RWD vs. AWD
 

I cannot get a rear wheel drive 350F sport in the northeast unless I order one and wait 3 months + for delivery. I never drive in snow or ice
I can get an AWD. I don't want the extra cost, weight and complexity of AWD. However I would consider it if the fun and handling factor was not much worse then the RWD. Any advice welcome

I have tried both, and I went with AWD

Also, the AWD does not come with the 8 speed auto. Only a 6 speed auto. Also, you can get variable gear ratio steering in the RWD, but not in AWD.

I would recommend waiting and buying a RWD. Throw some great Blizzaks on them in the winter and you can drive through snow easily.

I also ordered a car Red/Black but the dealer called me 2 weeks later and an AWD with what I was looking for was coming into another dealer in the Northeast, so I took it. I didn't want to wait the 3 or 4 months it would take to come in. The AWD is an awesome car to drive. I can't imagine the RWD being that much better. Some say the 8 speed is more of a blast to drive in the RWD and you should get better gas mileage also with the RWD. Other than that they should drive almost the same.

to better answer your question, i had a few questions for you..
1) what is your application with this car? will it be a daily driver or is it going to be a track car, or like most of us here, an every day car which you'll want to wip around for shizts and giggles every now and then? (awd is better with grip, especially if you square up your wheels used for auto x, for track like most car races out there i prefer the rwd setup for better tire management reasons.
2) have you driven both the awd and rwd? have you driven it the ways you think you might like to drive it? quick turns, twisty runs, around town, suburbs, etc.? it's good to put it in test so you have a small understanding of its characteristics beside just basing things on the manufacturer stats and marketing campains. if you haven't driven both, you can't make a determination what YOU like.
3) last and final thing to say here is HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL when you drive either an awd or rwd? i can't stress how important this question is. forget everything about the world, other car enthusiasts, this forum.. sit in in and ask yourself how the hell do you feel? this should be your primary determining factor! sure, all the color combos, options, transmission play a role in to helping you decide, but those are only pieces to the puzzle--its when they all come together collectively as a whole, makes up the entire car and thats what you need to understand/find out, how does all that coming together make you feel?

the AWD system is great for many reasons, but so is the rwd, just go try it for yourself so you can really know the experience.

a couple things to note though...
a) the awd comes with last gen's 6 speed tranny left untouched. the the tranny and the motor will be the same as last gens.
b) the rwd comes with the same motor however, the tranny is the 8 speed slightly modified ISF tranny.
c) most if not all options you can get in both drivetrains, however, if i recall reading correctly, only the RWD has the g force artificial intelligence (GAI) coupled with the 8 speed tranny. other members can correct me if i'm wrong especially those who have the 6 speed, but i recall that GAI was only given to the 8 speed.

just note though, you will probably never track this car to really notice a difference between the two transmissions. you won't be blasting down 140 mph down the back staight and down shifting from 5-4-3-2 gears to make your turn. when you can do this, it the car will reveal a lot about itself between the two transmissions and car setup, but again like most people it'll be an everyday fun car for them, so thats why i stress the # 3 factor so much--how does it make you feel?

good luck brah.

Important to remember, the biggest advantage is not the weight or the 8 speed auto for the RWD. It is actually the variable gear ratio steering (VGRS).

The steering on the RWD is tighter ratioed and more direct than the AWD in its most aggressive setting. So the RWD car will respond quicker in tight turns (like canyon runs). The RWD tends to understeer less than the AWD as well.

I too prefer the RWD, but the logistics of getting one in the mid-atlantic/NE made me go AWD on my GS.

Another thing to consider about ordering the RWD is resale in your region. Yours being RWD will be VERY rare, and most buyers are likely going to want AWD since thats what is typical...

the 8 speed is one of the best features of the car imo.

so.. Id wait it out and go with the RWD.

I live MN and I ordered RWD IS350 F Sport to get the 8 Speed, VGRS & Power Tilt and Telescopic steering wheel. Waited 3 months but I got exactly what I wanted. I checked all options and picked the colors I liked the most. Put on Michelin X-Ice Xi3s and had no issues during this winter. Roads were usually clear by next day when there was heavy snow and I also have option to work from home if needed.

Biggest factor in my opinion is the resale in your area since most people would want the AWD although being it's F-Sport, RWD does complete the package in my opinion. I intend to keep this ~8 to 9 years and give to my son when he goes to college. For the money you save you could get nice summer wheels and tires and use the factory for winters.

If you have option of not having to use the car in severe winter conditions I would say get the RWD. My wife and I are planning get new MDX Advance which could be our severe winter option if needed.

I much prefer AWD because of winter and traction, but if you never drive in snow and ice, I'd wait for the RWD.

I was in your same exact position, OP. I have to wait 6-8 more weeks for my RWD to come. I haven't test driven it (only AWD's here) but did a lot of research and one member's thread helped me a lot in my decision. Dealers have been dying to make me change my mind for an AWD because they want the quicker sale. :nono:.

Please don't fall for that just for a 3-4 months wait. You'll be keeping the car much longer than that, right? Why the rush?! :confused: Put the excitement of "having-the-car-NOW" on the side and reason with your head. Weigh the pros and cons.

Resale value is poor, but I'm leasing it to avoid the headache. Definitely list your priorities in the car. After driving my wife's 335i quite a bit now, I can't see myself driving anything other than the IS-F's 8-speed, especially considering the slowwww response of the 6-speed.

As for winter, as many have said, good tires are more important than the drivetrain.

By the way RWD does also have "Snow" mode.;) They don't give you option to add heated steering wheel but comes standard with "Snow" mode! :rolleyes: