[legaleye3000]

Before my current and first BMW, I had a front wheel drive car. With my non x-drive 328, I notice when I take corners fast, like pulling out my office parking lot on to the main road since it's a busy street, the car "slips" like almost hydro planing and I have to take my foot off of the gas and make the turn slower.

This didn't happen with my other front wheel drive cars and I'm wondering if this is due to rear wheel drive...? Thanks.

[stevehecht]

You may be feeling the difference in front/rear weight distribution. The BMW is nearly 50/50 while the front wheel car was likely 60/40 or greater. The AWD is biased to the rear more or less depending on what the computer is telling the transmission to do for maximum traction in various conditions.

[legaleye3000]

If I got x drive, would I get the front wheel drive feel again, or is this just not possible on bmw? I love my bmw but I miss my older and cheaper car's handling. I know, call me crazy...

[floydarogers]

Google around for the terms "understeer" and "oversteer". My guess (and it's a guess because I'm not sure of your explanation - that's why I want more precise descriptive words) that you're experiencing oversteer, which is usually corrected by the traction control and stability control systems before it gets too bad - does a yellow triangle flash on the instrument panel?

FWD cars generally understeer in those circumstances; the difference between the two behaviors are very noticeable.

RWD cars can also understeer, but braking usually reduces or eliminates it.

AWD tends to eliminate oversteer. I don't know why Steve brought it up as it's not terribly germane to rwd vs fwd. Confusing...

[legaleye3000]

I just googled and I'm a little confused on which one applies to my situation. I'm thinking it's more understeer...

I can't take corners as fast because I feel like the rear is going to fish tail. Also, when turning out of my parking lot from a stopped position, the car seems acts like it's hydro planing if I accelerate too much on the 90 degree turn, even though there's no water. . Thanks for the reply.

[Fronzdan]

It's simply rear wheel drive and a lot more power than you're used to. Probably have all season tires too. You're simply peeling out when you turn hard from a stop and hitting the gas. More grippy tires would fix that.

[DrivenByE30]

FWD and AWD are definitely a safer choice for most people...

You cannot drive a RWD expecting it to behave like FWD...

[legaleye3000]

If I had xdrive with stock tires, would I be experiencing this? In other words, would the x drive drive like a front wheel drive I'm used to? If so, it seems like a rear drive car is inferior to the front or awd. Thanks.

[chiefneil]

Originally Posted by legaleye3000

I just googled and I'm a little confused on which one applies to my situation. I'm thinking it's more understeer...

I can't take corners as fast because I feel like the rear is going to fish tail. Also, when turning out of my parking lot from a stopped position, the car seems acts like it's hydro planing if I accelerate too much on the 90 degree turn, even though there's no water. . Thanks for the reply.

You must be taking those corners quite aggressively to notice. I haven't driven a FWD drive car at the track, but with RWD you power out of the corner, not into the corner.

If the rear is breaking loose then you're applying too much power too early in the corner. Your FWD car didn't fishtail because the front wheels were doing all the work - you were likely getting understeer, or the car just didn't have enough power to break the front tires loose.

Try a little less throttle at the start of the corner, but once you reach the halfway point you can get harder on the gas and power out. This is actually a much faster way to drive anyway, slow in and fast out. Although in general unless your roads are really sandy down there in South FL, I think you may be driving too aggressively for public roads.

Join the BMW CCA and do a track weekend to learn how to handle your car. It'll make things safer for everybody involved and I think you'll learn quite a bit and enjoy your car a lot more. Your BMW is a lot faster than your old FWD car, you just have to learn how to drive it properly under the (rather extreme) circumstances you're describing.

[OC40]

Originally Posted by legaleye3000

it seems like a rear drive car is inferior to the front or awd. Thanks.

Trade it in for a Fiat. With a Fiat, you will have the FWD that the populous desires.

[USC2000]

It sounds like you're driving with the traction control off. Make sure your learn how to drive your car first before you start turning anything off. With it turned on, the system should intervene and reduce power to avoid causing the car to slip.

[legaleye3000]

Lol to OC40.

I don't think I'm driving that aggressively. Although driving in south FL, especially on the 95, is like driving on a track sometimes.

I always notice it most when exiting my bukding because it's such a busy road that you have to get out fast or you'll never get out. So when I'm trying to exit fast, the wheels seem to spin too fast or something so it feels like it hydroplanes and I have to take my foot off of the gas and turn slower but by that time other cars have to slam on their brakes because I'm exiting too slow.

