Am I putting too much thought into an "xi"?

Tory · 12-18-2010, 05:10 PM

So I have been looking at some upgrades from my current car to a newer one (mainly LCI 328/330) and I have not even looked at a single car other than xi models. I live in Indiana, so the snow here isn't incredibly bad. Sure, we may get a "Winter Storm Warning" and get 6-8 inches maybe TWICE a year, if that. But am I putting too much emphases on the whole xi thing, I mean either way I am getting Winter Tires for my car.

Are AWD really worth it compared to RWD, in Indiana conditions? The annual snowfall in Indiana averages less than 22 in. I just found this online.

The only time I ever plan on taking my car out of state during winter is down south, also, so it's not like I am going to be vacaying to Nunavat in January.

The reason I ask this is because I am watching some 330i with like 30k miles go for pretty disgustingly low prices, ones where I feel as though I should be kicking myself in the ass for not buying it (2008 330i black on black with 37k miles, factory warranty, CPO, MINT, for $19,980).

I guess I am just one of those people who have owned FWD cars their whole life (with all seasons, lol) and am a little iffy when it comes to RWD due to all of the (most likely uninformed) nay-sayers.

So again, am I putting way too much thought into thinking I need an xi for a measly 22 inches of snow a year on average? Or will some Blizzaks or Alpins, etc, do me in just fine on a RWD?

jopa489 · 12-18-2010, 05:18 PM

You will be fine with some snow tires and RWD. Also, there is no such thing as a 330 LCI or MY2008 330. The E90 330i was only sold in MY2006.

Tory · 12-18-2010, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jopa489

You will be fine with some snow tires and RWD. Also, there is no such thing as a 330 LCI or MY2008 330. The E90 330i was only sold in MY2006.

Yeah I was saying LCI 328 OR a 330, wasn't very clear on that.

Yeah I think I am just giving in to all of the people I hear crying "RWD SUCKS IN WINTER!".

Buegie · 12-18-2010, 07:28 PM

I would say skip it. For 20 inches a year on roads that I'm guessing are pretty flat, it's certainly not necessary. I like the xi where I live because the hills can be pretty steep, and we usually get more snow than that

Will335i · 12-18-2010, 07:29 PM

In your situation you will be fine with RWD if you know how to handle it. I'm from IL and the only time I would put my truck in 4wheel drive was to get up a snow pile when I was playing around. I had my 335 in the snow last weekend and it did just fine.

PKumarM3 · 12-18-2010, 07:40 PM

RWD is fine until you wish you had AWD. i dislike the idea of being at mother nature's mercy.

Chriztofor · 12-18-2010, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tory

So I have been looking at some upgrades from my current car to a newer one (mainly LCI 328/330) and I have not even looked at a single car other than xi models. I live in Indiana, so the snow here isn't incredibly bad. Sure, we may get a "Winter Storm Warning" and get 6-8 inches maybe TWICE a year, if that. But am I putting too much emphases on the whole xi thing, I mean either way I am getting Winter Tires for my car.

Are AWD really worth it compared to RWD, in Indiana conditions? The annual snowfall in Indiana averages less than 22 in. I just found this online.

The only time I ever plan on taking my car out of state during winter is down south, also, so it's not like I am going to be vacaying to Nunavat in January.

The reason I ask this is because I am watching some 330i with like 30k miles go for pretty disgustingly low prices, ones where I feel as though I should be kicking myself in the ass for not buying it (2008 330i black on black with 37k miles, factory warranty, CPO, MINT, for $19,980).

I guess I am just one of those people who have owned FWD cars their whole life (with all seasons, lol) and am a little iffy when it comes to RWD due to all of the (most likely uninformed) nay-sayers.

So again, am I putting way too much thought into thinking I need an xi for a measly 22 inches of snow a year on average? Or will some Blizzaks or Alpins, etc, do me in just fine on a RWD?

I am originally from NY and compared to NY, Chicago kicks butt at snow salting and cleanup. I have no problems in the Chicago burbs with my 325i. How is Indiana?

fdriller9 · 12-18-2010, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jopa489

You will be fine with some snow tires and RWD. Also, there is no such thing as a 330 LCI or MY2008 330. The E90 330i was only sold in MY2006.

+1

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tory

Yeah I was saying LCI 328 OR a 330, wasn't very clear on that.

Yeah I think I am just giving in to all of the people I hear crying "RWD SUCKS IN WINTER!".

I bet those people were using all season or summers. Get a good set of winter tires and you'll be fine with an i.

You know I was at the dealer yesterday to pick oil and some other parts.....I left the damn oil at the dealer after paying.

Good thing I have an appointment Wednesday.

