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      12-15-2017, 04:40 PM   #1
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5 Years In

5 years in, nothing mechanical wrong except moon roof creak. Pet peeves I hope they've fixed by now- when you are listening to SiriusXM and you stop the car and turn off the ignition, when you get back in 50% of the time the display has lost what SiriusXM station you were on and you have to adjust the display to get it back although the station does keep playing. And it takes many more clicks than should be necessary when listening to mp3's to change the artist or album.
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      12-15-2017, 05:32 PM   #2
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We're over 6 years in now, 120,000 km (~72,000 miles) and apart from two flushes of the transfer case and a loose ratting bolt, the car has been trouble free. In 40 years of car ownership this F25 X3 has arguably been the best car we've ever owned in terms of reliability and build quality. Apart from that loose boult (fixed up at very first service), the car remains rattle free.

Besides being our first BMW, it was also our first SUV after a lifetime of wagons and hatches. As good as the experience has been, we came to the decision a year or so ago to go back to wagons. The X3 is currently relegated to second car status with a Volvo V60CC we bought early this year doing the heavy lifting (and doing it well). Later in 2018 we plan to replace the X3 with a G31 5 Series wagon - to a large extent driven by our positive ownership experience with the our first BMW (and yes I appreciate the US market doesn't currently have the G31 5 Series wagon).

Tony

Edit : I do apologise - the other item that perhaps should be added to the list was that the battery was replaced last month. This was the original battery and a life of over 6 years I considered to be fairly good.

Last edited by brissim; 12-15-2017 at 09:42 PM.. Reason: additional thought
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      12-27-2017, 10:02 PM   #3
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He first 2 comments are encouraging, going into my 4th year..the new G01 hasn’t brought enough for me to upgrade.
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      01-31-2018, 01:49 PM   #4
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only six months in, but my 2013 xDrive28i just crossed the 60k threshold. No huge issues so far, had to download new software to get the iPhone bluetooth and AUX connectivity to work and just changed spark plugs. Going to be due for front breaks soon...

love the car, not the creaks though! Had a creak in my driver door that I fixed because the foam wasn't properly aligned. Going to be using this forum to hopefully address creaks in the moonroof and boot cover.
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      01-31-2018, 03:57 PM   #5
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I'm @54K miles and bit less than 6 years in on my 2013 x3 2.8i. I also had the moon roof rattle/creak, which I fixed with a bit of tape. Other issue were the Turbo Oil Lines and Thermostat, both replaced under warranty neither issue left the car unusable.

Only nagging issue I have with the car is the infotainment units; it restarts every once in awhile. Has happened maybe 6 times over the last couple of years. Not a big enough issue for me to even have remembered to asked to have it looked at the last time I had the car in for service.
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      01-31-2018, 04:33 PM   #6
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Angry

I had the moon roof (panoramic) creak/rattle repaired under warranty a couple of week ago. The dealer used felt tape. I'm really disgusted with the poor build quality of these vehicles. There, I've said it. Here is why, in addition to the moon roof creak/rattle:
  • glove box cover peeling, well documented problem I had to resolve with clamps and gorilla glue, major pain in the ass
  • hatchback door close/lack button housing (the one on the door not under the dash) was loose-I had to gorilla glue it so it wouldn't get worse and eventually stop working

It would relatively minor stuff for a vehicle nearing 4 years in age with 31,000 miles - - if it were a vehicle of average cost. Of course we all know these are not vehicles of average cost, not even within their class (MB GLK, Audi Q5/7, Acura etc.). They are top dollar cars but the build quality in my experience at least does not live up to at least some of the competition. I am a long time Mercedes guy and I had fewer build issues with my 1989 300CE that I had until just a few months ago! I'm just disgusted, somewhere between very disappointed and furious. To end on a positive note, it is more fun to drive than similar SUVs I've owned.

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Originally Posted by Bruce24 View Post
I'm @54K miles and bit less than 6 years in on my 2013 x3 2.8i. I also had the moon roof rattle/creak, which I fixed with a bit of tape. Other issue were the Turbo Oil Lines and Thermostat, both replaced under warranty neither issue left the car unusable.

Only nagging issue I have with the car is the infotainment units; it restarts every once in awhile. Has happened maybe 6 times over the last couple of years. Not a big enough issue for me to even have remembered to asked to have it looked at the last time I had the car in for service.
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      02-01-2018, 01:55 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by atarivers View Post
I had the moon roof (panoramic) creak/rattle repaired under warranty a couple of week ago. The dealer used felt tape. I'm really disgusted with the poor build quality of these vehicles. There, I've said it. Here is why, in addition to the moon roof creak/rattle:
  • glove box cover peeling, well documented problem I had to resolve with clamps and gorilla glue, major pain in the ass
  • hatchback door close/lack button housing (the one on the door not under the dash) was loose-I had to gorilla glue it so it wouldn't get worse and eventually stop working

It would relatively minor stuff for a vehicle nearing 4 years in age with 31,000 miles - - if it were a vehicle of average cost. Of course we all know these are not vehicles of average cost, not even within their class (MB GLK, Audi Q5/7, Acura etc.). They are top dollar cars but the build quality in my experience at least does not live up to at least some of the competition. I am a long time Mercedes guy and I had fewer build issues with my 1989 300CE that I had until just a few months ago! I'm just disgusted, somewhere between very disappointed and furious. To end on a positive note, it is more fun to drive than similar SUVs I've owned.
I agree the quality of the X3 (F25) isn't quite as good as it maybe should be, but it seems to be the norm these days.
My first BMW was a 2003 3 Series Coupe (E46) and that was far better built than the X3 or the latest F3x on the market today. Unfortunately I think the cost is spent elsewhere, i.e. electronics.
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      02-01-2018, 07:30 AM   #8
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I think electronics are a factor. This might not be completely fair to say but I have to wonder about the USA assembly. My impression is the German built vehicles don't have as many of the issues.

I am looking hard at the Mercedes GLC as my next vehicle but we'll see. I mostly stayed away from BMW during the 80s and 90s because I did not accept the black plastic interiors that looked like mid range Nissans. I remember sales people telling me, "you don't understand, these cars are about the handling and suspension". Yeah, OK.

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Originally Posted by PX3 View Post
I agree the quality of the X3 (F25) isn't quite as good as it maybe should be, but it seems to be the norm these days.
My first BMW was a 2003 3 Series Coupe (E46) and that was far better built than the X3 or the latest F3x on the market today. Unfortunately I think the cost is spent elsewhere, i.e. electronics.
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      02-01-2018, 10:56 AM   #9
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We changed and got one of the last F25s - for a real bargain too... the G01 was going to be too much to justify for us. We traded in our 2012 so 5 years and 55k miles and only one issue - a sensor failed after hitting a marker post!
Well pleased even got to keep me winter wheels so saved there too.
The new one is post LCI so some nice changes and also have Xenons and Nav - for £5k less then the 2012 price!
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      02-01-2018, 03:08 PM   #10
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I forgot to mention another warranty repair, this one at less than 30,000 miles - the valve cover gasket! This is the kind of repair that pops up at 100,000+ miles on mid range and below cars. The more I think about how this vehicle has held up the angrier I become. I have to be fair on the other hand, I do enjoy driving it. The valve cover gasket thing was scary because of the burning oil odor and the crazy amount of smoke in my garage the first night I noticed it. I thought it might be a fire. I don't even want to think about what that repair would have cost if it happened post warranty.

My warranty runs out in a few weeks. I am going to do some serious investigation into extending it.

I am also having the documented driver's side door or window chirping noise problem. There are a good number of posts and youtube videos about it. Most owners get a "no trouble found" or "it's normal" response from dealers. I tell you, I am really losing patience. I'm not sure I will have this vehicle for another 10,000 miles even.

Quote:
Originally Posted by PX3 View Post
I agree the quality of the X3 (F25) isn't quite as good as it maybe should be, but it seems to be the norm these days.
My first BMW was a 2003 3 Series Coupe (E46) and that was far better built than the X3 or the latest F3x on the market today. Unfortunately I think the cost is spent elsewhere, i.e. electronics.
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      02-02-2018, 02:52 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by atarivers View Post
I think electronics are a factor. This might not be completely fair to say but I have to wonder about the USA assembly. My impression is the German built vehicles don't have as many of the issues.

I am looking hard at the Mercedes GLC as my next vehicle but we'll see. I mostly stayed away from BMW during the 80s and 90s because I did not accept the black plastic interiors that looked like mid range Nissans. I remember sales people telling me, "you don't understand, these cars are about the handling and suspension". Yeah, OK.
I think your comment in relation to the US is a fair statement. I am aware of a specific manufacturer that builds the same vehicle in the US as other parts of the world, yet the fit and finish isn't quite up to scratch. Which doesn't make sense to some degree, as you would expect the parts etc to be identical.