Sometimes I'll take corners real fast for fun if no one is really around and sometimes I do get the traction control light for a second. I have stock tires. On these turns, my other fwd didn't do this. I never turn traction control off and drive in comfort mode.

Here's my final question: would xdrive eliminate this problem?

[Cyberdemon]

Cars will experience understeer (when the car turns less than desired) and oversteer (when the car turns more than desired).

Any wheel drive car can experience either phenomenon.

Rather than explain it there are tons of articles you can read to understand how and why it happens and how to avoid it.

http://www.performance-car-guide.co....ng-basics.html

It sounds like you're just smashing the gas coming out of the parking lot, and the wheels are breaking traction so they slip. Since you aren't comfortable with that happening you let off the gas.

In reality you just need to use less gas while pulling out and then as soon as the car is pointing the direction you want it, hammer the pedal. Traction control will do the rest.

If you're coming off a ramp it's going to be worse since you're upsetting the suspension between the left and right wheels.

[elistan]

Originally Posted by legaleye3000

I always notice it most when exiting my bukding because it's such a busy road that you have to get out fast or you'll never get out. So when I'm trying to exit fast, the wheels seem to spin too fast or something so it feels like it hydroplanes and I have to take my foot off of the gas and turn slower but by that time other cars have to slam on their brakes because I'm exiting too slow.

Could be that you're just not used to how RWD feels, and what you should really be doing is staying on the gas. If you keep the traction/stability controls on (and assuming they're working properly) you will NOT spin out the car. The car will simply cut power to the engine and apply brakes as needed to keep the car going in the direction you have the wheels pointed.

Another possibility is that your feeling of hydroplaning is the traction control reducing engine power. Try the same corner after hitting the traction control button once - that mode reduces the aggressiveness of the engine power cut function and allows some tire slip which can actually be a faster way of accelerating.

It would be very useful for you to contact your local BMW club and sign up for an autocross or driving school.

[floydarogers]

Originally Posted by legaleye3000

...Here's my final question: would xdrive eliminate this problem?

Yes, because there is almost no way to spin the rear tires (it's clear that that's what is happening - power-induced oversteer. The term "fish-tailing" is what oversteer means) with an xDrive car because the fronts will help you accelerate.

An xDrive car WILL NOT drive like a FWD car, however.

[Fanitron]

OP, you need to learn how to drive a RWD vehicle. Simple as that. No, you will never have the same experience switching from FWD to RWD to AWD. They all behave in different ways due to the the wheels being driven, hence the nomenclature. Read articles and take some driving lessons. Another good way is to take your car to an empty lot and induce oversteer (fish-tailing), the open space will provide more confidence to allow you to use the throttle and brake to help correct the oversteering.

[legaleye3000]

Thank you eveyome for your responses. One follow up: I have heard you don't want rwd and should get xdrive. I may be moving to a snowy area ...

[Steven1077]

You sound like an accident waiting to happen

[Fanitron]

Originally Posted by legaleye3000

Thank you eveyome for your responses. One follow up: I have heard you don't want rwd and should get xdrive. I may be moving to a snowy area ...

Get good winter tires, that will help. Depending on the amount of snow and other things, like hills, you'll be better off using AWD. It will help with grip when accelerating or turning. Like I said, you really should take some advanced driving lessons. It'll pay off in the long run.

Originally Posted by Steven1077

You sound like an accident waiting to happen

LOL totally not helpful at all...

[legaleye3000]

Lol at Steven.
Do people other than high schoolers and dui convicts take driving school? Do they charge? Do they have any place in south fl or northern nv? Thanks.

[Cyberdemon]

Originally Posted by legaleye3000

Thank you eveyome for your responses. One follow up: I have heard you don't want rwd and should get xdrive. I may be moving to a snowy area ...

There's been 12,000 posts on here about this topic. There is no right or wrong answer.

I live in NY and drove through snowpocalypse on a RWD car with snow tires.

AWD is preferable because it helps acceleration, especially in bad weather.

RWD is preferable because it's lighter, better balanced, and is the reason the majority of sports cars are RWD. Since most enthusiasts buy BMW's for performance, that is why it's still the primary offering on all BMW's and there are no AWD M cars.

But realistically you would be better off to expand your knowledge on how car dynamics work because if you ever lost control of your car it doesn't sound like you would know what to do.

[Cyberdemon]

Originally Posted by legaleye3000

Lol at Steven.
Do people other than high schoolers and dui convicts take driving school? Do they charge? Do they have any place in south fl or northern nv? Thanks.

http://www.bmwusa.com/performancecenter#drivers

There are introduction track days given at Sebring raceway in FL as well as outside Vegas with other companies as well.