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      10-23-2012, 05:32 PM   #11
HighlandPete
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Drives: BMW F11 535i Touring
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Location: Scotland, Highland Region

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rb79 View Post
I am sorry but totally disagree with you about RWD being comparable for grip. Every other manufacturer promotes their four wheel drive system on the basis of safety and control eg Audi. But for seem reason it seems many UK BMW owners feel RWD is the safer option, perhaps because it is the unknown. It is not going to be for everyone but I reckon when they put it into the bigger engines people will spec it more. There has also never been a debate about "what tyres are you going to use on your Quattro?" year on year so, IMHO, if you don't want to mess around with tyres which a lot of people don't in the UK - RWD vs Xdrive is a no brainer (again that is just my opinion).
We run all sorts of combinations in the family up here in winter conditions, in our part of the highlands. VW 4-motion, BMW xDrive, VW FWD on winter tyres, my BMW RWD with winter tyres.

My RWD on decent winter tyres out performs all the combinations we have in the family. The second best is the FWD on winter tyres. X3 xDrive would be best if it had winter tyres fitted, but not without. 4-motion on all season tyres is still limited.

My son drives the X3 and when he came in my car on winter tyres, it was a revelation to him on the way the car accelerated, braked and the control I had in snow and on ice.

It is tyre choice that makes the 4x4 the better option in winter conditions, but not necessarily without.

HighlandPete
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