recommend a 325xi?

[thumbs_98]

Hi, I realize this is probably a biased board, but I was wondering if anyone could recommend a 325xi for my particular circumstances. I live in New England and need something that is good under snowy/icy conditions.

Right now I have a Honda Pilot which was fun at first, but I'm growing tired of parking it and fueling it. I'm single, so I don't really need anything that big. I basically bought it after a particularly annoying winter... :) I also miss the driving style of a car. (I've had two maximas: a '98 and a '00, and also an '02 Accord).

I've wanted a BMW for a while now, so I'm thinking the 325xi with AWD would be a good alternative. I basically want something more fun, and "younger," that won't have me going off the road in a dusting of snow...

I also have a long commute and some years hit 30,000mi a year, so I need something reliable. It's my goal to keep my next vehicle and pay it off.. so that would mean it needs to be able to go 100,000+ (I'll probably buy an ext. warranty) I'm sick of buying cars every 18 months..... :)

Sorry for this long rambling message. Thanks for any help.

-Dan

[pmb1010]

get the 325i and 4 good snow tires.

(from a guy with a 330xi....)

[SARAFIL]

Hi, I realize this is probably a biased board, but I was wondering if anyone could recommend a 325xi for my particular circumstances. I live in New England and need something that is good under snowy/icy conditions.

The 325xi is probably our most popular car. We sell alot of both (325i and 325xi), but around here most people prefer the 325xi due to the fact that it has all wheel drive and is a little better in the snow, and they don't have to put snows on.

[gizzy]

I love my 325xi but have not had a chance to drive it in the snow yet though I'm quite confident that it will do well. The bimmer should last well into the 100,000 mile range and will retain it's value better than most other cars. The 325 lacks the power and acceleration that I would prefer (it is acceptable however) but is available in the 330, I just didn't feel that I could swing the cost of the 330 with the options that I wanted just yet and will be on the list of potention next cars.

[FireFly]

It all depends...

I have a 330xi and need both AWD and in some instances, snows as well.

I would recommend the XI for:

Someone who lives in the mountains with a lot of snow, big hills and roads which the plows can't clear completely.

On the other end of the spectrum, I'd recommed one for people who live in a flat place where it does not snow too much, but enough to make RWD with summer tires a bad choice. Why? Because these people can get AS tires on an XI and drive all year and feel comfortable with the car in most situations.

So for So. Nh or Mass I would go with RWD plus a good set of snow tires in the winter. The snows will give you the confidence to handle any highway driving situation especially if a sudden noreaster pops up on you.

An XI with AS tires will do a decent job but AS tires will not help you stop or corner better in the snow, neither will AWD for the most part.

I have driven 2 winters with my 330xi with the AS tires and they did a good job. But I started feeling less safe in the car and will go with winter tires on the XI this winter. Overkill but my situation (long steep driveway) mandates it.
Hope this helps with your situation.

[drewpsb70]

here's another question

i have a 325i with the sport package

it is for the most part unusable when it snows here in the northeast

is there any way to increase traction with the use of snow tires or all season tires ( are these two the same? )?

or should i just garage it when it snows?

[KrisL]

is there any way to increase traction with the use of snow tires or all season tires ( are these two the same? )?



Snow tires and all-seasons are NOT the same. Snow tires will provide MUCH better traction in the snow.

Like others have suggested, a good set of snow tires is a great investment in your safety. You can find a set of 16" BMW rims on eBay for $500... add a pair of snow tires and you should be able to get everything you need for under $1100. TireRack is having a closeout on Michelin snow tires: click here (http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Compare1.jsp?startIndex=0&vehicleSearch=true&width=205%2F&ratio=55&diameter=16&sortCode=44950&minSpeedRating=H&ratio=55&width=205%2F&diameter=16&minLoad=S&search=true&pagelen=20&pagenum=1&pagemark=1&performance=W&speed_rating=HR&speed_rating=VR&speed_rating=WR&speed_rating=YR&speed_rating=ZR&x=9&y=10).

[drewpsb70]

Snow tires and all-seasons are NOT the same. Snow tires will provide MUCH better traction in the snow.

Like others have suggested, a good set of snow tires is a great investment in your safety. You can find a set of 16" BMW rims on eBay for $500... add a pair of snow tires and you should be able to get everything you need for under $1100. TireRack is having a closeout on Michelin snow tires: click here (http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Compare1.jsp?startIndex=0&vehicleSearch=true&width=205%2F&ratio=55&diameter=16&sortCode=44950&minSpeedRating=H&ratio=55&width=205%2F&diameter=16&minLoad=S&search=true&pagelen=20&pagenum=1&pagemark=1&performance=W&speed_rating=HR&speed_rating=VR&speed_rating=WR&speed_rating=YR&speed_rating=ZR&x=9&y=10).

thanks for the information

i take it then we have no option but to switch out the sport rims permanently then?

also is traction really that much better if i do switch out the rims and tires?

ie. is it really worth the time and money or should i just stick with the current sport rims and tires?

really lost!

[KrisL]

thanks for the information

i take it then we have no option but to switch out the sport rims permanently then?

also is traction really that much better if i do switch out the rims and tires?

ie. is it really worth the time and money or should i just stick with the current sport rims and tires?

really lost!


huh? Buy an extra set of wheels and get snow tires mounted on them. In the winter, remove sport wheels and put the "winter" wheels on the car. Takes ~20 minutes to switch all 4 wheels once you've done it once or twice (I do it once a month when autocrossing - I switch my sport wheels with my race wheels - then switch back before driving home).

Is it really worth your time and money? Only you can answer that. I don't know how much the roads get plowed where you live. I don't know how much it snows where you live. I don't know how "sporty" you drive in the summer.

If you don't drive very "sporty" and it doesn't snow much (or the roads get plowed), then you might just want to get a set of all-season tires for your sport rims.

If you like driving harder in the summer and/or need superior snow performance, than an extra set of snow wheels/tires is the only answer.

[drewpsb70]

thanks again for the information

you don't know how helpful it is!

i think we'll stick with the tires and rims and just have to put up with not using it when it snows hard

by the way i'm in northern new jersey so it does snow quite a bit and the hilly roads make it worse

[MA330CIC]

Hi, I realize this is probably a biased board, but I was wondering if anyone could recommend a 325xi for my particular circumstances. I live in New England and need something that is good under snowy/icy conditions.

I've wanted a BMW for a while now, so I'm thinking the 325xi with AWD would be a good alternative. I basically want something more fun, and "younger," that won't have me going off the road in a dusting of snow...

I also have a long commute and some years hit 30,000mi a year, so I need something reliable. It's my goal to keep my next vehicle and pay it off.. so that would mean it needs to be able to go 100,000+ (I'll probably buy an ext. warranty) I'm sick of buying cars every 18 months..... :)

Sorry for this long rambling message. Thanks for any help.

-Dan

I think either the 325Xi or 325i are fine as long as you get 4 snow tires. Change from summer to winter tires and you won't regret it. If you get 325i the cost of the rims and snows will equal the cost of 325Xi and I think you'll be pretty well covered. Most believe the drive of the 325i is superior to the 325Xi, but you should drive both. No matter what you chose... I would get winter tires.

Good luck! :thumbup:

[oldefarms]

Hi, I realize this is probably a biased board, but I was wondering if anyone could recommend a 325xi for my particular circumstances. I live in New England and need something that is good under snowy/icy conditions.

Right now I have a Honda Pilot which was fun at first, but I'm growing tired of parking it and fueling it. I'm single, so I don't really need anything that big. I basically bought it after a particularly annoying winter... :) I also miss the driving style of a car. (I've had two maximas: a '98 and a '00, and also an '02 Accord).

I've wanted a BMW for a while now, so I'm thinking the 325xi with AWD would be a good alternative. I basically want something more fun, and "younger," that won't have me going off the road in a dusting of snow...

