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Sedans BMW 3-Series BMW 3-Series AWD - Pros and Cons
74 messages, Last post on Feb 04, 2008 at 4:16 PM
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| I'm considering buying a 330i and hesitate only for the lack of AWD. I've heard competing things about AWD in this car. On the one hand I've heard that it really does enhance traction in the 2-3 months/year when there's sometimes snow on the ground (New Jersey). On the other hand, some seem to think it's overrated for improving traction and actually contributes to poorer performance in normal driving conditions. My current car is a 1999 Honda Accord and I'm perfectly happy with it's snowy-weather performance. Any advice appreciated. | |
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Replying to: aschribe (Aug 06, 2006 10:04 am)
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Replying to: aschribe (Aug 06, 2006 10:04 am)
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Replying to: dave330i (Aug 07, 2006 5:47 pm) i'm from NJ and i've had a 2001 330xi and a 325ci .. while the 330xi did give some extra traction, with its V rated all-seasons, stopping performance in the snow was poor, especially downhill with my 325ci, i had a set of sport tires on it for most of the year with snow tires on it during the winter.. the snows were enough to get me around in my daily driver, and it stopped much better than the 330xi, something that depends on your tires, not the drivetrain while the 330xi would give you some added traction, i still felt that it needed snow tires to fully utilize the awd system; during the rest of the year, handling wasn't like the 325ci.. the 330xi certainly handled well, but the 325ci was more fun; the extra 150-200 lbs in the 330xi also slowed it down a bit.. IMO, get the 330 with sport package (sport tires sport suspension) and buy yourself a set of snow tires..
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Replying to: dsurti (Aug 11, 2006 11:35 am) IMO, get the 330 with sport package (sport tires sport suspension) and buy yourself a set of snow tires.. The 2006 330xi SP does not alter the stock suspension but I have one and it handles phenominally...drove a 330i standard suspension and my car felt more planted. |
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Replying to: aschribe (Aug 06, 2006 10:04 am) abfisch |
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Many years ago, I switched from RWD to FWD based on driving experiences in the Washington DC metro area and weekend journeys to mid Atlantic ski resorts. Around here, ice, sleet and freezing rain pose a real problem. Everything else being equal, I found FWD much more reassuring for me than RWD on icy roads, and less worrisome than RWD on snow covered roads; e.g., when the drive wheels on FWD lose traction, the rear end does not kick sideways. For many years, I never considered owning a BMW becasue they were RWD. I understand the advantages of RWD, and am not saying RWD is bad. But I only have one car and want to use it all year long in any condition, so for my own preferences and priorities, RWD is not a good choice for me. When I started looking for a new car circa 2003, I initially focused on the Acura TL. But then I read how the TL is fine up to a point, but beyond that point the FWD was a limiting factor, so I considered the G35x, but did not like the interior at all. I looked at the Audi A4 quatro, but then started reading about the BMW 330Xi which supposedly retained the feel of a RWD sports sedan in an AWD configuration. I test drove a previously ownded 330Xi and I was immediately sold. We bought a pair of 2001 330Xis, one for my wfe and one for myself. They had summer tires, and on several occasions I ran into problems on snowy / icy roads, so AWD by itself is not a panacea. But, there were a couple of critical times where I was able to maneuver the car out of trouble with the AWD, and do not think I could have done that with RWD, so I am a big fan of AWD. We started having trouble with the 2001 330Xis after the original warranty expired, and I did not buy an extended warranty when I purchased the cars. So, in January of this year we decided to trade both of them in for new models with new warranties. I liked what I read about the new X drive AWD, and we bought an X3 for my wife and a 330Xi for myself. We both love the sportiness of driving these vehicles combined with what we consider the reassurance of AWD. YMMV Bruce
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I have decided that AWD is a good feature to have if you live in areas with a snowy/icy winter. My question is quite simple. Do any of you have any opinion on which wagon (BMW AWD or Audi Quattro) is the better all around year long family car? Driving conditions will be through the heat of summer and extreme cold and snow of winter. Any experiences or thoughts?
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Replying to: sox_443 (Sep 23, 2006 9:19 am) |
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Replying to: bruceomega (Sep 23, 2006 8:58 am) |
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