Trailer Towing with an X3

[vermontr]

I can't find any threads on this topic as they're all with the X5. Does anyone have experience with a 3500 Gross Wt. trailer with a manual transmission 3.0?

[Karlbalmer]

nope, but I just installed a classIII hitch from master hitch in my 04 X3 3.0A (400.00 out the door with elec harness) so far I have hauled my 6x12 enclosed (tall) 3500 GVW trailer twice once about 150 miles with 600 lbs in it (My BMW K1200S) and once about 30 miles with right at 1000 (golf cart) in it. trailer does not have any brakes and itself weighs in empty at about 1000 hauled the load just fine and running right at 65-70 managed to get about 14mpg with the bike and 13.5 with the heavier load with some in town . dont think I will ever put more than about 1500 lbs load in it as if I need to haul more I will use my 20 ft goose neck flat bed (15k GVW) on one of my F250 Diesels or just hook the cargo trailer up to the truck.

[JCL]

None yet, but I hauled various trailers with my X5 3.0 over a 4 year time frame. I am about to install the OEM hitch on our new X3 for occasional light towing. I expect to keep it under 1500-2000 lbs; anything over that and you need brakes to be safe. Our X3 is a 6MT.

Jeff

[BM2W]

I towed a 5x8 UHaul from NoVA to Santa Fe in July of 2006 with my '04 3.0 6MT. I'd guess I had about 1200-1500# in the trailer. The car did fine, gas mileage went to hell (avg 16-17 mpg) running 70-75 w/the AC on. I did have to do a lot of downshifting in the mtns going up hill, but other than that, no problem. The trailer did tend to boggie about going downhill at 85 (what goes up must come down . . . ) HTH, YMMV.