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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > BMW E90/E92/E93 3-series General Forums > General E90 Sedan / E91 Wagon / E92 Coupe / E93 Cabrio > 330i in the Snow



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      04-19-2005, 05:57 PM   #1
Wildcat Jon
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330i in the Snow

For any RWD bimmer owners, I'm struggling with getting the 330i with all seasons or waiting until the fall for the 330xi. I really don't want the sport pkg or to swap out for winter tires, so want to know from those who have to drive their RWD cars non-snow tires 10-15 days a year how a bimmer so equipped will handle. Thx.
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      04-19-2005, 06:06 PM   #2
Autobahn
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Hi Jon. How much snow are you talking about for those 10-15 days?
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      05-18-2005, 04:05 PM   #3
1stbimmer2
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snow in Boston

I too am looking to get the 330xi. But it looks like I would need to wait until October 2005 or so to get it. How does the 330i compare with the 330xi in the snow? I live in Boston, MA so we get a fair amount of snow. Should I go with the 330i or wait for the 330xi?
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      05-18-2005, 04:13 PM   #4
wannabe
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1stbimmer, wait for 330xi because it will be safer. Plus you can save up more money for your down payment.
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      05-18-2005, 04:19 PM   #5
deutschmann59
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Here's some useful info from an older post.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=293
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      05-18-2005, 04:50 PM   #6
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down payment

wannabe, you're right about the down payment part. That was what I was thinking as well. The thing is I am giving my Mini Cooper to my mom in July, so that means I will need to take public transportation to go to work until the 330xi comes out.... It isn't too bad since the commute is only 30min, and it would be summer.

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Originally Posted by wannabe
1stbimmer, wait for 330xi because it will be safer. Plus you can save up more money for your down payment.
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      05-18-2005, 05:46 PM   #7
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I've had an e46 and it drove perfectly in heavy snow. Remember that most people in europe who get a ton of snow and still drive RWD cars. You just have to be careful, that's all.
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      05-18-2005, 06:39 PM   #8
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If you live in MA, a set of good snow tires will get you through the winter no problem. I live in RI and have friends who've had e46's and they are awesome in the snow with snow tires. Personally I wouldn't rely on all seasons in the snow. I'd take a RWD 3 series with blizzak snow tires over an AWD with all season tires. Most of the problem in driving in moderate snow isn't from not having power to all wheels, but from the tires just not being able to grip properly. I say save yourself the extra money you'd spend on the xi, buy a set of snow tires/steel wheels and be done with it. Plus you won't have to wait until the fall to get an E90! :rocks:
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      05-18-2005, 08:17 PM   #9
garymazeffa
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No doubt about it, I am waiting for the x drive. Snow Smow 7days or 40... all it takes is one bad day and that is it. The cost and time to put snow tires on the back is just not worth it. Plus it does change the handling a bit. The new x drive will put 100% of the power to the rear until you need some juice elsewhere. I personally think the car drives and feels better with the x vs without.
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      05-19-2005, 01:13 AM   #10
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Just get the rwd 330i, with wintertyres it'll do good in the worst snowy situations anyway, hence a 330i E46/M3 E46 and 120d I used in very heavy snowfall(like half a meter of snow falling in 24 hours)

330iX is nice but it's just not a 'real BMW'
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      05-19-2005, 04:44 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ogrady
If you live in MA, a set of good snow tires will get you through the winter no problem. <snip>
I absolutely agree. For the last seven years we've driven a 323is and a Corvette in Massachusetts. We like to have excellent handling when the weather is good, so we use excellent summer tires in the summer.

Such tires will go nowhere in moist snow conditions, so we use winter tires on both during the snow season. That way we get the best of both worlds. IMHO, "all season" tires are optimum in no season .

The 323 is used a lot. 134,000+ miles so far. It's our winter workhorse, has the Sport pack and has never got stuck (except when I delayed fitting the winter wheels for a day longer than I should last year : ).

Again, IMHO, the rubber you apply to the road is FAR more important than all-wheel drive. Also, the ability to STOP is far more important than the ability to GO.

We just ordered our 330i (Cold, Premium, Sports) and did not think twice about waiting for the xi.

PS added: I think that the "Ultimate Driving Machine" should have the "ultimate grip rubber". To me, an "all weather" tire is a mediocre compromise, that is not ideal for either summer or winter. Why buy a superb car and then compromise on fun, performance, safety just to save a twice-yearly job of wheel swapping?

Last edited by johnfkitchen; 05-19-2005 at 05:35 AM.. Reason: Added comment about avoiding mediocrity
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      05-19-2005, 05:04 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by johnfkitchen

Again, IMHO, the rubber you apply to the road is FAR more important than all-wheel drive. Also, the ability to STOP is far more important than the ability to GO.
Exactly my point
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      05-19-2005, 06:18 AM   #13
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There are plenty of 3 and 5 series here in Finland and we get lots of snow For a few months a year the country roads are just packed snow or solid ice (lake roads and roads across the sea are just solid ice) and no one has any trouble, you would think everyone would drive 4wd but there are very few of them. Like someone else wrote good winter tires are the key (studded ones mostly here).

I drove a RWD 1 series in the winter while my car was being serviced - you could feel the back end starting to wiggle if you accelerated too much (it was about -20 and solid ice on the road) but DTC kept it under control.
I think with DTC you'll have no worries, without it the back would be sliding around like on the big older volvo estates.
The problem we have with E90 here in Finland is that there are no good studded run-flat winter tires yet. I'm ordering an E90 (318) soon but i'll get four non-run-flat Nokian studded tires and a can of foam. Friction winter tires would be useless here.

BTW I would hate to have leather or 'leatherette' seats in the winter. Cold leather at -35! happily we have the cloth seats as standard in Europe.
Richard
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      05-19-2005, 06:45 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by riku
<snip>
BTW I would hate to have leather or 'leatherette' seats in the winter. Cold leather at -35! happily we have the cloth seats as standard in Europe.
Richard
I'm very happy to report that the heated seats in the E90 are very, very fast. Heat arrives in seconds! Our 98 323 is fine, but the new 330 is nothing short of amazing. John
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