BMW X3

Replying to: woodyww (Oct 23, 2009 10:40 am)

"Dear SM:
 
Thank you for your time last night. Could you share with your shop foreman (sorry his name escapes me) the information below and have him verify that what I experience with the transmission of the X3 is explained as he did last night.
 
Lack of immediate throttle response - this is an electronically controlled transmission (as opposed to a cable) and the brain needs a second or so to think and send an instruction to the transmission for a response
 
Lack of acceleration or feel of not getting out of the way during corner or turn (binding feeling) - this is the stability control taking over and not allowing the car to accelerate so that the driver does not experience under or over steer
 
Feeling every gear change as the car up shifts - BMW engineers their cars so that the drivers "feel" the car. They could program this out but its a conscious choice to give a feel to the vehicle
 
Hard shifting and binding feel when in traffic - BMW has a 1-2 1-2 transmission lock that if it senses consecutive shifts from 1st gear to 2nd, back to 1st and into 2nd it will lock into 2nd gear as a way to "save fuel" during stop and go traffic.
 
Binding and noticeable down shifting when rolling to a stop - this is a characteristic of the AWD. You feel things because the front transmission mechanisms are still turning. "
 
---- from another forum and interesting take on all the problems.
 
So, apparently, these aren't actual problems but are design features that someone actually sat down and decided were a good idea to include in a vehicle. What is binding? Is binding the same as short stopping?
 
So the X3 can have stability control or acceleration on turns but not both?
 
So the lower end X3 provides heavy (clunking) gear shifting while the higher end 5's do not on purpose? What?
 
So the X3, in order to save a little fuel, provides hard shifting or lack of acceleration on purpose? What?
 
Oh goodness.
 
 

Replies to this message:
• Bait (Nov 09, 2009 8:41 pm)
  • pp2009pp (Nov 09, 2009 10:45 pm)
    • Bait (Nov 10, 2009 2:56 pm) and 1 more...

Replying to: pp2009pp (Oct 23, 2009 6:03 pm)

Replies to this message:
• pp2009pp (Nov 09, 2009 10:45 pm)
  • Bait (Nov 10, 2009 2:56 pm)
    • pp2009pp (Nov 10, 2009 9:03 pm)

Replying to: Bait (Nov 09, 2009 8:41 pm)

If you have over 30 days in shop, you might be able to claim status depending on the laws in your state.
 
The rumor is that another update is coming soon but that may be just wishful thinking on the part of those who get all the customer complaints.
 
The noreverse.org people have it even worse IMO. I don't see any recent updates on a class action suit.
 
Honestly, if this is 'as designed' it is time to find other designers because none of this stuff shows up in the 3 and 5 sedans that I have driven. It is interesting that you say you have mechanical problems. People were saying that the AT problems are worse in cold weather which seems to point to something more than just sw.
 
Have you ever tried the MT mode? I haven't found anything on how well that functions in AT as few people who opt for an automatic seem to want to try that out.

Replies to this message:
• Bait (Nov 10, 2009 2:56 pm)
  • pp2009pp (Nov 10, 2009 9:03 pm)

Replying to: pp2009pp (Nov 09, 2009 10:45 pm)

Replies to this message:
• pp2009pp (Nov 10, 2009 9:03 pm)

Replies to this message:
• pp2009pp (Nov 10, 2009 9:07 pm)

Replying to: Bait (Nov 10, 2009 2:56 pm)

I agree with your frustration. The X3 is doing nothing to help BMW's image. The suspension problems and the herky-jerky transmission in a premium car are absurd.
 
I have been driving BMWs for a long time and I wish I had gone with Lexus this time around.
 
I have heard all the nonsensical statements from the self-proclaimed BMW fans. The reality is that I have driven the 5s and the 3s and the sedans drive NOTHING like the X3. They have transmissions that shift smoothly and firm/sporty but not bouncy suspensions.
 
Exactly how hard is it for a big manufacturer to make a slightly taller 3 series that drives like it should? They have received lots of bad reviews and now I can see why.
 
They were supposed to have fixed the suspension in 2005 and then again in 2007 and my 2009 drives like ****. They went to a new transmission in 2007 and supposedly have another (rumor) fix in 2010.
 
In the meantime, the frustrated customer ends up having to spend an unbelievable amount of time trying to figure out what is poor design and what is actual defect. What a mess.
 
What a blooming mess.
 

Replying to: lawman1967 (Nov 10, 2009 8:24 pm)

Replies to this message:
• pp2009pp (Nov 11, 2009 12:36 pm)
  • roadburner (Nov 14, 2009 6:14 pm)

Replying to: patc3080 (Nov 11, 2009 5:37 am)

FWIW people seem to be handling this problem individually. Some have said that they made a deal to turn in their malfunctioning AT for an MT or had it bought back in its entirety. I do not know for sure what is true and what is just babbling on the internet.
 
At any rate, no one can tell me what the difference is between an actual MT and driving the AT in MT mode. If the fault is in the software programming then why not just drive around in MT mode?
 
No one can tell me either why, if it is a sw problem, the AT supposedly drives worse in colder weather. Nothing much makes sense.
 
There are many excuses: you don't know how to drive a BMW, it is designed that way, they all drive that way, we can't recreate it, you must be imagining it, it was fixed with the last update in 2007, drive around in SD, etc but no final solutions except to get rid of the car asap.
 
They do acknowledge there is (was) a problem and, I agree with you, they should have stopped selling the car after the 2007s and gone back to the 5 speed transmission for 2008 and 2009. I have no idea what the 2010s and 2011s are going to have because, heck, that doesn't help us anyway.
 
 

Replies to this message:
• roadburner (Nov 14, 2009 6:14 pm)