What I want vs. what the reality could support

On Apr 7, 1:53*pm, Zathras >
wrote:
> On Wed, 6 Apr 2011 22:27:42 -0400, D. LaCourse >
> wrote:
>
> > The 335D has got plenty of ooomph with tons of torque. *
> >Put four good snow tires on it and it will survive very nicely in the
> >snowbelt states.
>
> You *are* joking?! My 325d is the only car I've ever driven that is
> capable of failing to move off *downhill* in snow! Yes, if you can get

Let me guess: all seasons on the rear axle?
That or the bold snow tires.

> it going, it handles impeccably in snow but stopping and starting in
> snow often requires divine intervention in these things.
>
> Yes, with preparation and skill these things can go from a to b in
> snow but no way is a rear wheel drive automatic BMW going to "survive
> very nicely" in a snowbelt. They are for keen drivers who relish a
> challenge.
>
What challenge there is in xi? For all I care you can probably drive
(and stop) on winter slicks with awd.
The tread pattern only comes into play on snow/slush.

On 2011-04-07 06:53:31 -0400, Zathras
> said:

> On Wed, 6 Apr 2011 22:27:42 -0400, D. LaCourse >
> wrote:
>
>> The 335D has got plenty of ooomph with tons of torque.
>> Put four good snow tires on it and it will survive very nicely in the
>> snowbelt states.
>
> You *are* joking?! My 325d is the only car I've ever driven that is
> capable of failing to move off *downhill* in snow! Yes, if you can get
> it going, it handles impeccably in snow but stopping and starting in
> snow often requires divine intervention in these things.
>
> Yes, with preparation and skill these things can go from a to b in
> snow but no way is a rear wheel drive automatic BMW going to "survive
> very nicely" in a snowbelt. They are for keen drivers who relish a
> challenge.

Hmmmm. Really? I belonged to the BMW club in Massachusetts for a
number of years (even though I owned an Audi). They sponsored ice
racing on Newfound Lake in NH each winter. BMWs equipped with proper
tires did very well ice racing. They were no match for the Audi
Quattros, but they did well against other cars. It's all in the tires.

And, consider, "snow days" are usually the only time you use snow
tires. The roads are clear *usually* in 24 hours. There's no such
think as "all season tires." There are summer tires that should do
well in the rain, and there are winter tires. If you put all seasons
on a BMW or any rear wheel drive car, you will not be very efficient.
Hell, all seaon tires on front wheel drive cars are not ideal either.

Dave

On 2011-04-07 06:53:31 -0400, Zathras
> said:

> On Wed, 6 Apr 2011 22:27:42 -0400, D. LaCourse >
> wrote:
>
>> The 335D has got plenty of ooomph with tons of torque.
>> Put four good snow tires on it and it will survive very nicely in the
>> snowbelt states.
>
> You *are* joking?! My 325d is the only car I've ever driven that is
> capable of failing to move off *downhill* in snow! Yes, if you can get
> it going, it handles impeccably in snow but stopping and starting in
> snow often requires divine intervention in these things.
>
> Yes, with preparation and skill these things can go from a to b in
> snow but no way is a rear wheel drive automatic BMW going to "survive
> very nicely" in a snowbelt. They are for keen drivers who relish a
> challenge.

Hmmmm. Really? I belonged to the BMW club in Massachusetts for a
number of years (even though I owned an Audi). They sponsored ice
racing on Newfound Lake in NH each winter. BMWs equipped with proper
tires did very well ice racing. They were no match for the Audi
Quattros, but they did well against other cars. It's all in the tires.

And, consider, "snow days" are usually the only time you use snow
tires. The roads are clear *usually* in 24 hours. There's no such
think as "all season tires." There are summer tires that should do
well in the rain, and there are winter tires. If you put all seasons
on a BMW or any rear wheel drive car, you will not be very efficient.
Hell, all seaon tires on front wheel drive cars are not ideal either.

