BMW 3 series or Audi A4 - advice from drivers
Discussion
Looking to buy a 17/18 plate BMW 3 series or Audi A4. I would definitely go for BMW but I am worried that RWD might be tricky or even dangerous in ice/snow. I have heard mixed reports and not sure how serious an issue it could be. We live in London so nothing extreme but it can get icy in winter. I have looked at X drive but they are a bit pricey. Has anyone any experience they can share?
Thanks. What’s it like when it is icy? We don’t do loads of driving in snow and ice but I don’t want to worry when my wife is out in the car with the kids for instance. If it isn’t a significant difference and the car is still relatively stable in icy conditions then that’s fine and I’ll go for the beemer as I much prefer it generally.
Edited by RayW1898 on Saturday 23 January 12:59
you could always get an x drive bmw...
rear drive isnt much of an issue TBH, its how its driven for the conditions. if you drive too fast then you will encounter issues or of your too heavy with the power, although tyres theses days are not too troubled by the power out of a 2.0
if your in the country and tend to drive alot on icy and wet roads etc then a fwd drive or four wheel gives that little bit of security, but most cars these days have traction stability and the like on them anyways.
Ive driven two A6 for a while, one was fwd and the other quattro and no matter what they tell you there is a difference with the 4 wheels being driven.
rear drive isnt much of an issue TBH, its how its driven for the conditions. if you drive too fast then you will encounter issues or of your too heavy with the power, although tyres theses days are not too troubled by the power out of a 2.0
if your in the country and tend to drive alot on icy and wet roads etc then a fwd drive or four wheel gives that little bit of security, but most cars these days have traction stability and the like on them anyways.
Ive driven two A6 for a while, one was fwd and the other quattro and no matter what they tell you there is a difference with the 4 wheels being driven.
Erm... I can struggle getting onto my drive when it’s icy. I picked up a e91 335i on Wednesday. When I got to my house. Road was slushy. But it was fine at low speeds.
I’ve only got stuck once and that was in my e39. Going up hill. My traction control just loved to light up that day! Luckily a chap pulled me out and once I got going I was fine again.
As mentioned, if you can get an xdrive variant then go for that. I’m sure there’s videos on YouTube comparing rwd with winter tyres and xdrive variants.
I’ve only got stuck once and that was in my e39. Going up hill. My traction control just loved to light up that day! Luckily a chap pulled me out and once I got going I was fine again.
As mentioned, if you can get an xdrive variant then go for that. I’m sure there’s videos on YouTube comparing rwd with winter tyres and xdrive variants.
I live in London, have been driving 6-pot RWD BMW’s for the past 10 years and have never been inconvenienced by snow and ice to the point it impaired my ability to do what I wanted to do.
As the chap above me suggests, winter tyres, if you remain concerned, will make much more of a difference than 4WD.
As the chap above me suggests, winter tyres, if you remain concerned, will make much more of a difference than 4WD.
I ran an e92 325i for 3 years and had similar concerns to you when I bought it. Fortunately for me I rarely need to use the car in bad weather but I got caught out a couple of years ago when I was out in the countryside late at night and we had some really heavy snow. Although I wouldn’t want to experience that drive home again the car coped amazingly well and I didn’t get stuck despite the conditions being some of the worst I’ve ever driven in.
Invest in good tyres and treat it with respect and you’ll be fine.
Invest in good tyres and treat it with respect and you’ll be fine.
Just about to go out and swap over to snow tyres on my 5 series as it is forecast tomorrow. Generally with care there is no issue with RWD and snow, I got caught out once in 3 inch of snow in my XKR, got home fine. There is no need for 4WD in the south east and it may get you going , it won't help yopu stop! In London you will almost never need anything as the salting and other road users will soon clear the roads. Its those that don't know how to drive that seem to cause the issues. Need to get around in the snow put on winter tyres, its cheaper than paying the extra for X drive.
ahenners said:
17/18 plates, I'd be leaning towards the A4. It's a newer car with newer tech and cabin. The F30 3 was towards the end of its life whereas the B9 A4 was only 2-3 year old at this point. The B9 is a nicer place to sit, even if it's drive is a bit bland compared to the F30.
I'd tend to agree - the F30 was built down to a price - it's quite cheap in places and a bit noisy / unrefined in comparison to the A4.Personally, though, I'd be looking towards a 5-series or A6. They aren't massively more expensive to buy, but on a different level when you look at quality and refinement. (Actually usually good value, too - my old company 520d went to auction and is now for sale at £10.5k at 4.5 years and 105k miles old. That's a steal for the money - they've fixed all the little nicks and chips and refurbed the wheels.)
I was considering both last year. Didn't actually get either in the end... But I did tend to find the A4 was better value. Seemed to get a newer and/or better equipped one for similar money. Some of the 3 series even have halogen headlights which would barely be acceptable on a mid range hatchback.
I was going to start a new thread but as there are a few BMW drivers here I thought I would stick with it! Anyone got any thoughts on hybrid plug ins versus petrol/diesel BMW? I am concerned about battery life (warranty up to 60k) and the high cost of replacement. My budget may get me a 30k car and I do 10/12k a year. They also seem to be more expensive although there are a few around.
RayW1898 said:
I was going to start a new thread but as there are a few BMW drivers here I thought I would stick with it! Anyone got any thoughts on hybrid plug ins versus petrol/diesel BMW? I am concerned about battery life (warranty up to 60k) and the high cost of replacement. My budget may get me a 30k car and I do 10/12k a year. They also seem to be more expensive although there are a few around.
Start a new thread. You'll absolutely get a better response.Gassing Station | Car Buying | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff