01-18-2016, 11:58 PM | #1 |
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xDrive vs RWD...
I've heard that xDrive isn't a "pure" BMW driving experience...I know that the extra driving wheels can rob a wee bit of power from the engine...little bit less fuel efficient...yet looking at the raw numbers for the 435i, the xDrive is 0.3 seconds faster 0-60. An AWD Subaru WRX has a 5.0 second 0-60 right alongside the RWD 435i, but with 32 less hp. So it seems to me that the AWD can help make a car quicker no?
Personally, while I've driven 435i's, 428i's, 335i's, and now a Subaru WRX...I've never driven a 435i xDrive...or any xDrive BMW for that matter. Time for a test drive perhaps? For those who own an xDrive...does it feel like less of a driving experience than a RWD? I mean I'm guessing most of you with xDrives bought them because you live somewhere with poor weather conditions for a significant chunk of the year, but still...do you think it detracts at all from your fun factor? Or does it add to it? |
01-19-2016, 12:23 AM | #2 |
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I recently purchased a 2015 335i xDrive, and I am regretting it.
I purchased the car as a sort of daily driver, because I don't feel comfortable driving my Model S P85D around NYC everywhere, so I thought xDrive would help deal with the snow NYC gets often. I got the 335i while trading in my E46 M3, and the xDrive is making the car less enjoyable than a RWD 335i, I suspect. Note: I am not comparing the E46 M3 with the F30 335i, they are completely different cars. I live in a relatively secluded area of the Bronx, and I can get away with some hooligan driving (peeling around corners, slightly kicking the tail out). I used to do it in my E46 often late at night - it was fun lighting the rear tyres up! But I simply cannot do the same to the 335i xDrive as it stands (maybe with some better rubber, JB4, full catback, I could). With all the electronic nannying turned off, I cannot slide the tail out, or burn rubber by simply mashing my right foot. Don't get me wrong - it's an EXCELLENT daily driver. It's comfortable, very well made, etc. but it's just not drivers car with the xDrive. I'd be pretty disappointed if it were my only car, but I plan on getting a 991 C2S soon, so my desires for a sports car will be alleviated. One other thing - definitely look into a manual if you're looking for even more of a driver's car. The automatic transmission is fast, but leaves much to be desired in terms of thrill and control, since it's really slow in manual mode from 1st to 2nd, and upshifts on its own when you near redline.
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01-19-2016, 12:44 AM | #3 |
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Xdrive definitely has claws on it so tail slides are not easy.
But if you're getting into a Porsche like that just leave the bimmer stock as a grocery getter/all weather bang around!
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01-19-2016, 12:47 AM | #4 |
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I went from E92 335i RWD to 340 xDrive (both 6MT) and although I don't regret it yet, I agree that you will miss some fun.
The engine sounds very nice, the car accelerates great, the adaptive suspension set to spot or sport plus is good - perhaps better than the jittery sport suspension in E92 (allowing me to take corners faster - at least it seems). The fun of acceleration or taking a corner at the limit of traction is the same as in E92, but yes, don't expect being able to get the rear out. Even with DTC on in the E92, the rear could go out if you want and over time the nanny seemed to interfere later and later. In the 340 I managed only once so far when I stepped on the gas quite hard in sport+. That said, although it was fun to get the car fishtail in a straight line under heavy acceleration in my E92 (even on dry road with summer non-run flats), I was also bothered that I couldn't accelerate fast enough when I wanted to - say you are entering from a parking lot into traffic. Also, at some point I chipped the car and then it was worse. I have noticed, though, that even in my 340xi the power was cut a few times under not that heavy acceleration after turning into the main road from a parking lot, and I need to figure our why. I would expect getting a bit more traction than that. Maybe I stepped on it too soon and the car was still turning? I need to try again. If you don't live in CA or live in CA but don't go to the mountains where the chain control check if you have AWD even if you have snow tires on, get RWD and winter tires and if you still worry about power delivery, get LSD. If you don't care about kicking the rear out, then you will have the same fun in AWD. Oh, and get the 6MT if you can. Last edited by radm; 01-19-2016 at 01:16 AM.. |
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01-19-2016, 01:44 AM | #5 | |
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BMW's turbo-4 is a little more refined, it's meant to have a very flat torque curve and no significant "lag" where you have to build up to 2800-3000rpm before the turbo really wakes up on the WRX. The twin scroll turbo in the BMW is very close to the exhaust valves and captures a lot of heat and responds quickly, unlike in the subaru. The net effect is a turbo engine that doesn't "feel" like a turbo engine. Subaru had some very misleading advertisements in recent years, where they said "don't compare our cars HP to other manufacturers, compare the 0-60 times". Subaru had been running pretty low on power compared to other manufacturers (and continues to), but their "edge" was the AWD launch, however punch the throttle in gear and you simply wouldn't go as fast as in other cars. You could however dust the old 230 and 300hp V8 mustangs all day long from a dig, which was fun. Anything with AWD is usually going to be able to post decent acceleration times, but as the distance gets longer OR the metric is measured from a "roll" in gear, the performance gets worse comparatively. On the other hand, my Camaro SS could stick sub 5s 0-60 because it had large wide tires and torque for days, the trick is not spinning the tires, but that just means that it wants to go, regardless of what gear you are in. I don't think you'll find the X-drive 435/440 to be "faster", only that it will do the 0-60 launch faster and possibly be faster in the 0-30mph range, this is where AWD has an advantage and won't spin the wheels nearly as easily as RWD, but a RWD with decent width and rubber will put it's power down just fine at most speeds, unless the car is speced with tires too skinny or too hard. Keep in mind, my 0-30 thing is only "at the limit", your maximum acceleration, which you probably won't be doing from every stop... There are some cars that have so much HP that it's pretty easy to spin the wheels in many gears besides 1st without electronic aids. These will accelerate faster at times or in certain situations when they are AWD, but the BMW isn't one of these, not to the extent where it's sending 500hp to the rear wheels or anything... I didn't buy the 428xi to be the "driver's car", I bought it because I live in Alaska and needed the AWD capability for hills and iced (not snow, but glare-ice) roads. It handles ok and when pushed with the DHP, it's decent, but it's not a performance car as far as the handling goes. Get a boxer, BR-Z or something like that if you want to get back to handling. BMW handicaps the Xdrive by making the ride height higher and not offering sport suspension. Last edited by RM7; 01-19-2016 at 01:53 AM.. |
