to better suit you. very friendly staff at Adelaide BMW.

Performance of BMW is unquestionable. IT IS THE ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE!

handling is probably the best in its class. very good in maneuvering. just a noise reduction is not as good as the merc.

been using this X3 since July 2013. I would say it does everything quite good.

the only downfall is BMW didnt provide comfort shock or what they call adaptive something which makes the car runs comfortable for bumps.

other than that, amazing 4WD compact car!

The engine and transmission are mostly good other than annoying lag at times. Interior is quite OK without being great. Seats tend to be hard which when combined with run flats makes for a fairly hard ride.
Run flat tyres are a pain as they make the ride too hard, they wear too quickly (around 30,000kms) and punctures are more difficult to deal with. I have had more punctures in this car than any previous vehicle.

Brakes also wear comparatively quickly and are very expensive to replace.

3 years 60,000ks warranty and optional service package is poor in comparison to what is offered by other brands. This amounts to about two services which are little more than vehicle inspections. Don’t expect any consideration from dealership once out of warranty.

Waverley BMW are disappointing to say the least, quick to charge inflated prices for doing very little, not to mention not listening to what the customer tells them and therefore repeating work previously done while ignoring what was requested. Repair of blocked sunroof drainage system quoted in excess of $1200 plus $250 to diagnose problem. But didn’t bother to dry out the soaking wet footwell & carpet caused by this fault even though they had the vehicle for the whole day
No urgency in carrying out work, don’t expect a service (inspection) to be completed in a couple of hours.

Sat nav is ok, though updates are a rip off and infrequent.

This will be the first and last BMW I ever buy. Just not worth the premium price tag especially in view of the poor customer service.

I love my X3, and a big THANK YOU to Chris, Matthew and Christo at Hawthorn BMW for providing excellent service when purchasing my X3. The BMW seats are so comfortable, and I am thrilled with the panoramic sunroof. The bootspace is perfect for my needs. I was able to purchase 10 year fixed price servicing pack, which is a real bonus, given I tend to keep my vehicles for a long time.

We've had this for 15 months now, replacing our previous X5 and complementing our 320d. It is an ideal size, although rear luggage space isn't as good as the X5.

Driving dynamics are excellent, and being able to switch between Comfort and Sport is ideal when you have two drivers who have very different driving expectations.

The 2.0d engine is very fuel-efficient and refined, although I still prefer the rougher yet slightly gutsier (yet older) 2.0d in my 3-series. The 2.0 turbo petrol (28i) would also be worth a look - this is a cracker of an engine in the 3-series.

My partner liked our X5 but dislikes my 3-series, being an M-Sport version. Although the X3 is an M-Sport, we both find it an excellent compromise.

I have had my X3 30d for just over a year before writing so my experience would be holistic. This is the 5th BM I have had and I loved the previous models so I didn't question buying another. Doh! I should have.

Pros: It has heaps of power, solid build, good vision, comfortable adjustable sports seats, easy access for old timers like me. Reasonable fuel economy for a 3 ltr. The dash is ok. The Heads Up display is a good idea.

Cons:
*Run flat tires make the ride exceptionally hard and the older they get, the harder the ride is.
*There is no spare! BMW fits different width tires from front to back (this is an unwanted option), so depending upon which Tyre you get the puncture on, you may not get it fixed for a 3-4 days as these tires are not common at tyre stores. Run flats are meant to be a fuel saver, but in country Oz, they are a pain when you are stranded. The 250km you can drive on them is not quite true. The Bimmer forums are full of failed run flats.
*The Auto brake has to be manually turned on to use it, in other cars this is automatic.
*The econo mode has to be manually turned on each time you start the car, in other makes this is automatic.
*The old model had a split tailgate which protected the bumper from loading scratches, this is no longer the case, so expect the rear bumper to be scratched over time.
*The design of the rear funnels dirt and dust on the rear door and bumper, so every time to access it, you WILL get covered in grime, yet another dry cleaning bill.
*BMW still have the manual air temp switch as the auto aircon split doesn't function properly to keep the temperature constant.
*The auto engine off and auto brake combination is rough and feels like a truck to drive. With hard tires, this makes the car an effort and very unenjoyable.
*Large turning circle for a BM.
*The washer bottle clogs up regularly due to a design flaw and cost $200 to get fixed each time. It is not in an accessible place for a home job. Common problem across all BMs.
*The car bleeds grease from every drain hole in the panels covering the car.
*The GPS has a lag, so by the time you at are the location on the GPS, you have passed it.
*The Heads up display design is flawed. If you have sun glasses on, you cannot see it.
*Finally, a quick scan of the BMW servicing agents reviews reveals a worrying trend, they are almost all bad with a lot complaints to BMW Australia. BM service agents are tasked with changing over whole units rather than fixing the issues as this is one way to increase revenue. Not all service agents do this some are very good, but the reviews and forums are telling the same experiences of this approach. So beware and question any repairs, and it is better to get a second opinion before proceeding.

Would I buy another? No. The X3 is uncomfortable after a time, tiring and is a worry with the run flats, grime at the back, washer bottle clogging up etc... So many small annoying issues that make it unpleasant.

Previous models had innovate niches that made their cars worth getting and driving. These days, a Nissan will do the same job or better.

Performance: The drive modes are accurate, quick change of modes, very responsive in Sport mode
Likes: Lots of driver assist and safety features, cruise control is smooth, seat memory is useful.
Dislike: GPS lacks speed warning, No dash cam, possible suspension calibration issues as you feel road contour
Costs: 10.7 l for 100 Kms, not bad, not great.

BMW X3 handles well but a little soft around corners. the interior is well build but design is rather simple.
legroom is very good even in the back seats. diesel engine means very good fuel economy but you do feel the
diesel gruff whilst stationary. Go for the panoramic sunroof as it is huge !

The driver has a fantastic view out from the high-set seat, with plenty of adjustment from both the steering wheel and perch. The big central screen and big instrument pod are all easy on the eye and simple to use.
Six airbags, ABS, brake assist, brake force distribution, stability and traction controls, rollover sensor all add up to five ANCAP stars.