2009 BMW X3
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- Size: Full-Size
- Engine Size: 3.0L - 6 Cylinders
- Style: Exotic
- Fuel Type: Natural Gas
- Model: X3
- Year: 2009
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BMW X3: worst ride I have ever experienced. Disappointing for the price and badge.
Pros
Spacious interior, 4-piece pano roof, engine power, steering, braking, standard sound system, fit-and-finish.
Cons
Terrible ride quality, nausea-inducing undulation and bouncing. Finicky transmission, unreliable acceleration. <br>
Recommended it?
No
The Bottom Line:
AVOID.
The 2009 BMW X3 has the bounciest, most uncomfortable, quirky and (to borrow some words) green-gill inducing ride I have ever experienced in a car. It is sometimes painful and frightening to drive and is not at all what I would expect from BMW.
On regular, paved roads at moderate speeds the BMW X3 produces undulating bouncy movement for no apparent reason. It does not, at as far as I can tell, produce these movements while accelerating quickly or at highway speeds.
This movement is not the same as a sporty, firm ride which is expected from any BMW and which is what, along with handling, why you would pay the significant premium for any BMW. BMWs are nowhere near the most reliable cars so, without the ride quality, why would you buy any BMW?
In addition to ride quality issues, the BMW X3 has some automatic (GM6 AT) transmission problems that began in 2007 and appear to still be with this car in 2009. Most appear to have been fixed with software upgrades but apparently some cars could not be fixed at all. The GM6 AT appears to stay for a long time in the lower gears or hesitates when shifting from 2 to 1 or has trouble picking a gear....it is unclear exactly what the problem is. The end result is a finicky, quirky transmission that may or may not provide acceleration from a stop or when power is suddenly needed to prevent an accident. When cruising at low to moderate speeds, pressing the accelerator provides no acceleration at times.
When turning left going up a slight incline from a stop, when turning left on a flat road from a stop and when going up a hill at low speed, pushing down on the gas pedal provided no acceleration. Pushing down harder on the gas pedal also provided no acceleration. After several seconds hesitation, acceleration was finally achieved. This is an intermittent problem that appears to be the same as in the original 2007 GM6 AT.
The transmission may be a cause of the low gas mileage that can stay under 10 mpg in low speed, start and stop driving such as city driving. Average gas mileage in everyday driving appears to be around 14-15 mpg which is quite low.
The current BMW X3 is built in Austria at a non-BMW plant but a plant with an excellent reputation. The new body style will apparently be built in the South Carolina plant. Will the new X3 show that BMW acknowledges the horrendous ride quality of the current generation and the quirky transmission as well?
Perhaps and then perhaps not. In any case, any changes for the new bodystyle will not help those of us stuck with the current model.
Each potential buyer has to answer that question for themselves and then read other reviews about ride quality, automatic transmission quirks, take multiple and long test drives over varying street conditions and decide for themselves. According to some commentators, it is insufficient to take a single test drive with one X3. You must take multiple test drives in multiple X3's and, if you can, take one home for the weekend to really drive it as if you owned it. Good luck with that.
Given the problems that apparently have no fix with this new car, this is the last BMW I will ever buy. I am very disappointed after decades of having a BMW in the garage. This was an unfortunate decision on my part and I will not make it again.
It is was not so expensive to unload - 20% of the purchase price after 1 month with the car and fewer than 500 miles on the odometer, this car would not be in my garage tonight.
----- Gas mileage so far
City, slow with starts and stops: 10 mpg
Suburban, mostly surface, some highway: 14 mpg
Highway: 19 mpg
Best mileage with coasting:20
The BMW X3 uses premium gas.
----- Additional Issues of Note
The HVAC system is quirky at best and dangerous at worst. When set on AUTO and with the temperature set for heat turning off the A/C and turning on the recirculation of air causes the X3 to immediately fog up all the windows. This is DANGEROUS and should lead to stronger warnings in the user manual.
I have had other cars with these features and none of them did this. It is critical to leave the AC on and the recirculation off (both modes) while heating the car. Since the AC compressor apparently turns off when the outside temperature is near or below freezing, it will be interesting to see if the outside air is sufficiently dry to prevent fogging with the heater on.
