[mrracer]

I live in the flat south where it never snows and I am looking at getting the sDrive. Almost all of my driving is city. Would there be any great advantage of getting the xDrive?

Thanks.

[atl_1M]

See this thread. I asked the same question as I’m in the south as well and ended up ordering xdrive. General consensus is that xdrive should still be ordered for the added traction not just for snow but for the rain as well.

https://g05.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...ghlight=Sdrive

[TurtleBoy]

You should be fine with the sDrive. AWD does not help with handling in the rain.

[thereef510]

I live in the South, most all the BMWs they sell here are xdrive

[Paladin1]

AWD does improve traction, acceleration and towing in slippery conditions, rain or snow. It's been suggested it improves braking as well, although I'm guessing that's an "it depends" answer, and certainly with normal emergency braking and all 4 wheels locked, whether 2WD, AWD or 4WD makes not a particle of difference, except a 4WD or AWD may be slightly heavier and therefore have a slightly longer stopping distance. There are also minuses to AWD. Edmunds' take:

https://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/d...drive-car.html

[homerrr]

Originally Posted by TurtleBoy

You should be fine with the sDrive. AWD does not help with handling in the rain.

With all due respect, totally disagree. Exceptionally different to have xDrive VS sDrive on wet roads, especially in the south where it doesn't rain a lot. You'll not be dealing with just water but also all the oil and grime on the road mixed in with the rain. After having experienced both, it's a no-brainer for every car I have the choice

[VTENGR]

Originally Posted by TurtleBoy

You should be fine with the sDrive. AWD does not help with handling in the rain.

Should be fine with me sDrive but to say there's not an advantage to having AWD is inaccurate. Even if you live in a dry climate, sDrive and xDrive will not be the same. In ideal dry conditions the AWD system will give you an advantage in traction over the sDrive. Think of the scenario of pulling into traffic from a parking lot. Making a hard right turn, if you accelerate too aggressively you'll lose the back end and traction control will kick in. An AWD varient of the same car will not experience this. When it rains, the difference will be even more drastic. It's not just for snow mud ice etc. There's a reason why the top engines in the lineup only come in x drive. And why Porsche, lambo and other exotics come with AWD.

Is the sDrive a death trap? No, absolutely not. I've been driving a RWD ML350 for years and I was able to make it through unscathed. Will the xDrive be noticeably better? No question it will.

[sjak92]

Originally Posted by TurtleBoy

You should be fine with the sDrive. AWD does not help with handling in the rain.

What a load of nonsense!

[Mbbrewer]

Originally Posted by sjak92

What a load of nonsense!

I've had both and I don't notice a difference at all in the rain. If you live in the south skip the X drive and put that money to other options.

[The Libertine]

Xdrive is not just for snow.

[TurtleBoy]

Originally Posted by Mbbrewer

I've had both and I don't notice a difference at all in the rain. If you live in the south skip the X drive and put that money to other options.

That is correct, AWD doesn't effect handling in the rain it is for traction during acceleration. The biggest problem about driving in the rain is hydroplaning and there is nothing about AWD that will counteract that since it is a function of the tires and road surface. Some argue it is actually more dangerous since people think it will help them in situations it is not designed to.

"However, my experience—hard-earned from wrecking more than one AWD vehicle during snow-handling tests for a tire company—is that AWD is counter-productive when the roads are slick. At the same time AWD doesn't improve your handling, it does offer an overly optimistic sense of available traction, and it provides the potential to be going so much faster when you need to stop. (Note to those from warm climes: Snowbanks are not puffy and cushiony.) The laws of physics mean a vehicle's cornering power is the job of the tires and suspension."
.
.
.

"Some disagree, saying AWD helps bad-weather handling because it quells power on oversteer, the fishtailing rear-drive cars experience when a ham-footed driver is too rough on the accelerator. It is true that AWD is excellent at preventing the tail from stepping out under power. But this is not "improving handling." It's really aiding acceleration."

https://www.popularmechanics.com/car...rive-15202862/


"False sense of security: It is easy to be lured by an automaker's advertising and think that having AWD means you can drive in the snow or rain as easily as you would in dry conditions. But the truth is that AWD and 4WD help only with acceleration and traction. Braking distances and handling will be the same as with a 2WD vehicle."

https://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/d...drive-car.html

[homerrr]

Originally Posted by Mbbrewer

I've had both and I don't notice a difference at all in the rain. If you live in the south skip the X drive and put that money to other options.

That just means you've never been in a situation that would have made the difference. It's all about that once in a LIFEtime where you're either going to be happy you have xDrive or regret you don't....hopefully you'll live to get back on here and recommend xDrive after that!

[VTENGR]

Originally Posted by TurtleBoy

That is correct, AWD doesn't effect handling in the rain it is for traction during acceleration. The biggest problem about driving in the rain is hydroplaning and there is nothing about AWD that will counteract that since it is a function of the tires and road surface. Some argue it is actually more dangerous since people think it will help them in situations it is not designed to.

"However, my experience—hard-earned from wrecking more than one AWD vehicle during snow-handling tests for a tire company—is that AWD is counter-productive when the roads are slick. At the same time AWD doesn't improve your handling, it does offer an overly optimistic sense of available traction, and it provides the potential to be going so much faster when you need to stop. (Note to those from warm climes: Snowbanks are not puffy and cushiony.) The laws of physics mean a vehicle's cornering power is the job of the tires and suspension."
.
.
.

