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BMW 3-Series 2006
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In the Car & Driver test their summary said the following:
So What's the Bottom Line?
Four-wheel drive helps get cars going. When it comes time to brake or change direction on low traction surfaces, the extra mass of the driveline becomes more of a detriment. Folks who live in hilly places that get snow may need the climbing capability of four-wheel drive. If it snows a lot in those hilly places, they should probably invest in winter tires, too. Even flat-landers who happen to have steep driveways may wish to consider a four-wheel-driver.
Almost everyone else will most likely be better served by using winter tires. Acceleration takes longer, but in an emergency, the handling behavior and improved lateral grip of two-wheel drive and winter tires -- in the slippery stuff -- are the safer bets.
The simple fact is that even though one may not want to deal with a twice per year tire swap, doing so is the single best way to be able to navigate the winter season, even more so than spending the money on AWD.
Best Regards,
Shipo
But in a comparison of vehicles with the OEM all-season tires, I can definitely state that my A4 Quattro was noticeably better in the snow than my 325i is. And in fact both cars happened to have Goodyear Eagle RAs, so that makes the comparison even more even.
The 325i will undoubtedly be better when I eventually get a set of real winter tires for it, but there are a lot of people who just don't want the hassles of changing wheels/tires twice a year, finding a place to store the alternate set, etc. For them, AWD might make good sense.
Another place that I used to have fun with the A4 was in rainy, wet pavement conditions. Once in a while, I sink back into immaturity and want to out-drag the guy next to me at a light, especially if he's driving a competing type of car. On wet pavement I could really nail the throttle on my 1.8T and the Quattro would sort out the traction and GO, while anyone next to me in RWD or FWD would be in wheelspin city, regardless of their tire selection!
Get a set of winter tires and really improve safety.
-murray
By what measure is AWD safer? You've got me on experience since I've never owned an AWD car, but every car I own here in Wisconsin will have winter tires as needed.
Just curious.
-murray
By what makes me feel safer. I would think it would actually be very difficult to "prove" one is in fact safer or more unsafe. The last snow we had, I felt very secure in the AWD, but I saw a number of accidents involving ironicly only Hondas.
With AWD it's much easier to compensate for the additional weight of the drivertrain in stopping the vehicle, than getting out and pushing if one is stuck.
Actually, stopping distance is a very real measure of safety. Winter tires win this one easily.
The last snow we had, I felt very secure in the AWD, but I saw a number of accidents involving ironicly only Hondas.
Feeling secure and being secure are two different things. IMHO, people with AWD drive faster because they lose sense of how bad the conditions really are. I always goose it a bit to get a feel for the road and adjust my speed appropriately.
With AWD it's much easier to compensate for the additional weight of the drivertrain in stopping the vehicle, than getting out and pushing if one is stuck.
Do you really think you DO compensate when you feel secure?
Honestly, how many times have you actually been stuck? For me, the last time was when I was in high school fooling around with my friends. FWIW, I'd rather have to get out and push than give the insurance company a $1000 deductible check, let alone the risk of injury.
-murray
My insurance company actually charges a higher rate for an AWD car than a FWD/RWD car, as "you are more prone to drive it in hazardous conditions."
Gotta love insurance companies....
You are correct, there is really no way to prove how secure one really is, anytime, anywhere, any road condition. Security on the road is just an illusion, it's the sense of the security that matters, the instinct that inside says we are secure.
The problem I have with the second part of your statement, is it's just a gross generalization.
"Actually, stopping distance is a very real measure of safety. Winter tires win this one easily."
But being able to measure and actually having this play a significant statistical role are two different things. My common sense tells me, if there were really an issue almost every AWD would be crashing their car in the snow.
Do you really think you DO compensate when you feel "secure?"
Absolutely.
"Honestly, how many times have you actually been stuck?"
Ok. With FWD drive cars twice as long as I can remember and either I pushed or other motorists came to my aid. With RWD with snows, once, but I had a heck of time on a number of steep and hilly roads that I had to back down and find alternate routes. With AWD/4WD zero. I was able to make it everywhere, except where the snow came up over the bumper.
I guess that statement pretty much sums it up; crash tests, measureable stopping distances, maneuverability tests, etc. are all "just an illusion", all that matters is your "instinct that inside says we are secure".
You keep your illusion of security, I'll keep my winter tires
-murray
I hope you never get into an accident, but getting into one would mean you really weren't secure, were you? For if you were really secure you wouldn't have gotten into a car crash. All of the metrics you cited are great, but they don't protect you from dying on the road unfortunately.
