Check your shocks
 

Hey all,

On the way to get our X3 oil serviced and MOT'd one of the tyres blew out (while doing 90mph on the M25, not fun). Turns out the tyres look to be really old and one of the previous owners probably bought second hand tyres with very low wear not realising that they were really old.

Anyway, long story short, since they've been changing the tyres and are also fitting new break pads, they've had the car lifted up and have found that two of the shocks have gone and are leaking (I think that's what they said). They said it's very unusual for this to happen in a car of this age (late 2004).

They said that chances are you wouldn't see this unless your car is raised up and has its wheels off and so would likely be missed in any service or mot. The bugger is though, if the wheel under one of these shocks blows then the car can flip and cause all world of pain.

The guys doing all the work aren't cowboys or anything and definitely aren't cooking up stories. My friend is an automotive engineer who I've known since we were 13 and he's sharing workshops with these guys. He's seen all of this himself.

Since this may be due to a manufacturing defect, I'd suggest any of you with X3s to have a look at the shocks next time you have your car raised up.

No issues here. I had to replace the front wheel bearings but nothing else has gone bad in reference to wheel/suspension parts.