[5mall5nail5]

Hey guys - this past Thursday it snowed/iced for us in SE PA. I have been driving E34s for years and years. Traded in (lol) a '95 525i 5 speed manual with a 40% LSD + ASC+T which did pretty well in the snow on a 2015 328i RWD.

I was prepared for a slight bummer knowing that my F30 328i would have an open differential and ZF 8HP AT. However, it's amazing what 20+ years of technology can do! Firstly, the ZF 8HP is fantastic. Now my wife can drive the car if needed. I have the sport transmission option and it shifts really nicely for spirited driving which keeps me occupied and entertained.

But then it snowed. Bad. It caught everyone off guard in the area. They prepped the roads expecting some sleet but it turned out to be 3 - 5" of snow + ice:



I saw X3s and X5s and the occasional F30 out... all xDrive. I worried - took an 1.5 hrs to go 7 miles home form work. I test drove an xDrive 328 when I purchased my RWD, but I just didn't like how heavy the steering was and how it felt overall. I really liked the RWD and how it had that "BMW" driving feel I was used to. We have a '15 X1 M Sport so I am familiar with how well xDrive works... but, I just liked the sportiness of RWD especially since that's what I was coming from.

Turns out - BMW made the 328i RWD pretty damned capable! Where my former 525i would slip the wheels a bit (even with LSD) and then traction would start cutting power, the F30 behaved as if it knew what the surface was before letting a wheel slip.

There were some long, gradual uphill grades in my commute that used to fear stopping on. The F30 took it with ease in comfort mode. I stopped on some pretty decent long grades and the F30 started moving from a stop no problem. I could get it to slide intentionally, but in comfort mode from a stop it just felt really confident.

I know xDrive is better in these conditions, but I just wanted to give my testimony of how RWD got me home just fine!

[Solidjake]

Makes me want to take my car out in a blizzard with the snow shoes on haha.

[5mall5nail5]

Originally Posted by Solidjake

Makes me want to take my car out in a blizzard with the snow shoes on haha.

haha yeah snows make a huge difference too - I am on the pirelli run flats. I'm not saying I want to go on an expedition in this thing... but I am glad it wasn't as useless as I thought it might be!

[Sea-Tac]

Interesting story. Seriously, though, don't press your luck when it comes to snow and ice. You're RWD made it this time and that is good. Just keep in mind it is all about traction on slippery surfaces and that equates to what you have making contact with the roads -- tires!. A good snow/ice tire is worth its weight in gold. Up here in the PNW Blizzaks and Haka's are the go to tire for ice and snow driving. Good luck...stay safe.

[vooonoo]

You're lucky it wasn't in the teens/ single digits once it gets to that temp your runflats are going to turn to rocks and slide all over. Stay safe

[Logicoeur]

I have xdrive and can't wait to get rid of these RFT

[5mall5nail5]

Originally Posted by Sea-Tac

Interesting story. Seriously, though, don't press your luck when it comes to snow and ice. You're RWD made it this time and that is good. Just keep in mind it is all about traction on slippery surfaces and that equates to what you have making contact with the roads -- tires!. A good snow/ice tire is worth its weight in gold. Up here in the PNW Blizzaks and Haka's are the go to tire for ice and snow driving. Good luck...stay safe.

For sure - I've been driving BMWs for eons now, all RWD. My wife has an X1 M Sport so its 80/20 rear wheel bias so while it helps its still mostly RWD.

I may invest in snow tires when I get wheels for my 328 - I really like HRE FF01 or BBS CH-R, so if I do that, I'll replace the RFTs with blizzaks or hakka's

Originally Posted by vooonoo

You're lucky it wasn't in the teens/ single digits once it gets to that temp your runflats are going to turn to rocks and slide all over. Stay safe

When it's single digits everything is rocks lol - I am just saying coming from a more basic RWD BMW (with ASC+T) and LSD (built 40% lock up) the F30 did SO much better.

Originally Posted by Logicoeur

I have xdrive and can't wait to get rid of these RFT

When I bought my car (and wifes X1) I purchased 5 years of the full vehicle protection stuff. So, they cover the tires, wheels, paint, windshield, and key fobs. I believe it also pays for tow should I get a flat, so yeah, when I get new wheels I'll do some proper summer tires and then snows on the stockers.

[IK6SPEED]

Originally Posted by 5mall5nail5

Hey guys - this past Thursday it snowed/iced for us in SE PA. I have been driving E34s for years and years. Traded in (lol) a '95 525i 5 speed manual with a 40% LSD + ASC+T which did pretty well in the snow on a 2015 328i RWD.

