Anyone pulling a 19' with BMW X3?

[carydgeller]

I am contemplating pulling a 19' with my BMW X3. Anyone have experience to share?

[lcurrie]

I'm pulling with a V6 X5 with no problems. I'm not sure if the X3 would be similar though because I'm not sure how similar the engines are.

Lynn

[carydgeller]

Good morning lcurrie,
Thank you for responding. The engine in my X3 is a V6, 3.0. I suspect it's the same engine as yours but the X3 is a little lighter. Do you happen to remember which hitch you selected?

[ROBERT CROSS]

Lynn,

Is your avatar your business?

Good food in Austin TX, does it get any better?

Bob.

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by carydgeller

Good morning lcurrie,
Thank you for responding. The engine in my X3 is a V6, 3.0. I suspect it's the same engine as yours but the X3 is a little lighter. Do you happen to remember which hitch you selected?

Originally Posted by lcurrie

I'm pulling with a V6 X5 with no problems. I'm not sure if the X3 would be similar though because I'm not sure how similar the engines are.

Lynn

Your BMWs have inline-6-cylinder engines, not V6s. An inline 6 is generally much smoother in operation than a V6, and BMW has made a name for themselves in the design of outstanding inline 6 engines.

There are 2 possible engines in the X3, the "28" and the "35" (they're each 3-liter 6s, but they differ in software and turbocharging, with the "28" producing 240 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque, and the "35" rated for 300/300.) The "35" is the same engine as the 6-cylinder gasoline X5. This would make a big difference, I think that extra 80 lb-ft of torque would make life much easier.

The X3 has a 5-inch shorter wheelbase than the X5 (110 inches vs 115) and the X3 is about 700 lb lighter than an X5 with the same engine. On the numbers, it seems like the X5 is a better choice because it's longer and heavier, but I like overkill anyway (I got a 4-door F150 to pull my Argosy24.)

[lcurrie]

I'd go with DKB_SATX's input over mine. That said, I don't know much about my hitch other to say it was installed by a reputable locally owned company here in Austin. They gave me all of the details when i got it done, I just don't remember the details. I'll be happy to take pics for you if you'd like to see it.

Bob, you've got me worried. On my end, my avatar is a picture of my face. Do I even want to know what you see?

Lynn

[ROBERT CROSS]

[QUOTE
Bob, you've got me worried. On my end, my avatar is a picture of my face. Do I even want to know what you see?

Lynn[/QUOTE]

Lynn,

The background....is that not a very nice eatery?

[denellen]

I am towing a 64Globetrotter 19' with a BMW X5 diesel.It has a factory option hitch which requires that the engine be reprogramed when the hitch is installed.This changes engine characteristics (sorta like towhaule). BMW says not to use weight distribution setup. Just drop it on the ball. I believe that is because sway compensation etc. Is already programed in when the hitch is installed, and the additional weight distribution/sway control would interfere with the car's performance.
I find that the rear of the car does drop a disconcerting amount from the hitch weight, but it tows very well just the same. I would be very hesitant to tow it with a X3.

[Road Ruler]

I believe this is an X3 but don't know any details about it.

[Starrfire]

Originally Posted by carydgeller

I am contemplating pulling a 19' with my BMW X3. Anyone have experience to share?

I'm considering the same setup. Did you try it? If so would love to get your thoughts. Thanks!

-Jason

[morgandc]

Looks spec'd for towing 4400 lbs.

[carydgeller]

Originally Posted by Starrfire

I'm considering the same setup. Did you try it? If so would love to get your thoughts. Thanks!