"Some disagree, saying AWD helps bad-weather handling because it quells power on oversteer, the fishtailing rear-drive cars experience when a ham-footed driver is too rough on the accelerator. It is true that AWD is excellent at preventing the tail from stepping out under power. But this is not "improving handling." It's really aiding acceleration."

https://www.popularmechanics.com/car...rive-15202862/


"False sense of security: It is easy to be lured by an automaker's advertising and think that having AWD means you can drive in the snow or rain as easily as you would in dry conditions. But the truth is that AWD and 4WD help only with acceleration and traction. Braking distances and handling will be the same as with a 2WD vehicle."

https://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/d...drive-car.html

Both articles are kind of contradictory. They both say they would take a good set of snow tires over AWD with all season tires. The real question should be, do you take a 2 wheel drive with snows over an AWD with snows. At least the Edmunds article addresses that and falls in line with most on this thread... All things being equal, AWD will out perform a 2 wheel drive car all day, every day.

It's all a matter of keeping the torque levels at the wheels below the threshold of traction for that particular wheel. If you need X amount of torque to get going then it makes sense that if that amount is spread over 4 wheels vs 2 than your chance of exceeding the traction threshold is a lot less.

That doesn't mean that your tires are magically better and you can take a corner going twice as fast. However, what it does mean, is that when you accelerate out of the corner, your chances of under steer or over steer are reduced.

[TurtleBoy]

Originally Posted by VTENGR

Both articles are kind of contradictory. They both say they would take a good set of snow tires over AWD with all season tires. The real question should be, do you take a 2 wheel drive with snows over an AWD with snows. At least the Edmunds article addresses that and falls in line with most on this thread... All things being equal, AWD will out perform a 2 wheel drive car all day, every day.

It's all a matter of keeping the torque levels at the wheels below the threshold of traction for that particular wheel. If you need X amount of torque to get going then it makes sense that if that amount is spread over 4 wheels vs 2 than your chance of exceeding the traction threshold is a lot less.

That doesn't mean that your tires are magically better and you can take a corner going twice as fast. However, what it does mean, is that when you accelerate out of the corner, your chances of under steer or over steer are reduced.

Sounds like you are addressing an issue that was not brought up here or even in question. Obviously AWD provides better traction than 2WD, no one ever said it didn't.

What seemed to start the firestorm of misinformation and misunderstanding was my comment that AWD does not affect handling in the rain, both articles are very clear on that and concur with that point of view.

[mrracer]

I would like to thank everyone for the feedback.

May I ask a different way, is there any disadvantage to xDrive?

Thanks again.

[Paladin1]

Paraphrasing the OP's original question, "if I only drive in the city in good weather, is there an advantage in getting a car with AWD/4WD over 2WD?" Correct me if I misstated. The answer, discussed to a fair-thee-well in this and other threads, is most likely "marginally." That said, if you anticipate ever driving in less than optimal weather, on dirt roads to a campsite, or snowy roads to a ski lodge, or outside "the city" on unknown terrain - maybe to Gramma's house during the holidays when the weather might be unknown or unpredictable, and you think you would benefit from improved traction or acceleration, or would appreciate those benefits when towing a load, the answer is almost certainly "yes." I think.

*And just reading the above, xDrive is more expensive to buy, more complex to maintain, potentially more expensive to repair, and adds slightly more weight. On the plus side of the ledger, a (potentially) higher resale value, and benefits as described. Another consideration, unlike some factory options discussed, is you can't just slap on AWD as an after-market add if you want it later.

[TurtleBoy]

Paladin1 laid it out very well. I personally would choose the AWD in your situation since it is readily available and the initial cost only adds about 4%.

In total, I think the advantages of AWD outweigh any disadvantages. Besides, should you ever want to whisk your significant other away for a romantic getaway, you may not be limited as to when/where you can travel due to the vehicle you have.

[perikifi]

Originally Posted by mrracer

I would like to thank everyone for the feedback.

May I ask a different way, is there any disadvantage to xDrive?

Thanks again.

Loosely related: a 2017 study by a Swedish insurance company of some 35000 snow and ice accidents with injuries to people found that AWD/4WD in a car increases risk by some 20 to 30 percent, most likely due to a false sense of security caused by good observed traction. I guess that could be counted as a disadvantage, although you might not be driving in snow at all.

In Europe we don't get to choose which is perfectly fine by me.

[Mbbrewer]

Originally Posted by homerrr

That just means you've never been in a situation that would have made the difference. It's all about that once in a LIFEtime where you're either going to be happy you have xDrive or regret you don't....hopefully you'll live to get back on here and recommend xDrive after that!

So what situation might that be? I live in southeast Texas. No snow. No ice. Only rain. Only disadvantage to S drive is a slower 0-60 time and who really cares in family hauler? I don't.

[randybobandy]

Late to the party, but to me...it would be the equivalent of buying a 2WD truck. I guess it's a thing in southern weather, but you never know...you might move, you might go to an event where you park on the grass...it rains...then you wish you had it. What if there's a 1% chance you move somewhere north, or go visit someone. At face value, sDrive seems like "it would get by", but to me...it's better to have it and not need it than to not have it and need it.

Even if there's one or two instances where it would be beneficial, it's worth it. Plus, if you have to ask, I know you're leaning towards the xDrive! In my opinion, even if I was down south...if I was shopping used X5s, I would go for the xDrive over the sDrive. I bet the dealership would give you a little more since it would be easier for them to unload.

Can't go wrong either way, but again...anything could happen and you don't want to be stuck!

[TK421BMW]

All the above arguments aside, I think you'll get a much lower resale % and have a harder time selling the sDrive vs the X down the road. But if leasing, doesn't matter.