[Cleybrooke]

In a 330d...

What would be better in snow.

An Xdrive on summer tyres or an Sdrive on winter.

And by better I mean safer and lees likely to get stuck or through you of the road. Please explain your reasoning.

By the same token, which would be more fun?

[MashinBenzin]

Winter tyres will be better in the snow, no question.

xDrive will help you with traction. It's not going to be of any help in cornering, braking, or even holding a decent straight line on a snowy/icy surface.

My reasoning is below, 320d RWD on winter tyres. 50+ mile commutes in the conditions were no problem at all.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Cleybrooke

In a 330d...

What would be better in snow.

An Xdrive on summer tyres or an Sdrive on winter.

And by better I mean safer and lees likely to get stuck or through you of the road. Please explain your reasoning.

By the same token, which would be more fun?

Tyres, it is obvious, it is in the name.

xDrive is not some miracle answer to winter conditions, you still need winter tyres for snow. It is not only getting moving that is important, but steering, car control and most import "stopping", for safety. Tyres are the key.

Plenty of test videos out there proving the point.

[robbiep]

Originally Posted by Cleybrooke

In a 330d...

What would be better in snow.

An Xdrive on summer tyres or an Sdrive on winter.

And by better I mean safer and lees likely to get stuck or through you of the road. Please explain your reasoning.

By the same token, which would be more fun?

As said, the RWD on winters will be a lot better in snow than an XDrive on summer tyres.

As to 'fun', it depends. If 'fun' to you is having the constant chance of sliding into the path of an HGV and dying, then stick with summers.
If 'fun' means being around for next summer, then fit winters.

[Alscoob]

Originally Posted by Cleybrooke

In a 330d...

What would be better in snow.

An Xdrive on summer tyres or an Sdrive on winter.

And by better I mean safer and lees likely to get stuck or through you of the road. Please explain your reasoning.

By the same token, which would be more fun?

S drive on both counts with winters form personal experience.

The scenario is big 4x4, that i had with summer tyres (non runflat P Zero) along came the winter and snow and I thought great no problem here, well actually it was, slid all over the place, better than a standard car on summers but by no means would I trust it to not get stuck.

By contrast my last Merc C350 diesel estate and current 330d F31 use winters and to date in snow out perform the 4x4 on summers. I live up a hill and the cars queue up and down it all over the place, including so called 4 wheel drive cars (presumably on summers) I just drive straight up the hill no fuss in my rear wheel drive..... some of them just stand and look, as if to say how the hell did he do that!

[Kal101]

Again from experience anything on winters as opposed to anything on summers.

Now if we're talking xdrive on winters ....

[JustChris]

Is it this time of year again already

330D Winter Tyres /thread

[Alscoob]

Originally Posted by Kal. 101

Now if we're talking xdrive on winters ....

Completely different game player that...... when I did change the tyres on the Cayenne 4x4 for all winters it would climb up the side of a wall just about !!

[1966-TR4]

Winters. My xDrive's traction is epic but slid to a stop on an untreated side road this morning in exactly the way you would expect on summer tyres. No surprises there. Thankfully the winters are going on this afternoon, have gone for square Goodyear Gen-1s in 225/45. It has been -5 every morning this week while I awaited my tyre appointment, hopefully I haven't missed it all.

[Kal101]

Originally Posted by Alscoob

Completely different game player that...... when I did change the tyres on the Cayenne 4x4 for all winters it would climb up the side of a wall just about !!

A couple of years ago Auto express did a test using Ford Kuga s I think n 2wd and 4wd using summer and winter tyres on both driving up a ski snow slope - pretty interesting reading.

Only the AWD on winters got to the top.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-new...rip-test-video

[Blacktemplar]

Silly man in a RR Vogue Gin Palace ran straight into the side of me out of a side road in snow 2 years ago. He was utterly baffled as to why he hadn't been able to pull swiftly to a halt from 30mph on hard-packed white stuff with summer tyres....

C0ck

[Cookies]

One of our neighbours had an x3 on summer tyres xbox and during one of the bad winters a few years ago, my Mrs drove past him on our hill in her Megane with winter tyres.

We've been using winter tyres for years and wouldn't be without them. Have a look at this link. gives a fairly good summary of the differences in grip on an ice rink.

[sygazelle]

RWD on winter tires for all the reasons mentioned.

Also, AWD and 4WD vehicles end up in the ditch more often because inexperienced drivers think they can go anywhere and drive like there is no snow. They can't.

[elstoof]

4WD only makes a difference when you're accelerating. When you're in trouble, you're rarely still accelerating.

[S1NGH]

320i xDrive with winter tyres, I am sure a RWD with winters would also get up....?

[robbiep]

Originally Posted by S1NGH

320i xDrive with winter tyres, I am sure a RWD with winters would also get up....?

Dunno if RWD would get up there, the xDrive only just managed it, by the look of things.

[Mr Burt]

RWD & Winters

My winter wheels and tyres went on today. Only 4mm left so hitting the internet for replacements, non RFT.
It's a no brainer with the 340, have 'moments' in the wet so no chances taken in the snow and ice in rural Shropshire.
Going to miss the looks of the 19's, but they are now cleaned, oiled and tucked up in the garage until spring.

[....,,,,..,,..]

Originally Posted by robbiep

Dunno if RWD would get up there, the xDrive only just managed it, by the look of things.

Yeah an Xdrive drive with winters will piss all over an Sdrive on winters.

Just totally no competition in it.

[ewanmac]

I've had a 335 rwd with winters and more recently. 330d xdrive without.

No comparison - as everyone else has said, xdrive has decent traction but winter tyres pisses all over it when it comes to stopping, steering and even driving on a straight line!

I've now got my winters on my m140 and the only thing I would say in defence of xdrive is that winters are bloody slippy in damp conditions. The m140's wheels were spinning yesterday in 3rd, 4th and 5th gears (a first for me!!). Might be because they are brand new but recall my wife's a3 had similar issues last year.

[Kal101]

Originally Posted by S1NGH

320i xDrive with winter tyres, I am sure a RWD with winters would also get up....?

Schoolboy error there

Should have used a 335xd.

[Trialskings]

Originally Posted by Mr Burt

RWD & Winters

My winter wheels and tyres went on today. Only 4mm left so hitting the internet for replacements, non RFT.
It's a no brainer with the 340, have 'moments' in the wet so no chances taken in the snow and ice in rural Shropshire.
Going to miss the looks of the 19's, but they are now cleaned, oiled and tucked up in the garage until spring.

I've just gone for go flat Conti TS850p 225/45/18 up front & 255/45/18 TS830P on the rear.

Mixed tyres as they only do a Run-flat TS830p for the front & having used them last year I wanted normal tyres.

I ran square set up last time & didn't appreciate the 'square' look on the staggered wheels.
£570 all round from Oponeo.

Edit: Having been very impressed in the past by the 830p - great grip & 35k from a set means i get 2 winters from them (high mileage driver!).

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Trialskings

I've just gone for go flat Conti TS850p 225/45/18 up front & 255/45/18 TS830P on the rear.

I hope you mean 255/40 on the rear. If not there's a big difference in RC, (3.8%), that is not good on an xDrive drivetrain.