RWD vs AWD advice needed

[mattwhite709]

Hi PH,

I did post this in the BMW thread but thought I would post here to.

I am soon to be moving from London down to Kent and will need a 2.0D for the 60 mile round commute everyday.

I just wanted to know if anyone is local to that area has had a RWD or x drive BMW and what people would recomend?

Thanks

[Brinyan]

Is this a driving commute into London, or more 'rural' roads through Kent?
We're in a village accessed by smaller lanes & a couple of days over this past week, unless you had 4wd, couldn't get in or out. I considered an xdrive recently to replace a Subaru, but decided against it, also deciding against a standard 3 series. The Xdrive obviously has more all weather ability, but it's still rather limited, so if it was myself after a 3 series, would get a regular one, that would do the job & apparently drive better for 99% of the time.

[P700DEE]

I have a 520 F11, this year for the first time I fitted winter tyres and have had no issues getting in and out of my village. There have been times with the drifts etc. that we have been technically snowed in but then even 4x4 with snow tyres were going nowhere. Those with standard two wheel drive cars on summer tyres will have struggled to get out and about for 4 days. Do the maths, this is the first serious snow for about 5 years will you have the car that long?

[mattwhite709]

Thanks guys you both made some great points.

Whilst we have not found a house yet it will most likely be in a town. I was more on the side of a rwd model and getting a set of winter tyres.

I just wanted to check because even though this has been the 1st proper snow for 5 years, I know Kent gets worse weather then London.

[julian64]

I think I'm becoming a bit of a fanboy of the xdrive. Recently did very well In the snow in NW kent. The only thing that stops the car is that I have a splitter on the front which acts like a snow shovel when the centre of the road snow built up high enough, and that was with normal summer tyres. It didn't stop the car but I did think the bodywork was under threat.

Prior to that I had a 3 series BMW and an M5 both of which had winters on all four during snow spells, and neither of which had the capability of the xdrive on summers.

There is definitely a difference in driving an xdrive. No throttle steer. Some blunting of the handling but I think its mainly due to the fact you steer it round corners rather than waiting for the tail to come out. I wouldn't say its worse, only different. I like different aspects of both.

[roscobbc]

I have a 2 series XE225 plug-in hybrid s a daily driver. It's a 3 cylinder 1500 cc petrol turbo with 6 speed auto drives front wheels. Hybrid/Battery/Electric motor drives rear axle. Kinda part time 4 x 4 really as it alternates which axle is being driven depending on state of battery and driving mode/style. Heavy acceleration brings battery rear axle in to play (as does any slippage from front axle) - quite useful (if not totally foolproof in the weather we've been having) Interesting sub 7 second 0-60's