[dr4g0n]

Hello!

I plan to buy used F25 X3, ~2015 20d with steptronic.
I have been told that I should not buy X3 SUV for approx. 20k euros since SUVS in that price range are very bad and I will have to pay a lot for repairs and instead I should buy non-SUV vehicle that is younger (and more expensive).
Can someone, especially owners of F25 for more than 5 years, tell me why are BMW SUVs that bad?
I have seen people buying 2005. X3 (first gen) and they're happy. Sure, they tend to visit repair shops more often, but that's for any car, not just SUV imo.

[rcblackwell]

Originally Posted by dr4g0n

Can someone, especially owners of F25 for more than 5 years, tell me why are BMW SUVs that bad?

After the three year mark, most repairs are no longer covered by warranty. Based on personal experience, repairs on the vehicle are extremely expensive. I had an LED headlight fail. The entire unit had to be replaced. Cost almost $5,000. The Head Unit is also failing, won't accept map updates. Dealer want's $4,500 to replace the unit. I though I could repair myself by replacing the hard-drive. The head unit uses an automotive type hard-drive that because of the world chip shortage, would cost close to $1,000 to purchase. No guarantee that was going to fix the issue.

I own a 2016 X3.. I've learned the hard way that BMW's are VERY expensive to repair.

[pungo]

Originally Posted by rcblackwell

After the three year mark, most repairs are no longer covered by warranty. Based on personal experience, repairs on the vehicle are extremely expensive. I had an LED headlight fail. The entire unit had to be replaced. Cost almost $5,000. The Head Unit is also failing, won't accept map updates. Dealer want's $4,500 to replace the unit. I though I could repair myself by replacing the hard-drive. The head unit uses an automotive type hard-drive that because of the world chip shortage, would cost close to $1,000 to purchase. No guarantee that was going to fix the issue.

I own a 2016 X3.. I've learned the hard way that BMW's are VERY expensive to repair.

You can replace the head unit HDD with a SSD...

I've been wrenching for 50 years and haven't found BMWs any more expensive to repair than other high end luxury vehicles.

[Opie55]

Thus far I have found BMWs to be less expensive to maintain. I have a 2014 X3 28i with 65k miles. Just last week I performed the first repair (not maintenance) of any kind it has had since it left the factory. It needed new gaskets for the oil filter housing and attached oil cooler. I did it for about $100 - a dealer would charge about $800. That works out to $12.50 per year in repairs over 8 years. I think it may need engine mounts, which will be another $200 or less to DIY, raising my annual repair bill to $37.50. The rest has been one belt, one set of plugs, 2 air filters, cabin air filters, wipers, oil and brake fluid, one set of brakes, and tires as needed. I also have a much more complex 2015 650ix convertible with 49k miles, and the annual repair bill (not maintenance) so far has averaged exactly $0 in 7 years.

[Barbera335]

You're lucky, my 2011 X3 N52T has needed a combox, A/C evaporator, 2 coolant expansion tanks, 2 glovebox doors, all 4 door edge protectors, a JBE control unit, a DSC control unit, belt and belt tensioner, drivers door armrest due to peeling, idrive controller due to peeling, center A/C vent due to peeling, steering wheel buttons peeling, broken park brake button hatch struts, hood struts, oil filter housing gaskets, valve cover gaskets, and an oil pan gasket. It has also needed motor mounts and thrust rod bushings. Currently the remotes are hit or miss because of a defective antennae amplifier and it needs the CIC replaced because intermittently the screen will turn red and then reset. I haven't tackled those issues yet. Car currently has 140,000 miles. Hope that helps

[dr4g0n]

Thanks all for reply.

Seems that rcblackwell hasn't had luck or his mechanic is ripping him off. 5k for LED? That sounds crazy expensive to me.
Others on the list reports quite usual stuff.
I still don't see why this card should be more expensive than other ones in same class.
Actually I have heard that it's less expensive than Audi and Mercedes for example.

[rcblackwell]

Originally Posted by dr4g0n

Seems that rcblackwell hasn't had luck or his mechanic is ripping him off.

I deal with a reputable BMW dealer in Waterloo. The cost was covered under an extended warranty. The repair was authorized by the warranty provider. Unless they're in cahoots, I doubt the provider would've authorized the repair.