Anyway, I saw a display on winter tires. The poster quoted some guy at one of the auto magazines and it said something like a RWD car with a good set of winters will beat an AWD car with summers or all seasons.

It's true.

jeff g · 12-18-2010, 09:05 PM

I own a 335xi, and I love it.
But I live in the mountains of Utah. By tomorrow I will be driving in 2 feet of fresh snow.
Snow tires on a 335i for most sections of the country would be just fine. IMO.

Slalom · 12-18-2010, 10:00 PM

Where I live we get about 10 feet of snow each winter. If I did not live on a private road with a steep hill I would not insist of xdrive. I managed with snow tires on my rwd 5 series for 8 years.

apc3libras · 12-18-2010, 10:09 PM

I live in Utah and we get quite a bit of snow from November to March. I have a RWD 328i and some good snow tires and it is awesome. Handles better than our SUV. You should be fine with the right tires.

Outlaw 06 · 12-18-2010, 10:24 PM

Yes, you’re probably worrying about the need for an "xi" too much.

I live on top of a 950 ft hill in northwestern CT. Our area has a microclimate that often produces snow at our elevation when there’s little or no accumulation in town (elevation 250 feet). I also drive to/from Albany, NY on the (hilly and curvy) Taconic Parkway several times a month, including the winter months. I currently have Dunlop SP WinterSport 3D tires on my RWD 335i, and I've never gotten stuck in 10 years of winter driving with a good set of snow tires on my RWD BMWs. It must also be noted that Germans somehow manage to drive RWD cars in the winter (and there are some pretty big mountains in Germany).

bob.g · 12-18-2010, 10:34 PM

i wouldnt worry about it where you live..over here in montreal, it comes down hard. My friend had a 330 and even with winter tires he struggled. Sometimes just getting out of parking spots was a problem.. sold it, now he uses his x5

TheRox · 12-18-2010, 10:47 PM

Don't know about INdiana...but up here in Canada..nothing beats an XI...have it on the 335 and the Panamera, never regret it!

Hopefully Indiana folks can chime in -- In Canada/Ontario it is a must for safety/traction, way better than RWD with snow tires (AWD with snows).

TheRox · 12-18-2010, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob.g

i wouldnt worry about it where you live..over here in montreal, it comes down hard. My friend had a 330 and even with winter tires he struggled. Sometimes just getting out of parking spots was a problem.. sold it, now he uses his x5

With the XI in Canada you can be confident all times of the year; I had a RWD car with snows, you just don't have the same confidence.

Cygnusx1 · 12-18-2010, 11:41 PM

XI is for hills and sudden deep snowstorms that might catch you off guard while traveling. For flat terrain and occasional snow, RWD with snows, and common sense--check the weather before heading out.

Doctor T · 12-19-2010, 12:14 AM

Quite a few Canadian members here drive RWD with winter tires in winter with no dramas so you should be fine in Indiana.

stressdoc · 12-19-2010, 12:42 AM

Yes. There are lots of good reasons to save the $ and just get RWD.

One128i · 12-19-2010, 01:07 AM

RWD 330i here with Blizzak winters. No issues so far!

Whenever the snow is really bad, we just take our TSX out (also has winter tires and higher ground clearance).

apasion · 12-19-2010, 01:59 AM

All my cars had been front or rwd and it was fine during winter except when there's a few inches of snow. Now I have an xi and it's amazing I feel so safe and confident driving even the worse snow storm.
Safety should be your first priority

Legion5 · 12-19-2010, 08:19 AM

You can drive a Ford mustang on Canadian roads on mid winter. The trick is just good tires and putting sand bags in the trunk. 22 inches is a jok. You don't need xi. The regular I can take a few inches of snow just fine, I've been driving in it all week. Germans know how to make cars for snow, my rwd 3 handles better than my rwd cts by miles.

John 070 · 12-19-2010, 09:26 AM

The bottom line, of course, is that in ideal conditions, x-drive is undesirable. It changes ride height, handling, weight distribution, and uses more fuel. All undesirable characteristics.

Where that changes, however, is that many, if not the majority, use their cars on a daily basis. This means they have a clear advantage with x-drive in places like Boston, Rochester, Montreal, etc., when there is a weather incident. So for the 70% of the time when these folks don't need x-drive, they make up for it during the 30% of the time when they really do.

