rear wheels look weird

New owner of a 2007 X3 si and the rear wheels look odd to me. They both have a squatty look. The bow out at the bottom and toe in at the top. Its noticeable. Is this normal?

Hi! Have you seen any other X3s whose rear wheels look different?

It is normal. It is your independant rear suspension at work. The more weight you have in the back, the more "squatty" it will look.

It is really pronounced when you see some heavily loaded SUVs on the highway. The previous generation Ford Explorer has a very pronounced squat in the rear when it is heavily loaded.

It's called negative camber. The rear wheels also have a bit if toe-in. It is intended to be that way and helps your truck handle better. I just wish they had set up the front wheels with a little bit of negative camber instead of positive for even better handling. A member here actually had a front end guy adjust his front suspension and claimed he was able to get about 1/2 degree negative camber on the front wheels.

Sorry for the delay. Been busy. Seeing another X3 in this town is rare, but I did see one and it was the same. Thanks for all the info guys.

Originally Posted by digeratimvp

Seeing another X3 in this town is rare,

I hear you!

Hi neighbor! Southaven here.

Normal. As said before it helps for handling. Most BMW's are designed this way.