-Jason

Hello Jason, I walked away from a $3,000 deposit at the very last possible moment. It just looked all wrong. I did a lot of studying, and everyone I spoke with said it would work, EXCEPT the BMW service manager. When I backed up to the trailer with my X3 it just plain didn't look right. You can contact me directly if you wish.
Cary D. Geller
carydgeller@me.com
612-804-9500

[Starrfire]

Originally Posted by carydgeller

Hello Jason, I walked away from a $3,000 deposit at the very last possible moment. It just looked all wrong. I did a lot of studying, and everyone I spoke with said it would work, EXCEPT the BMW service manager. When I backed up to the trailer with my X3 it just plain didn't look right. You can contact me directly if you wish.
Cary D. Geller
carydgeller@me.com
612-804-9500

Thanks Cary -- really appreciate your follow-up. I'm going back and forth too -- all the research shows a 4400+ lb towing capacity and yet the dealership is firmly saying 3500. Tough because there isn't anything quite like the X3...

[morgandc]

Looks like the X3 BMW hitch is limited to a 350lb hitch weight.

[adamkalins]

I towed a 3500 pound bambi with my X3, short distances, fine. I towed the same accross country and I had cooling problems. The transmission and engine cooler are shared, and it didn't have the cooling capacity.

[bono]

Which model and engine? The smallest engine (2 liter, 4 cylinder, 141 HP) is rated to 2,000 kg = 4,400 lbs, with bigger engines rated to tow 5,300 lbs.

Originally Posted by adamkalins

I towed a 3500 pound bambi with my X3, short distances, fine. I towed the same accross country and I had cooling problems. The transmission and engine cooler are shared, and it didn't have the cooling capacity.

[jcl]

Originally Posted by bono

Which model and engine? The smallest engine (2 liter, 4 cylinder, 141 HP) is rated to 2,000 kg = 4,400 lbs, with bigger engines rated to tow 5,300 lbs.

Earlier E83, 2.5i. 186 hp in our 325xi if it was the same M54 engine, it may have been the N52.

https://www.airforums.com/forums/f46...ml#post2095609

I am not clear if it overheated and went into limp mode, or if it simply ran hotter than the poster (adam) was comfortable with.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, our BMW X3 has an I-6; BMW's don't have, and never had a "V-6".

[adamkalins]

Before I did my cross country towing, I looked up horsepower, torque, cooling, and even gear ratios. I compared an X3 to an F150. Basically, by the book, the X3 could tow 3500 pounds, and it did. I even have some 12% inclines on my typical route. Everything worked. Braking, stability, were all good. My failure in calculation was in the cooling, and calculating for altitude. If I had done my trip st 80 km/h, I'd have been fine. I was trying to do 100, I was going uphill and down, I was going for at least 4h per day, I was driving in the hot summer, with a dirty radiator, and at altitude. By the book, everything was fine, and my typical weekends never pushed my X3 like a cross country did. I think all the little inefficiencies listed above and me expecting book performance values despite multiple compounding difficult conditiondions was a miscalculation. That's why I have said BMW does deliver on what their specs said, but not overdeliver. I pushed my X3 just past for just too long in slightly more difficult conditions. No limp mode on my generation, just a dash light. The failure point was torque converter slip, which is an ignorable fail, but I wore put my transmission. It would have survived if the oil was cooler. I had lots of engine temperature errors pop up during the trip. I later found my X3 does not have a transmission cooler, it has an ability to cool the transmission. The transmission fluid has a heat exchanger with the radiator. The Radiator was thus doing double duty cooling the engine all day as well as cooling the transmission all day. That was just too much cooling for not enough radiator. I since bought an X5 with a dedicated radiator for the transmission, and twice the power etc. I understand the new X3 have more engine power, but look for that second transmission radiator, or have one spliced in, or drive 80km/h, or cap yourself at 4h per day, or expect a heating error and then a transmission error. That said, I still haven't fixed the X3, I just put a piece of gum over the dash light representing the transmission . A pack of gum is a buck, and problem fixed.

[bono]

By any chance do you know what temp the transmission was running under load? My X5 keeps the temp of the transmission between 197-203F. The temp of the engine oil or the motor changes, but the transmission stay basically the same regardless of the load (flat or mountains).