I have been going back and forth between the 350F and the RCF and have determined that the former just doesn't have enough power, which is a ultimately a deal breaker, however I REALLY like how it has AWD and folding seats.. regardless RCF it is.

That being said,
I live in Canada and need a DD that can do it all, I am curious how the RCF fares in a heavy winter and used a ski trip vehicle.
- Does the ski-pass through fit a snowboard, better yet, 2 snowboards? Is it wide enough?
- How is the traction control / weight balance on the RCF with a good set of winter tires in a deep and icy winter?
I am coming from a DD e46 M3 so I understand the dynamics of RWD in winter but I know some do it better than others.

Has anyone swapped the front bumper and headlights to give it the refresh update look for the pre-2020's?

Are there any model years that are better than others (aside from 2020)

Thanks

 

I own an RCF carbon fiber/TVD and live in Calgary, AB. Where are you located in Alberta? It sleeps during the winter. I have two other cars that fulfill the commuting duties accordingly. RCF is my joy car, which I drive when I want to feel rewarded for hardwork etc.

RCFs are more or less very similar across the years especially before the 2020 model year. There are two trims available here, one is the standard and the other is the carbon fiber/TVD package + 20 split spoke hand polished wheels. I have the latter. The 2017+ have variable suspension so it can be softened for rough roads. I personally find the fixed suspension on my RCF perfect. It is firm and very rigid without being overly harsh. The 2020 RCF has some bigger updates.

Many years ago, I drove RC350 AWD F-Sport test drive when Lexus was giving test drives in shopping malls. RCF feels very different from RC350. Not just in terms of the big power difference, but how the car handles etc. RCF is about 80% different car than the standard RC. The big front fender gap the RC350 AWD has, is also a mystery I could never get to the bottom of. LOL

So in short, if you can easily afford an RCF and especially find a carbon fiber/TVD, I would highly recommend it. If you want to winter drive the car then I am not sure if RCF would be the right choice since I never would drive my RCF in snow with rock chips and salt on the road. There is another member on this board (RCF4DAD) who winter drives his RCF in Calgary and he is very happy with driving it in the winter. He says with proper winter tires, it handles snow and icy roads very well.

 

Thanks!

I am in Calgary.
I appreciate storing a car to decelerate its depreciation, however I believe life is far too short to not have fun driving year-round (so long as it can reasonably handle snow and ice ).

Really curious about a 2020 refresh front fascia retrofit and what can fit through the trunk seat pass-through, anyone?

 

@cyberfist0 The pass through is about 10 - 12 inches in width and about 30 inches tall. You can fit long objects like skis through it, I believe. I never used it, but I think it will work. RCF does not have the folding seats because of big braces that run behind the back seats and the seats themselves add rigidity. RC350 have folding seat. I remember BMW itself said the E46 3-series trims without the folding seats offered the highest torsional rigidity. Going from E46 M3 to RC350 AWD, you might feel let down in certain areas. It is one my most favorite M cars ever (E46 M3, E90 M3 and E39 M5 are the top three for me). You can check with RCF4DAD, but he told me he has been having a blast driving his LSD RCF in the snow with winter tires.

Anyway, my RCF will be out next month. I am looking for new Michelin Pilot Sport 4S (XL) tires for it and will put them on in the March-April timeframe. If it helps you see if this is the car you want, I can meet up with you and take you for a little ride while keeping it in the safe speed limits. I am an average driver so I can go to only 7/10ths or 8/10ths of its limits. You will get a much better idea than going for a test drive as I really understand this car now and how to wring it out. Just that, I am not stock as I have a full catback exhaust so you will feel a lot more character/noise/drama and also power than stock, but it should still give you a good idea regarding the dynamics of the car.

 

Thanks Rolla,

Might take you up on that. Still need to unload the e46 M3. Once that's taken care of need to decide on pre-owned or lease of a 2020.

 

You can PM me and we can set something up in April timeframe. If you want, you can ask any questions over coffee and I will show you around my RCF then take for a little spin that will give you a good idea.

 

Good to see your Sleeping Beauty is Fixin' to be Awoken!

 

Hi, I have a 2017 RC F and drive it daily all year round. This is the 2nd winter and I think it's been one of the most stable cars I've driven in winter. My wife said if you get this car it's not sitting in the garage. I enjoy it every day of the year, not just summer. A month ago it was -38C without the wind and it was fine. I have a pan heater so it's plugged in at work. It starts amazingly well. Michelin winters with square setup and you're on your way.

 

Thanks. Really excited about starting to drive it and then doing stuff on it like new PS4S tire, maintenance services, control arm bushings etc.

 

I have a '16. I live in Ohio and I drive it everyday of the year. I put all season tires on her and she is fine in the snow. Just got 3 inches of snow last night actually... no issues.