AWD or RWD 335i

[ipps79]

Hi All,

Newbie here. I am very interested in the new 335. Should I go with the RWD or the AWD. I know the AWD is about 6 months off, but would be willing to wait. I have had many AWD 's '00 S4, '03 W8, '04 STI and curently a '06 Magnum RT AWD. How bad is a RWD BMW in the snow? I had a Mustang GT 10 years ago and I drove it in the snow once and never again. It had summer tires and no traction control. I would guess a RWD BMW with summer tires would be as poor in the snow as the Mustang. If I went with a RWD 335i and had a dedicated snow tire set what could I expect in the snow. Would I be able to make to/from work with snow covered roads safely. I dont need to be the fastest guy in the left lane on snow days. I don't want to be the fool inching his way up a hill with 20 cars behind him either. Given that this only happens less than 10 times a year I don't want to give up the fun factor of RWD.

[cipher982]

I say definitely go with 335i RWD. Having a nice car like that, I'd want to get all the performance I can out of it. Get winter tires and you will be fine, some good blizzaks.

[Schnell325]

Go for the RWD...if need be, call in sick on those days that there is too much snow for your liking!

[CVGTURBO86]

definately go for the RWD 335i!!! make it the garage queen on the snow days!!!

[rmani]

Don't buy an AWD BMW for the love of god.

[Alpine 318is]

Don't buy an AWD BMW for the love of god.

+10000

/thread

[UberAuto]

Yeah, you don't buy a Bimmer for awd.

With that said, I have always wondered how they might handle, I never knew audi a4's were something like 35/65 f/r and judging how I loved my WRX 50/50 handling, maybe some of these awd sedans could offer some nice handling and a way to put down power...

[jr1966]

You already have a Magnum AWD for winter. So just get the RWD 335i. And if you want another winter car and it has to be a BMW, just get an X3 or X5.

[Chinny4290]

Yeah, you don't buy a Bimmer for awd.

With that said, I have always wondered how they might handle, I never knew audi a4's were something like 35/65 f/r and judging how I loved my WRX 50/50 handling, maybe some of these awd sedans could offer some nice handling and a way to put down power...

Well, general concensus is that AWD cars understeer alot.

[ilia]

RWD just forces you to develop basic driving skills to handle it in inclement weather. The 335 will be fine in the snow.

[ronzep]

Why would you knock the AWD??? Is ignorance bliss? This technology is incredible, and I have first hand experience with this new XI. What a great car!!! Go to the BMW Web site and see for yourself how improved the technology is.

[Transporter]

I say definitely go with 335i RWD. Having a nice car like that, I'd want to get all the performance I can out of it. Get winter tires and you will be fine, some good blizzaks.



Exactly!


I sell BMWs for a living.

[SDKmann]

Real BMWs are RWD.

[C P Squared]

get RWD, AWD takes away more power from a 300+hp car then RWD

[mikese36]

Rwd FTW!

[boarder325]

FYI my 325i w/ traction control is terrrible in the snow, I have driven it once in the snow and never again Just so you know I drive up snowboarding once a week and am experienced in snow. BUt maybe newer 3 series handle the snow better. O I also have all season tires not snow.

[HOOJ]

AWD driveline loss ~30%
RWD driveline loss ~17%

Up to you.

[Dark Helmet]

tires people, tires.

I've been driving no traction-control, no ABS (on one) RWD BMWs in the snow for years...

in fact, I never actually ran snows on my E28 and it was still the best snow car I've ever had... including my wifes uber 4WD jeep!

currently running a gutless ASC-delete 318i with snows and an LSD, the ONLY risk I have is the snow just getting too deep, and even AWD can't save you then.

RWD or nothing. blah blah blah new technology, blah blah. snow tires are cheaper than AWD, and they don't come from the factory with monster oversteer like the AWD cars seem to.

RWD, /thread.

[CLEANM3whipz]

RWD ftw

[fieldy]

RWD FTW :buttrock

[ehlpitel]

RWD, I drove all winter with sports tires and no ballast last year.

[carreraboy911]

for my Dailly Driver I bought Benz 4 matic (AWD) 2 years ago (already have 2 sport cars and big SUV that my wife drives) so I needed something comfy/sporty/safe to drive as DD. Well, it hasn't snowed in 2 years now.. Now that I think about it, I should've gotten E55 instead, more FUN, more parts available from the tunners, etc...

I would get the RWD 335 and call in sick when there is a lot of snow (if there is a snow storm). RWD is more fun ! AWD is nice but a bit 2 heavy, a little 2 slow, a lot of understeer and you can't do burnouts ! :D :D

my $0.02

[JunJTan]

go with RWD. I just got my 07 335ci. That's a great ride.

[yonoconozco]

awd is more verstile imo. they are really useable in all 4 seasons.

[promp3]

get fwd, that way you dont get much drivetrain loss so you have lots of power to understeer into trees with.

I think they all have advantages and dis advantages, on a race track you can even see from the sidelines the diffrent advantages/disadvantages drivers have with fwd cars vs rwd. I really dont think one is superiour to another untill you have very high power and huge tires then id say rwd is better. awd is an advantage because you get the half of bolth worlds. but look at evos and skylines they will just magicly go around corners faster that a humans should be able too thanks to awd, they are aperently super easy to drive too because all you really need to do is floor it and turn the wheel. but they are probably no fun to drive because there is no theatrics untill the point where you would like some run off space that isnt full of curbs,telaphone polls,babies.ect and when you are talking about say a 400 hp audi, drivetrian lose isnt as big a concern as a 200 hp normal car. I drove a 2.5 x-type jag and it was like a school bus. + on top of all that you cant do burnouts and thats just un american. I say if you are the kind of driver that likes to keep there tires featherd and had a couple reckless driving tickets for drifting in the rain then get the rwd, if you are the kind of driver that just meanders around town eating a cheese burger, reading and talking on the phone, get the awd I'm sure will still have pleanty of balls but will be alot more comfident in inclimant weather and safer for the wifey to drive if she cant quite comprehend the concept of counter steering. I dont know how old you are but this forum is pretty much full of younger males that mostly like performance over anything else, me bieng one of them.
are you going with a automatic?
I think it is one of those things where you would be happy eather way. its a really nice car imo. just do a thorough test drive of each and think about it for more than the time it takes to sign a check.

[orggilak]

rwd > awd

[hockey21]

I think youll be fine, if your a experienced driver. all of our cars are rwd and they are fine,

[NYCdude5000]

The 335i RWD would never move in snow even with good tires. It has too much torque. You'd just be digging yourself a hole. If you can only have one car, I say get the 335i AWD, but honestly, if you can have a FWD beater that you can use for snow days, get the 335i RWD and you couldn't be happier.