The BMW X-3

Styling

Although it may look stylish it is somewhat lacking in practicality. It had recent facelift in 2006 that provided it with a larger radiator grille, repositioned fog lights & new bumpers , along with modern LED style rear light clusters. BMW also decided to use more body-colour plastics or colour coding, which in turn gave the X3 a smoother all around look, albeit still upright & angular. The X3 is over 10cm shorter than the BMW X5 but only 2cm narrower, it is 6.6 cm lower than the BMW X5 giving it a lower drag coefficient. If you are thinking of buying a BMW X3 we suggest that you also get a Gap Insurance quote from our site and see how it compares to your dealers gap insurance price.

Buying A Used Car Warranty For A BMW X3

A BMW X3 Warranty protects your BMW X3 from major catastrophic part, engine and even electrical failure from the day you purchase your used car warranty from us. Please refer to policy details. Levels of cover vary between the 3 Star Warranty, Four Star Warranty and our 5 Star Car Warranties we sell. The BMW X3 is available in eight metallic paint colours, white and black being the only two matt colours. Buying a low mileage approved used vehicle would be great buy in the current market as the depreciation against the vehicle will already have been greatest. Dealer warranties can often have limited cover and most used car warranties have binding clauses which severely curtail your freedom. Restrictions may be placed on vehicle owners as to where the services must be made and levels of warranty cover may be limited to make them more cost effective for the dealership. Buying your warranty form an independent source such as Click4Warranty means that not only are we able to bring you huge savings on the prices you pay, but also excellent levels of cover.

Engine

What makes this a superb SUV is that it has one of the best diesel engines ever to be placed in a SUV. BMW have taken the powerful 215bhp, 3 litre, 6 cylinder engine out of the X5 with no or very little changes resulting in a SUV of note! The X5 engine means that the X3 will hit 60 miles per hour in as little as around 7 or 8 seconds. The top speeds vary between models with a reported top speed of 130mph on SE models, 136mph on the Sport and M Sport models. With oodles of torque from very low in the rev range you will find throttle response excellent in every gear and great acceleration at low cruising speeds without having to change gears to do so.

Ladies may not find it that easy to drive around town or the local village, thanks to rather a heavy heavy clutch and six-speed gearbox. On the open road though, it is a different story all together. It is really easy to handle; drive more like a car than a big old 4x4. It is still questionable whether or not the diesel is better regarding fuel economy. The manual 3.0 diesel gives you a a great 32mpg when combining city and motorway driving while with the less powerful X3 2.0 diesel model you could see that combined fuel consumption rise to a whopping 39mpg. That is great for such a big vehicle as many 10 year old cars such as a Subaru Legacy would be significantly lower than the X3.

Driving

The X3 is nimble in handling and steering, allowing it to feel sporty & sharp. This is due to its four wheel xDrive system. It uses a centrally-mounted, electronically controlled clutch to transfer power to the wheel that needs it most. Using the DSC stability control sensors, xDrive ensures optimum traction, off & on road. On corners, it moves cleanly. The body control enables it also to be fun to drive.

The 3.0sd, borrows the 535d's twin-turbo diesel engine. With 580Nm of torque & a six-speed automatic gearbox it's practically flawless in its performance. On the other hand, the 2.0d can struggle with the X3's weight although smooth in performance. The 3.0d, has the same 2993cc six cylinder diesel as that is seen in the BMW X5. The 218 bhp turbo charged diesel engine produces 500Nm of torque at only 1750rpm. The CO2 output is measured at 210g/km and it fitted as standard with a (DPF) diesel particulate filter.

Interior

This is a mix of qualities. There's a 480litre of space in the luggage area, & lots of legroom for rear passengers. Short overhangs not only give a sporty look, but they also aid that rear legroom. Up front, there's lots of seat and steering wheel adjustment, so the driving position is exact & enables excellent visibility. But the trimming lacks what you might expect of a £30k-plus car. The dimple-effect, soft-touch dash plastics are good quality, but different & harder materials are used for the central transmission tunnel and flip-out cup-holders. It lacks the luxury feel, but well produced & the X3 still shows all of BMW's impeccably high assembly standards. This is what you pay for.

BMW X3 Models

At £31,910, the SE costs £3,000 more than the equivalent 2.0-litre, but £4,655 less than the comparable X5. The SE luxuries such as cruise control and parking sensors are standard. The X3 is blessed with a wide range of engines starting with a 2.0 litre diesel, ranging through two petrol engines 2.5i and 3.0i - up to the six cylinder 3.0d litre diesel. When first launched in May 2004 there wasn't a diesel available until later that year, when the 2.0d was introduced to the X3. In September 2005 the line up was joined by a 2.0i petrol engine and a 3.0d diesel engine.

As of September 2008 the following details were applicable

Sources: http://www.bmw-x6.co.uk/; http://www.channel4.com/4car; The Times online; MSN cars

Copyright © 2008 Click4Warranty

The opinions expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily held by the Click4Group unless specifically stated. The material is for general information only. Always obtain independent, professional advice for your own particular situation.