One even emulated Dr. Seuss: "I'm not happy when I drive this BMW. I don't like the A/C circulation; I don't like the lack of cupholders; I don't like the way the rearview mirrors position themselves; I don't like the way the car bounces all over the road." Fortunate for the X3 that BMW doesn't offer a green-eggs-and-ham option.
Yet the rhyme produced a crack. "Okay, okay, I'll admit the stiff springs and shocks provide a borderline unacceptable ride on any road that isn't perfectly smooth. Yet [here we go again], the sport suspension earns its keep on fast, long sweepers. It leaves timid drivers and their less capable cars in the dust." Why we didn't call a doctor then and there, it's hard to say.
Undoubtedly, our long-termer would've been much better received with the standard suspension. And this is particularly a shame because, by the time our X3 was being built, Munich had already gotten the message and was softening-up the regular model. Otherwise, our X3 proved reliable, its only quirks being an instance when the radio briefly went fritzy (fixed by switching the ignition off and on), and the forward parking sensors operated only when the shifter was slotted into reverse (fixed at no cost). The only remaining gripes were the black interior (a question of taste), the driver seat's stitching that could be felt against the back, and the rocker panel's habit of cleaning itself with your pant leg. Our average fuel consumption over 15,059 miles was 17.7 mpg, and with a present retail value of approximately $34,700, our X3's cost per mile calculates out to $0.85 per mile (including depreciation and assuming $3 per gallon gas). Rather steep.
Maybe it was the lack of anywhere to stash his iPod, but finally DQ dropped his spear: Bristling: "I ended up storing my iPod between the adjustable seat bottom of the passenger seat." And then--drum-roll--"Sometimes the punishing ride puts me in a bad mood. It makes me think it won't be long until my tongue gets caught between my teeth over a rough bit of road and the harsh suspension causes me to bite my own tongue off."
DQ's last entry in the book? Defiantly: "I still love the aggressive tone from the straight-six. These motors are still one the best reasons to buy a six-cylinder-powered BMW."
Nobody can disagree with that one.