Dave

In article >,
Zathras > wrote:
>On Wed, 6 Apr 2011 22:27:42 -0400, D. LaCourse >
>wrote:
>
>> The 335D has got plenty of ooomph with tons of torque.
>>Put four good snow tires on it and it will survive very nicely in the
>>snowbelt states.
>
>You *are* joking?! My 325d is the only car I've ever driven that is
>capable of failing to move off *downhill* in snow! Yes, if you can get
>it going, it handles impeccably in snow but stopping and starting in
>snow often requires divine intervention in these things.

You're talking about two totally different cars here.

My suspicion is that you have two different sets of tires also. Put a
set of Hakkapellitas on that 325d and you will probably find it handles
remarkably well. Put a pair of the factory run-flats on the 335d and you
will have trouble keeping it on the road.

It's all about tires.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

In article >,
Zathras > wrote:
>On Wed, 6 Apr 2011 22:27:42 -0400, D. LaCourse >
>wrote:
>
>> The 335D has got plenty of ooomph with tons of torque.
>>Put four good snow tires on it and it will survive very nicely in the
>>snowbelt states.
>
>You *are* joking?! My 325d is the only car I've ever driven that is
>capable of failing to move off *downhill* in snow! Yes, if you can get
>it going, it handles impeccably in snow but stopping and starting in
>snow often requires divine intervention in these things.

You're talking about two totally different cars here.

My suspicion is that you have two different sets of tires also. Put a
set of Hakkapellitas on that 325d and you will probably find it handles
remarkably well. Put a pair of the factory run-flats on the 335d and you
will have trouble keeping it on the road.

It's all about tires.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

On 7 Apr 2011 10:44:24 -0400, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:

>In article >,
>Zathras > wrote:
>>On Wed, 6 Apr 2011 22:27:42 -0400, D. LaCourse >
>>wrote:
>>
>>> The 335D has got plenty of ooomph with tons of torque.
>>>Put four good snow tires on it and it will survive very nicely in the
>>>snowbelt states.
>>
>>You *are* joking?! My 325d is the only car I've ever driven that is
>>capable of failing to move off *downhill* in snow! Yes, if you can get
>>it going, it handles impeccably in snow but stopping and starting in
>>snow often requires divine intervention in these things.
>
>You're talking about two totally different cars here.

What's different apart from the extra turbo, software tweaks and
compulsory auto box? I'd be surprised if a 335D would perform hugely
better than my manual car on snow covered roads.

--
Z

On 7 Apr 2011 10:44:24 -0400, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:

>In article >,
>Zathras > wrote:
>>On Wed, 6 Apr 2011 22:27:42 -0400, D. LaCourse >
>>wrote:
>>
>>> The 335D has got plenty of ooomph with tons of torque.
>>>Put four good snow tires on it and it will survive very nicely in the
>>>snowbelt states.
>>
>>You *are* joking?! My 325d is the only car I've ever driven that is
>>capable of failing to move off *downhill* in snow! Yes, if you can get
>>it going, it handles impeccably in snow but stopping and starting in
>>snow often requires divine intervention in these things.
>
>You're talking about two totally different cars here.

What's different apart from the extra turbo, software tweaks and
compulsory auto box? I'd be surprised if a 335D would perform hugely
better than my manual car on snow covered roads.

--
Z

On Apr 7, 7:25*pm, Zathras >
wrote:
> On 7 Apr 2011 10:44:24 -0400, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
>
> >In article >,
> >Zathras > wrote:
> >>On Wed, 6 Apr 2011 22:27:42 -0400, D. LaCourse >
> >>wrote:
>
> >>> The 335D has got plenty of ooomph with tons of torque. *
> >>>Put four good snow tires on it and it will survive very nicely in the
> >>>snowbelt states.
>
> >>You *are* joking?! My 325d is the only car I've ever driven that is
> >>capable of failing to move off *downhill* in snow! Yes, if you can get
> >>it going, it handles impeccably in snow but stopping and starting in
> >>snow often requires divine intervention in these things.
>
> >You're talking about two totally different cars here.
>
> What's different apart from the extra turbo, software tweaks and
> compulsory auto box? I'd be surprised if a 335D would perform hugely
> better than my manual car on snow covered roads.
>
Wheelspin might be easier to induce on ice in 335d :^)

Saw a 335d at a tire shop when switching to summer shoes this morning.
Not sure if it was an auto or a euro car with a stick though.