Originally Posted by dr4g0n

5k for LED? That sounds crazy expensive to me.

It's wasn't a basic LED lighting unit that went defective. It's was an adaptive unit. Yes, a basic unit could have been replaced for MUCH less. I was told adaptive units are not repairable. They're a sealed unit, no replaceable parts.

[okayr]

Every car is so different. No one's experience will be the same with a car. You have to assess the risk for yourself and see if it is worth it to you. I worked for a now-defunct BMW subsidiary before purchasing it so I was aware of the *potential* exorbitant repair fees. I also knew all of the cars we dealt with were problem-free for their avg 40,000-mile life we had them. A lot of the time the cost of repairing a BMW comes down to the time it takes. Oil filter housing gasket for instance is pretty expensive because you have to do like 2 hours of disassembly to get to a singular bolt.

I made sure I was aware of the common problems with the car before purchasing. My MK7 GTI had more problems in 27,000 miles than I have had on my X3 since I got it 40,000 miles ago.
Up until the car was sold to me with 60,000 miles the car had never been in for repairs, just maintenance. Due to the potential timing chain issue, I purchased an extended warranty. It's saved me ~$3,000 so I'm glad I purchased it.

Since I've had it I've had: transmission oil cooler thermostat (misdiagnosed 3 times as the regular thermostat I would count it as 1 problem), passenger occupancy sensor malfunction, evap canister and leak detection sensor replacement (suspect is prev owner overfilling gas), and expansion tank replacement. Due to age, I have also had the oil filter housing gasket replaced.

Only you can decide if it's worth it.

[kevink1]

A couple years ago I spent about $1600 for an instrument cluster. Really the only out of pocket repair I've paid for. I've done the glueing for my glove box myself, so avoided that expense, though I need to get into that and try to do a better job.

Cheaper than the extended warranty would have been.

Most of the other potentially high cost items have been either recall, or the warranty was extended (ie diesel fuel sensors failed).

I have been considering a second vehicle now that my 2015 is nearly 110k miles. Give me the option that if something fails that is too expensive, I have something to drive.

[Ultra100]

Originally Posted by rcblackwell

After the three year mark, most repairs are no longer covered by warranty. Based on personal experience, repairs on the vehicle are extremely expensive. I had an LED headlight fail. The entire unit had to be replaced. Cost almost $5,000. The Head Unit is also failing, won't accept map updates. Dealer want's $4,500 to replace the unit. I though I could repair myself by replacing the hard-drive. The head unit uses an automotive type hard-drive that because of the world chip shortage, would cost close to $1,000 to purchase. No guarantee that was going to fix the issue.

I own a 2016 X3.. I've learned the hard way that BMW's are VERY expensive to repair.

Funny and Sad that I've had almost identical repair experience with my 2016 X3. Things were fine until around 75k miles or so. Head unit failure first and most recently now had to replace an entire headlamp assembly and control module due to moisture getting inside the assembly. That's about $7500 worth of repairs on a vehicle with less than 100k miles on it. That's prob close to half what the vehicle is worth at this point. I won't own another BMW after this ownership experience.

[orangemartini]

2013 X3 x28i. Bought new. 62,000 miles. All went well until about a year ago. Since then, timing chain and oil pump chain replaced, A/C compressor replaced, comfort access door handle shorted out the battery and both had to be replaced, and today, VANOS unit being replaced. So, what can I say? It's been mostly flawless for 10 years. Still love it and now that we have a new X1 as well, it's all mine. I'll add that our 2006 X3 manual needed nothing, but the 2007 had to have the engine rebuilt under warranty because of "oil frothing". By and large, after living through a 1978 320i that was never right, and a side trip to MB which I will never buy again, I'm pretty happy overall with the reliability of BMW.

[TEF]

I've owned a 2016 X3 28d (diesel) since new. Now it has 72K miles. To date, other than oil and brake pad changes, I have spent under $1,000 on repairs: two rear springs and one rear wheel bearing.

All work done on the vehicle was either DIY or using an independent general mechanic.

I've owned Volvos with less mileage and more expensive repairs, so I am very pleased with the X3. If only BMW hadn't stopped the sale in US of diesels, I get another X3 without hesitation.