[HandlerFahrer]

I recently bought a 435i Gran Coupe. I had high hopes that the evolution of the electric steering would be far along...but sadly I am disappointed in the feedback of the true driving experience in this BMW compared to all of the others I have owned.

Why in the world is BMW turning up the power assist to "Cadillac" levels I just can't even begin to understand! In the 90's BMW owners would have literally made fun of the feel of this car...calling it perhaps a "German Cadillac" It's completely a disaster if you ask me...I mean really bad. I hear no engine, no exhaust unless the windows are down. I feel like I am driving in an isolation tank. An analogy of the steering feel is like I am driving in a sit down race car video game at the arcade - unbelievable and not acceptable from a BMW...and unacceptable for the $700/mo car payment I'm making. I expect to have an awesome driving experience.

Question: Has anyone heard of any way to decrease the assist in the electric steering? Maybe by coding it differently, anything....I think it would help a lot to have the steering be much much harder to turn. I've got the active steering and there is a noticable difference between comfort and sport modes but only in the parking lot! Almost no difference from 20 mpg and higher. I hope someone can help me turn down the assist! Please help!

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by HandlerFahrer

I recently bought a 435i Gran Coupe. I had high hopes that the evolution of the electric steering would be far along...but sadly I am disappointed in the feedback of the true driving experience in this BMW compared to all of the others I have owned.

Why in the world is BMW turning up the power assist to "Cadillac" levels I just can't even begin to understand! In the 90's BMW owners would have literally made fun of the feel of this car...calling it perhaps a "German Cadillac" It's completely a disaster if you ask me...I mean really bad. I hear no engine, no exhaust unless the windows are down. I feel like I am driving in an isolation tank. An analogy of the steering feel is like I am driving in a sit down race car video game at the arcade - unbelievable and not acceptable from a BMW...and unacceptable for the $700/mo car payment I'm making. I expect to have an awesome driving experience.

Wow! Did you have the guy arrested who was holding the gun to your head when you made the decision to spend your money on this disaster of a car? It must be that this same guy who forced you to spend your money on this car also forced you to do it without allowing you ever to drive it. It's all so sad.

[goj]

During a test drive I found the variable steering horrendous. If you wanted "traditional" point and shoot steering you should have avoided this option.

VSS is such a useless feature

[DHS]

The non VSS steering is no better. No road feel, no idea what the front tires are doing and so much boost it is horrible. Might as well install a 1970s skinny plastic steering wheel with a Ford badge and make the transition complete.

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by goj

During a test drive I found the variable steering horrendous. If you wanted "traditional" point and shoot steering you should have avoided this option.

VSS is such a useless feature

It seems as though the majority of the ones who dislike, bash, hate, disparage, and otherwise piss on VSS are those who don't own a car that has it.

By and large, those who actually own car with VSS and have actual long-term experience with it (read: more than a test drive or two) really like VSS.

For those reading this post and trying to decide on VSS or not, please do an extensive test drive on all road types (freeway, parking lot, twisties) before you dismiss it as useless.

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by HandlerFahrer

I recently bought a 435i Gran Coupe. I had high hopes that the evolution of the electric steering would be far along...but sadly I am disappointed in the feedback of the true driving experience in this BMW compared to all of the others I have owned.

Why in the world is BMW turning up the power assist to "Cadillac" levels I just can't even begin to understand! In the 90's BMW owners would have literally made fun of the feel of this car...calling it perhaps a "German Cadillac" It's completely a disaster if you ask me...I mean really bad. I hear no engine, no exhaust unless the windows are down. I feel like I am driving in an isolation tank. An analogy of the steering feel is like I am driving in a sit down race car video game at the arcade - unbelievable and not acceptable from a BMW...and unacceptable for the $700/mo car payment I'm making. I expect to have an awesome driving experience.

Question: Has anyone heard of any way to decrease the assist in the electric steering? Maybe by coding it differently, anything....I think it would help a lot to have the steering be much much harder to turn. I've got the active steering and there is a noticable difference between comfort and sport modes but only in the parking lot! Almost no difference from 20 mpg and higher. I hope someone can help me turn down the assist! Please help!

I don't think you can get the steering assist decreased other than putting the car in sport or sport+.

Sorry you don't like the car. There is an abundance of info on this website and other BMW forums about this topic. In this day and age, you don't have to buy things blind. If you didn't research first, why didn't you take an extensive test drive and find out what you were buying?

Hopefully you will drive your new car for a bit and begin to appreciate it more. You have a great car. It's just not what you are used to. I don't know how you could have missed the light steering during a test drive since heft is so important to you. It will never be the BMW of old . If you want that, you will need to go by an old one.

I hope you learn to love it. If not, sell it and go get something that will make you smile. Good luck!

