[LOLrance]

Originally Posted by NoKaOi

Cancelled out if debadged!

touche.

[bimmerque]

Originally Posted by NoKaOi

Anyone have experience with both Xi and i?
Is there a difference in handling?
Any problems I should know about?
Considering Xi to help stabilize cornering on wet roads in Northern California.

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

I have owned an 330xi, and let me tell you buddy, I will always love the xi, my 6 speed xi pulled in every gear like it was no bodies business, and she was fast as any "i"

The 330i, I own now, has been very impressive, even-though, she is a 6 speed auto she got some serious break away speed.

if your in an area where it gets bad in the winter, you can't go wrong with the xi, but you can't go wrong with the xi period, on a different note, the "i" I must say is king

[Jeff Flowerday]

Originally Posted by T Bone

I wish I could have the regular 335i in Toronto. If you live in Seattle or go to Lake Tahoe then I would understand. Socal....no need for the XI

They don't sell regular 335i s in Toronto?

I don't need an xi in Calgary not sure why you would need one in Toronto. Winter tires are your friend.

[BMdblU]

Originally Posted by Jeff Flowerday

They don't sell regular 335i s in Toronto?

I don't need an xi in Calgary not sure why you would need one in Toronto. Winter tires are your friend.

[T Bone]

Originally Posted by Jeff Flowerday

They don't sell regular 335i s in Toronto?

I don't need an xi in Calgary not sure why you would need one in Toronto. Winter tires are your friend.

Winter tires and XI dominate..... I will challenge any 335i + Winter tires to who can get to the grocery store during a blizzard contest anyday.

[kel3]

I drove both and have experience with both I also currently own a rwd that sits in the garage now mostly. Up here in NE I say get XI for sure even if I lived in miami i'd still get an XI. It handles amazing and I feel full control of the car when cornering and driving in heavy rains. the XI saved my live once in NY on westside hwy during a severe storm when I was driving my e60 so ever since then I will prolly never get anything rwd as a daily driver. One of the reasons I passed up on m3 believe it or not. I opted for the 335xi and I have no regrets...

[bimmerFUD]

Originally Posted by 742

As for “high performance AWD models”, you can divide high end cars into those intended for serious driving and those intended for people with serious money. Porsche, for example, makes lots of AWD 911s. But the GT2 and GT3 are RWD.

Do FIA rules even allow AWD for the GT2/3 series?

[SteelTorque]

Wow! A lot of talk here from people that don't have any experience with both cars. I'm willing to bet that most RWD guys in this thread have never even driven an XI enough to make a conclusion.

However, I have ONWED both car. Thats right, not test driven...but OWNED both cars.

I took both cars to the autocross and skills training and I can tell you a few things.
The XI is a RWD biased car and it performed evenly to the RWD 335. At the end of the day, I honesty did not feel any difference between the two, with the exception that the XI felt a little heavier sometimes. In all tests the XI performed VERY well and very confident. On the wet skid pad, it was total rape of the "I".

One thing I noticed was that it was easier to recover the "XI" from difficult/dangerous situations that the "I". Way easier. Even my instructor agreed.

In the real world...the XI will win in all situations, in my opinion, because traction is never a problem.

[kwakr738]

Originally Posted by SteelTorque

Wow! A lot of talk here from people that don't have any experience with both cars. I'm willing to bet that most RWD guys in this thread have never even driven an XI enough to make a conclusion.

However, I have ONWED both car. Thats right, not test driven...but OWNED both cars.

I took both cars to the autocross and skills training and I can tell you a few things.
The XI is a RWD biased car and it performed evenly to the RWD 335. At the end of the day, I honesty did not feel any difference between the two, with the exception that the XI felt a little heavier sometimes. In all tests the XI performed VERY well and very confident. On the wet skid pad, it was total rape of the "I".

One thing I noticed was that it was easier to recover the "XI" from difficult/dangerous situations that the "I". Way easier. Even my instructor agreed.

In the real world...the XI will win in all situations, in my opinion, because traction is never a problem.

[scooby9]

In Edmonton, AWD is almost a must because of the heavy snows and the crazy hills getting out of the river valley. I just got a 328i loaner and ignoring the power delta, I didn't feel that much difference in the handling when I tossed the car in the corners. I'd say go for the "i" unless you live or will live in a climate that calls for potentially crazy snow/ice conditions.

[bigguy225]

I don't need an xi in Calgary not sure why you would need one in Toronto. Winter tires are your friend.

I specifically bought an xi for life in Calgary The slightly lower i will be nice cruisin 17th, but that's about it. For every other driving scenario in this city, the xi will dominate year round

[UdubBadger]

Originally Posted by xPaulBaiLeyx

+1
You don't need the Xi here in SoCal. . . Why spend the money. . .
Plus i like the staggered setup sooo much better

you do realize you can stagger an xi too right?

[Appropriate]

This thread is so ridiculous...

But since someone started it...

I live in Denver, and the xi is going to be great in the winter. I also like the supreme confidence I have in whipping the thing around any turn at any speed and knowing the car will figure out how to get me around it safely.

But... I do miss just tearing the back tires up (especially when you have tires-for-life)... you just can't get the wheels to break lose on the xi.

[Dubbedoutbimmer]

Originally Posted by Appropriate

This thread is so ridiculous...

But since someone started it...

I live in Denver, and the xi is going to be great in the winter. I also like the supreme confidence I have in whipping the thing around any turn at any speed and knowing the car will figure out how to get me around it safely.

