X Drive a waste of money on 3 & 4 Series?
Discussion
Autocar this week was very dismissive about the benefits of X Drive on a 3 Series, claiming that all it really did was add cost, weight and tax with an increase in fuel consumption. (This presumably would hit values in the more cost-concious secondhand market, adding another negative.)
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
On the contrary, I have had my x-drive 335d tourer for 30 months and am very pleased it is x-drive. Indeed I think all new 335d's are now x-drive. My previous car was a 535d tourer so I can compare with credibility. The old car could be a handful on greasy damp roads let alone winter weather: the x-drive is much more sure-footed and less prone to unwanted oversteer e.g. Pulling out at t-junction.
In winter conditions I am sure winter tyres would be a better investment than x-drive but a combination of the two is unbeatable. I followed an X- drive 5 series over a Swiss mountain pass in the middle of ski season ((I was being driven by a local ski guide) and was staggered by the traction of the 5 series until we eventually caught it at a junction where I saw the tell-tale x-drive badge.
In winter conditions I am sure winter tyres would be a better investment than x-drive but a combination of the two is unbeatable. I followed an X- drive 5 series over a Swiss mountain pass in the middle of ski season ((I was being driven by a local ski guide) and was staggered by the traction of the 5 series until we eventually caught it at a junction where I saw the tell-tale x-drive badge.
It still appears to be a positive on resale, much like the Quattro system. The main annoyance for me is BMW's insistence on fitting SE springs, but for about £600 that can be more than solved - i.e. you end up with better than M Sport suspension.
If you are just pottering, there is no benefit at all, but when pressing on it is an impressive system which still keeps the rear drive feel. As Beancounter says, the pace on slippery roads is very impressive. It remains sure-footed and you can get on the power more quickly coming out of a bend.
Horses for courses really - I enjoy sDrive too, and wouldn't rule out another one, but having lived with this 335d for a couple of years, I remain very impressed. Living in a very hilly place, I do switch to winters, and the combination of them with xDrive is impressive.
If you are just pottering, there is no benefit at all, but when pressing on it is an impressive system which still keeps the rear drive feel. As Beancounter says, the pace on slippery roads is very impressive. It remains sure-footed and you can get on the power more quickly coming out of a bend.
Horses for courses really - I enjoy sDrive too, and wouldn't rule out another one, but having lived with this 335d for a couple of years, I remain very impressed. Living in a very hilly place, I do switch to winters, and the combination of them with xDrive is impressive.
For us it's great, I've got mrs 2.5pi out of a mahoosive F15 X5 and into a much more lively 335d xdrive that still won't get stuck on the drive or slip into a ditch on the steep lanes around us when snow comes calling, winter tyres on 2wd are great but from bitter experience they're not all the answer that they become on 4wd.
So far averaging 50% more mpg whilst being way faster and generally less difficult to have around
So far averaging 50% more mpg whilst being way faster and generally less difficult to have around
a 335d xdrive I can see some value. But all the 320d xdrives on the other hand.... how often would they ever be traction limited in anything other than snow/ice? Where you will want winter tyres anyway so you can stop and turn as well as go.
I had an e61 550i with 360bhp and rear wheel drive and never really felt the need for awd.
I had an e61 550i with 360bhp and rear wheel drive and never really felt the need for awd.
hantsxlg said:
a 335d xdrive I can see some value. But all the 320d xdrives on the other hand.... how often would they ever be traction limited in anything other than snow/ice? Where you will want winter tyres anyway so you can stop and turn as well as go.
I had an e61 550i with 360bhp and rear wheel drive and never really felt the need for awd.
I can answer this one directly... I had an e61 550i with 360bhp and rear wheel drive and never really felt the need for awd.
My E61 550i occasionally had trouble towing our caravan on wet grass and steep gravelly inclines around campsites. Hence why as a caravan user, despite the 550i being a very capable tow vehicle, I'm now a happy camper with a 190bhp/300lb/ft 2.0 litre VAG 4mo...
Xdrive is definitely an option I'm considering for my next car.
There is a time and a place for it but for 90% of the time its just not needed (depending on your circumstances and uses)
Last year I went to a dry ski slope for a day out with my friend. Luckily for us it was snowing too very heavily the day before and on the day. Got to the location and all I could see was a very very very steep road I needed to go up that looked slippy and have snow already treaded on hundred of times.
I have Sdrive. Friend has Xdrive. For 4 months all I done was annoy him how pointless it was for his driving and I thought now is the time he will show me up.
Well we both got up without ANY fuss at all.
So again it was pointless having an x drive.
similar to others I have driven for 10 years in some really really shocking weather and never felt the need for X drive.
few winters ago I was near enough the only one on the road with all the snow, country in grid lock etc
My brother was stranded and so was my sister so I went out on my merry way to get them.
SLow speed, Psi dropped down to 20 on each tyre, rear wheel drive BMW. No issues.
Travelled 220 miles that day and the only time I got stuck was trying to get the f
king thing back in the drive way - go figure LOL dumped outside the house so not a problem.
Last year I went to a dry ski slope for a day out with my friend. Luckily for us it was snowing too very heavily the day before and on the day. Got to the location and all I could see was a very very very steep road I needed to go up that looked slippy and have snow already treaded on hundred of times.
I have Sdrive. Friend has Xdrive. For 4 months all I done was annoy him how pointless it was for his driving and I thought now is the time he will show me up.
Well we both got up without ANY fuss at all.
So again it was pointless having an x drive.
similar to others I have driven for 10 years in some really really shocking weather and never felt the need for X drive.
few winters ago I was near enough the only one on the road with all the snow, country in grid lock etc
My brother was stranded and so was my sister so I went out on my merry way to get them.
SLow speed, Psi dropped down to 20 on each tyre, rear wheel drive BMW. No issues.
Travelled 220 miles that day and the only time I got stuck was trying to get the f
king thing back in the drive way - go figure LOL dumped outside the house so not a problem. Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff