Today we had a moderate 4 - 7 inch snowfall in the NYC Metro area. Some schools canceled in anticipation of the snow, but I had to go to work. My 17 mile drive to work is mostly twisty, windy, hilly, S-curve backroads with blind turns (and one hairpin turn) past a series of waterfalls, farms, and just beautiful country scenery in Fairfield County, Connecticut.

The drive in was uneventful, except for maybe for the deer and wild turkey sightings among the flurries. However, the snow picked up in intensity throughout the morning, so by 2 o'clock when I left work, there were 6 inches of snow on the ground. It was coming down with such intensity that my windshield was completely covered with snow by the time I got the snow brushed off other parts of the car! My jacket was also full of snow and my hair was soaking wet. I couldn't believe it.

I pondered whether I should wimp out and take the interstate, with hordes of other traffic, or be adventurous and see how the x-drive handles and run the risk of getting stuck somewhere in no-man's land. I chose the latter.

What an awesome experience! There wasn't one place where I thought I might be in trouble. My biggest fear was that some other a**hole was going to skid into me or spin out.

The car handled remarkably. The roads, for the most part, were not plowed at all, and there were a few times where I felt the car pulling to the right due to snow depth, but I kept a firm grip of the wheel (heated of course, ) and the xi just surged ahead. Most of the time I had it in 2nd gear (manual transmission), and that gave me the best control in the downhill portions of the trip. I LOVE MT in the snow! You hardly need the brakes at all!

So bottom line, I have the utmost confidence in my x-drive in snow with "just" all-season radials. Once roads are plowed and ice has a chance to form, I'm sure I'll have another set of challenges that the x-drive isn't going to necessarily help with. But I was sure grinning ear-to-ear after today's snow escapade .

Just thought I'd share that.

 

Great write up! We went snowboarding in Vermont last year and it also handled very well.

 

Good write up!
Here is the Canadian perspective of today.
It has been snowing steadily here in the 2nd coldest Capital City in the world, and my 535ix is unstopable!
Went skiing this morning at Camp Fortune and witnessed several cars in the ditch as I wound through beautiful Gatineau Park, where the maximum speed is 40 kmh due to the twists and turns to the resort.Not once did my baby slip or hesitate, partly thanks I am sure to my Wintersport Dunlops that cut through 1 ft snow like a hot knife through butter.I have owned several all wheel vehicles in the past and none perform as well as the mighty BMW!

 

Thats awesome! My 545i is sitting nice and warm in the garage...

On the flip side of what you experienced, I was in a Chevy Impala (work car) and had to go to the Bronx and back yesterday... what should have taken under 2 hrs each way took a total of 14 hrs... 3 hours to go 15 miles at one point - ugh!... what a BAD day. I get so frustrated in traffic. The Impala had no problems with handling but everyone else seemed to have issues...

 

Hope you were on the clock, Jay...

 

XDRIVE BABY! NICE WRITE UP. XDRIVE IS A BAD ASS!

 

Thanks guys!

 

Nice write-up. I had a similarly good experience yesterday on the snow covered NJ parkway - no troubles whatsoever.

 

Works great on the old lady's X3 too. I always sneak her car out on those snowy days.