This is a new BMW forum, an offshoot of Saabworld. Write about your BMW.

I look over a 2008 BMW X3. It's my father's car. I call it a car, but it's really a crossover or a SUV. BMW calls it a SAV or sport activity vehicle. I rarely drive it except about once a month to inspect it. I look after it as far as keeping up with maintenance, inspecting the tires, and investigating any warning lights, etc.

The car was first introduced as a 2004 model year car and was produced up to the 2010 model year. After that, it was replaced with a new version of the X3 built in the U.S. The car was made by Magna in Graz, Austria. I consider it a distant cousin of the Saab 9-3 because the convertible version was built in Graz until production was moved to Sweden in January 2011.

BMW X3s for the U.S. market were generally well equipped compared to some countries. Only the 3.0Si, a 6 cylinder gasoline engine was offered in the U.S. even though the X3 was built with 3 gas engines and one diesel. Some markets got 215/60R17 tires but the U.S. market got Pirelli Scorpion 235/55R17 99H tires. All X3 for the 2008 model year have a panoramic sunroof.

This one was special ordered because it was less well equipped that the X3s at the local dealer. The only options selected was rear side airbags, automatic transmission, and metallic paint. After it was ordered, it was possible to track the date of manufacture and when it was shipped to the port. There, it was possible to accurate guess the ship that it was on and, through another website, track its course over the Atlantic Ocean. Similarly, I was able to do that with my Saab 9-3.

My father is not interested in modifying the car. I only added one modification, a European spec driver's side mirror. There's a faint line and about the outer one-third of the mirror past the line is a wide angle portion. I have a similar part in my Saab. I also bought a tarp for the car to act as a trunk mat.

In the near future, I plan to write about what I like and dislike about the car and more about the car.

ick - X3

I work @ a BMW dealership now - I like the manual trans X3 they used to sell - drove kinda neat! They also offered the X5 with a manual trans for sometime too - no longer available in either case now. Shame.

I like the new X3, looks much better than the previous model. But it starts at $38.5K so with just a few options, I imagine it'll be easy to hit mid or high $40s. And that's for the small 2.0 liter turbo engine.. Perhaps the 9-4X should have had the 2.0T from the 9-5 and have been just a bit lighter.

Fortunately, styling of BMWs is getting a little bit better after the Bangle period but i still don't think they are nice to look at from the front. I like the new tail lights though. Still not a fan of the linear dash design, it is difficult to get used to anything else after the driver-oriented design of a Saab dash.

I constantly find myself fiddling with the BMW's dash "functions" on test drives - can't tell you how many times I've nearly hit a curb or missed a turn or worse. They are horribly laid out cars and extremely frustrating and dangerous to operate! lol Nothing like a Saab. I would love to have a 2001 740IL Sport however - that or a 540 Sport Wagon. Never gonna pay what they sell for - but it's a nice car while they are working right. If BMW can figure out HIGH MPG's from a small turbo motor I'll be more interested in them when they are price right as a used car - but they are FAR to pricy for my taste. I enjoy my Saab's too much. Bargain cars they are!