[Mattyk]

Originally Posted by JonD

I don't think that's correct, I've got adaptive on my current car and I've had the same car (courtesy car) none adaptive.

In comfort the adaptive is softer than the passive, in sport the adaptive is firmer than the passive, the standard m sport passive sits somewhere in the middle of the adaptive equipped cars.

I've ordered adaptive for my incoming 435d as I was aware of the none m sport suspension, my dealer also mentioned it to be fair.

That would say it all if they couldn't even get the misinformation right!

Two dealers both said "you don't want adaptive, no one specs it". No wonder given they tell you it's not needed.

I will have my car for three to four years so worth swapping springs at least, although I was in the dealers on Monday and they had a 435d in they had just taken in, EB, with a carbon fibre splitter and I thought sitting lower than my 335d. I had to leave before a salesman even looked at me, chopping in the car with 1200 miles on it would get me in hot water.

[simon.]

Originally Posted by teaston

The M Sport suspension is too wobbly for roundabouts, so it's pretty certain you won't be happy with your SE suspension i'm afraid.

Oh dear if the case. Will see how I get on during the winter & then I could well be treating myself come the Spring sunshine.

[teaston]

Originally Posted by simon.

Oh dear if the case. Will see how I get on during the winter & then I could well be treating myself come the Spring sunshine.

Springs in Spring, sounds like a good plan!

[dopper99]

I think the smart move (as now realised by some) would be to order a car without adaptive suspension (thus saving £550) and then upgrade to a decent ACS kit such as their Sport suspension or RS kit. Both these kits swap out both springs and dampers so should give a fantastic handling car.

[teaston]

From the sounds of it the ACS springs work very well with adaptive suspension though!

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by dopper99

I think the smart move (as now realised by some) would be to order a car without adaptive suspension (thus saving 550) and then upgrade to a decent ACS kit such as their Sport suspension or RS kit. Both these kits swap out both springs and dampers so should give a fantastic handling car.

Yes, though KW now have a direct swap "plug and play" version of the variant 3 suspension called DDC which allows you to maintain the adaptive element as per standard. Assuming you can then choose the settings attached to comfort and sport this sounds like the ultimate set up!

[JonD]

I'm sure the ACS springs will work perfectly with adaptive. My current stead has adaptive and has Eibach's fitted, they work perfectly so I wouldn't have a doubts over using the ACS springs

If money was no object I think I'd go with the KW adaptive option, but for what I use the car for I think ACS will sufice

[dopper99]

Yes absolutely ACS springs work brilliantly with adaptive dampers. But I think some guys would now like to take things to the next level - and that means swapping out dampers too.

Was just advising rather than just buying the £240 ACS springs, and if you are buying new, you may want to consider getting a decent spring and damper kit (and hence not ordering adaptive) which I don't doubt would be better than a £240 ACS spring option. And there are some (cough NISFAN cough!) that think the BMW dampers are crap!

But for the rest of us non-rally driver types, the £240 option is fine

[evan15281]

To all those with adaptive dampers and xDrive. Has there been any loss of comfort or ride quality, especially on motorway? I'm getting tempted as it's a bit bouncy I find, but don't want to create a rock hard car. Just a more "taut" one

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by evan15281

To all those with adaptive dampers and xDrive. Has there been any loss of comfort or ride quality, especially on motorway? I'm getting tempted as it's a bit bouncy I find, but don't want to create a rock hard car. Just a more "taut" one

There is no loss of ride comfort whatsoever that I feel. I would say I enjoy more ride comfort as can now use comfort mode when before I used sport almost all the time!

[dopper99]

+1 no loss of comfort. It's a no brainer really.

[JonD]

Originally Posted by dopper99

+1 no loss of comfort. It's a no brainer really.

+2

I have Eibach's , They're firmer in all driving modes, but it's for the better, I wouldn't say there's a loss in comfort

[Ade_7]

I've tried to reply a few times from my iPad but for some reason about half way through typing it locks the page and deletes all text when I refresh the page, so sorry for the delay.

I can say that comfort is not affected at all having done long trips around the country it is still as comfortable as it was before.

For around Milton keynes if I'm honest whilst it is much better than standard I do still find myself wondering if the cost and effort of better dampers is worth it as it still isn't as taught as I'd like it to be. It may be that I'm asking to much from the family estate car....

Ade

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by Ade_7

I've tried to reply a few times from my iPad but for some reason about half way through typing it locks the page and deletes all text when I refresh the page, so sorry for the delay.

I can say that comfort is not affected at all having done long trips around the country it is still as comfortable as it was before.

For around Milton keynes if I'm honest whilst it is much better than standard I do still find myself wondering if the cost and effort of better dampers is worth it as it still isn't as taught as I'd like it to be. It may be that I'm asking to much from the family estate car....

Ade

I feel similarly but not sure I spend enough time on the twisties to justify the extra expense of high grade suspension.
I think about it a lot though!

[teaston]

Originally Posted by Ade_7

I've tried to reply a few times from my iPad but for some reason about half way through typing it locks the page and deletes all text when I refresh the page, so sorry for the delay.

I can say that comfort is not affected at all having done long trips around the country it is still as comfortable as it was before.

For around Milton keynes if I'm honest whilst it is much better than standard I do still find myself wondering if the cost and effort of better dampers is worth it as it still isn't as taught as I'd like it to be. It may be that I'm asking to much from the family estate car....

Ade

How about in sport mode?

[Ade_7]

I spend most of my time in Sport without drivetrain as a "normal world" driving standard (quick flick left of the gear stick is usually enough for any occasional flurrys of speed) then sport + when I want a bit more fun run out.

So I would say it's improved a large amount over standard but find myself thinking that it could be better..... Just pondering how much more I want to spend to find out!! Being a tourer and with adaptive the only ACS option is the full RS kit which seems to be a bit of overkill for what I'm after really.

I'm hoping to meet with Nisfan soon about a different issue and get a try in his with the damper setup he has. Could be very interesting and costly

Ade

[teaston]

Originally Posted by Ade_7

I spend most of my time in Sport without drivetrain as a "normal world" driving standard (quick flick left of the gear stick is usually enough for any occasional flurrys of speed) then sport + when I want a bit more fun run out.

So I would say it's improved a large amount over standard but find myself thinking that it could be better..... Just pondering how much more I want to spend to find out!! Being a tourer and with adaptive the only ACS option is the full RS kit which seems to be a bit of overkill for what I'm after really.

I'm hoping to meet with Nisfan soon about a different issue and get a try in his with the damper setup he has. Could be very interesting and costly

Ade

The extra weight of the tourer is always going to make it handle a bit worse than the saloon.

Surely you could get the 'sports suspension' struts, and get the control unit from the RS kit (or similar) that cancels the fault code due to the adaptive not being present anymore. Or i should think it could easily be coded by removing the adaptive option code from the FA.

[simon.]

Ade. Cheers for the reply, very interesting.

Be good to try yours if possible back to back with mine when it arrives as I had emailed Berry BMW re fitting before pick up and was awaiting a reply. Might hold off for a while & see how I go.

[evan15281]

Any drivers North of the border who've taken the plunge and had local fitting?

[JustChris]

The UK forum needs a chart of ride heights vs Models vs SDrive vs XDrive vs recommended spring options.
??

[Cootie]

Originally Posted by evan15281

Any drivers North of the border who've taken the plunge and had local fitting?

Yes, had mine done at Menzies in Stirling - good service and under £700 all in, including full wheel alignment

[teaston]

Or fit them yourself, that's what i'm doing so will be £240 all in for me!