[Turbo_435i]

hi everyone,

What are the pros and cons of the Xdrive vs RWD ?

take into acct the following before you answer :

1. im looking for a car thats qwk as hell from 0-60.
2. i live in miami, so awd for snow etc, isnt needed, but im thinking awd will launch alot harder and have better 0-60 time.
3. I know the weight of xdrive car is slightly more , 200 lbs, but how much will that affect 0-60, 30-50, 50-90 etc, meaning car should be alot faster 0-60, but will it suffer after car is moving, ie...,lil slower than rwd ?
4. I plan on leasing , so overall longevity of parts,awd system etc, not an issue as I will turn car back in 45k miles or so.
5. extra cost isnt an issue,$2500+ for awd, as long as performance is better , 0-60.
6. does xdrive model come with michelin pilot SS, or run flats ? im not a fan of run flats.
7.anything else i may be missing ?


so, whats your input on awd vs rwd........ please chime in if you've driven both, and or / have awd.

thanks guys

[nachob]

RWD is what makes BMWs special these days. So many AWD and FWD cars out there. Just ruining it unless you live in snow country. If all you want is fast 0-60, buy an Audi with launch conrol.

Best wishes.

[Merc for hire]

say no to AWD

[Kristalov]

Here are some thoughts:

1. Both models of the M235i are fast. Slap a tune on and its even faster.

2. The xDrive will launch faster but if you want to get that backend squirrely in the corners you can't beat a rear wheel drive. It is what truly makes this car a joy to drive. Just a thought but when it rains in Florida I'm sure you know how it comes down (I lived in West Palm) maybe xDrive might could be considered.

3. I'm not sure you will notice a significant lag due to the weight difference in the two models.

4. I regards to tires I believe it comes standard with performance tires (non run flats) unless you order all seasons.

5. IMO I love the the rear wheel drive handling of the M235i especially in states where you can enjoy it all year long. I previously drove an X5M and the thing was fast and took the corners like it was on rails. That being said if you ever wanted to drift through a corner (on the track ha ha) you'll love it.

Hope that helps somewhat in your decision

[Turbo_435i]

are the suspension setups the same for xdrive M235i & rwd M235i ?

do they both sit at same height ?

just noticed on bmw aite, all xdrive tires are same size, so they can possibly be rotated, vs rwd staggered tires setup !!!

[Zooks527]

Originally Posted by schybrid

are the suspension setups the same for xdrive M235i & rwd M235i ?

do they both sit at same height ?

just noticed on bmw aite, all xdrive tires are same size, so they can possibly be rotated, vs rwd staggered tires setup !!!

Yes.

Yes.

Only if you order the square setup with all-season RFT. Summer performance tires come staggered. This is the same no matter which drive version you order.

[Turbo_435i]

Originally Posted by Zooks527

Yes.

Yes.

Only if you order the square setup with all-season RFT. Summer performance tires come staggered. This is the same no matter which drive version you order.

oh ok, your right!!!

qwk question if anyone has experience with it....

will the rear tires still wear faster on the awd car vs rwd, how much power % wise goes to the rear / front on awd ??

[Cyberdemon]

If you want to launch hard and you live in a warm weather environment then save the money you'd put towards the Xdrive and use it on a set of extreme performance summer tires like the Toyo R1R's. You'll sacrifice tire life and noise and will kick up every single pebble into the underside of the car, but it will hook up better than with the PSS tires which are great, but meant to be a bit more civilized on the road.

[Cyberdemon]

Originally Posted by schybrid

oh ok, your right!!!

qwk question if anyone has experience with it....

will the rear tires still wear faster on the awd car vs rwd, how much power % wise goes to the rear / front on awd ??

The tires on a RWD car would wear faster if you're constantly driving them around and spinning the tires.

The X drive torque split is 40% F/60% R by default, then the car will choose where to send the power to based on slip. It is a more rear biased system vs some systems which are meant to be primarily FWD until the system slips.

[williewonkerz]

Originally Posted by Cyberdemon

If you want to launch hard and you live in a warm weather environment then save the money you'd put towards the Xdrive and use it on a set of extreme performance summer tires like the Toyo R1R's. You'll sacrifice tire life and noise and will kick up every single pebble into the underside of the car, but it will hook up better than with the PSS tires which are great, but meant to be a bit more civilized on the road.

+1 for answering a loaded question with massive intelligence.

I cannot for the life of me imagine buying this car in an XDrive in weather like you have.

Mine is RWD and I live in MANITOBA.

If you want 0-60 why are you even looking at M235? Go buy yourself a slightly used Z06/Viper

[nike001]

The X-drive cars are still RWD biased, so you'll still get that RWD feel. BMW tuned them very well so you can still feel a little bit of rotation from the rear end when you're having some fun.

I have RWD and I live in PA and I doubt I'll have any issues with it. My 330i ZHP was RWD too and she went along fine, so I'm assuming the 235 will too. Dat 50/50 weight distribution ftw

[Zooks527]

Originally Posted by schybrid

will the rear tires still wear faster on the awd car vs rwd, how much power % wise goes to the rear / front on awd ??

As noted above, it's a 40/60 default torque split if all the tires have the same grip.

