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      02-08-2013, 05:47 AM   #1
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Adaptive M Sport Suspension

Hi got offered a car pre reg 330d m sport at good price low spec and does not have Adaptive Sus as option has the 19" 403's have any members tried standard and Adaptive back to back and did you notice a big difference and also was the handling better with Adaptive , do you think the ride would be near e90 M Sport on 18" as that is far to hard at present. The car also does not have Visability pack that i would have liked but, i have to make comprimises as i realy want the 330d rather than 328i i was looking at as i initially wanted manual only.
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      02-08-2013, 06:09 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by derekh929 View Post
Hi got offered a car pre reg 330d m sport at good price low spec and does not have Adaptive Sus as option has the 19" 403's have any members tried standard and Adaptive back to back and did you notice a big difference and also was the handling better with Adaptive , do you think the ride would be near e90 M Sport on 18" as that is far to hard at present. The car also does not have Visability pack that i would have liked but, i have to make comprimises as i realy want the 330d rather than 328i i was looking at as i initially wanted manual only.
Driven both adaptive and STD, chose Adaptive, I can feel the difference but in general driving you can be happy with STD.
Visibility pack to me is essential as the adaptive lights alone are worth having.

I have used the STD light equipped car last week ( 525D SE saloon 2013 ) and frankly they are crap.
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      02-08-2013, 01:14 PM   #3
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Damn the word Adaptive. Costs us a fortune.
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      02-08-2013, 01:46 PM   #4
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Damn the word Adaptive. Costs us a fortune.
Which option doesn't? Lol
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      02-08-2013, 04:01 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by derekh929 View Post
Hi got offered a car pre reg 330d m sport at good price low spec and does not have Adaptive Sus as option has the 19" 403's have any members tried standard and Adaptive back to back and did you notice a big difference and also was the handling better with Adaptive , do you think the ride would be near e90 M Sport on 18" as that is far to hard at present. The car also does not have Visability pack that i would have liked but, i have to make comprimises as i realy want the 330d rather than 328i i was looking at as i initially wanted manual only.
I have adaptive suspension on mine. I prefer it in Sport mode mostly, but have to live with softened in Comfort mode, which is annoying. If I were to re-order, I would not choose adaptive suspension again. I would say F30 is softer than e90 M Sport.

Viz pack is a great option.
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      02-08-2013, 04:30 PM   #6
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I have adaptive susp and love it.. where as I dont see the point of the xenons or than aesthetic.

Good job options are personal choice.
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      02-08-2013, 05:02 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NISFAN View Post
I have adaptive suspension on mine. I prefer it in Sport mode mostly, but have to live with softened in Comfort mode, which is annoying. If I were to re-order, I would not choose adaptive suspension again. I would say F30 is softer than e90 M Sport.

Viz pack is a great option.
Thanks for the info , when you mean stuck in comfort is that because you can't use Eco mode and sport on suspension as not switchable separate ? Just been emailed at supper time to say the car is sold but have another on order but spec has vis pack that I really wanted and would look to do massive disc hope massive disc it what I call massive.
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      02-08-2013, 05:06 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by johnbmw6 View Post
Driven both adaptive and STD, chose Adaptive, I can feel the difference but in general driving you can be happy with STD.
Visibility pack to me is essential as the adaptive lights alone are worth having.

I have used the STD light equipped car last week ( 525D SE saloon 2013 ) and frankly they are crap.
Agree I really wanted vis pack car sold so onto next one thanks for info on adaptive , was all set for 328i then you guys have converted tome to Auto and another 330d and new one might stretch my budget so trying to get per reg or wait till dealer struggling on target well a can hope
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      02-08-2013, 05:53 PM   #9
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Hi Derek,

I agree with Nisfan on the F3x being softer overall than the E9x. I tried several cars before ordering and, for my tastes, the standard M sport suspension without adaptive just doesn't give enough control and feedback when driving progressively. There was a sense of the car not being tied down, with a little too much roll and not enough vertical control. The handling was still nice, but lacked that extra level of control and involvement that is so much a part of driving an M sport 3 series.

My car has adaptive and the difference over standard is big. Comfort mode is significantly softer than the standard non-addaptive suspension (great for just cruising and chilling out, but not engaging) and sport brings a really incisive sharpness and a sense of planted control. I wouldn't have bought the f30 at all if it wasn't for adaptive - there was too much 'BMW-ness' missing otherwise.

Again, this is down to taste, but if you're anything like a keen driver, I'd put adaptive high on your list of options. You'll see that many magazine reviewers have made similar comments.
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      02-09-2013, 02:29 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Redbaron1973 View Post
I have adaptive susp and love it.. where as I dont see the point of the xenons or than aesthetic.