It is interesting to note that with the heater on the X3 does not have a strong current of air coming out of any of the vents except for those underneath the windshield. Perhaps the potential fogging of the windows requires this. Perhaps it is important to remember to hit the defog button even when there is no apparent fog on the windows if there is any possibility that the windows may fog up.
On regular, paved roads at moderate speeds the BMW X3 produces undulating bouncy movement for no apparent reason. It does not, at as far as I can tell, produce these movements while accelerating quickly or at highway speeds.
This movement is not the same as a sporty, firm ride which is expected from any BMW and which is what, along with handling, why you would pay the significant premium for any BMW. BMWs are nowhere near the most reliable cars so, without the ride quality, why would you buy any BMW?
In addition to ride quality issues, the BMW X3 has some automatic (GM6 AT) transmission problems that began in 2007 and appear to still be with this car in 2009. Most appear to have been fixed with software upgrades but apparently some cars could not be fixed at all. The GM6 AT appears to stay for a long time in the lower gears or hesitates when shifting from 2 to 1 or has trouble picking a gear....it is unclear exactly what the problem is. The end result is a finicky, quirky transmission that may or may not provide acceleration from a stop or when power is suddenly needed to prevent an accident. When cruising at low to moderate speeds, pressing the accelerator provides no acceleration at times.
When turning left going up a slight incline from a stop, when turning left on a flat road from a stop and when going up a hill at low speed, pushing down on the gas pedal provided no acceleration. Pushing down harder on the gas pedal also provided no acceleration. After several seconds hesitation, acceleration was finally achieved. This is an intermittent problem that appears to be the same as in the original 2007 GM6 AT.
The transmission may be a cause of the low gas mileage that can stay under 10 mpg in low speed, start and stop driving such as city driving. Average gas mileage in everyday driving appears to be around 14-15 mpg which is quite low.
The current BMW X3 is built in Austria at a non-BMW plant but a plant with an excellent reputation. The new body style will apparently be built in the South Carolina plant. Will the new X3 show that BMW acknowledges the horrendous ride quality of the current generation and the quirky transmission as well?
Perhaps and then perhaps not. In any case, any changes for the new bodystyle will not help those of us stuck with the current model.
Each potential buyer has to answer that question for themselves and then read other reviews about ride quality, automatic transmission quirks, take multiple and long test drives over varying street conditions and decide for themselves. According to some commentators, it is insufficient to take a single test drive with one X3. You must take multiple test drives in multiple X3's and, if you can, take one home for the weekend to really drive it as if you owned it. Good luck with that.
Given the problems that apparently have no fix with this new car, this is the last BMW I will ever buy. I am very disappointed after decades of having a BMW in the garage. This was an unfortunate decision on my part and I will not make it again.
It is was not so expensive to unload - 20% of the purchase price after 1 month with the car and fewer than 500 miles on the odometer, this car would not be in my garage tonight.
----- Gas mileage so far
City, slow with starts and stops: 10 mpg
Suburban, mostly surface, some highway: 14 mpg
Highway: 19 mpg
Best mileage with coasting:20
The BMW X3 uses premium gas.
----- Additional Issues of Note
The HVAC system is quirky at best and dangerous at worst. When set on AUTO and with the temperature set for heat turning off the A/C and turning on the recirculation of air causes the X3 to immediately fog up all the windows. This is DANGEROUS and should lead to stronger warnings in the user manual.
I have had other cars with these features and none of them did this. It is critical to leave the AC on and the recirculation off (both modes) while heating the car. Since the AC compressor apparently turns off when the outside temperature is near or below freezing, it will be interesting to see if the outside air is sufficiently dry to prevent fogging with the heater on.
It is interesting to note that with the heater on the X3 does not have a strong current of air coming out of any of the vents except for those underneath the windshield. Perhaps the potential fogging of the windows requires this. Perhaps it is important to remember to hit the defog button even when there is no apparent fog on the windows if there is any possibility that the windows may fog up.