But... I do miss just tearing the back tires up (especially when you have tires-for-life)... you just can't get the wheels to break lose on the xi.

You cant break the tires loose in the XI?? hmm wait till the DVD is released from the drews run rally and you see me drift mine through a parking lot and start busting doughnuts hahah

[UdubBadger]

try turing off the TRAC (hold down the DTC button till the amber triangle appears on the dash).

I've gotten the tires to make a lil squeak on my 328... you could definitely get some spin from a 335

[Jeff Flowerday]

Originally Posted by bigguy225

For every other driving scenario in this city, the xi will dominate year round

Dominate what? 0-40 on icy streets in bumper to bumper traffic? Seriously?

[NoSole]

I personally got the XI because when the snow falls, I'm in the mountains almost every weekend. I used to have a Jetta and can't fucking stand all the headaches of chains. Yeah, it's a lil better for wet, but not enough to make a deal-breaking difference. If you don't NEED the all wheel drive, I'd say get the I. They are cheaper, and more versatile (for modding purposes). I love the AWD, but it's one more thing I have to worry about fucking up when I mod it if all my settings aren't right. And yes, it does understeer. I used to feel it alot when I had it stock (with the sport suspension). I feel it way less now that I have V3s and better tires, but I still feel it.

So like I said, unless you NEED the AWD for snow or other terrain, save some dough and get the I.

[kwakr738]

Originally Posted by UdubBadger

try turing off the TRAC (hold down the DTC button till the amber triangle appears on the dash).

I've gotten the tires to make a lil squeak on my 328... you could definitely get some spin from a 335

This morning I turned off DTC on the way to work. From I stoplight turning right I punched it. I kicked out the back in a smooth fashion. I don't know if it was me or DSC, but it feel nice.

[Tim2189]

i got my self a 328i...i feel less comfortable going into turns at higher speed with the RWD then i do with the AWD (during the test drive) and why would u wanna drive your bmw in the snow? even if its got a super dooper advanced AWD system, it doesnt mean the guy next to you does....enough said

[gemini330zhp]

Both cars are great depending where you live!!! SoCal you do not need a XI!!!! In NewYork you need a XI. If you want a Sporty car with AWD get a RS4 or a GTR or EVO!!!! I live in NewJersey and I have a e46 M3 not to bad in snow but not great either but it will move with the right tires never got stuck. I have ContiExtreme Contacts great tire for all types of weather conditions. After this summer I will be looking at a 335xi Coupe or Sedan much more practical. Why I said that I had Audis and Subarus were up my ass when driving in snow lol could not shake them..

[roamer]

It is interesting to me that there are so many absolutes being spouted in this thread . . .

I have owned an evo for several years and live in the snowbelt/hills outside Buffalo, NY. With snows, the AWD is nearly unbeatable and I generally prefer the car over my wife's truck when the roads get bad. I have been looking for a replacement and decided to drive and spent significant time in the 335xi and 335i WITH sports packages to compare and was left with an interesting dilema.

For traction in foul weather, you cannot beat the xi. HOWEVER, the xi is NOT 4wd, it is 2wd which can be allocated among 4 wheels. BMW's system relies on electronics to prevent wheel slippage due to the open diffs. On wet roads I could feel the traction control intervening as the dash light flickered trying to keep the power down. While effective under normal driving conditions, it was a detriment imo under performance conditions. In equivalent conditions, my evo (which lacks electronic nannies) would simply put the power down (LSDs front and rear) and progressively slide when traction was lost. I turned the tc off in the xi and the car slid around without being able to get much power down. The weight difference also was quite noticeable to me as the xi felt much more nose heavy (on an already heavy car) vs. the 335i.

In comparison, the 335i felt much lighter, better balanced and because the sports suspension is actually different on the 335i, much sharper. In the wet, the factory traction control kept things in line, but the i was noticeably less capable coming out of corners as compared to the xi.

Given these conclusions you would think I was convinced the xi was the better car for my conditions. However, the potential wildcard is a LSD in the i. This would provide true 2wd through the rear axle. While certainly not preferrable in the muck to the xi system, it should close the gap (especailly with snows, which are a must). I have driven cars with LSD and RWD and with the correct rubber (snow tires) and judicious use of the throttle, have gotten me home safe every time (even over an unplowed backroad with 1' of snow on it). Add a highly capable tc system, and I don't think there will be many days where I will be concerned about getting home.

From my perspective, the xi is the better car for 99.5% of the drivers out there. It is sporting and will generally keep you out of the ditches regardless of the conditions. However, an i, WITH a LSD would be quicker in the dry and more fun to toss around. Add snows in the winter and use your head (and the tc) and you should be fine. Even up here, there are probably not more than 10 days in the year where the AWD provides a significant advantage while driving normally on the street. On a track, the 335i sp with an LSD would be the superior car. Without the LSD, buy an xi and upgrade the suspension.

I guess you just need to decide what type of driving you really do. For me, 10 days of slower drives would be worth 355 days of a more sporting car. But then again, I have never been accused of being bright . . .

[Mid_West]

Have to throw my $0.02 in here since I just read 65 posts!

I have an i and with a tune I get zero traction. I wish I had an Xi...then again Im back to stock and the i is fine for me. So, I agree with the previous poster who mentioned tuning as the deciding factor. Forget about the snow or rain! Its all about power to the wheels. On the i with a tune you will continually do one-wheel-squealies! You will also get tired of seeing the traction light blinking.

Go for the Xi and pick up a JB3, Procede, Dinan or whatever your flavor and enjoy the grip you get at every stop light!