Redd

A friend of mine has the original X3. Do you know how to change the spare tire? First, you empty out the trunk [sic] to access the jack and the tire lowering handle. Well, you break out the jack, literally, because it is clipped in with oddball plastic clips. And you lower the spare tire, which is under the car. So now after you've emptied out the trunk, you get to sit in the dirt and try to unstrap the retaining strap. If your fingers are cold and there's a knife around, you may need to exercise restraint, the strap really can be undone without cutting.
Oh, and the battery? Was a wet lead with a vent tube so it wouldn't rot out the body.

Even less convenient than the sex-doll-spare in the Q5.

I don't know what it is with German Engineering these days, but I suspect someone is still pissed off about losing WW2. They just couldn't make the simple things so complicated (really, going INside the car to get the tire from OUTside the car? And putting the battery in the trunk, but leaving an empty battery box under the hood ?!) without a lot of intentional thought about it.

And then of course, everyone from C&D to TopGear hammers the X3 as being the most disappointing thing to ever wear a BMW badge.

I'm getting tired of finding out what mad engineers and white-coated priests have deemed must be done. I think I'm going to a restored '69 muscle car the next time around. Needs gas and TLC, can be fixed with a Swiss Army Knife.