I was prepared for a slight bummer knowing that my F30 328i would have an open differential and ZF 8HP AT. However, it's amazing what 20+ years of technology can do! Firstly, the ZF 8HP is fantastic. Now my wife can drive the car if needed. I have the sport transmission option and it shifts really nicely for spirited driving which keeps me occupied and entertained.

But then it snowed. Bad. It caught everyone off guard in the area. They prepped the roads expecting some sleet but it turned out to be 3 - 5" of snow + ice:



I saw X3s and X5s and the occasional F30 out... all xDrive. I worried - took an 1.5 hrs to go 7 miles home form work. I test drove an xDrive 328 when I purchased my RWD, but I just didn't like how heavy the steering was and how it felt overall. I really liked the RWD and how it had that "BMW" driving feel I was used to. We have a '15 X1 M Sport so I am familiar with how well xDrive works... but, I just liked the sportiness of RWD especially since that's what I was coming from.

Turns out - BMW made the 328i RWD pretty damned capable! Where my former 525i would slip the wheels a bit (even with LSD) and then traction would start cutting power, the F30 behaved as if it knew what the surface was before letting a wheel slip.

There were some long, gradual uphill grades in my commute that used to fear stopping on. The F30 took it with ease in comfort mode. I stopped on some pretty decent long grades and the F30 started moving from a stop no problem. I could get it to slide intentionally, but in comfort mode from a stop it just felt really confident.

I know xDrive is better in these conditions, but I just wanted to give my testimony of how RWD got me home just fine!

You do not state:

1) 18” or 19”
2) Staggered or Square
3) Summer or All Season
4) Tread Depth

All these have an impact on the driving ability....not to mention wet snow or dry snow...and if there is ice under the snow on the road (as they prepped roads, probably not).

Bottom line, what worked for you this week might not work for your next month.

Just don’t get over confident because of this one experience.

Be safe.

[5mall5nail5]

Originally Posted by IK6SPEED

You do not state:

1) 18” or 19”
2) Staggered or Square
3) Summer or All Season
4) Tread Depth

All these have an impact on the driving ability....not to mention wet snow or dry snow...and if there is ice under the snow on the road (as they prepped roads, probably not).

Bottom line, what worked for you this week might not work for your next month.

Just don’t get over confident because of this one experience.

Be safe.

1) 18" 397's with Pirelli RFTs
2) Square
3) All season
4) 5/32"

I've lived in SE PA all of my life and have grown up with snow storms - driven in plenty. I've been stuck in my '01 LR Discovery II w/ 35" A/Ts.

It's not over-confident - I am a supremely cautious driver in bad weather. My point was just that I was shocked at how not-stuck I got while many other, modern cars were facing the wrong way and stuck on slight inclines.

Again, not saying you're gonna go rock crawling in a RWD F30... but at the same time you won't need two cars unless the stuff gets BAD.

[adhrp]

OP, I remember being similarly very impressed by my 2012 328i RWD when I was caught in a sudden snowstorm in 2015. This was when I still had the Pirelli Cinturato runflats. It performed exceedingly well.

[rjd_F30]

I've had this car for almost 3 years now, and through three NJ/PA winters, it's never let me down (xDrive though). I made a trip up to Lake Placid in February and even on snow-covered/slush-covered roads in single digit temps, I was surprised at how well she did, all on the stock RFT. You've just got to be very mindful of the conditions you're dealing with and the car can take it in stride. Glad to hear you had a similar experience with RWD Like others have said though, always be safe, and it's probably best to stay in if there's snow on the road, but it's nice to know that the car is capable if you must go out.

[Sportstick]

Let's please just not conflate "performing" with moving. Stopping/turning are far more important in those areas at this time of year. Studless winter tires for AWD/FWD/RWD, whatever, are what most improve your chances for you and your car to survive winter.

[sspade]

I ride my 328 all winter long in Tahoe/Reno when Im skiing... which is usually 3 weekends a month... never had an issue.

Continental DWS 06 are an amazing tire.

[5mall5nail5]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

Let's please just not conflate "performing" with moving. Stopping/turning are far more important in those areas at this time of year. Studless winter tires for AWD/FWD/RWD, whatever, are what most improve your chances for you and your car to survive winter.

There is no such thing as "performing" on snow/ice. There is only controllable and uncontrollable. If I can steer the car, that is controllable - no studded ice tires here. I don't need to pull firewood up hills in the snow... I just need to get home from work in a very hilly area when it surprise snows 3 - 5". These are luxury sedans after all...

I am merely confessing how surprised I was to not have an issue. Last year when I still had my E34 w/ LSD I had to help push a newer C300 up the same hill I went up (without issue). This year, same commute, my 328 stopped on the very same hill and had no problems that the C300 had.