Maybe the cost was driven down to enable them to build them in the US, who knows.
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      02-02-2018, 02:59 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by atarivers View Post
I forgot to mention another warranty repair, this one at less than 30,000 miles - the valve cover gasket! This is the kind of repair that pops up at 100,000+ miles on mid range and below cars. The more I think about how this vehicle has held up the angrier I become. I have to be fair on the other hand, I do enjoy driving it. The valve cover gasket thing was scary because of the burning oil odor and the crazy amount of smoke in my garage the first night I noticed it. I thought it might be a fire. I don't even want to think about what that repair would have cost if it happened post warranty.

My warranty runs out in a few weeks. I am going to do some serious investigation into extending it.

I am also having the documented driver's side door or window chirping noise problem. There are a good number of posts and youtube videos about it. Most owners get a "no trouble found" or "it's normal" response from dealers. I tell you, I am really losing patience. I'm not sure I will have this vehicle for another 10,000 miles even.

Wow, sounds as though you have been pretty unlucky so far with it. Either that, or I will run in to issues further down the line (approx 35k so far on mine).
I must admit, ours has been pretty good, apart from an issue with the LED rear light, which I fixed with the help of this forum and a vapour seal issue that I need to fix at some stage.

But these are little issues that you wouldn't expect on a car of this caliber. Like you, we love the car and the way it drives, but it's the negatives that tend to stick in your mind.
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      02-02-2018, 08:23 AM   #13
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I think you have been pretty lucky so far and I am experiencing the same issues you see all over the BMW forums. The glovebox thing came sooner to me than to others because the first couple of years of my car's life were in South Florida. That climate I think sped up the peeling. My1989 Mercedes had no such issues the first 20 years/160,000 miles of its life. That's just wrong.

The clacking moonroof is of course limited to moonroof equipped cars but it is very widespread. For me it was the least troublesome problem but the idea of a dealer taping up a car with less than 30K makes me think of Corvairs or Yugos.

I still love driving the car, we'll see...

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Originally Posted by PX3 View Post
Wow, sounds as though you have been pretty unlucky so far with it. Either that, or I will run in to issues further down the line (approx 35k so far on mine).
I must admit, ours has been pretty good, apart from an issue with the LED rear light, which I fixed with the help of this forum and a vapour seal issue that I need to fix at some stage.

But these are little issues that you wouldn't expect on a car of this caliber. Like you, we love the car and the way it drives, but it's the negatives that tend to stick in your mind.
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      02-02-2018, 03:50 PM   #14
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Our X3 is about to hit 75K miles...(got it with around 57k). Reverse bulb just went out (not a big deal)..and other than the expansion tank being replaced, it's a good vehicle. The most annoying thing is the glove box cover than pulls out/delaminates that I have to fix at some point. Oh yeah, the passenger side ac vent is messed up too. Other than that... lol.

I'd buy another though...
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      02-05-2018, 07:39 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CalCarNut View Post
Our X3 is about to hit 75K miles...(got it with around 57k). Reverse bulb just went out (not a big deal)..and other than the expansion tank being replaced, it's a good vehicle. The most annoying thing is the glove box cover than pulls out/delaminates that I have to fix at some point. Oh yeah, the passenger side ac vent is messed up too. Other than that... lol.

I'd buy another though...
When we got ours we noticed the passenger side vent wasn't working on the drive home. Took it back and they fixed it. The notes said "paper stuck in passenger vent airway" they just removed the vent and the blockage and it was good to go. May be worth a shot.
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      02-06-2018, 12:42 AM   #16
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Tony, re. battery changed after 6 years: have you used a trickle charger? I try to top up with my CTEK twice a month, when car parked for a couple of days.
I hope battery will last anticipted 7-8 years of ownership - coming up to 4 years soon - no problem.

I have retained my 1997 SAAB 9000 Turbo (two-car heated garage) and am at 10k km a year with X4.
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      02-07-2018, 02:08 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by atarivers View Post
I think you have been pretty lucky so far and I am experiencing the same issues you see all over the BMW forums. The glovebox thing came sooner to me than to others because the first couple of years of my car's life were in South Florida. That climate I think sped up the peeling. My1989 Mercedes had no such issues the first 20 years/160,000 miles of its life. That's just wrong.

The clacking moonroof is of course limited to moonroof equipped cars but it is very widespread. For me it was the least troublesome problem but the idea of a dealer taping up a car with less than 30K makes me think of Corvairs or Yugos.

I still love driving the car, we'll see...
I forgot to add the sunroof issue to my list, although that was resolved with small rubber feet a couple of years a go.
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      02-07-2018, 02:05 PM   #18
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When we got ours we noticed the passenger side vent wasn't working on the drive home. Took it back and they fixed it. The notes said "paper stuck in passenger vent airway" they just removed the vent and the blockage and it was good to go. May be worth a shot.
Thanks..they wanted like $400 to do it at the dealership.....
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