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Sedans Luxury Performance Sedans
10007 messages, Last post on Dec 01, 2009 at 7:40 AM
You are in the Sedans Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
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There are plenty of places to find information that will be supportive of your decision to go with the AWD version. My points have been directed as a discussion about the majority of folks (who probably never participate on such forums) who refuse to use seasonal tires. I agree that seasonal tires on 2WD and AWD cars are THE BEST way to go. My buddies at Audi told me that THE reason the AUDI USA configurator now has plus size wheels and tires WITH UHP All Season tire offerings were due to the fact that Audi (and many others) brought their cars to the US with "summer only" tires -- because they could not imagine why anyone wouldn't change to winter tires just as they change from summer clothes to winter clothes. They didn't know about us 'mericans. So, Audi USA got its way and persuaded Audi AG to bring cars to the US with "compromise" tires -- UHP A/S's -- coupled with quattro, they reasoned, this beat virtually all others for year round drivability. I cannot argue for NOT changing tires. Here in Cincinnati (very mild winters precip wise) I can use A/S tires on a quattro and if I am nuts enough to pay $250 per tire for a Pilot Sport A/S tire, I get a darn good approximation of a UHP seasonal tire (that season being summer), and still have a decent chance of "going in the white stuff" 99% of the time. The fact that I know better is neither meant to boast nor excuse my behavior. The fact is that most of us American drivers just keep the same set of tires on year round UNLESS we are forced by circumstances to do otherwise. Given that this behavior is commonplace, AWD does reduce the chances of being unable to go in the snow considerably. However, the post commenting "until you have to stop" is dead on accurate. AWD probably will not help you stop -- it may, however, help you "avoid" an unpleasant outcome to a "stupid attack" (your's, someone else's or mother nature's). Overall AWD is probably a more prudent choice (especially for one-tire-American drivers). Those of you who do change your tires based on the season are the smart ones -- the rest of us ought to, but we probably won't. I am not suggesting AWD equipped LPS cars will be invulnerable to the slick seasons. I am suggesting that given our proclivities as drivers and car owners here in the US, that AWD is a more traction friendly choice.
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Well I was wondering how long it would take for all the complaining to start with the new M. Sure enough-all sorts of unexplained noises that the company has to send engineers to investigate. One guy getting only 15 mpg in his M35, a rear tire blowing out after only 2 weeks and so on, ad nauseum. No wonder I don't see any M's. They're all parked at the gas station! Sign me, Very happy with my BMW in Florida. (No noises and no blowouts after 3 great years and a sweet 26 mpg) |
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| I dont think you made a bad choice. AWD is very useful in a lot of conditions such as rain or gravel where snow tires arent really going to help. There's a reason WRC cars are AWD. Also, while AWD may not necessarily help if your just holding the brake pedal, having two extra drive wheels would allow the car's stability system to do things that a 2WD car simply cant do. | |
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Replying to: hpowders (May 05, 2005 2:56 pm) Don't get too excited though. Thunderstorm season (aka 'summer' in FL) will roll in and fill your days with obscene humidity and daily downpours. Renowned BMW reliability, I'm sure, has had you in the shop on at least a few occasioins. Hey - IIRC you once posted that the M's driver's seat provided no place for you to place your left foot. I think about it every time I comfortably set my left foot on the sloping platform designed for just that. Enjoy the bimmer. And the sun. |
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Replying to: richcream (May 05, 2005 3:12 pm) Well I've had 2 325i's since 1993 and neither has been in the shop except for regular maintenance. I would not take a chance on the 5 series, however. I think there's a lot of bad news there. Let me tell ya, there is no other car I would rather be driving in a torrential downpour than a BMW 3 series. It takes curves like it is glued to the road. I don't know the physics of it. I just drive 'em and admire 'em. Funny about that left foot thing because otherwise, there was enough legroom in the M. Maybe I was leaning too far left in the seat to try and get away from the seemingly desperate, aggressive, obnoxious salesguy. What some of us have to endure for a lousy 10 minute test drive! |
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Replying to: richcream (May 05, 2005 3:12 pm) Yeah, renowned BMW reliability has had mine in the shop also on a few occasions. Five times in over three years (including scheduled maintenance) to be exact. 
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Replying to: kdshapiro (May 05, 2005 3:41 pm) To avoid the censor's wrath, I have tried the 545 but nothing except probably a Porsche handles as well as the 3 series. It's just the perfect marriage of size and physics. |
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Replying to: markcincinnati (May 05, 2005 9:46 am) I agree totally. Especially if you live in an area that doesn't get all that much snow, or don't have a place to store snow tires. |
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Replying to: richcream (May 05, 2005 3:12 pm) I can play golf all year round. Tell me it's not hot and humid where you live in the summer. Down here AWD is unheard of. No M35's down here have it.
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Replying to: lexusguy (May 04, 2005 11:21 pm) I intend to keep the Subies. The question is whether I will, as in the past, also buy a more expensive car for touring. I used the Subies as examples because that is what I had on hand for back-to-back comparison drives over the same test route. I cannot be the first person to ask the question: "How much better are the $40 to $50 K cars than those a tier or two down?" You asked what about the G35 and A4? I drove the G35x before I bought the Legacy GT. The G35 simply does not have enough cargo capacity for our long distance travel, but based on the magazine reviews it was the first thing I looked at to replace my WRX. However, the AWD version is available only with auto. (A big minus.) And, I found the drop throttle oversteer scary. I took my foot off the accelerator rounding a gentle curve at 60mph on a smooth, dry road and the rear just let go! I drove SCCA rallies in my youth, and caught it instinctively -- but the car rocked on its suspension. It was not tidy. Where is the stability control? Had my wife been driving, or if it had been a wet road, it would have been really scary. CR said that it got similar behavior from its (auto) Legacy GT. We have tried hard to replicate this on our manual car so we would know what to expect. But all I have ever gotten is a nice, easily controlled 4 wheel drift on an icy road. Yes, the GT does not have electronic stability control, but the full time AWD is amazingly effective. It never has those momentary delays and adjustments that so many of the "switch to AWD after the wheels start to slip" systems have. A4? Performance, ride and dynamics not as good as the GT (with its tire upgrade) as a sports sedan. Too small for a touring car. My question remains: it seems to me that the manufacturers are really closing the dynamic gap between the $30,000 cars and the $50,000 cars. They are throwing more and more electronics into the more expensive cars to justify the price difference, but I am not convinced that this makes the driving experience that much better -- or that much safer. |
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