[EvenKeel]

Originally Posted by goj

During a test drive I found the variable steering horrendous. If you wanted "traditional" point and shoot steering you should have avoided this option.

VSS is such a useless feature

This is such a crock of horse$hit!!

This baseless bashing of VSS is getting totally out of hand. Most of the people that are instigating this nonsense have absolutely no idea how VSS even works.

See below:

http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...1#post18515641

http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...5#post17612005

[Weaselboy]

Originally Posted by EvenKeel

This is such a crock of horse$hit!!

This baseless bashing of VSS is getting totally out of hand. Most of the people that are instigating this nonsense have absolutely no idea how VSS even works.

It is just a difference of opinion.

I had VSS on my 2014 335i and although I did not hate it, it is not something I like and certainly not something I would ever pay extra money for. I just don't care for the way the ratio increases as you turn into a parking lot for example. It just feels off to me.

I recently picked up my 2016 340i and did not order it with VSS, and I don't miss it one bit.

I don't think it is a horrible feature or anything, but I can certainly see how others like me might not care for it.

[bavarianride]

Drove a MY15 328i loaner with active suspension plus VSS(totally surprised that loaners have those) for a week of DD and short road trips(around 1000 miles total), and tend to agree that both are nice-to-have but not critical to driving dynamics.

[BavarianFanatic]

How many new accounts is Lexus going to create this month?

[geddylee]

I own a 435 with VSS and I have to agree that it's awful. Worse then the standard set up in my experience.

[EvenKeel]

Originally Posted by Weaselboy

It is just a difference of opinion.

I had VSS on my 2014 335i and although I did not hate it, it is not something I like and certainly not something I would ever pay extra money for. I just don't care for the way the ratio increases as you turn into a parking lot for example. It just feels off to me.

I recently picked up my 2016 340i and did not order it with VSS, and I don't miss it one bit.

I don't think it is a horrible feature or anything, but I can certainly see how others like me might not care for it.

I agree...perception equates to reality for most. I also believe it is fair for folks to be entitled to how they perceive things and share them in a public forum.

However, what is perturbing is that people seem to be jumping on the bandwagon of VSS bashing based on what they've read in a few journalistic publications rather than taking the time to understand how the system works and then actually testing it out. If one doesn't understand the principles of how something works, it is VERY easy to experience a negative placebo effect. This is what seems to be happening......folks are looking for fault with the system and therefore perceiving VSS negatively.

Its one thing to genuinely state that the perceived benefit of VSS is not worth the $ cost. Its an entirely different thing to baselessly bash the concept of VSS in is entirety. Post release of the MY16 vehicles, the forum seems to have adopted a tone toward the latter, rather than the former -- after the publications in the auto journals. Prior to this, there was hardly any discussion around VSS.

[Vegetable]

Originally Posted by HandlerFahrer

I've got the active steering and there is a noticable difference between comfort and sport modes but only in the parking lot! Almost no difference from 20 mpg and higher. I hope someone can help me turn down the assist! Please help!

I'm not sure if BMW recently updated the VSS, but in my car (a 2014 435i coupe) the assist in Sport vs Comfort is night and day at all speeds- and especially at highway speeds. The difference is so dramatic that I wonder if something might be off with your peripheral/central nervous system. I can remember back when I owned a e92 328i, some folks on e90 post would claim they couldn't feel the difference in acceleration between the N52 powered 328 and N54 powered 335i..

[EvenKeel]

Originally Posted by Vegetable

I'm not sure if BMW recently updated the VSS, but in my car (a 2014 435i coupe) the assist in Sport vs Comfort is night and day at all speeds- and especially at highway speeds. The difference is so dramatic that I wonder if something might be off with your peripheral/central nervous system. I can remember back when I owned a e92 328i, some folks on e90 post would claim they couldn't feel the difference in acceleration between the N52 powered 328 and N54 powered 335i..

PLEASE DO NOT EQUATE VSS WITH EPS MODES (Sport/Sport+ vs Comfort/Eco)......they have NOTHING TO DO WITH EACH OTHER.

Please read point#4 in my post below:

http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...5#post17612005

[P-Bass]

Originally Posted by HandlerFahrer

I recently bought a 435i Gran Coupe. I had high hopes that the evolution of the electric steering would be far along...but sadly I am disappointed in the feedback of the true driving experience in this BMW compared to all of the others I have owned.

Why in the world is BMW turning up the power assist to "Cadillac" levels I just can't even begin to understand! In the 90's BMW owners would have literally made fun of the feel of this car...calling it perhaps a "German Cadillac" It's completely a disaster if you ask me...I mean really bad. I hear no engine, no exhaust unless the windows are down. I feel like I am driving in an isolation tank. An analogy of the steering feel is like I am driving in a sit down race car video game at the arcade - unbelievable and not acceptable from a BMW...and unacceptable for the $700/mo car payment I'm making. I expect to have an awesome driving experience.

