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      02-12-2013, 12:25 PM   #1
jimboss
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Passive setup suspension owners

I decided against plumping for the adaptive M-Sport suspension on my 320d M Sport Touring for various reasons but namely, (rightly or wrongly), due to the potential risk of more going wrong with them and the subsequent the cost of repair/replacement over the conventional passive setup. The car is due to arrive in the next couple of weeks and I may end up regretting my decision but I do not plan to use the car for spirited driving as it’s first and foremost a family car.

So the question is to all of you that do not have the adaptive suspension…..how are you finding the driving experience? do you regret your choice? I’ll be particularly interested in the views of the non six cylinder diesel M sport touring owners for obvious reasons

Thanks
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      02-12-2013, 02:19 PM   #2
Mungogrubb
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Talking

Hi Jimboss, sounds like you made the right call. I am really pleased with the comfort/sharpness compromise on my M Sport. It really is much, much more comfortable than my old 3 series M Sport and reminds me of a 5 series M Sport i had however when it does get twisty and you want a bit of fun it is better again than both of them.

You'll find some on here say wheel diameter will affect the ride, i am not so sure until you get in to the 20" range. As it goes i have the 18" rims, would have preferred the 19" but spent the bucks on the 8 Sp Sport auto instead.

Pretty sure you'll love it and wont miss what you never had
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      02-12-2013, 02:25 PM   #3
jamesems
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I think the Msport standard suspension was ok. Fairly sporty yet comfy for daily driving. A little to much body roll for my taste. I swapped it out for the M performance suspension and its much improved, at least to my tastes.
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      02-17-2013, 12:43 PM   #4
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Thanks guys, sounds like I won't be disappointed.
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      02-20-2013, 05:15 PM   #5
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I actually think the Passive is the better suspension. Driven them back to back to back now and the spring damper rates are spot on on the passive. The adaptive are a little off in both positions.

Seriously considering deleting adaptive.
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      02-21-2013, 03:43 AM   #6
dopper99
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I'm surprised at the comments against adaptive. Reading other threads nearly everyone thinks its the best think since sliced bread and I havent really read any negative comments!

With regards to any part going wrong, and if you are going to own the car longer than 3 years, then I'd say its wise to take out the extended warranty. There is more than can go wrong with a car than adaptive suspension and BMWs are not cheap to fix!!!

I wouldn't let wear and tear on components put me off ordering them
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      02-21-2013, 03:58 AM   #7
HighlandPete
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NISFAN View Post
I actually think the Passive is the better suspension. Driven them back to back to back now and the spring damper rates are spot on on the passive. The adaptive are a little off in both positions.

Seriously considering deleting adaptive.
Interesting, but not surprised from some of your driving comments in other posts. Can you elaborate on your conclusions.

Is it that you are, as a driver, tuned to passive suspensions with fixed and predictable reactions?

When you say "adaptive are a little off in both positions" is that because the damping is following the "soft where possible and firm when necessary" concept? Or some other observation?

BTW, when you say "delete" are you intending to pull the plugs as it were, and run on the default firm setting? Or change the dampers to the passive setup?

HighlandPete
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      02-21-2013, 06:49 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jamesems View Post
I think the Msport standard suspension was ok. Fairly sporty yet comfy for daily driving. A little to much body roll for my taste. I swapped it out for the M performance suspension and its much improved, at least to my tastes.
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      02-21-2013, 01:30 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HighlandPete View Post
Interesting, but not surprised from some of your driving comments in other posts. Can you elaborate on your conclusions.

Is it that you are, as a driver, tuned to passive suspensions with fixed and predictable reactions?

When you say "adaptive are a little off in both positions" is that because the damping is following the "soft where possible and firm when necessary" concept? Or some other observation?

BTW, when you say "delete" are you intending to pull the plugs as it were, and run on the default firm setting? Or change the dampers to the passive setup?

HighlandPete
Hi Pete

I am used to 'competition' style suspension.......upside down shocks, coil overs, etc......and one thing is for sure, for a given spring rate on a given car, there is only one set of perfect damping settings.

