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[harrington]

And you should be fine. The salesman was awesome and spent nearly an hour answering all my questions then tossed me the keys on a 2008 335i Coupe 6-speed manual and told me to take her out for an hour or so and have some fun. He said he has a 335i with four snows and gets around just fine in the winter. He said why pay extra for xdrive if you don't really want it. Now I'm confused again!!

[DenverJayhawk]

Your salesperson was right on the money. I live in Denver and I have several friends with 330i (rwd only) that get along just perfectly in the winter with winter performance tires and DTC enabled. I'm going to get winter tires this fall for my 330i as well. IMO, it's not worth the money for awd or idrive when both can be achieved much more affordably with better designs. The only commitment is you have to find a place for storage in non winter months. But switching tires is a piece of cake and shouldn't take more than 15 mins. Plus, I think if you're a true driving enthusiast, you'll enjoy RWD more.

[DenverJayhawk]

Just another thought, but multiple car magazines such as C&D have said rwd with dedicated winter tires outperforms awd with all season tires. Plus, if you get the sport package (which i highly recommend), it'll come with dedicated summer tires meaning you'll want to switch to winter tires anyway, even with AWD.

[AndreyATC]

335i here
Car with winter tires felt like tank last winter (i have winter sport tires)
Very solid on slippery snow conditions, much better than my FX45 with its AWD and all-seasons.

[i2iSTUDIOS]

My E46 with snow tires were so frick'n awesome! you can pivot the car through corners it's just great! Though I think an Xi with snow tires will out perform an i with snow tires.

[DenverJayhawk]

Originally Posted by i2iSTUDIOS

My E46 with snow tires were so frick'n awesome! you can pivot the car through corners it's just great! Though I think an Xi with snow tires will out perform an i with snow tires.

Agreed. Best combination is Xi with snows. But if you're getting winter tires anyway, then save some cash and just buy the i.

[nicknaz]

yes, I agree RWD with snow tires is better than AWD with all season tires by a long shot.

However, AWD + snow tires is an awesome combo that will really minimize your chances of getting stuck.

If both cars have snow tires, you'll see the biggest difference when trying to climb a snowy/icy incline. braking and steady state turning are not impacted by the drivetrain.. just accelerating.

Personally, if you don't drive up many inclines (ie your driveway and road to your house is flat), get the i not the xi. If you're driveway/road is inclined, xi for sure

[SPACEMANRICK]

No doubt an XI with snows will outperform an I with snows in the snow and ice and an I with snows will outperform an XI with all seasons.

Something else to consider though is driving in the rain (I live in Vancouver), I could easily have my old 2006 330i break traction (especially around a corner or going up hill) while it is very hard to do this in my 2008 335xi. I went for a drive last night and the roads were wet, I floored my 335xi from a stop and no tire spin just instant traction I would imagine the 335i would have even more problems with traction from a stop on wet roads than my old 330i.

[AJMD]

I had the same dilema about a year ago. I got the 335xi with sport package - the 17 inch run-flat allseason tires are more than adequate. I never got stuck once and it drove great in inclement weather. In addition, when snow melts often in the middle of winter, I had no worries of screwing up snow tires on dry pavement or had no worries driving fast over recommended speed limits of tires if I had snow tires....so, instead of snow tires, I opted for 19 inch performance tires for the summer.

[DenverJayhawk]

Originally Posted by SPACEMANRICK

No doubt an XI with snows will outperform an I with snows in the snow and ice and an I with snows will outperform an XI with all seasons.

Something else to consider though is driving in the rain (I live in Vancouver), I could easily have my old 2006 330i break traction (especially around a corner or going up hill) while it is very hard to do this in my 2008 335xi. I went for a drive last night and the roads were wet, I floored my 335xi from a stop and no tire spin just instant traction I would imagine the 335i would have even more problems with traction from a stop on wet roads than my old 330i.

Good thought. But wouldn't DTC jump and minimize loss of traction?

[richardew]

allseason tires = mediocre in the summer, mediocre(at best) in the winter.

Since moving back to Phila in '04, I have been running Blizzaks on my FX45 and 911 C4 Cab. I'll be getting a pair form my 335 XI soon. RWD and blizzaks is O'K if you have a LSD. I believe that the 335i and 328i have open differentials. When it gets slick, the wheel with the least grip is getting the torque. Not what you want.

[methodtim]

The only true answer to this thread is: move to California. kthxbye!

[ArmyBimmerDude]

Dude you live in Buffalo, get the XI. Isn't the weather always crappy there?

[ATSR]

The 335 with snows will be perfectly ok, but the xi can get you in and out of places that you would never even attempt unless you had a Land Rover.
In my case, since I was going to the mountains (in Colorado) every weekend during the ski season, the xi was a no brainer.
I still put snow tires on, but you should see the places that my car was able to go through. Uphill, down hill, deep snow, whatever. The car is awesome in any conditions.
I also LOVE the way the car launches off the line (dry, wet, snow, mud, dirt, etc). There are very few cars than can keep with you (specially after modding your car ).

Either way, you are getting a fantastic automobile

[AWD Addict]

OP, I think you got bad advice. I see more RWD BMWs spun out and into trees around Boston than any other car.

SUVs seem to be a close second place.

Nothing beats AWD in the snow for safety and security. RWD is the absolute worst platform for slippery conditions, especially in a car with the power the e9x has.

Originally Posted by Nick Nazareno

yes, I agree RWD with snow tires is better than AWD with all season tires by a long shot.