At any rate, I'll keep my AWD, you can have your snow tires.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
Thanks for the info though!
As of right now Dension doesn't have a solution for the e90 and neither does BMW. The wiring harness and electrical system used in the e90 is far more complex than the e46's setup so both are playing catch-up to create a new ipod control system.
As for out of the box, the aux input is fine. Plug the ipod into the aux port, attach a griffin airclick and then close up the ipod. With the airclick's tiny RF remote attached to your visor you can change songs, stop/start...true no radio ID tags but for $40 you've got a basic solution that beats the blazes out of doing nothing. It'll work until Dension releases a new ice link.
FWIW, what would be such a big deal about selecting a song on your ipod while driving? Is that really any different than clicking up and down on your wheel and glancing at the radio screen You're distracted either way?
On the E90, there is a DC power outlet right next to the aux input, so you can certainly charge it right there. As for being hidden away, the center console certainly has plenty of room for an ipod... even the "big" version.
Personally, I'd prefer that DSC slow the car down if the tires are leaving the road rather than try to maintain or increase speed.
You bring up a good point, though. There are generally just a few days a year where I would find AWD useful. If I lived in the mountains or further north, I would have AWD with winter tires, but around here, winter tires are much less expensive and more than adequate.
-murray
bdr mentioned that there is enough room in the console to stash the iPod. This is no good, since without full integration (stereo controls), you need to have access to the iPod to control it - you can't stash it, you need it out. I don't want to fiddle with an iPod while driving.
I don't want to juggle CDs anymore.
These days, there are so many accessories with the dock connector and iPod is becoming the de facto digital audio player...
Oh and you can listen to Stern on an iPod. It won't be live of course. But since the shows are over 4 hours, you don't have to worry about fiddling with it while driving to change tracks.
Eventually Dension will have a new Ice Link and then you'll get your integration. Scosche is also coming out with a device that will marry your ipod via bluetooth to the radio and your cell phone. When you get a call, it'll pause your ipod. Very sweet...
Happy downloading!!
http://www.openairsystems.com/company/en/3922.html
IIRC, the Xi adds an inch or two to the height of the car. This most certainly would affect handling.
-murray
Nope... The i and xi have exactly the same exterior and interior dimensions, which includes ride height.
AWD is wayyyyyy oversold. Having a set of snow tires is superior in almost every way to awd+all seasons.
Not exactly. True the non-SP "i" models have the same suspension as the "xi" models (regardless of whether they are SP or not), however, the geometry has been changed a little bit and as such, the "xi" models do indeed have a higher ride height, or at least, so says BMW. As for the "i" models with the SP, that setup is indeed both different components and a lower ride height as compared with the non-SP equivalent.
Best Regards,
Shipo
None of the BMW documentation says anything about a different ride height and the documented dimensions of each car is the same. I can't find anything anywhere that even lists the actual right height measurement of either car, for that matter!
Best Regards,
Shipo
Cool... It'd be nice to know for sure, one way or the other.
I can spot them, before I even see the badge on the trunk..
Maybe I'm psychic? :surprise:
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2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
Yeah... the E46 is easy.. Can't say the same about the E90.. In fact, I rarely see them... (or, just don't notice)..
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i w/o SP 55.9 inches
i w/SP 55.3 (0.6 inches lower than an i w/o SP)
Xi 56.1 inches regardless with or w/o SP
DL
Talking about being behind, last I checked MB was still providing a cassette deck as standard equipment .. :mad:
DL
What is the "product info book"? Not the brochure, I presume?
Any thoughts?
The dealers you are talking to don't know what they're talking about....
The sport package on the xi doesn't include the performance tires as it does on the regular i. The wheels on both the 325xi and 330xi sport package are 17" wheels, but the tires are all-seasons.
It doesn't have the typical "sport" suspension as on the i, either... the xi has its own variant.
The other two things the sport package on the xi includes is the 3-spoke sport steering wheel and the sport seats with the large side bolsters and adjustable thigh support.
I am really undecided...
shipo, "BMW 3-Series 2006+" #5836, 12 Mar 2006 7:39 pm
If you absolutely feel you MUST have AWD, you should (IMHO) still consider winter tires so that you can add turning and stopping to the list of things your car can do well in the slippery stuff.
Best Regards,
Shipo
1. seat-mounted front side-impact airbags
2. front passenger seat-occupation recognition with passenger's airbag off indicator
Do these absences make the 330xi less safe than the other versions?
Thanks
agbasher
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