RE:Why BMW 325iX and 525iX sucks?

[Linus Toy <linust@mindspring.com>]

From: RELAYER <RELAYER@aol.com>

>First of all, i don't think a 525ix ever made it to our shores, if it was 
>made at all. 

it was indeed made, but as you note, did not make it to the US (don't know
about Canada)

>BMW gave up on the all wheel drive concept after a very short run.

not so sure about that...sales continued in Europe long after they gave up
in the US.  may simply be market positioning--BMW (and Audi and MB and
others) have very specific images to maintain in certain parts of the world
(in particular, the US) and so offer only certain models or equipped only
in certain ways (i.e. loaded).  elsewhere (home markets), they don't want
to be so selective and look for every sale they can get.  I have a hunch
GM, Ford, and Chrysler do the same when they export US built cars overseas,
but offer everything here at home.

>The 325ix was a heavy car with a truck like AWD system, nothing like 
>Torsen. It had a transfer case that was half way back of the car that split 
>off and sent another driveshaft forward...just like what you see on 
>trucks.   

That, in a nutshell, sums it up (what's wrong with the iX).  BMW adapted a
front drive axle to their RWD car.  While Audi did the same thing adapting
a rear drive axle to their FWD car, it was much easier to start from the
tail end of a transaxle, which the BMW doesn't have.  OTOH, look at what
Audi installed as a rear drive axle--just a front suspension turned 180
degrees with the tie rods locked (ur-q/4k/80/90q).  a "real" rear drive
suspension didn't show until the typ 44 quattro.

--LDT
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* linus toy                       email:  linust@mindspring.com      *
* mercer island, wa                                                  *
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