[mashimarho]

How much advantage do you get with AWD?
I'm a future BMW owner looking for an e92. I live in MI, soo.. there's quite a bit of snow in the winter. I am going to buy this for my daily driver. I knoe the 335i is a RWD. I've heard both opinions on rear wheel with blizzaks snow tires... Does that REALLY work that well in the winter? Otherwise I'm going Xi. It's just too hard and expensive to find a e92 335xi 6mt for under 30k...... practically impossible. So I'm thinking I'm going RWD and snowtires......

sand bags???

Ideas .. thoughts?? worth it?

[gun6slinger9]

I have a Xi with winter's but my friend has the normal 335i with winter's and there has only been one time he had to use traction sand when i didn't. To be honest i wish that i had gotten a 335i instead for summer performance since the normal 335i can get out of 98% of snow situations that the Xi can get with just winter's.

[jeffmas1587]

Hands down AWD will always win in the snow. RWD might be ok but it is common knowledge AWD is best. putting snow tires on a rwd makes the rwd a little bit better but is still way behind AWD.

[02themax]

XI is worth it if you get ALOT of snow! There's usually 2-3 days a year I wish I had the x but after that I'm happy I didn't. Good snows are a must on these cars, lsd would help as well. Also the fuel consumption is higher, xi's are heavier and not as fun to drive (unless there's 2 feet of snow on the ground). Get which one you feel would work best for you.

[mashimarho]

hmm. I guess..
Does weight in the trunk help as well?

[Lexi]

get snow tires and you shouldn't have a big problem. If you still get stuck, put some tire chains on and you will have no problems

[marcel b]

an rwd with wintertires outperforms a xi without. when not with accelerating, for sure with braking and cornering. awd is no excuse for not getting winter tires.
with both snowtires the grip of the awd is quite amazing, especially accellerating up hill. where I would need to switch off dsc and would drove with the ass wiggeling, the 320 xd of my wife drives without any issue at all. eventhpugh we had a lot of snow I got never stuck with my rwd 335. just a bit more working behimd the wheel
the blizak are a crappy tire by the way. take a dunlop or pirelli, preferable non-runflat.

[TheRox]

Originally Posted by mashimarho

How much advantage do you get with AWD?
I'm a future BMW owner looking for an e92. I live in MI, soo.. there's quite a bit of snow in the winter. I am going to buy this for my daily driver. I knoe the 335i is a RWD. I've heard both opinions on rear wheel with blizzaks snow tires... Does that REALLY work that well in the winter? Otherwise I'm going Xi. It's just too hard and expensive to find a e92 335xi 6mt for under 30k...... practically impossible. So I'm thinking I'm going RWD and snowtires......

sand bags???

Ideas .. thoughts?? worth it?

Yup...those of us with AWD 6MT are very few...and prob would hang onto the cars...the only other car with AWD, 300 HP, and 6MT is Audi's S4, and that just came out recently.

So yea, very few around.

I'd wait longer or buy new. A used MT BMW is dangerous, often abused...people tend to run MT's cars in higher rev's...not wait for warmup if they know the car will be dumped.

also a 335 used :s

[33five]

much more advantage if you have snow tires

[markinva]

lol yes AWD does have a huge advantage in the snow- mostly with traction, Traction on an awd car with a/s tires is better than a rwd with snows. Handling, stopping- that would go with the car with winter tires.

Leave it to the bmw forums to try and discredit awd even in snow!

[HPIA4v2]

Originally Posted by mashimarho

How much advantage do you get with AWD?
I'm a future BMW owner looking for an e92. I live in MI, soo.. there's quite a bit of snow in the winter. I am going to buy this for my daily driver. I knoe the 335i is a RWD. I've heard both opinions on rear wheel with blizzaks snow tires... Does that REALLY work that well in the winter? Otherwise I'm going Xi. It's just too hard and expensive to find a e92 335xi 6mt for under 30k...... practically impossible. So I'm thinking I'm going RWD and snowtires......

sand bags???

