How Long Will A BMW X3 Last? (Answered!)

One of the most important things to understand about a BMW is its lifespan. Buying an expensive vehicle like a BMW is a big commitment, and it is important to balance the price with how long you will be driving.

While the BMW X3 is a comfortable car with a strong engine, it is not the most durable. The lifespan of your average X3 is between 150,000 miles and 200,000 miles. This translates to about 12 years of service, depending on how frequently you drive your vehicle.

In general, BMWs tend to be unreliable. But, let’s take a closer look at the longevity of the BMW X3.

The BMW X3’s Reliability

Since people have been buying cars, car owners have done everything that they can to extend their vehicle’s lifespan. After all, nobody wants to have to spend their life’s fortune keeping and maintaining a vehicle to get around. In order to keep a car running, you need to keep it consistently maintained. This is especially true for BMWs.

Generally, BMWs need to have their brakes, tires, and oil levels checked regularly to prevent serious issues. No matter what car you drive, this maintenance is a necessity. Some car owners will also regularly maintain and replace the car’s air filter and headlights, but they are less frequent needs.

Apart from the brakes, oil, and tires, car owners also have to worry about their car’s engine. Across all makes and models of cars, engines vary wildly, making it difficult to predict how long each one will last. After all, some engines simply aren’t built for durability.

Many engines, like the one in the BMW X3, are built for performance and power. Because of this, the components of the X3’s engine tend to wear out quickly. For this reason, the cost of routine maintenance can be astronomical.

Before there engine wears out, you can expect a moderate amount of reliability from your BMW X3. It scores a 2.5 out of 5 on most reliability rating systems, so you should be ready to deal with problems as they come. Because of its issues, owners of a BMW X3 should expect to spend around $1,000 every year to keep their vehicle in good working order.

This high annual cost of maintenance is simply one of the tradeoffs that you give up in order to have an engine with so much power. Though the average annual cost for Luxury SUVs is about 300 dollars cheaper than the cost of the X3, few other luxury SUVs offer as much as the X3 does.

Common Problems with the BMW X3

Thankfully, the most common problems that plague the X3 are well known and can be easily predicted. With enough foresight, a lot of issues can be mitigated or even avoided. While each year of the X3 is a little bit different, there are some problems that hold true across the decades of production.

One of these issues is that the BMW X3 engine is prone to oil leaks. This is a problem that most BMWs struggle with, no matter the model. The problem results from excess pressure on valve caps and gasket covers. Over time, the heat and pressure can crack these caps and covers, causing oil to leak out. These problems are common once the X3 hits about 80,000 miles, and it can cost several hundred dollars to fix.

Another problem that will need to be dealt with in order to extend an X3’s lifespan is with the timing chain guard. This guard protects the timing chain from the rest of the engine, allowing the chain to do its job and keep the engine from getting out of sync.

Though this chain is made out of metal, the cover that protects it is made of plastic and is likely to fail. Once that happens, the timing chain can be damaged, which could result in total engine failure.

If the timing chain breaks, you may need to replace the entire engine. For this reason, BMW owners need to keep a careful watch on the chain’s guards and replace it before it breaks entirely.

This repair will cost you about 500 dollars, which is a lot less than the cost of an entire engine, which is around $5,000. Keep watch for this issue once your X3 hits 100,000 miles. Be sure to have a mechanic check it regularly or learn to do so yourself.

The final mechanical problem that needs the most care to avoid is that the engine on the BMW X3 is likely to overheat. High levels of heat can cause serious damage to the engine, so keep an eye on your coolant system. If engine coolant is leaking out or if your car is overheating, stop driving your X3 immediately and have your coolant system repaired. Letting your engine overheat is a recipe for disaster and will shorten the lifespan of your car.

Extending the Lifespan of your BMW X3

In addition to regular checkups on your car’s cooling system, timing chain guard, and valve caps, there is more that you can do in order to extend your BMW X3’s lifespan. Though most BMW X3’s only last 200,000 miles at most, you can push that a little bit farther by keeping the best maintenance habits.

One thing that will extend your car’s lifespan is careful driving. By driving aggressively, you wear out the tires and brakes on the car, both of which will need to be replaced sooner than normal. Faster driving also decreases your engine’s fuel efficiency.

Furthermore, driving aggressively will increase the risk of you crashing your car, which is the worst thing that can happen to your car’s lifespan.

Another tip to help your car last is keeping your car clean, especially the engine. Dirt and grime can build up in an engine, decreasing its performance. You can also avoid damage by keeping your car in more temperate climates. Snow and ice can damage your car, especially its undercarriage.

As long as you take good care of your X3, you should be able to enjoy all of its features for many years before needing to get a new vehicle.