2005 BMW X3 Six-Speed Front three-quarter image - CraigslistWhile today's Nice Price or No Dice X3 has a lot of miles on the clock, it has a stack of maintenance receipts for the work that's been done to keep it going. It also has a rare six-speed manual, making it all the more intriguing to keep on the road. Let's see if its price interests us even more.In the 1940s, young actors Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland starred together in eight films, several of which were entries in the novel-to-screen Andy Hardy series. A popular trope that arose from these films is the conceit of a group of youths coming together to put on a show to save a family farm from the clutches of the bill collector. In more modern times, we often say "it takes a village" in describing any act that demands such a group effort.The 1999 Porsche Boxster project we looked at on Monday might not require rallying townsfolk or a gaggle of plucky teens to get it fully back in the game, but it would require some effort from its next owner. According to your comments, the $5,000 asked to take on that onus proved an insufficient incentive. Ultimately, that resulted in a 60% 'No Dice' loss.AdvertisementAdvertisementRead more: These Are The Cars That Let You Down The HardestX marks the spot2005 BMW X3 parked in front of a Porsche Boxster - CraigslistYesterday's Porsche had a lot of miles, but it also had a lot of mechanical war wounds—including a replacement engine—that would ensure those miles never get forgotten. The 2005 BMW X3 2.5i that comes our way today has EVEN MORE miles under its belt—253,047, to be exact. It is, however, claimed to be up to snuff mechanically and comes with the receipts to prove it.BMW introduced the X3 as the company's second, smaller SUV in 2003, under the X5, which was introduced two years earlier. While the larger X5 was developed using BMW's recently acquired Land Rover resources as a guide, the company designed the X3 in partnership with Austria's Magna Steyr. That company also developed and built the Mercedes Geländewagen and the Pinzgauer, an extreme off-roader, so it knew a thing or two about 4x4s. With the X3, BMW debuted its X-Drive AWD system, which, in this model, offers a rear-biased torque split that can be varied depending on which end of the car has the most traction.Six and six2005 BMW X3 engine bay - CraigslistWhile this X3 does have a metric ton of miles on the clock, the seller says it has been well maintained and comes with a veritable stack of service records. It's also interestingly spec'd: while it comes with the expected six-cylinder engine under the hood, it's backed not by the six-speed automatic but by a manual with the same number of gears. That's fairly rare for this first-generation model and is completely absent from the current fourth-generation editions.CraigslistMated with that manual is a 2.5-liter M54 straight-six, which, when new, produced 189 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. Notable work done on the engine includes a recent VANOS rebuild and the repair of the fragile oil filter housing. That information has been removed from the listing since this one was first spotted, as have some details about the airbag light "sporadically" coming on. Some of the other mechanical mysteries not revealed in the ad include the tires' age and how much clutch is left. On the plus side, the seller claims the car "drives incredibly strong, handles beautifully, and has absolutely zero rust."You give, and you take2005 BMW X3 Six-Speed interior image - CraigslistAdvertisementAdvertisementIt's a bit of a mixed bag in the looks department, too. The basic bodywork appears to be solid, suffering only from a small but noticeable scrape on the corner of the front bumper and what the seller describes as "Vinyl Euro-style side stripes and grille accents." Those, we are assured, are 100% removable. Most notable, though, is the pile of bumpers and a bull bar that the seller says will come with the X3 and, in fact, must be taken by the new owner. These are all claimed to be new BMW parts and are already painted in the same silver as the car. That kind of makes the scrape on the existing bumper a bit moot.CraigslistHappily, the interior appears to be in remarkably good shape for the car's age and miles. There's surprisingly little wear and tear, and it benefits from rubber mats protecting the carpet. Issues here include a moonroof that gets hung up on the tilt function and an intermittent airbag light on the dash. The cabin hasn't escaped the parts box bonus round either, as there is apparently extra dash trim, door seals, and a shift knob that will be part of the shotgun marriage of the car's sale.Take a chance?2005 BMW X3 interior with rear seats folded - CraigslistThat sale should be a fairly fuss-free affair, save for all the extra junk needed to be hauled off. The car comes with a clean title and a recent A-Okay from the emissions tester, so transferring that title shouldn't be a hassle. According to the seller, they have owned and maintained this X3 for 16 years and are only selling it now, they say, because they have inherited a truck and are short on space for the Bimmer. They ask $5,700 to clear that space. That price range ($5,000 to $6,000) seems to be the new base for decent drivers of anything interesting these days. I'm not saying we have to like it; I'm just acknowledging it as the case.What do you think of this rare, well-maintained, but high-mileage X3 and that $5,700 asking price? Does that feel fair given the specs, condition, and those goofy stripes? Or, like the mileage, is that just too dang high?AdvertisementAdvertisementYou decide!San Francisco Bay Area, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.Hat tip to Don R. for the hookup!Help me out with Nice Price or No Dice. Hit me up at robemslie@gmail.com and send a fixed-price tip. Remember to include your commenter handle.Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox, and follow us or add us as a preferred search source on Google.Read the original article on Jalopnik.
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