Ideas .. thoughts?? worth it?

Considering, same driver, similar tire condition no question AWD wins.

If your typical driving route pretty flat and you have space in the garage go ahead get non=AWD car with winter tire set.

[Michael Schott]

I can't add much to what's already said except to repeat that tires are the most important variable in winter traction. With the wrong tires, AWD cannot do its job.

By the way I live in Michigan and have a 328i with the 16" all season tires. In the Detroit area in 3 winters with this car I've never had a problem with lack of traction where I got stuck. I'd be better off with snow tires in the winter but it's not like I live in Northern Michigan or Buffalo, NY.

[jaybird124]

AWD makes a big difference, but tires are the most important choice. A good set of Blizzacs can go a long way in regards to traction.

Plus the tires help with steering and braking. Better mileage too.

[Blubaron79]

My xDrive was unstoppable this winter in the snow w/ A/S tires. It doesn't snow here all the time, so dedicated winters are such a waste for me. I run all seasons in the winter, and summers in the summer.

You also have to know how to drive in the snow. I grew up driving with 2WD in the mountains of PA, so I have a little experience under my belt. Yes, my A/S tires don't stop as well as snows do. You just have to know how to brake; and drive slow!!

The All wheel drive is great in the rain, and also great for good launches.

[TheRox]

Originally Posted by Blubaron79

My xDrive was unstoppable this winter in the snow w/ A/S tires. It doesn't snow here all the time, so dedicated winters are such a waste for me. I run all seasons in the winter, and summers in the summer.

You also have to know how to drive in the snow. I grew up driving with 2WD in the mountains of PA, so I have a little experience under my belt. Yes, my A/S tires don't stop as well as snows do. You just have to know how to brake; and drive slow!!

The All wheel drive is great in the rain, and also great for good launches.

Maybe it don't snow hard in PA.

But here in Canada...it gets heavy. X-drive with winter tires is a must...especially when I drove through 2 snowstorms with confidence (you gotta do what you gotta do)

I'd say go Xdrive if you have a lot of snow...def get winter tires, don't be a hero. There is no such thing as all-season, its BS. If you were french, they'd force you to use winter tires.

XDrive 6 MT is pretty good...though I don't think BMW's 6MT with the CDV is very good period, uptake is so damn slow and uninvolved.

I had RWD with snows as my last car...its def not as safe as AWD with snows. And those times come, when you find yourself in a blizzard.

[thlax]

Originally Posted by TheRox

Yup...those of us with AWD 6MT are very few...and prob would hang onto the cars...the only other car with AWD, 300 HP, and 6MT is Audi's S4, and that just came out recently.

So yea, very few around.

I'd wait longer or buy new. A used MT BMW is dangerous, often abused...people tend to run MT's cars in higher rev's...not wait for warmup if they know the car will be dumped.

also a 335 used :s

I'm with you awd and 6mt! Check sig!

[hubble bubble]

Choosing RWD or AWD is a tradeoff.

AWD will always have better traction, but AWD hoesn't help cornering (unless doing 4-wheel power slides) or braking. 335xi has almost an extra inch of ground clearance compared to a 335i. 335xi with sport package comes with stock springs, while 335i sport package comes with lower (even less ground clearance) and stiffer springs and easily outhandles the 335xi on dry pavement. So, that is the tradeoff - better winter traction or better dry handling.

I drive a 335i and I take it skiing in Rocky Mountains every weekend without any problems. But, if the snow is really deep (more than 6 inches on the highway), I'd probably let my buddy drive in his Tundra.

Either way, you need real snow tires in Michigan winters, not "high performance" snow tires like the Blizzak LM 60 or Dunlop Wintersport, but real snow tires. Blizzak LM-50s have a good reputation but are known for wearing out fast. Count on 2 winters. Michelin Xice are the highest rated by ConsumersReports - I put them on my wife's Accord and they are amazing. I put Nokian Hakkapeliitta R snow tires on my 335i and I LUV them. Not quite as good as the Xice on sheer ice and the first/last 5mph, but better in deep snow and at speed. The head driving instructor for BMW Canada recommended them. Many of the local Subaru guys run Hakkas too.

