[Le Chef]

Has anyone here had real experience driving an X3 with a staggered wheel setup vs straight setup? I'm not looking for theoretical answers but real hands on experience. I'm wondering in the real world how appreciable the difference is.

MTIA

[LEDZEP]

Can't answer for the X3, but also have an X5 with M Sport - it has a staggered setup in summer and I use a square setup in winter. I can notice some difference, but there are other variables, such as summer tires vs. all seasons. Both are the same overall diameter and both are on 19" wheels, so that is similar.

Unless you're really doing some performance driving, and are experienced enough to tell the difference, there is not an extremely noticable difference.

[Nahoa]

Mine's staggered as have been three previous 330i's. Never had the chance to directly compare staggered to not, so hard to say much about the difference when driving. I like the look of the bigger wheel on back, though.

[Bimar]

looks, rear stability

[Le Chef]

Originally Posted by inamik75

looks, rear stability

I was looking for real world experience not just an opinion. Couldn't care less about the looks, I'm interested in how well I can put power down coming out of corners.

[frankwin]

I tried both and I saw no real life difference on my old e46. On a track maybe but who cares? I agree, the look is awesome! Personally, apart from the look I find this is a pain because I love to change tire brand every time I can but with staggered, the front were never used as much as the back so I had to keep the same brand until the four tires are finished (or trash two good tires).

[Nahoa]

Interesting. I've not had uneven wear on any of me BMWs. Wonder what makes the difference?

[fedinand]

Originally Posted by Nahoa

Interesting. I've not had uneven wear on any of me BMWs. Wonder what makes the difference?

On my 335i the rears wore faster (rear wheel drive + Dinan = a lot of rear wheel spin and wear). On the 335xi the tire wear was even front to rear as it is with the X3 even though I am running a staggered set up (the 335xi was a square set up).

It is interesting that those folks who would really get tracking their their 335's usually went with a square set up instead of staggered..although they ran wider wheels all the way around and they did this to get rid of understeer due to the wider rear tires.

[Le Chef]

I guess the real questions are weight balance f2r and torque split f2r. The Jag has a staggered setup and my previous 911's for different reasons had a staggered setup. I certainly don't want understeer but would skip the stagger if the torque split was not going to overcome it.

[nonagon]

For anyone with a staggered setup X3 (non-M-Sport), have you detected any understeer?

[fedinand]

No understeer here, but I don't think I have pushed it to the point where it would be apparent - this is with both the stock 309s and my current set-up with the volks (which is also staggered).

For daily driving and even some spirited driving, I don't feel any understeer.

[Nahoa]

Well, driving within the parameters if the streets in your same area if there was ever any understeer I cleverly overcame by . . .wait for it . . . turning the steering wheel further in the direction of intended travel.

Seriously, though, unless you're driving this car to it's limits, which you're not going to do, you're not going to encounter understeer let alone uncontrollable understeer.

[sfax]

Originally Posted by Nahoa

Well, driving within the parameters if the streets in your same area if the was ever any understeer I cleverly overcame by . . .wait for it . . . turning the steering wheel further in the direction of intended travel.

Seriously, though, unless you're driving this car to it's limits, which you're not oing to do, you're not going to encounter understeer let alone uncontrollable understeer.

+1 and especially true if you only have the 20d engine