On Apr 7, 7:25*pm, Zathras >
wrote:
> On 7 Apr 2011 10:44:24 -0400, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
>
> >In article >,
> >Zathras > wrote:
> >>On Wed, 6 Apr 2011 22:27:42 -0400, D. LaCourse >
> >>wrote:
>
> >>> The 335D has got plenty of ooomph with tons of torque. *
> >>>Put four good snow tires on it and it will survive very nicely in the
> >>>snowbelt states.
>
> >>You *are* joking?! My 325d is the only car I've ever driven that is
> >>capable of failing to move off *downhill* in snow! Yes, if you can get
> >>it going, it handles impeccably in snow but stopping and starting in
> >>snow often requires divine intervention in these things.
>
> >You're talking about two totally different cars here.
>
> What's different apart from the extra turbo, software tweaks and
> compulsory auto box? I'd be surprised if a 335D would perform hugely
> better than my manual car on snow covered roads.
>
Wheelspin might be easier to induce on ice in 335d :^)

Saw a 335d at a tire shop when switching to summer shoes this morning.
Not sure if it was an auto or a euro car with a stick though.

On Fri, 8 Apr 2011 01:55:58 -0700 (PDT), AD > wrote:

>On Apr 7, 7:25*pm, Zathras >
>wrote:
>> On 7 Apr 2011 10:44:24 -0400, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
>>
>> >In article >,
>> >Zathras > wrote:
>> >>On Wed, 6 Apr 2011 22:27:42 -0400, D. LaCourse >
>> >>wrote:
>>
>> >>> The 335D has got plenty of ooomph with tons of torque. *
>> >>>Put four good snow tires on it and it will survive very nicely in the
>> >>>snowbelt states.
>>
>> >>You *are* joking?! My 325d is the only car I've ever driven that is
>> >>capable of failing to move off *downhill* in snow! Yes, if you can get
>> >>it going, it handles impeccably in snow but stopping and starting in
>> >>snow often requires divine intervention in these things.
>>
>> >You're talking about two totally different cars here.
>>
>> What's different apart from the extra turbo, software tweaks and
>> compulsory auto box? I'd be surprised if a 335D would perform hugely
>> better than my manual car on snow covered roads.
>>
>Wheelspin might be easier to induce on ice in 335d :^)

That's an interesting one - the peak torque figure in a 325d arrives
at a lowly 1300rpm whereas on the 335d it comes in at 1750rpm. The
actual peak torque figures are probably irrelevant on ice but what it
means on my car is that if your foot is on the accelerator/gas pedal
at all then you're most likely putting peak torque out the back axle.

Even in the dry, I need good tyres in good condition to avoid
occasional wheel slip away from junctions even on the factory 255
section Michelins. It would not surprise me if the auto 335d with it's
slipping clutches and bands were to be actually easier to get off the
mark without wheel spin. Comparing to a pals 325d auto, his back tyres
last longer than mine but his car takes off at much higher revs than I
let mine normally do.

>Saw a 335d at a tire shop when switching to summer shoes this morning.
>Not sure if it was an auto or a euro car with a stick though.

IFAIK, they are only available as automatics :-( I'm not old enough
(I tell myself) to want that yet. :-) Even 330d cars with manual are
not super common in the UK. That's why I ended up with a 325d. It's
not so bad though as I still get that magnificent I6 and a manual box
to have the most fun with it.

--
Z