[TheRox]

Originally Posted by hubble bubble

Choosing RWD or AWD is a tradeoff.

AWD will always have better traction, but AWD hoesn't help cornering (unless doing 4-wheel power slides) or braking. 335xi has almost an extra inch of ground clearance compared to a 335i. 335xi with sport package comes with stock springs, while 335i sport package comes with lower (even less ground clearance) and stiffer springs and easily outhandles the 335xi on dry pavement. So, that is the tradeoff - better winter traction or better dry handling.

I drive a 335i and I take it skiing in Rocky Mountains every weekend without any problems. But, if the snow is really deep (more than 6 inches on the highway), I'd probably let my buddy drive in his Tundra.

Either way, you need real snow tires in Michigan winters, not "high performance" snow tires like the Blizzak LM 60 or Dunlop Wintersport, but real snow tires. Blizzak LM-50s have a good reputation but are known for wearing out fast. Count on 2 winters. Michelin Xice are the highest rated by ConsumersReports - I put them on my wife's Accord and they are amazing. I put Nokian Hakkapeliitta R snow tires on my 335i and I LUV them. Not quite as good as the Xice on sheer ice and the first/last 5mph, but better in deep snow and at speed. The head driving instructor for BMW Canada recommended them. Many of the local Subaru guys run Hakkas too.

+1...no one with AWD BMW will dispute this...BMW AWD is not performance oriented.

Our XDrive cars are still performance cars...but cannot touch RWD sports pckg ( we don't get sport suspension, our cars ARE floaty and softer...but less jarring) in handling and dynamics.

But its at the margins, it is enough to notice...but its also a matter of safety. In heavy winter conditions with snowstorms...XDrive gives more peace of mind and less risk of ending up out of control or in a crash than RWD. Think about this if you have a family and live in those tough snowy areas.

Gotta trade off that porsche-like sports car feeling of RWD BMW + spts pckg for safety. Its all about trade off and relative risk. BTW, the AWD suspension gets softer after 10 000 KM...mine sure did.

Simple as that.

[jeffmas1587]

well hopefully the op is smart enough not to pair an awd car with racing slicks and then drive in the snow. and yes tires play the largest roll in traction. while awd wont help out in breaking, it will help out in turning and acceleration. as someone else said, it is a trade off. i am just speaking from my experience of owning an awd Audi and evo 8 in Denver and driving up the to the mountains every weekend. i don't think i will feel comfortable driving my 335 up their without snow tires. still would take awd if i could.

Originally Posted by Takashi

This is the main reason why I see tons of SUV and Subarus in the ditch during winters.

The drivechain has nothing to do with performance if the tires don't properly grip the road. Don't forget, I almost got T-boned by a Subaru where the woman seems to have forgotten that AWD does not help her car stop faster before approaching an intersection.

If you got good tires and your tires make proper contact with the road, you are in business. If your tires don't grip onto the road properly, you can always figure it out at the body shop or in the ditch.

[Blubaron79]

I used to hate that extra 1 inch of ground clearance, but I love it now. Great for going up steep driveways, and other obstacles.

[Majikthese42]

http://www.caranddriver.com/features...ction_-feature

[Willizm]

I have AWD for Chicago winters and love it. If you want a sportier suspension then there is the KW V3 setup that gives you that sportier look and feel. I have the all seasons and as long as if you aren't a tard and understand the rules of physics then driving in the winter is no problem. I know alot of people say that winter tires are a must even if you have AWD, but come on. I've lived with RWD cars with all seasons tires in winter for the past 30 years. I think I know what you can and can't do with winter conditions. These cars handle great, just remember laws of physics when icy. AWD doesn't help you stop, but winter tires aren't necessary if you have a decent set of all seasons on an AWD car.