The passive M Sport suspension has had hundreds of laps round the Nurburgring, type set up all to achieve these 'ultimate' settings. An option like adaptive would have never had nearly as much attention.

The adaptive uses the same spring rate I believe, but has a softer and harder damper setting than the passive......not everyone will, but I can feel it is 'not quite right' in either setting.

F30 adaptive is also quite a simple system, solenoid valve opens up a secondary port, so on-off type adjustment.

Soft is under-damped and 'springy', not nice......and the sport setting is over damped, so much so that the suspension patters when the going gets rough. It also gets crashy in sport over some bumps.

I have done some pretty hard testing, and find that the passive is actually the better set up. Ideally the spring rate would be slightly harder with more damping to get really sporty, but for a road car, passive is not at all bad.

Regarding deleting it, I have just re-ordered an F30.........mine has been damaged and is not coming back to me

I get to fully spec up F30 number 2.....active suspension has been deleted, VSS has been optioned as has HK.

Although my mind is being drawn to an M3
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      02-21-2013, 05:33 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NISFAN View Post
Hi Pete

.....The adaptive uses the same spring rate I believe, but has a softer and harder damper setting than the passive......not everyone will, but I can feel it is 'not quite right' in either setting.

F30 adaptive is also quite a simple system, solenoid valve opens up a secondary port, so on-off type adjustment.

Soft is under-damped and 'springy', not nice......and the sport setting is over damped, so much so that the suspension patters when the going gets rough. It also gets crashy in sport over some bumps......
Ah, understand where you are coming from. What you are saying is something I've mused on, knowing there must be compromises on the damping/spring rates. I suppose it is the only way BMW can set it up to get the best off the peg balance/compromise for each adaptive setting. I haven't actually tried the F30 adaptive suspension, as my attention went to the 5-series, and therefore to the more advanced VDC with the 3-settings. I do feel the 'normal' mode, the mid range damping is the best setting, in the 5-series for general use. Again it is probably the best matched damping for the spring rate, with a bit of compromise each way on the comfort and sport settings. It is in that mid setting where the active part does give a better ride and handling balance, compared to the passive standard suspension on the 5-series cars, from my test driving. In my case I was after the best ride quality, as my typical roads are a bit challenging and sport suspension is just too harsh a ride.

I'm sure the 3-series would be a better setup if it had the 3-mode active system, or even the EDC-K damping of the M3, where there are two controlled (active) modes and one uncontrolled passive like sport setting.

HighlandPete
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      02-22-2013, 10:49 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HighlandPete View Post
Ah, understand where you are coming from. What you are saying is something I've mused on, knowing there must be compromises on the damping/spring rates. I suppose it is the only way BMW can set it up to get the best off the peg balance/compromise for each adaptive setting. I haven't actually tried the F30 adaptive suspension, as my attention went to the 5-series, and therefore to the more advanced VDC with the 3-settings. I do feel the 'normal' mode, the mid range damping is the best setting, in the 5-series for general use. Again it is probably the best matched damping for the spring rate, with a bit of compromise each way on the comfort and sport settings. It is in that mid setting where the active part does give a better ride and handling balance, compared to the passive standard suspension on the 5-series cars, from my test driving. In my case I was after the best ride quality, as my typical roads are a bit challenging and sport suspension is just too harsh a ride.

I'm sure the 3-series would be a better setup if it had the 3-mode active system, or even the EDC-K damping of the M3, where there are two controlled (active) modes and one uncontrolled passive like sport setting.

HighlandPete
Pete I think your phrase is where we will be in the future if the take up is high with current adaptive they offer more advanced system when costs come down with mass production. I have opted for adaptive after 6 years of rock hard e90 m sport on NE Scotland's poor roads. BMW lost losts of customers to Merc and jag for this reason, but I think many with venture back , also I have seen a few die hard Audi fans looking at the X drive this will do the trick along with improved interior over the e90. I will be banging on to BMW guys at Goodwood fos this year for full control option
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