The rear tires on a xDrive car will wear their inner edges faster than the front tires the same way that a RWD car will.

[Turbo_435i]

Originally Posted by williewonkerz

+1 for answering a loaded question with massive intelligence.

I cannot for the life of me imagine buying this car in an XDrive in weather like you have.

Mine is RWD and I live in MANITOBA.

If you want 0-60 why are you even looking at M235? Go buy yourself a slightly used Z06/Viper

That makes no sense at all?!!!!?

1. Im leasing the car.
2. Dont want used car.
3. Dont want 2 seater.
4. Why dont I buy a nissan GTR ?

5. The option of possibly getting stickier rear tires is good, but i still think the awd option is better, actual cost of adding awd is only about $1600.

The awd on a 235i will be similar to an EVO etx, used for performance, not necessarily saftey.

Im pretty sure the awd can take turns etx at faster speeds also.



Let me clear it up..... My mind has been set on getting an M235i, not another car, motorcycle, dragster, moped, golf cart twin turbo, etx haaaa

Im just looking for pros and cons of the awd vs rwd.

[raisingAnarchy]

xDrive does not allow sport suspension or stickshift. RWD gives better fuel economy. Your profile says you live in the south so I think it's safe to say you won't need AWD.

Edit: just saw you say you want xDrive for performance reasons. I don't see how you're going to shred your tires in RWD without a really aggressive tune. And if you're leasing, then I'm not sure how you're going to tune it so aggressively and not have to pay extra at lease end.

[Turbo_435i]

Originally Posted by raisingAnarchy

xDrive does not allow sport suspension or stickshift. RWD gives better fuel economy. Your profile says you live in the south so I think it's safe to say you won't need AWD.

Once again.....
Im looking at the awd as a performance factor(acceleration / cornering), not a saftey factor. (Snow,rain)

[olaosunt]

Hey Boss,
I compared the time slip of the all wheel drive car that just ran a 12.25@109 in the 1/4 vs. mine which ran 11.9@114. Both cars are auto.

Similar mods but I probably make more power based on trap speed but weight(from AWD) may also be a factor. I ran E35 vs. his 93.

He was on the stock tires and I was on drag radials.
His 60ft was 1.6 vs. my 1.7

330ft and 1/8 are almost identical @4.9 and 7.6.

His 1/8th trap was 88 mph vs.. my 91 mph
He picked up 21 mph vs. my 23 mph on the back half.

RWD+sticky tires>/= AWD

Only reason to get the all wheel drive is if you need it for snow . I can tell you mine sucks in the snow even with bilzzacks compared to my Audi S4

[petalmasher]

Originally Posted by schybrid

Im pretty sure the awd can take turns etx at faster speeds also.

I'm pretty sure not.... not on dry pavement at least.
You may not plan on actually be drifting corners in it, but it can be done. There is a different feel to steering a RWD car that many find preferable. Most people over 30 or so are likely to have learned to drive in RWD cars so there might be an element of nostalgia influencing that preference. Either way, if you don't deal with snow and ice, what's the point of paying more for a heavier car? Also, I don't think x-drive is available with a manual transmission.

[Zooks527]

Originally Posted by raisingAnarchy

xDrive does not allow sport suspension or stickshift. RWD gives better fuel economy. Your profile says you live in the south so I think it's safe to say you won't need AWD.

The M235xi uses the same suspension as the M235i. The same may not be true on a 228i.

You're right about the unavailability of the manual transmission, though.

[williewonkerz]

Originally Posted by Zooks527

The M235xi uses the same suspension as the M235i. The same may not be true on a 228i.

You're right about the unavailability of the manual transmission, though.

My apologies about the leasing/used thing. Didn't see that.


If 0-60 is his thing, he'll want the auto anyway.

But as many of those posts have suggested, performance wise, RWD+Sticky is still better than AWD and that AWD is the choice for weather (and even in my extreme case I'd still use RWD).

If you're racing AWD, from a performance point of view, AWD "typically" understeers vs RWD, and thats not always a good thing.

Are you driving on anything other than tarmac/pavement (ie Dirt)?

[Cyberdemon]

Originally Posted by schybrid

Im just looking for pros and cons of the awd vs rwd.

Launching an AWD car will require less skill. But you are going to be saddled with more weight, higher fuel consumption and drive train losses, etc.

If your goal is to accelerate to 60mph faster then get the RWD car, invest in the Mperformance diff (which can be residualized into your lease since it is a port installed accessory) to help put the power down evenly and spend whatever you have left on aggressive rubber.

You will still beat the AWD car for the same financial investment, and it will be faster in all situations beyond the hole shot because it has 200lbs less mass to carry around.

Car and driver and other magazines were all able to get the M235i to 60mph between 4.3-4.5 seconds on stock tires.

Realistically there is very little reason to get AWD in Florida. If you like the idea of it and come from a Evo/WRX world where AWD launches are your thing then go for it.

[mike@x-ph.com]

Unless you need the AWD, just get the RWD.
You will thank me later

[Turbo_435i]

Originally Posted by mike@x-ph.com

Unless you need the AWD, just get the RWD.
You will thank me later

Elaborate