2 sunroof cassettes
1 steering rack
2 sets of door seals
1 front passenger window regulator
2 passenger rear view mirror motors
1 new passenger seat mat (to extinguish air bag warning light).

I guess our 2004 brings down the average.

Consumer Reports tests Toasters, they have never been good at testing anything more complicated.

:rofl:

I think CR does an great job in being fair and unbiased. They don't have anything to benefit by writing false reports about the reliability of cars, toasters or anything else.

What I find interesting is that several people on this board and in this thread have talked about only having a handfull of issues. I've had a few issues with my 2003 X5. However, my neighbor who has and MDX and another with a RX300 have not had a single problem/issue in the same time period. Actually thier cars are a bit older than mine.

I chose BMW for different reasons than they chose thier rides. And I would not trade rides with them. My guess is that the numbers game that CR is reporting on is just very relative. If the avearge BMW 'only' has 2-5 issues in 2 years and the average Lexus/Toyota/Acura/Honda has 0-2 issues in the same period, then BMW is not as reliable. That does not mean 'bad' just not as reliable as the benchmarks of reliability.

Personally, I haven't done all the test and seen all the data that CR has. But who else is there to look to for this kind of info?

Your fellow BMW owners on forums like this and many other forums that deal in all kinds of information pertaining to cars. Search and Google are your best friends.
cheers
vern

I agree

I also have a Honda Pilot, which has almost twice the mileage of our X3. It has only been in the shop for normal maintenance. The first year maintenance also incorporated the service bulletin for reporgramming the airbags and the second year maintenance also incorporated the installation of the oil jet on the transmission.

Conversely, our X3 has been in the shop a half a dozen times for items OTHER than normal maintenance. Oh, by the way, to my earlier list, please add replace seat mat (to extinguish air bag light warning indicator on dashboard).

There was a guy on hondapilot.org that was collecting independent information on automotive reliability. The web site is unavailable right now but let me post a link to the thread. Perhaps this might be another source for raw data the extend beyond a handful of internet forum PWs ;-)

2005 X3 3.0D, 44000km. have had it a little over year now, so far these issues:

- Door seals making noise (taped)
- Didnt start, 2005/2006 winter (Battery changed)
- Didnt start 2006/2007 winter (crankshaft sensor changed, start engine changed, battery changed)
- passenger door lock not locking (lock changed)
- navi screen jamming (firmware updated)
- still starting problems, if it has been parked for two days, battery is emtpy. some electric leak. (going to service tomorrow)

Nothing serious, but I think car this price should have less problems. My 2000 year model toyota yaris is more reliable than 5 yers newer x3 :)

If price = more reliability, boy would you be disappointed if you ever bought a Mercedes.

Hmm, I wonder how Ferrari ranks on the relability list? :rofl:

I don't know about Ferrari, but I do know that Porsche 911 ranks low (on the same CR report).

I thought Porsches were high?

If money = reliability, they never heard of a Touareg... well, at least the '04s... :)