Car questions again – RWD in general and bike rack fuel economy this time..

My low bike rack didn’t really affect mpg where as a a high level one knocks 5mpg off easily

The whole mileage / age issue is such a guess in my opinion that I would not worry about it myself. My dad has a 54 plate volvo that has only done something like 30 odd thousand miles, but he rarely does short journeys in it. He does long journeys, but might not use it for a week at a time. Whereas someone who has done greater miles, might thrash it from cold every single time they get in it even if they then go on to do a long journey.
My 130 is a 57 plate and has only done 36k, but I very rarely go over about 4000 revs until it has warmed up, then I use the engine.

You do see lots of RWD cars stuck spinning the wheels, but I think that in a lot of these instances a little better technique (ie put in a higher gear and be gentle with the throttle) would have got them moving.

You’d think so, but when I got stuck in two inches of snow I can assure you that I tried pretty much every combination of gears, revs, DTC, TCS imaginable. Used to be able to get my Passat pretty much anywhere in snow so fairly certain it’s not my driving style.

I suspect the problem is not so much RWD per se, but low profile wide tyres on a fairly light car.

That body bag thingy looks like a good idea if I don’t get a rack.

Well, one of my questions has been answered for me in that the older/lower milage car has now been sold!

I’ve just come back from a brief test drive and it feels lovely (but then again a tractor would feel lovely after my current car).

As for whoever asked about tyres – it has Dunlop’s on the back and Hankook’s on the front. All in very goood nick. Tbh the car should generally be in good shape as it’s a BMW approved thingy wotsit car (and has the year’s unlimited milage warranty).

RRR, have a think about getting that Tracer on a Saris Bones. Its not easy, but can be done.

Plus the feet do mark the paintwork unless you put something between them and the body.

Kryton, I think I’ll work on convinving Mrs RRR that I can fold down the seats and stuff it in the back.

Rather oddly, last night when we were looking around it was I that had to pursuade her to at least consider looking at the saloon and estate versions for the additional praticality. However, presuambly because she likes the colour (no, really) she said didn’t see the point and we should test the E92. Odd.

Personally the classic shaped E46 Sport in silver is the way to go. Then, you could get something sporty like, a 3L engine. Now, imagine if you knew someone with one of those for sale….

🙂

Yes you’re right of course but unfortunately there’s no-one I know who has one for sale!

I thought you got a new one anyway? I remember you muttering something about it feeling the same as the old one?

Yes you’re right of course but unfortunately there’s no-one I know who has one for sale!

Are you sure? (Note that I’m writing between the lines).

I thought you got a new one anyway? I remember you muttering something about it feeling the same as the old one?

Erm, I still have the old one, er maybe. Fancy a test drive? 😀

All the talk of RWD in winter 🙄 Here in Liverpool it never bloody snows anyway, simply not an issue for me. Even in winter no problems visiting wales / lakes /peaks.

I have a westfalia removeable tow bar & Thule Tow Bar mounted Bike Rack, MPG drops arround 5-8mpg on my motorway stints.

Does 3/4 years mean one is pre/post facelift period?

Tempting Kryton but no ta. Having two Bimmers is just plain greedy! 😀

timc – I think it’s pre-facelift but I’m not entirely sure

links to cars & forum can tell you!

RWD cars can randomly spin out when driving in a straight line at constant speed on snow. I’ve seen it happen right in front of me in the USA. Driving along, and suddenly wheeeee and we had to swerve. This isn’t really possible with a FWD car.

Of course a modern car with ESP and whatnot shouldn’t do that, but it goes to show there is definitely a difference. More of the weight is over the non-drive wheels, which makes them harder to push through snow and then the less laden rear wheels (relative to FWD) have less grip and have to do more work.

As above though, electronics can counter this I suppose.

Oh yeah – towbar mounted racks – on my Passat the bars and saddle stick up above the boot, and this causes a lot of drag. Fuel economy dropped from 54mpg ish to about 46-48 or so.

molgrips – Member
….I’ve seen it happen right in front of me in the USA…

But we all know the septics have a different definition of competance, and more to the point, level of enthusiam…

It was heavy traffic, doing about ooh, 30mph or so. It was snowing moderately and had been for a couple of hours so there was about an inch or a bit more on the ground, temperatures below freezing. The road was covered apart from tyre marks which retained a dusting.

The car suddenly span out. As far as I could tell, the car hadn’t been attempting to do anything like change lane.

The car suddenly span out. As far as I could tell, the car hadn’t been attempting to do anything like change lane.

“Goddamit Darlene, watch me overtake this sum’bitch” (in american accent)

molgrips, I (stupidly perhaps) drove my 231bhp RWD auto through the last snow, on the way to a ride. I drove carefully, bit it coped fine *shrugs*

I have a 330d and a Thule tow bar mounted rack. There’s no noticeable difference in MPG with it on or off (that’s with two bikes)

When the weather is like this then you have to go canny on the accelerator coming out of roundabouts n the like. Other than that it’s like a FWD without the understeer and the dodgy torque steer. 🙂

I’d go for the lower milage of the two. Or check which has the better bodywork, looking at minor imperfections.

Thanks all, well as I say the lower milage, older one has now been sold.

The other one I test drove at lunch and may consider thinking about getting it, maybe, subject to wifely discussions etc.

So, a mixed message about economy and bike racks then really!

At this late stage FWIW:
320d E46 auto estate – not perfect, Auto box is poor but chassis is great and seats very comfy.
3 people, 3 bikes on roof, pissing rain run to Liverpool and back from Stirling = 39MPG
1 person, carbon bike inside clear day run to Birmingham = 49mpg

Live in central scotland and had little issues with getting around in the snow in 2010/11 except when the diesel froze. Driving in the snow is about technique and a wee bit of luck, front wheel drive can compensate for both.
Next car will prob be another Bimmer (5th) but may go back to petrol.

molgrips, I (stupidly perhaps) drove my 231bhp RWD auto through the last snow, on the way to a ride. I drove carefully, bit it coped fine *shrugs*

Well perhaps the conditions were different? Maybe your car has ESP? Perhaps your tyres were better? US tyres are insanely hard compound, they come warrantied for 80k miles sometimes 😯

Maybe you drove more slowly than the person I saw? There was no overtaking, there was no bend or change of speed. All it’d take would be the front wheels wandering out of the two black stripes, the front wheels would be retarded, the back wheels break traction and you’re gone. My sister in law also spun out on a quiet road with very little bend, despite having grown up in a snowing climate and being experienced in snow driving (like day in day out 4 months of every year), but I didn’t see what she did cos I wasn’t there. We just had to go and push her out 🙂

The incident I saw would have been impossible in a fwd car.

Has the OP bought a car yet?

Not yet! I’m definitely thinking about it though! I just need to sort an insurance quote which is tricky at the moment as the car is in between registration plates (it had a private plate on it which isn’t included in the sale).

Run one on a like for like car – with a different reg. That’d give you the price.

Yep I’ve done that now Hora. Mind you I still have to wait for the V5 gubbins to be sorted out before I can buy it (assuming I’m going to)…

Tomorrow, hopefully tomorrow! 😀

I suspect the problem is not so much RWD per se, but low profile wide tyres on a fairly light car.

Correct – it doesn’t matter which wheels are doing the driving, it matters whether they’ve got the weight of an engine over them or not. That’s why RWD vans are also a disaster in snow. A diesel engine is heavier so even better, the best car I’ve ever driven in snow is Mrs Gti’s C1 diesel, engine over the driving wheels and narrow tyres and with winter tyres it’s unbeatable; last winter we could stop on a steep slope of packed snow, declutch and move off with no drama at all.

ESP doesn’t help; last winter I tried to climb a shallow slope in my Passat diesel and the ESP sensed the wheels spinning and gradually slowed it down until it stalled. I reversed off and knocked off the ESP and got up the hill easily.

Well, for those interested, I bought the car.

Although I have by no means been driving in a “spirited” manner I can definetly feel the change to RWD though.

The car has a lovely feel coming out of corners/roundabouts. I am however, quite thankful of the myriad traction control type things it has!

Excellent RRR, you are now in the elite ranks of course. 😉

Somebasic rules for you, which can be found in the handbook:

a) You don’t need indicators. In fact, using them is not cool.
b) Parking parallel to the markings in parking bays is not only optional, its for nerds and french car owners.
c) ALWAYS drive in the outside lane.
d) ALWAYS pull away slowly and smugly from traffic lights
e) Audi’s are the enemy, Fords are for kids.

I’m sure more will appear in this thread soon…

And where’s the gratuitous pic?

Well I was travelling back from Norfolk on the A1 on Sunday and I was most perturbed to find I had a Honda on my tail and a Ford weaving about in front of me.

I’m supposed to be the n0b head, surely?

Gratuitous photo??

Hmm well okay… If you insist ..

Duplicate gratuitous photo

RopeyReignRider – Member
Well I was travelling back from Norfolk on the A1 on Sunday and I was most perturbed to find I had a Honda on my tail and a Ford weaving about in front of me.

I’m supposed to be the n0b head, surely?

Everyone likes to challenge a BMW driver. The best way to pish them off is to pull over smiling snugly, only to zoom past at er, 70mph sometime later….

Nice looking car btw, its more impractical than mine, and should be posted in the thread I started this morning next door… <——-

Yep, you could be right!

Thanks Kryton, I’ve yet to figure out where the bike goes :-S

re praticality, it’s pretty good in that unlike the saloon, it has folding rear seats. Also, the front seats fold all the way forward so installing a baby/ baby seat, for example, is supposed to be not too tricky..