What I think really changes the picture is

a) You have another car to drive when the weather is bad
b) You live in a place where there isn't a lot of bad weather

The OP falls into b imho

12-18-2010, 05:10 PM	#1
Tory WAT IS THIS 8 Rep 101 Posts Drives: 2007 328xi Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Indiana iTrader: (0)	Am I putting too much thought into an "xi"? So I have been looking at some upgrades from my current car to a newer one (mainly LCI 328/330) and I have not even looked at a single car other than xi models. I live in Indiana, so the snow here isn't incredibly bad. Sure, we may get a "Winter Storm Warning" and get 6-8 inches maybe TWICE a year, if that. But am I putting too much emphases on the whole xi thing, I mean either way I am getting Winter Tires for my car. Are AWD really worth it compared to RWD, in Indiana conditions? The annual snowfall in Indiana averages less than 22 in. I just found this online. The only time I ever plan on taking my car out of state during winter is down south, also, so it's not like I am going to be vacaying to Nunavat in January. The reason I ask this is because I am watching some 330i with like 30k miles go for pretty disgustingly low prices, ones where I feel as though I should be kicking myself in the ass for not buying it (2008 330i black on black with 37k miles, factory warranty, CPO, MINT, for $19,980). I guess I am just one of those people who have owned FWD cars their whole life (with all seasons, lol) and am a little iffy when it comes to RWD due to all of the (most likely uninformed) nay-sayers. So again, am I putting way too much thought into thinking I need an xi for a measly 22 inches of snow a year on average? Or will some Blizzaks or Alpins, etc, do me in just fine on a RWD?
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

12-18-2010, 05:18 PM	#2
jopa489 Major General 122 Rep 6,594 Posts Drives: Anything with Wheels Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: USA iTrader: (9)	You will be fine with some snow tires and RWD. Also, there is no such thing as a 330 LCI or MY2008 330. The E90 330i was only sold in MY2006. __________________ X7 LCI // Incoming C7 ZR1 ZTK // Sebring + TRX // Hydro + Raptor Gen1 Roush // Tuxedo
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-18-2010, 07:28 PM	#4
Buegie Captain 48 Rep 714 Posts Drives: 330xi Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: CT/DC iTrader: (2)	I would say skip it. For 20 inches a year on roads that I'm guessing are pretty flat, it's certainly not necessary. I like the xi where I live because the hills can be pretty steep, and we usually get more snow than that __________________ Black Dakota \| Aluminum \| Sport \| Premium \| Cold \| iDrive \| CA
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-18-2010, 07:29 PM	#5
Will335i The Engineer 26 Rep 329 Posts Drives: AW 07' 335i Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: St. Louis MO iTrader: (2) Garage List 2007 335i e92 [1.00]	In your situation you will be fine with RWD if you know how to handle it. I'm from IL and the only time I would put my truck in 4wheel drive was to get up a snow pile when I was playing around. I had my 335 in the snow last weekend and it did just fine.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-18-2010, 07:40 PM	#6
PKumarM3 Air India 145 Rep 1,834 Posts Drives: 2018 Dodge Durango Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: NJ iTrader: (8)	RWD is fine until you wish you had AWD. i dislike the idea of being at mother nature's mercy. __________________ PKumarM3
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-18-2010, 09:05 PM	#9
jeff g Enlisted Member 0 Rep 42 Posts Drives: 2008 335xi coupe Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Utah iTrader: (0)	I own a 335xi, and I love it. But I live in the mountains of Utah. By tomorrow I will be driving in 2 feet of fresh snow. Snow tires on a 335i for most sections of the country would be just fine. IMO.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-18-2010, 10:00 PM	#10
Slalom Major 509 Rep 1,345 Posts Drives: 04 Z4, 18 X3 M40i Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Ottawa and Collelongo (AQ) Italy iTrader: (0) Garage List 2004 Z4 [0.00] 2018 BMW X3 M40i [10.00]	Where I live we get about 10 feet of snow each winter. If I did not live on a private road with a steep hill I would not insist of xdrive. I managed with snow tires on my rwd 5 series for 8 years.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-18-2010, 10:09 PM	#11
apc3libras Lieutenant Colonel 35 Rep 1,691 Posts Drives: E36 M3 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: UTAH iTrader: (3) Garage List 1999 BMW M3 [4.00]	I live in Utah and we get quite a bit of snow from November to March. I have a RWD 328i and some good snow tires and it is awesome. Handles better than our SUV. You should be fine with the right tires. __________________ 2007 BMW 328I Monaco Blue /// 1999 BMW M3 Titanium Silver /// 2007 BMW 328I Sparkling Graphite (sold)
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-18-2010, 10:24 PM	#12
Outlaw 06 Major 212 Rep 1,071 Posts Drives: M240i (daily driver) Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: CT iTrader: (0)	Yes, you’re probably worrying about the need for an "xi" too much. I live on top of a 950 ft hill in northwestern CT. Our area has a microclimate that often produces snow at our elevation when there’s little or no accumulation in town (elevation 250 feet). I also drive to/from Albany, NY on the (hilly and curvy) Taconic Parkway several times a month, including the winter months. I currently have Dunlop SP WinterSport 3D tires on my RWD 335i, and I've never gotten stuck in 10 years of winter driving with a good set of snow tires on my RWD BMWs. It must also be noted that Germans somehow manage to drive RWD cars in the winter (and there are some pretty big mountains in Germany). __________________
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-18-2010, 10:34 PM	#13
bob.g Captain 21 Rep 677 Posts Drives: 2006 325xi Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: montreal iTrader: (1)	i wouldnt worry about it where you live..over here in montreal, it comes down hard. My friend had a 330 and even with winter tires he struggled. Sometimes just getting out of parking spots was a problem.. sold it, now he uses his x5
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-18-2010, 10:47 PM	#14
TheRox Colonel 119 Rep 2,312 Posts Drives: 6mt Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Here and there iTrader: (2)	Don't know about INdiana...but up here in Canada..nothing beats an XI...have it on the 335 and the Panamera, never regret it! Hopefully Indiana folks can chime in -- In Canada/Ontario it is a must for safety/traction, way better than RWD with snow tires (AWD with snows).
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-18-2010, 11:41 PM	#16
Cygnusx1 Second Lieutenant 16 Rep 242 Posts Drives: 2006 330xi Sedan Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: New York iTrader: (0) Garage List 1976 280Z [10.00] 1972 Datsun 240Z [10.00] 2006 330xi [0.00]	XI is for hills and sudden deep snowstorms that might catch you off guard while traveling. For flat terrain and occasional snow, RWD with snows, and common sense--check the weather before heading out. __________________ Straight-Six Addict - Dave
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-19-2010, 12:14 AM	#17
Doctor T Second Lieutenant 11 Rep 206 Posts Drives: EB 430i xDrive, AW E90 LCI M-S Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Toronto, ON, Canada iTrader: (0)	Quite a few Canadian members here drive RWD with winter tires in winter with no dramas so you should be fine in Indiana. __________________ my car
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-19-2010, 12:42 AM	#18
stressdoc Moderator 618 Rep 10,855 Posts Drives: BMW i8; Toy 4runner TRD pro Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Waco TX iTrader: (0)	Yes. There are lots of good reasons to save the $ and just get RWD. __________________ My recent ED photos: http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1026808 my not-so-recent ED: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31829 Please join BMWCCA http://bmwcca.org/index.php?pageid=c...&ref_by=300279
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-19-2010, 01:07 AM	#19
One128i Private First Class 4 Rep 124 Posts Drives: '12 128i (sold), 06' MX-5 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Ottawa, Ontario iTrader: (0)	RWD 330i here with Blizzak winters. No issues so far! Whenever the snow is really bad, we just take our TSX out (also has winter tires and higher ground clearance).
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-19-2010, 01:59 AM	#20
apasion New Member 0 Rep 13 Posts Drives: 2011 328 xdrive Loaded Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Montreal, Canada iTrader: (0)	All my cars had been front or rwd and it was fine during winter except when there's a few inches of snow. Now I have an xi and it's amazing I feel so safe and confident driving even the worse snow storm. Safety should be your first priority
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-19-2010, 08:19 AM	#21
Legion5 Major 175 Rep 1,379 Posts Drives: e92 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: USA iTrader: (12)	You can drive a Ford mustang on Canadian roads on mid winter. The trick is just good tires and putting sand bags in the trunk. 22 inches is a jok. You don't need xi. The regular I can take a few inches of snow just fine, I've been driving in it all week. Germans know how to make cars for snow, my rwd 3 handles better than my rwd cts by miles. __________________ Clean cars are happy cars! CANON PHOTOGRAPHER
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-19-2010, 09:26 AM	#22
John 070 Lieutenant General 1705 Rep 14,829 Posts Drives: 335i cpe Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: ZSP/ZPP/ZCW iTrader: (0)	The bottom line, of course, is that in ideal conditions, x-drive is undesirable. It changes ride height, handling, weight distribution, and uses more fuel. All undesirable characteristics. Where that changes, however, is that many, if not the majority, use their cars on a daily basis. This means they have a clear advantage with x-drive in places like Boston, Rochester, Montreal, etc., when there is a weather incident. So for the 70% of the time when these folks don't need x-drive, they make up for it during the 30% of the time when they really do. What I think really changes the picture is a) You have another car to drive when the weather is bad b) You live in a place where there isn't a lot of bad weather The OP falls into b imho
	Appreciate 0 Quote