[JK479]

Does X drive use the same electronic steering or does it get the old hydraulic system?

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by jk3355

Does X drive use the same electronic steering or does it get the old hydraulic system?

EPS in the European models.

HghlandPete

[JK479]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

EPS in the European models.

HghlandPete

Can anyone chime in that drives F30 in the USA? is your xdrive a hydraulic setup?

[howiegu]

Originally Posted by jk3355

Does X drive use the same electronic steering or does it get the old hydraulic system?

ESP for US as well.

[S-Dot]

Originally Posted by jk3355

Does X drive use the same electronic steering or does it get the old hydraulic system?

Electric, but not "the same". Different steering box parts for xDrive versus non-xDrive.

[JK479]

Originally Posted by S-Dot

Electric, but not "the same". Different steering box parts for xDrive versus non-xDrive.

is there a difference in feel? is the xdrive the better drive than the rwd sister model?

[Gymkhana]

Originally Posted by jk3355

is there a difference in feel? is the xdrive the better drive than the rwd sister model?

i dont think you'd notice that. Except hard conering. This is where it differs from RWD turn technic )
Still, as a man,that tryed Xdrive after plenty RWD cars - id suggest to go for RWD.

[S-Dot]

Originally Posted by jk3355

is there a difference in feel? is the xdrive the better drive than the rwd sister model?

In my opinion, xDrive is NOT the better drive. The rear-wheel drive is a sharper, better-handling vehicle overall. The xDrive isn't BAD, it's just not as good.

And much harder to tail-slide.

I have xDrive because I live at the end of three miles of mud road, and without it I'd never get anywhere.

[JK479]

Originally Posted by S-Dot

In my opinion, xDrive is NOT the better drive. The rear-wheel drive is a sharper, better-handling vehicle overall. The xDrive isn't BAD, it's just not as good.

And much harder to tail-slide.

I have xDrive because I live at the end of three miles of mud road, and without it I'd never get anywhere.

RWD is generally more interesting. The trade off is more wheel spin on winter days.

Do sandbags really work? adding a few hundred lbs to a truck seems archaic but maybe its smart?

[SPACEMANRICK]

Not sure why anyone would spend $50,000 on a sports sedan and then throw 200 pounds in the trunk for traction? Not sure if you are driving a 335 or 328 but in my 2006 rear wheel drive 330i with only 260 horsepower I would get wheel spin all the time on hard acceleration from a stop in Vancouver's heavy rain and in hilly terrain. The only time I ever experienced wheel spin in my 2008 335xi was on ice and that was only briefly before all 4 tires hooked up.....

Some people in rainy and warm Vancouver prefer winter tires an rear wheel drive but in the last 3 years in Vancouver the Winter has averaged about 40 to 50 degrees farenheit with 2 days of snow.......In Vancouver I find all wheel drive with 300 horsepower much less of a sacrifice than rear wheel drive with winter tires when it is 50 degrees out and raining!

[Nedmundo]

Originally Posted by jk3355

is there a difference in feel? is the xdrive the better drive than the rwd sister model?

I tested a 328i RWD Sport Line in April, and, a couple of weeks ago, a 328i xDrive M-Sport with Variable Sport Steering. That's not exactly back-to-back, but the steering left me with the same impression both times. I suspect that any steering feel advantage from VSS could have been offset by the AWD and non-sport suspension, but, regardless, I don't think there's much if any difference.

[S-Dot]

I actually found VSS to have a worse feel. Or more specifically, it had a less natural feeling to me. They felt the same on-center, but moving from on-center to off-center seemed abrupt and not intuitive to me.

Actual feel and feedback was near-identical feeling to me, but I believe they both use virtually the same setup other than different rack gearing.

I agree that there wasn't alot of steering feel difference from non-xDrive to xDrive models until you really pushed things, but once you start sliding tires, the RWD had more luck going where I wanted it to go and how I wanted it to go.

Or maybe I just like on-demand oversteer...

[JK479]

Originally Posted by S-Dot

I actually found VSS to have a worse feel. Or more specifically, it had a less natural feeling to me. They felt the same on-center, but moving from on-center to off-center seemed abrupt and not intuitive to me.

Actual feel and feedback was near-identical feeling to me, but I believe they both use virtually the same setup other than different rack gearing.

I agree that there wasn't alot of steering feel difference from non-xDrive to xDrive models until you really pushed things, but once you start sliding tires, the RWD had more luck going where I wanted it to go and how I wanted it to go.

Or maybe I just like on-demand oversteer...

RWD is fun... and sportier. AWD is a superior traction. In the snow belt, it helps gets you going. I won't turn this into a awd vs rwd debate, but being pushed verses pulled with FWD is always better. My understanding is awd uses RWD bias to begin with.

[TheObviousChild]

Originally Posted by jk3355

RWD is fun... and sportier. AWD is a superior traction. In the snow belt, it helps gets you going. I won't turn this into a awd vs rwd debate, but being pushed verses pulled with FWD is always better. My understanding is awd uses RWD bias to begin with.

Yep, this is one of the main reasons I decided to go with Xdrive. In CO, I've gotten stuck a couple of times in my RWD 328. Wanted to go with Xdrive with my 335, but was concerned I'd be giving up the RWD feel.

Turns out Xdrive is biased to the rear by about a 60/40 ratio.