After a recent battle with a terrible snowstorm, I finally decided to jump on the all-wheel-drive wagon after years of owning/leasing only front or rear wheel drive cars. I leased a 2006 BMW X3 3.0. The MSRP for my X3 was about $44,500 before taxes. I leased it for 36 months at $624 per month (no money down but paid at closing the first month lease payment plus refundable security deposit equal to one month payment plus bank fees). The lease price was competitive with the price offered by many non-premium competitors and I think the reason for this is that the residual values on BMWs are significantly stronger than average.
My 2003 Mercedes-Benz C230 sedan (see my review in
http://www.epinions.com/content_121556078212) was no match for heavy snowfall even with snow tires installed and I don't even bother to try to drive my 2004 BMW M3 coupe (
http://www.epinions.com/content_154773130884) when there is a significant amount of snow on the ground.
I have been driving this car for a few months and overall, I believe that this car is the best vehicle that I have owned or leased so far, including my M3.
Standard features
My X3 is jet black with optional black leather and dark wood trim. The list of standard equipment is very long: xDrive all-wheel-drive system, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Hill Descent Control (HDC), engine-speed-sensitive power steering, anti-lock disc brakes with Dynamic Brake Control, Halogen free-form foglights, roof rails, 8-way power adjustable front seats with 2-way manual headrests and driver seat and mirror memory, 4-spoke leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel with fingertip cruise control, split 60/40 fold-down rear seats, Vehicle & Key Memory, remote entry, including 2-step unlocking and remote tailgate release, automatic climate control with micro-filter and air recirculation, panorama moonroof with wind deflector and power interior sunshade, tilt/telescopic steering wheel column, rain-sensing windshield wipers with automatic headlight control, automatic-dimming inside rear-view mirror, power windows, front/rear map-reading, footwell and visor-mirror lights, locking glovebox with rechargeable take-out flashlight, flat tire warning system, 4-function on-board computer, Head Protection System (HPS), front and rear, drivers and passengers front airbag supplemental restraint system (SRS) with smart dual-threshold, dual-stage deployment and sensor to help prevent unnecessary passengers airbag deployment, front-door-mounted chest side-impact airbags, Battery Safety Terminal, crash sensor that automatically turns on hazard lights and interior lights, and unlocks doors, daytime running lights and others.
You should note that many of the above standard features (such as panorama sunroof and rain-sensing windshield wipers) used to be options in certain previous X3 models. I should also note that some of these standard features, like flat tire warning system, are either not offered by or are offered as options on many competing SUV models.
Another excellent standard feature on BMWs is the BMW Maintenance Program. This full maintenance program goes beyond normal warranty and covers all factory-recommended maintenance for 4 years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first, and includes items that need replacement (such as brake pads, brake rotors and wiper blade inserts) due to normal wear and tear except for tires. This means that the only maintenance costs that you will need to pay for your X3 are gas and tires.
Options (Should You Get Them?)
I got the following options on my car: premium package (4-way lumbar support for front seats, Montana leather upholstery, automatic-dimming inside rear-view mirror, BMW Assist -- a Global Positioning System and wireless communication system for Automatic Collision Notification, Emergency Request, enhanced Roadside Assistance and Stolen Vehicle Recovery services and Bluetooth wireless technology), cold weather package (heated front seats and headlight washers), heated steering wheel, steptronic 5-speed automatic transmission, xenon adaptive headlights, navigation system, privacy glass, Sirius satellite radio, premium sound system and wheel locks.
Below is my assessment of whether or not the various options were worth their price:
• Premium Package ($1,800): The high-quality leather upholstery and BMW Assist are, in my opinion, worth the price. Please see below for my review of BMW Assist. Bluetooth connectivity comes with BMW Assist and allows you to connect up to four different Bluetooth phones to the car's audio system. You can make and receive calls without using the hands-free. This is a great feature, especially if you live in a state that prohibits driving while using a phone handset. You also get access to your phone's address book from the car's audio controls.
• Cold Weather Package ($750): The cold-weather package is worth it only if you live in a place with very cold winters.
• Heated Steering Wheel ($150): This option is worth it only if you live in a place with very cold winters. I also think that this should be part of the Cold Weather Package.
• STEPTRONIC 5-Speed Automatic Transmission ($0): This no-cost option is good for those who want comfort over performance or for those who commute a lot.
• Xenon Adaptive Headlights ($800): I noticed a significant improvement in the quality of lighting and overall visibility and, just as important, other cars and pedestrians will be able to detect your car a bit better at night. I think this is a worthwhile option.
• On-Board Navigation System ($1,800): This system is not as easy to use as Lexus or Acura touch-screen systems. It has awkward knob controls for inputs and generally requires more learning time. However, once you learn how to use it, it works very well. It is a DVD-based system that covers US and many parts of Canada and it doesn't require you to switch to different CDs whenever you go to a different state. This system basically got rid of my need for maps and saved me (an admittedly directionally challenged driver) many times.
• Privacy Glass ($350): This is a nice option if you often carry passengers in the rear seat. This provides additional insulation from sunlight and accompanying heat. If not, you don't need it.
• Satellite Radio ($675): This is pricey since there are after-market systems that cost less but you definitely get better reception than an after-market system. I have an after-market system in my M3 and it just is not as powerful in terms of reception. Also, this system is fully integrated into the car's audio system, nav system and Bluetooth phone system so that music gets cut off when you receive a phone call and volume of music goes down when the navigation system gives voice directions.
• Premium Sound System ($675): The sound quality is great but I am not much of an audiophile. I would not get this option again if I have a choice.
• Wheel locks ($100): I think that this is a must have for any car with decent wheels.
Safety
Safety is very important to me. X3 offers almost all of the safety features that I required with one big exception: front airbags, chest airbags for front passengers, head protection side curtain airbags for front and rear passengers, ABS brakes, dynamic stability control, all-wheel-drive, daytime running lights, flat tire warning system and telematics assistance packages (BMW Assist). The big exception is that, to date, no X3 model has ever been tested by IIHS, Euro NCAP or US NCAP, which means that nobody really knows how X3 would fare in front and side crashes. It is a surprise to me why nobody has bothered to test one of the top selling BMW models.
However, I am comforted by the fact that the X3 is based on the prior 3-series sedan platform. IIHS gave the previous 3-series sedan its highest ("best pick") rating on its tough 40mph frontal offset crash test and Euro NCAP gave the 3-series sedan four out of five stars (you can get this European car crash testing results at http://www.euroncap.com/). I am also comforted by the fact that BMW has almost always produced cars that were safer than most cars in their segment at the time of production. The BMW X5, for instance, is one of the safest SUVs out there according to crash test results. Nonetheless, I would like this model to get tested by someone.
X3 performs well in most weather and surface conditions (dry, wet, snowy, icy, windy, etc.) so long as you are a careful driver and use common sense (just because a car has AWD, it doesn't mean that you should be driving at 80 mph in a snowstorm with limited visibility!). The all-season tires do a decent job at handling most conditions but if you live in a place that sees way too much snow, you may want to consider snow tires for your X3.
The anti-lock brakes are typical BMW brakes. They are excellent in both their stopping power and their feel.
The standard tire pressure monitoring system is also a great safety feature. I have this system in my M3 and it came very handy on a couple of occasion. It detected an under-inflated tire in one occasion and a punctured tire in another occasion. Without this system, I might not have detected these problems until much later under potentially more dangerous situations.
The Premium Package that I got also includes the BMW Assist telematics system which functions like the Mercedes Teleaid system or the GM/Audi Onstar system. BMW Assist offers great services like Automatic Collision Notification, Emergency Request, Enhanced Roadside Assistance and Stolen Vehicle Recovery services. This system is free for the first year but it will cost you about $240 per year thereafter. I think that it's worth it for peace of mind. If you get into an accident that is serious enough to deploy airbags, BMW Assist will call emergency services (police and ambulance) to your car and guide them to your location using a GPS system. You can also call for emergency road service using the system. Why not just use a cell phone? First, you may not have a cell phone on you when the emergency or accident occurs. Second, you may not be in a condition to make a call. Third, BMW Assist uses an antenna that is several times more powerful than your cell phone. I don't know if the Stolen Vehicle Recovery service from BMW Assist works as well as LoJack stolen vehicle recovery system (I had one installed on my M3 even though that car also had BMW Assist) but I still got the same discount from my car insurance company for this feature.