I also have a long commute and some years hit 30,000mi a year, so I need something reliable. It's my goal to keep my next vehicle and pay it off.. so that would mean it needs to be able to go 100,000+ (I'll probably buy an ext. warranty) I'm sick of buying cars every 18 months..... :)

Sorry for this long rambling message. Thanks for any help.

-Dan

[oldefarms]

I just purchased a 325XI ( wagon) with sport package.
My suggestion without any doubt would be to buy a set of Snow Tires with seperate wheels for the winter.
My car ( sport package) run on 17" low profile tires ( which I copuld do without).
However, I will run 16" snows in the winter.
Look at Nokian tires...they are terrific.
I would also look at buying a CPO car.
The car I just bought was a 2003 with only 11,800 miles on it.
With a CPO car BMW will warrenty the car to 100,000.
Write if you need more info.
PS: I live in NH
PPS: I can help you with what dealers are more aggresive than others when it comes to price
PPS: Check out the BMWUSA.COM website and hit the link to certified pre owned cars.
Hope this helps

[oldefarms]

Hi, I realize this is probably a biased board, but I was wondering if anyone could recommend a 325xi for my particular circumstances. I live in New England and need something that is good under snowy/icy conditions.

Right now I have a Honda Pilot which was fun at first, but I'm growing tired of parking it and fueling it. I'm single, so I don't really need anything that big. I basically bought it after a particularly annoying winter... :) I also miss the driving style of a car. (I've had two maximas: a '98 and a '00, and also an '02 Accord).

I've wanted a BMW for a while now, so I'm thinking the 325xi with AWD would be a good alternative. I basically want something more fun, and "younger," that won't have me going off the road in a dusting of snow...

I also have a long commute and some years hit 30,000mi a year, so I need something reliable. It's my goal to keep my next vehicle and pay it off.. so that would mean it needs to be able to go 100,000+ (I'll probably buy an ext. warranty) I'm sick of buying cars every 18 months..... :)

Sorry for this long rambling message. Thanks for any help.

-Dan

[solsurfr]

FWIW... I love my XI and would recommend it to anyone. This board is much more pro-RWD so you won't get a lot of recommendations here. There are lot of hilly backroads where I live and the XI performed superbly. I drive my car pretty hard when I can and the worst is when you are on these backroads and you get caught in a snow storm ---this is what the XI was made for IMHO. People will argue that it happens rarely but it only takes one accident to change your mind.

[st_o_p]

recommend a 325xi?

Yes

[Jingorm]

Dan,

I would recommend getting the 325xi not just for the snow but also for the great traction in the rain as well. I purchased my car in Dec 01 and survived 3 winters of commuting in and between the Boston, NY, and DC metro areas. I took the car up to a resort in NH in the January 03 snow and had no problem getting around. You will definitely enjoy driving a car over an SUV if you commute as much as you say!

What I like about the BMW AWD over Audi QUATTRO is the RWD Bias. It may be all-wheel drive, but you still feel like you are driving a RWD BMW.

On a related note, my friend with a 325ci, could not stay on the roads without winter tires in Boston. So if you decide to go with a 325i, I highly recommend winter tires. I would even recommend them for the xi model if you want to maximize traction, but I didn't find that I needed it.

Finally, if you are in the Boston area, I can definitely recommend a sales advisor to you. Send me an email. I am also selling my 3-series if you are interested in a "pre-owned" 2002 model to make room for my new x3.

/juan

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

If you care about fuel economy, the 325i is more efficient... Of course, fuel economy is NOT a selling point of either the 325i or the 325xi.

The one real reason that I might recommend the xi over the i is that your list of cars implies that you have no experience with RWD. It is not hard to drive a RWD car in the snow, but it requires a different skill set from the one you've got.

One other thing to note: Driving the xi in more than a couple of inches of snow essentially requires you to turn DSC off if you've got a manual transmission. DSC would LITERALLY STALL the engine in my car because it sensed too much wheel spin.

That got annoying.

That and the fact that you can't kill ABS easily, either. But that applies to all modern cars. (In deep snow, all ABS means is that you can't stop.)