Not in the cars I've driven. In fact, it's the exact opposite. RWD with snows is still RWD. It's spinout city from a start, and lots of lateral sliding while rolling. With AWD, throttle control will save you from a slip or slide every time. In RWD, throttle control will more likely land you into a drainage ditch on the side of the road facing the wrong way.

[richardew]

In addition, when snow melts often in the middle of winter, I had no worries of screwing up snow tires on dry pavement or had no worries driving fast over recommended speed limits of tires if I had snow tires....so, instead of snow tires, I opted for 19 inch performance tires for the summer.

My 911 Blizzaks are V rated. They aren't snow tires but winter tires. The rubber on the summer performance tires stays hard and brittle when it's cold out, hence no grip. They need to be hot to grip. The winter tires are made with a rubber compound that stays pliable at lower temperatures, hence better cold weather grip. When it's cold and dry, your winter tires don't wear out faster, they just grip better.

The big problem with winter and inclement weather driving is all the folks out there with SUVs/AWD/all season tires. They think AWD makes them stop better (it doesn't) and steer better (NOT). It just helps them to go faster that they should.

[AWD Addict]

Originally Posted by richardew

My 911 Blizzaks are V rated. They aren't snow tires but winter tires. The rubber on the summer performance tires stays hard and brittle when it's cold out, hence no grip. They need to be hot to grip. The winter tires are made with a rubber compound that stays pliable at lower temperatures, hence better cold weather grip. When it's cold and dry, your winter tires don't wear out faster, they just grip better.

The big problem with winter and inclement weather driving is all the folks out there with SUVs/AWD/all season tires. They think AWD makes them stop better (it doesn't) and steer better (NOT). It just helps them to go faster that they should.

AWD doesn't help steering? You don't think having drive through the steering wheels in a slide is a positive?

Stopping is all about tires. In every other driving circumstance, from start up, cornering, at speed, slowing, downshifting, going up hill, going down hill, changing lanes, pulling out of parking spaces etc etc etc - AWD is going to provide massive improvements in snow, ice and even wet conditions.

Don't fall into the trap of the usual RWD BMW driver that says "stopping is all about tires." No shit. What about the other thousand things I need my car to do when it snows?

[DenverJayhawk]

Sorry man, but richardew is correct. AWD does not help you steer better. I have awd in the SUV and while the start up grip from a standing start is terrific, it in no way helps you steer better once up to speed.

[AWD Addict]

Comparing an SUV to this car is like comparing apples to dumptrucks.


Anyone who tells you that having drive on the wheels that steer doesn't help in slippery conditions shouldn't be giving advice on the matter. The controlling wheels do a better job when they can apply power.


Seriously, is today backwards day? LESS GRIP IS BETTER WHEN IT'S SLIPPERY OUT!

[raceyBMW]

Originally Posted by AWD Addict

OP, I think you got bad advice. I see more RWD BMWs spun out and into trees around Boston than any other car.

SUVs seem to be a close second place.

Nothing beats AWD in the snow for safety and security. RWD is the absolute worst platform for slippery conditions, especially in a car with the power the e9x has.



Not in the cars I've driven. In fact, it's the exact opposite. RWD with snows is still RWD. It's spinout city from a start, and lots of lateral sliding while rolling. With AWD, throttle control will save you from a slip or slide every time. In RWD, throttle control will more likely land you into a drainage ditch on the side of the road.

Do you know if those RWD cars had snows on them? Yes, a RWD car with crappy tires will get you everytime.

My daily drivers in the winter for the last 6 years have been RWD BMW's with snows. Right now I have a '94 530i with Dunlop Wintersport M3's on, and that thing is a beast in the snow. AWD with snows will be better than RWD with snows, but RWD with snows is better than AWD with A/S tires IMO.

Plus in the summer, your RWD car will be ~200lbs lighter than and XI and get better gas mileage. IMO you can't go wrong either way, but personally I would always take the RWD with snows because in the Summer, I will still have RWD

[DenverJayhawk]

Originally Posted by AWD Addict

Comparing an SUV to this car is like comparing apples to dumptrucks.


Anyone who tells you that having drive on the wheels that steer doesn't help in slippery conditions shouldn't be giving advice on the matter.

There's no doubt that awd is preferrable in winter conditions. But to the OPs question, in most winter conditions (even in Colorado where I'll argue we get more snow than in Boston), rwd with winter tires is a perfectly fine alternative to the Xi and IMO, more fun in the summer.

[AWD Addict]

Originally Posted by raceyBMW

Do you know if those RWD cars had snows on them? Yes, a RWD car with crappy tires will get you everytime.

BMWs with snows. Even in sand, the RWD was unstable. If I lived in SoCal, I'd be in RWD all day. If it snows for 4+ months out of the year, AWD is a must. Most people up here garage their RWD cars in the winter.

Originally Posted by raceyBMW

Plus in the summer, your RWD car will be ~200lbs lighter than and XI and get better gas mileage. IMO you can't go wrong either way, but personally I would always take the RWD with snows because in the Summer, I will still have RWD

I didn't buy a $50,000 car for gas mileage. If I wanted good mileage, I'd gave gotten a Prius. Safety is far more of a concern of mine than a couple bucks a month in gas. It's all climate based IMO. Suggesting that someone who basically lives in Canada should buy RWD over AWD seems criminal to me. My guess is the guy didn't have an AWD car on the lot or something, and wanted to push a sale. I'd take a FWD car ALL DAY over a RWD car in the snow/ice, never mind AWD.

Plus, using a sales associate for basis in "fact" is laughable. I could write a book on lies and untruths told from SAs.