Engine and transmission
For 2006, X3 only comes with one engine choice: 3.0-liter inline-six engine that delivers 225-hp at 5,900 RPM and maximum torque of 214 lbs at 3,500 RPM. This is basically the premium engine offered in the previous generation 3-Series. BMW no longer offers the 2.5 liter inline six on X3. X3 offers decent performance (0-60 mph in about 7.9 seconds and top speed of 130 mph) for a 4,000 lb family hauler and you won't have a problem merging into highways and passing slow-moving cars but this is not a sports car by any means. Besides, I am of the opinion that, for their own safety and those of others, people should not be driving 4000+ lb SUVs like sports cars anyway, no matter how powerful their engines may be. I guess I will never understand the appeal of SUVs like Porsche Cayenne Turbo and Mercedes ML65 AMG...
You have a choice between a six-speed manual transmission and a steptronic 5-speed automatic transmission. There is no extra charge either way. I elected to get the auto since this car is meant to be a safe, comfortable people/stuff hauler rather than a sports car. The automatic works really well in standard mode (fuel saver/smooth ride), sports mode (quicker shifts/higher performance) and manumatic mode (driver-selected shifts) but this is not a truly sporty transmission. If you want to drive a sports car, you should really get a manual sports or a sports car with the SMG (BMW performance cars) or DSG transmission (Audi/VW), not an SUV.
Ride and Handling
I read other reviewers complaining about the harsh ride of the X3. In some cases, the reviewers were driving X3s with the optional sports package. I did not order the sports package because I feared that the sports package would cause unnecessary ride harshness. I am ok with harsh rides in an M3 or a Porsche 911 but not in an SUV.
X3 rides very nicely. It is not Lexus-soft and it definitely has that European suspension that BMWs are known for. X3 communicates the feel of the road very well but at the same time, it also absorbs bumps and potholes nicely. In my opinion, the ride is never uncomfortable or harsh but if you have only driven cushy sofa-on-wheels Toyota or Lexus cars, you may disagree.
As for handling, this is not a car and it definitely does not handle like a sports car. There is a world of difference between my X3 and my M3. In fact, my C230 handles significantly better than my X3. But, if treated with care and respect that a 4000+ lbs SUV demands, X3 is a a great all-around performer that can handle adverse weather and terrain conditions more easily than either M3 or C230.
Just like most SUVs, the driver rides high and has a commanding view of the terrain and, in exchange, the driver has to deal with a high center of gravity. No SUV, including X3, X5 and Porsche Cayenne Turbo, should be driven like sports car in my opinion. Unfortunately, I see too many SUV drivers who are too ignorant or too stupid to drive carefully. Driving excessively fast or weaving in and out of lanes or tailgating is dangerous even in an agile low-to-the-ground sports car like a Porsche Boxster or M3. A driver who drives in this manner in any SUV shows complete lack of care for himself/herself, his/her passengers and all other drivers and passengers with whom he/she is sharing the road. In my opinion, any such reckless driver should have his/her license revoked permanently.
X3, just like all other SUVs, does not handle like a sports car but I should also note that the handling on the X3 is better than the handling of any SUV that I have driven, including Porsche Cayenne, Volvo XC, Mercedes ML, Lexus RX, Lexus GX, Cadillac SRX and Infiniti FX. With most SUVs, I get that "I'm driving a high-center-of-gravity truck" floaty feeling but not the X3. In short, this is one of the best handling SUVs in the market today but nobody should mistake it for a sports car even though it bears the roundel emblem.
Noise and vibration
Generally, engine and tire noise and vibration are very well controlled. X3 emits pleasant engine and exhaust sounds when accelerating rapidly. At idle, the engine is quiet (but not Lexus quiet). Road and wind noises are also absent in normal sub-80 mph driving.
Styling
Although X3 and X5 are similar in some respects, there are some differences. X5 is definitely more muscular but I like X3's styling just as much. In fact, I prefer the look of the X3's rear than that of the X5 because the X3's rear is more polished and elegant and the latter looks more like a design afterthought. I do prefer the chiseled side door panels of the X5 compared to the relatively flat doors of the X3. I think that black and dark gray work best on the X3.
