Hi, everyone. I'm new here.

I'm shopping for an SUV. There's a 2004 X3 for sale near me...it's within my budget, but it has 225K km on it (140K miles). Looks great, drives nice, and the owner has a thick file of maintenance records.

I'm trying to decide whether to take a chance on the X3, or purchase something else with fewer km on it.

I need a vehicle that is good in snow, as I drive a lot on mountain highways in winter conditions--but I also want good reliability. Any suggestions as to things I should check for on the X3? How much mileage would one reasonably expect from an X3 that's had good maintenance?

The front wheel bearings have been replaced recently. When I looked underneath the engine, the crankcase cover looked a bit wet (but I didn't see any hanging drips...then again, it was a quick look). The clutch engagement feels a bit high in the throw, but that might be normal (I'm not familiar with BMWs at all)--clutch has never been done AFAIK.

Also, the "check engine light" is on--the owner will give me the codes, his mechanic says they relate to the catalytic converter, which may need replacement.

Any information or suggestions would be highly appreciated!