View Poll Results: Which 3-series would you reco for Chicago weather? | |||
RWD | 24 | 18.46% | |
xD | 56 | 43.08% | |
Doesn't matter - RWD is sufficient | 50 | 38.46% | |
Voters: 130. You may not vote on this poll |
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12-22-2012, 09:31 AM | #67 | |
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I have driven RWD cars for the last 10 years in Eastern Canadian winters and have been fine. With good winter tires (NOT high performance winters as they are more dry weather oriented) a RWD is capable but, regardless of what many suggest, it is still a challenge in really bad weather. Are you OK with good winter tires, yes. Are you unstoppable, no way. Lots of folks say they are great but I think it depends on the type of winter you have. Fluffy, dry snow is much easier to deal with in a RWD car than slushy, wet snow, ice. Having said that, even in Northern and snowy climates, the weather is really only bad enough to worry 10 to 15 days a year where RWD have any issues at all. Plus, roads are kept fairly decent shortly thereafter. For me, the benefits of RWD for the other 350+ days is well worth it.
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12-22-2012, 12:37 PM | #68 | |
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If you are going up a snow covered hill the Xdrive with all season tires blows the rear wheel drive with snow tires out of the water. Those with rear wheel drive and snow tires may make it up the same hill but not with the same control and confidence as those with Xdrive. When I lived on a street with a 20% incline with 2 sharp turns, on the rare occasion that it snowed here my 2006 330i with snow tires would make it up but with quite a bit of wheel spin. My 2008 335 Xdrive with all season tires would make it up with hardly any wheel spin at all. If you had rear wheel drive with all season tires going up this same hill you would be parked on the side of the road until the road was cleared. Braking is improved in snow and ice with winter tires but if you use common sense and slow down and leave youself plenty of room you won't have a problem either with Xdrive with all season tires. Common sense and slowing down won't help you at all though going up a hill if you don't have proper traction. Some people complain that the Xdrive is 150 pounds heavier and 1/2" higher than the rear wheel drive sedan. Unless you are pushing the car at 95% of it's limits (and who does that on public roads) I could never tell the difference in the loss of cornering ability. What I could tell on a daily basis was the improved traction when I accelerated hard in all conditions from dry roads to wet roads. I first had a 2002 330xi and when I traded in my car in 2006 I read about the more fun rear wheel drive setup and thought I would try it out and I bought a 2006 330i (also the all wheel drive system in the E46 2002 330i was pretty crude). I had it for 2 years and just didn't like the lack of traction in the rain and when powering out of corners. When the N54 engine came out and I decided to upgrade in 2008 and I went back to the all wheel drive 2008 335xi and haven't looked back. The all wheel drive system in the 2008 335xi was much improved and much less intrusive than the 2002 330 xi all wheel drive system. I traded in my 2008 335xi 3 months ago and without hesitation went for the 2013 335 xdrive over the 2013 335i If there was no difference, who wouldn't want to save $2,000 and skip the Xdrive, but besides the loss in traction you are going to lose more than the $2,000 difference when it comes time to sell or trade in your car. |
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12-22-2012, 01:54 PM | #71 | |
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It's 80% driver and 20% tire ;-)
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12-22-2012, 06:33 PM | #72 |
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I don't disagree the driver plays a large role but let's not get carried away Put the best driver on a steep incline at a dead stop with crappy tires... they don't have a chance.
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12-27-2012, 11:40 AM | #73 | |
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12-27-2012, 11:42 AM | #74 | |
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12-27-2012, 11:44 AM | #75 |
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.....
Last edited by Rover; 12-27-2012 at 12:24 PM.. |
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12-27-2012, 11:50 AM | #76 | |
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One Advantage of AWD...you don't need to switch out your all seasons....and you may have a little better start-up from stop on slick roads. Negative...you are dragging 200 pounds around the other dry months...and your summer handling is compromised. Also...it is the 328i RWD that now gets Consumer Reports' highest reliability rating. Everything is a compromise. Now I will tell you...my buddy would buy the X drive again. I see it as a nice feature in winter...but not necessary (I've driven 11 years....240,000 miles in Colorado with RWD 3 series. Stuck once...high centered.) As a testimony to RWD cars. Colorado Highway Patrol drives FWD, RWD and AWD vehicles...mostly RWD...in the mountains in winter. Good luck. Last edited by Rover; 12-27-2012 at 12:05 PM.. |
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12-27-2012, 12:01 PM | #77 |
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Many folks who buy Xdrive decide to not install snow tires, thinking they will be just fine in winter conditions. However, when it comes time for braking, a RWD equipped with proper snow tires will stop far shorter than a Xdrive with all seasons. Tirerack.com has an excellent video that illustrates this point.
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12-27-2012, 12:16 PM | #78 | |
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In mild winter climates, it's fine. In really bad weather with ice, slush and snow, winter tires are worth it even on AWD. My wife drives a 4WD Highlander and it has winter tires and it is noticeably better than with no season tires in every way in winter. It is literally unstoppable in almost any weather. With all season tires, it slides more around corners, brakes MUCH worse and doesn't accelerate anywhere near as well in slush/ice/deep snow. I would take 4WD with all seasons over RWD with winters for acceleration traction only. For cornering and braking, the RWD with winters will be better. Besides, it doesn't cost much (other than changing them) as your summer tires last longer.
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12-27-2012, 12:20 PM | #79 | |
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12-27-2012, 12:36 PM | #80 |
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12-27-2012, 12:55 PM | #81 |
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Every winter, this topic comes up. For all those up in Canada and Alaska, snow tires are a must. AWD will also provide added safety on top of the snow tires. For most of us down here in the snow belt states, AWD with all season is good enough. One can also get away with using snow tires and RWD.
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12-27-2012, 12:59 PM | #82 | |
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I live in Nova Scotia and our winter is similar to a MA winter. The definition of "good enough" varies by person .
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12-27-2012, 01:06 PM | #83 | |
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If you live in Nova Scotia, your weather is closer to Maine and NH than Massachusetts. You should probably have AWD and snow tires if you are not near a city. |
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12-27-2012, 01:31 PM | #84 | |
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12-27-2012, 01:37 PM | #85 |
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I switched when it was consistently below 42-48F outside, so for us in CT, around November (I barely had owned the car when I switched over)...
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12-27-2012, 02:24 PM | #87 | |
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Seems like the local tire company's are going to take another beating (again) this year on winter tire sales.......lucky for the marketing done for the rest of the country where winter tires are actually needed. |
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