Again, please don't read into this - I am merely surprised how well modern RWD, open-diff cars do today.

[donkey]

Originally Posted by 5mall5nail5

There is no such thing as "performing" on snow/ice. There is only controllable and uncontrollable. If I can steer the car, that is controllable - no studded ice tires here. I don't need to pull firewood up hills in the snow... I just need to get home from work in a very hilly area when it surprise snows 3 - 5". These are luxury sedans after all...

I am merely confessing how surprised I was to not have an issue. Last year when I still had my E34 w/ LSD I had to help push a newer C300 up the same hill I went up (without issue). This year, same commute, my 328 stopped on the very same hill and had no problems that the C300 had.

Again, please don't read into this - I am merely surprised how well modern RWD, open-diff cars do today.

I know quite a few people with modern, RWD (even AWD), open-diff BMWs who refused to put dedicated snow tires on here in SE PA and ended up spinning out or getting stuck.

A lot of us on the forums call all-seasons no-seasons, because they don't really do well in any season.

You're RWD. Do yourself a favor, get a dedicated set of non-RFT summer tires and winter tires. The difference is night and day.

[5mall5nail5]

Originally Posted by donkey

I know quite a few people with modern, RWD (even AWD), open-diff BMWs who refused to put dedicated snow tires on here in SE PA and ended up spinning out or getting stuck.

A lot of us on the forums call all-seasons no-seasons, because they don't really do well in any season.

You're RWD. Do yourself a favor, get a dedicated set of non-RFT summer tires and winter tires. The difference is night and day.

I know. I've had them on the last 4 or 5 BMWs I've owned...but that's not the point I was trying to make here.

[Blubaron79]

Originally Posted by donkey

I know quite a few people with modern, RWD (even AWD), open-diff BMWs who refused to put dedicated snow tires on here in SE PA and ended up spinning out or getting stuck.

A lot of us on the forums call all-seasons no-seasons, because they don't really do well in any season.

You're RWD. Do yourself a favor, get a dedicated set of non-RFT summer tires and winter tires. The difference is night and day.

I used to live where OP did, and doing dedicated sets of both was the best thing I ever did. Now I live in Pittsburgh and it's even better.

[RWD-Fan]

Originally Posted by 5mall5nail5

1) 18" 397's with Pirelli RFTs
2) Square
3) All season
4) 5/32"

I've lived in SE PA all of my life and have grown up with snow storms - driven in plenty. I've been stuck in my '01 LR Discovery II w/ 35" A/Ts.

It's not over-confident - I am a supremely cautious driver in bad weather. My point was just that I was shocked at how not-stuck I got while many other, modern cars were facing the wrong way and stuck on slight inclines.

Again, not saying you're gonna go rock crawling in a RWD F30... but at the same time you won't need two cars unless the stuff gets BAD.

I know what you are refering to. On my F30 I was also impressed. Many people told me that RWD is not possible when snow.

However on 18 (squared) with propper winter tires the F30 RWD is doing good. I am not saying that one should drive like "crazy". Always carefull in these conditions.BUT the F30 RWD is quite capable

[5mall5nail5]

Originally Posted by RWD-Fan

I know what you are refering to. On my F30 I was also impressed. Many people told me that RWD is not possible when snow.

However on 18 (squared) with propper winter tires the F30 RWD is doing good. I am not saying that one should drive like "crazy". Always carefull in these conditions.BUT the F30 RWD is quite capable

Yep agree. I haven't actually ever owned an open-diff RWD BMW before. Every car I had (a bunch now) I either swapped an LSD in without ever trying or it had xDrive/iX.

[BEAR-AvHistory]

Sounds like a lot of you guys are pretty young. How do you think the world managed before the 2000's when AWD became somewhat common on passenger cars.

[MacklinUSOB]

Originally Posted by BEAR-AvHistory

Sounds like a lot of you guys are pretty young. How do you think the world managed before the 2000's when AWD became somewhat common on passenger cars.

Exactly, these days almost everything has AWD available. Back in the mid-90's most pickups and SUV's were sold with 2WD. Years ago you needed throttle discipline and good tires to accelerate, today good tires and dynamic mode.

[rjd_F30]

Originally Posted by BEAR-AvHistory

Sounds like a lot of you guys are pretty young. How do you think the world managed before the 2000's when AWD became somewhat common on passenger cars.

Excellent point. Not sure why OP is getting lectured on why winter tires are important, how to drive in the snow etc. etc. when all he was saying is that he was happy with how his car did in the snow, but you bring up a good point. Lots of people stress AWD/4WD being a necessity in the winter, but it's really not, as you alluded to. Even though I was 2 in Y2K