[naylon]

About to purchase an E90

Car # 1: 330xd. 43.000 miles. 2007 model year. Full time AWD

Car # 2: 320xd. 31.000 miles. 2011 model year. X Drive

Car # 1 allures due to bigger engine.

How is the X drive in snow on steep hills? Coming from E46 330xi, it performed well on snowy hills.

Does the X Drive react quick enough on steep hills?

[floydarogers]

Originally Posted by naylon

About to purchase an E90

Car # 1: 330xd. 43.000 miles. 2007 model year. Full time AWD

Car # 2: 320xd. 31.000 miles. 2011 model year. X Drive

Car # 1 allures due to bigger engine.

How is the X drive in snow on steep hills? Coming from E46 330xi, it performed well on snowy hills.

Does the X Drive react quick enough on steep hills?

Both cars are xDrive - all E9x cars switched from the older fixed-torque transfer case that the E46 had. AWD == xDrive (probably the dealer doesn't know that.)

xDrive is a bit better than the older fixed-split, since it can put more torque to the front if necessary.

[VTECaddict]

Same system, BMW just changed the name for marketing purposes.

[naylon]

Do you mean 2007 model is not permanent all wheel drive?

I though 2007 is full time AWD.

[hassmaschine]

Originally Posted by VTECaddict

Same system, BMW just changed the name for marketing purposes.

it's not the same at all. For one, the E46 transfercase was an open differential - the only way it could "transfer" torque from a slipping wheel to the wheels that had grip was to fake it by braking the slipping wheels. It works ok, but not really great for performance (much like the E9x's E-LSD overheats the rear brakes when used heavily). Also, as stated above, the E46 has a fixed torque split. They had a reputation for eating front CV shafts as well.

[hassmaschine]

Originally Posted by naylon

Do you mean 2007 model is not permanent all wheel drive?

I though 2007 is full time AWD.

2007 and 2011 are the same system.

I think the confusion here is the E46 vs the E90 systems

[VTECaddict]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

it's not the same at all. For one, the E46 transfercase was an open differential - the only way it could "transfer" torque from a slipping wheel to the wheels that had grip was to fake it by braking the slipping wheels. It works ok, but not really great for performance (much like the E9x's E-LSD overheats the rear brakes when used heavily). Also, as stated above, the E46 has a fixed torque split. They had a reputation for eating front CV shafts as well.

He's comparing 2007 xi vs 2011 xDrive. Both E90. Same system. Marketing name change.

[PhaseP]

+1

The AWD system is "x-drive" for all E90's, but up to some year the car models with x-drive had xi badge at the model name. After that certain year they dropped x letter from the model name, and started adding an "x-drive" badge on the car to indicate it has X-drive (AWD).
To me it looked like an effort to duplicate the "Quattro" badges on the Audi's.

[lhuynh336]

xdrive is really fantastic, its proactive and not reactive like most systems out there. Turn on dynamic traction control and you'll have a blast in the winter time.