Car design is, to some extent, subjective but I must say that I strongly disagree with those who have negative views on the X3's styling. Folks, I know that this is a BMW but this is still just an SUV. This is not a sexy sports coupe or convertible or a muscular sports sedan. An SUV is basically a cross between a truck and a minivan: two vehicle types that don't provide attractive starting points for designers (imagine how attractive children of Rosie O'Donnell and Woody Allen would be). Just face the facts: there are no sexy or good-looking SUVs in existence and there never will be. In fact, with the exception of Infiniti FX, there are very few interesting-looking SUV designs out there. However, for an SUV, I think that X3 looks pretty good and all of my friends who have seen my car (and many are car fanatics that are picky about car designs) agree but none of us would call X3 sexy or great to look at.
Interior
Some of the excellent reviewers on this site complained about the quality of the X3's interior. I could not disagree with them more. I think that the interior of my 2006 X3 is one of its strongest points. I note that some of the aforementioned reviewers test-drove the 2004 model and maybe that accounts for the difference in views.
My X3 has one of the best-looking interiors of all cars that I have owned, leased, rented and tested. The interior in my X3 is significantly better than the interior in my M3 and the Volvo XC90 and ML350 that I test-drove and is on par with the interior of Porsche Cayenne and BMW X5, although the leather on the Porsche felt and smelled a bit nicer. Although I like the ergonomics of the controls in Lexus RX and Acura MDX that I test drove and some of the interior surfaces of the RX have somewhat softer and richer tactile quality, I think that the overall quality of interior materials in my X3 rival those that are in those Japanese competitors. In fact, I used to own a 2002 Audi A4 (see the review in
http://www.epinions.com/content_63843503748) and I believe that the X3 has an interior that is at least as attractive. As car nuts know, Audis are renowned for their nice interiors.
The leather smells great. The fit, feel and quality of the materials are all top notch. The seats are very supportive and comfortable. These seats and the tilt/telescopic steering wheel should allow any driver should easily be able to find a comfortable driving position. The position of the steering wheel, shifter, audio and climate controls are all easily readable and laid out logically and in a driver-friendly manner. The DVD-based navigation system generally works well but it is controlled by a knob rather than touch-screen inputs and this makes the system less intuitive and harder to operate than the touch-screen systems offered by Lexus. The 60/40-split rear seats are helpful because you can fold them to increase cargo space. The glove box doesn't provide much storage space but there is more storage space on the inside of the doors than I expected.
The standard panorama sunroof is a great feature. The glass roof extends all the way to the back seat area, giving that open-air feel to everyone. Although the sunroof does not open all the way to the back, the part that does open is significantly larger than a typical sunroof and when all windows are open, you definitely get that open-air convertible feel. When the power-shade is completely closed, you cannot tell that you have a panorama sunroof because there is virtually no wind noise coming from the sunroof and there are no rattles of any kind.
Roominess
There is plenty of room for four large passengers but three might be a tight fit in the backseat. X3 has slightly more legroom for rear passengers than X5 and 3-series sedan or wagon but it has less shoulder room than X5. The cargo space is about the same as the cargo space in an X5. Lexus RX and Acura MDX both have significantly more cargo space and passenger space.
Reliability and quality
So far, I have had no problems at all. There are no squeaks, rattles or leaks of any kind and everything feels solid.
Fuel Consumption
This is the most disappointing aspect of this car. I am averaging 12 mpg overall with mostly city driving. I observed a range of 17 to 20 miles per gallon during leisurely highway driving and 10 to 14 miles per gallon on average during city driving. These numbers are based on real-life usage (air conditioning, nav system, satellite radio were on) with a lot of stop and go in cities.
Overall ownership experience
I love this car. It is the perfect all-weather vehicle. I may change my mind if it does not get top scores in crashtests.
Dealer experience
I leased my car at Westchester BMW at 525 Tarrytown Road, White Plains, NY. Everyone at Westchester BMW with whom I dealt is polite and professional and delivers top-notch service. This dealership experience should be a pre-requisite for all car purchases but I know that, unfortunately, this is the exception rather than the rule. If you live in New York, New Jersey or Connecticut and want to consider a BMW, you really should give stop by Westchester BMW.
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