Question: Has anyone heard of any way to decrease the assist in the electric steering? Maybe by coding it differently, anything....I think it would help a lot to have the steering be much much harder to turn. I've got the active steering and there is a noticable difference between comfort and sport modes but only in the parking lot! Almost no difference from 20 mpg and higher. I hope someone can help me turn down the assist! Please help!

Dinan: Shockware, Springs and Bump Stops. They make a huge difference. Check out the threads and Dinan's website, you won't be disappointed.

[Vegetable]

Originally Posted by EvenKeel

PLEASE DO NOT EQUATE VSS WITH EPS MODES (Sport vs Comfort vs Eco)......they have NOTHING TO DO WITH EACH OTHER.

Read my post below:

http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...5#post17612005

I read your post (thanks for nothing )... but it sounds like you agree with me.. Minus the whole VSS thing, but that really wasn't the point anyway.. Rather that there is (in my case) a very different feeling in heft from comfort to sport and that OP should be able to feel the difference.

[EvenKeel]

Originally Posted by Vegetable

I read your post (thanks for nothing )... but it sounds like you agree with me..

Read again. VSS has nothing to do with the difference in heft between EPS modes. So no, I do not agree with you.

The "variable" part of VSS has to do with the mechanical variability in the steering rack i.e. the spacing profile of the gear teeth, not, the variability in steering heft between EPS modes (which is altered by the degree of assistance from the electric motor within the EPS system). I do see how the VSS nomenclature can cause confusion, though.

[Vegetable]

Originally Posted by EvenKeel

Read again. VSS has nothing to do with the difference in heft between EPS modes. So no, I do not agree with you.

The "variable" part of VSS has to do with the mechanical variability in the steering rack i.e. the spacing profile of the gear teeth, not, the variability in steering heft between EPS modes (which is altered by the degree of assistance from the electric motor within the EPS system). I do see how the VSS nomenclature can cause confusion, though.

I edited my post.

[EvenKeel]

Originally Posted by Vegetable

I edited my post.

Yep. Saw that. Thanks.

[Aaaaaaaaa]

Originally Posted by EvenKeel

However, what is perturbing is that people seem to be jumping on the bandwagon of VSS bashing based on what they've read in a few journalistic publications rather than taking the time to understand how the system works and then actually testing it out. If one doesn't understand the principles of how something works, it is VERY easy to experience a negative placebo effect. This is what seems to be happening......folks are looking for fault with the system and therefore perceiving VSS negatively.
.

Well car journalists have the benefit of testing almost every car on the road so I tend to trust their opinions. Take this excerpt for the Top Gear Aventador SV review:

"See, when you have a steering where the ratio is varied - not according to lock but according to speed and other parameters - the result feels unpleasant. No car has ever broken that rule."

http://www.topgear.com/car-news/geneva-motor-show/no-bull-it’s-lambo’s-740bhp-aventador-sv

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by pheerix

Well car journalists have the benefit of testing almost every car on the road so I tend to trust their opinions. Take this excerpt for the Top Gear Aventador SV review:

"See, when you have a steering where the ratio is varied - not according to lock but according to speed and other parameters - the result feels unpleasant. No car has ever broken that rule."

http://www.topgear.com/car-news/gene...p-aventador-sv

Well at least that doesn't apply to BMW's VSS with a variable cut mechanical rack.

Even BMW's active steering in previous models was liked by some users, particularly in the 5-series.

IMO, anything that requires a different mind set, (and familiarity) can be loved or hated, hence why I don't rate all the journo's opinions, as jumping in and out of cars is not necessarily best for adapting to all technology.

HighlandPete

.

[EvenKeel]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

Well at least that doesn't apply to BMW's VSS with a variable cut mechanical rack.

Even BMW's active steering in previous models was liked by some users, particularly in the 5-series.

IMO, anything that requires a different mind set, (and familiarity) can be loved or hated, hence why I don't rate all the journo's opinions, as jumping in and out of cars is not necessarily best for adapting to all technology.

HighlandPete

.

Clearly, I too share the view above.

Furthermore, there is nothing to suggest that BMW has drastically altered the VSS system in the MY16/LCI vehicles vs. the MY12-15 vehicle; which begs the question -- where was all the negativity from the automotive press on VSS back then?

At the time all the talk centered around EPS being accurate but numb. The journos were lamenting the loss of road feedback a.k.a. "feel", but I don't recall any negative talk about VSS.

I have a VSS equipped MY14 335i Msport. Quite honestly, the system doesn't even make itself known to me......its that transparent. Which is why, of course, I cannot understand all the new found fuss about VSS..

I'm sure someone will rebut my assertion and say "well if you can't feel a problem, that doesn't mean it isn't there". When that does happen, I'll simply throw my pen against the wall and call it a day. Fair enough?