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01-19-2016, 06:33 AM | #6 |
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Point of comparison:
2014 F30 335i M Sport RWD 2016 F25 X3 35i xDrive isn't that bad. If your area has a lot of snow and you need to climb steep hills, you should opt for the xDrive. (You should get winter tires regardless of RWD or xDrive). From a long term maintenance/repair cost perspective, RWD is the way to go. From a performance perspective, RWD is also the way to go. But this is primarily due to the fact that the xDrive vehicles gets the base suspension. |
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01-19-2016, 07:46 AM | #7 |
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01-19-2016, 08:28 AM | #8 |
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01-19-2016, 08:32 AM | #9 | |
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01-19-2016, 09:08 AM | #10 |
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Not just spring rate, also doesn't get upgraded anti-sway bars.
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01-19-2016, 09:14 AM | #11 |
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Hmmmmm,
Glad I ordered a "stripped" 228i RWD 6MT....heated seats and back camera/sensors ONLY !!!! This is a 2nd "fun car"...I've got the MB ML350 4matic to claw my way around the winters up here in NH |
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01-19-2016, 09:34 AM | #12 | |
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I feel the same way about my 435i xDrive. It's a better car all around but doesn't have the same presence as the mighty E46. My M3 was lowered on KWV2 suspension, supercharged and had the full exterior CSL treatment. Really can't compare the two. I regret selling it.
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01-19-2016, 10:11 AM | #13 | |
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That said, BMW does a mighty fine job with the xdrive and xdrive feels closer to true RWD than many AWD cars offered by other makes. Even against other "rear bias" AWDs. I've been very please with every xdrive loaner the I've had. I've pushed them in the corners and the turn-in was wonderful. |
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01-19-2016, 10:22 AM | #14 |
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I prefer the handling characteristics of rear wheel drive cars.
I've never experienced winter in the San Jose area, but I moved to northwestern Connecticut in 1999, and I’ve driven here every winter season since then in RWD BMW Sedans (2000 E46 323i, 2007 E90 335i and 2013 F30 328i). My neighborhood is located at the top of a 950 ft hill, which I have to drive up/down every day. I’ve used Blizzaks (which I don’t like) and Dunlop SP WinterSport tires on my cars and I've gotten stuck home only once in 17 years of winter driving (on a well-worn set of snow tires that I’d been using for several seasons). Other than that one time, I’ve had no other problems driving on moderately plowed roads with the DSC off, a gentle right foot, and good set of snow tires on my RWD BMWs. In my experience, the Dunlop WinterSports are great tires in all winter conditions (including dry road handling). IMO, AWD definitely isn’t needed in southern New England where I live. However, owners of RWD BMWs in our area do need a decent set of snow tires unless they have access to another car (or mass transit) when it snows.
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01-19-2016, 10:58 AM | #15 | |
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When you get up to 400-500WHP(Turbo swap) RWD will wheelspin and that kills your 1/4 mile time, where xDrive will launch with little to no wheelspin. |
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01-19-2016, 11:09 AM | #16 |
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Wow, did not know that. So "Adaptive M Suspension" has nothing to do with the actual suspension/springs? This is new to me. Is the difference just a lower ride and varied spring rate?
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01-19-2016, 11:28 AM | #17 | |
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01-19-2016, 11:44 AM | #18 |
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This is only true of xDrive cars. Adaptive M only gives variable dampers. All other suspension components are base.
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01-19-2016, 11:54 AM | #19 | |
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By the way, I have the car for a month and I am still not sure about what happens in sport when you press the DSC off versus hold it for 5 seconds and the same in sport+. In sport plus I have DSC off and when I press DSC button in shows TRACTION on the display but it seems to go out of the sport+ mode, at least with steering feel. The manual does not have enough info on that. |
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01-19-2016, 11:57 AM | #20 | ||
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01-19-2016, 12:21 PM | #21 | |
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DTC (press) = Comfort throttle response and Comfort steering with Dynamic Traction Control on. This allows some slip and is good in snow and other times when you don't want power cut when a tiny bit of slip happens. DSC off (hold) = Comfort throttle response and Sport steering with Dynamic Stability Control off. This allows for even more slip than DTC, but they put throttle response in comfort mode as a safety measure. Sport+ = Sport throttle response and Sport steering with Dynamic Traction Control on. This mode functions like sport + DTC, allowing some slip but keeping sport throttle/steering. There is no way to get sport throttle response with the DSC off. |
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