Good job options are personal choice.
Yep, you see I reckon the standard setup is fine and adaptive would have been cash down the drain for me. Xenons on the other hand - far more reliable and efficient in terms of both longevity and light output (up to 90% brighter and more powerful than standard halogen headlights). I want to see better at night. Simples

If we all had exactly the same opinion, forums would be a dull place
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      02-09-2013, 02:40 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Daveyc View Post
Hi Derek,

I agree with Nisfan on the F3x being softer overall than the E9x. I tried several cars before ordering and, for my tastes, the standard M sport suspension without adaptive just doesn't give enough control and feedback when driving progressively. There was a sense of the car not being tied down, with a little too much roll and not enough vertical control. The handling was still nice, but lacked that extra level of control and involvement that is so much a part of driving an M sport 3 series.

My car has adaptive and the difference over standard is big. Comfort mode is significantly softer than the standard non-addaptive suspension (great for just cruising and chilling out, but not engaging) and sport brings a really incisive sharpness and a sense of planted control. I wouldn't have bought the f30 at all if it wasn't for adaptive - there was too much 'BMW-ness' missing otherwise.

Again, this is down to taste, but if you're anything like a keen driver, I'd put adaptive high on your list of options. You'll see that many magazine reviewers have made similar comments.
Interesting, I never got to drive the exact same car both with and without Active suspension, back to back, to be able to judge between the two.....but you might have a point, adaptive on sport setting may well be stiffer than m sport.

If this is the case, then perhaps adaptive is a must.
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      02-09-2013, 02:43 AM   #12
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Later on today, I will have the opportunity of a back to back comparison drive of my cousin's 330d M Sport with Passive M Sport Suspension with mine which has Adaptive M Sport Suspension. He's specc'd his car with nearly everything except the Adaptive Suspension. Both cars will ride on 18" wheels. I'll post our reactions to the differences between the two. Should be interesting.
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      02-09-2013, 02:46 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by derekh929 View Post
Thanks for the info , when you mean stuck in comfort is that because you can't use Eco mode and sport on suspension as not switchable separate ? Just been emailed at supper time to say the car is sold but have another on order but spec has vis pack that I really wanted and would look to do massive disc hope massive disc it what I call massive.
BMW, have decided to group settings together, either by driving mode 'comfort' 'sport', etc .....or by chassis, drivetrain. You can't have exactly what you want. I don't like the wooden, feedback less, sport steering setting, but like suspension in sport mode. I can't separate them out, annoying.
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      02-09-2013, 03:01 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NISFAN View Post
BMW, have decided to group settings together, either by driving mode 'comfort' 'sport', etc .....or by chassis, drivetrain. You can't have exactly what you want. I don't like the wooden, feedback less, sport steering setting, but like suspension in sport mode. I can't separate them out, annoying.
I must totally agree with you on this one. Really very annoying on a £42k car (I paid much less ). My GTI has seperate Normal, Comfort and Sport modes. Why could BMW not have done the same? When I first got the car, I thought they'd forgotten to provide Adaptive Suspension (before driving it), but my VIN search showed they had not.
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      02-09-2013, 03:08 AM   #15
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So just edit the settings in iDrive. You can modify them. Not infinitely, but there are choices.
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      02-09-2013, 04:30 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Redbaron1973 View Post
So just edit the settings in iDrive. You can modify them. Not infinitely, but there are choices.
You can't separate steering and suspension settings, that was the point mate. You can only separate chassis (suspension/steering) and gearbox.
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      02-09-2013, 04:48 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by F30AM View Post
Later on today, I will have the opportunity of a back to back comparison drive of my cousin's 330d M Sport with Passive M Sport Suspension with mine which has Adaptive M Sport Suspension. He's specc'd his car with nearly everything except the Adaptive Suspension. Both cars will ride on 18" wheels. I'll post our reactions to the differences between the two. Should be interesting.
Find a nice open road with bends in it, and you will see a mile of difference.
PS) set it up with gearbox STD and suspension/steering in SPORT.
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      02-09-2013, 04:55 AM   #18
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Originally Posted by RichardM View Post
You can't separate steering and suspension settings, that was the point mate. You can only separate chassis (suspension/steering) and gearbox.

I thought you could adjust the steering if you have M steering - not std?
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      02-09-2013, 04:59 AM   #19
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Originally Posted by Redbaron1973 View Post
I thought you could adjust the steering if you have M steering - not std?
NOPE as Richard said.
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      02-09-2013, 05:00 AM   #20
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Glad i didnt bother with it then
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      02-09-2013, 05:21 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NISFAN View Post
BMW, have decided to group settings together, either by driving mode 'comfort' 'sport', etc .....or by chassis, drivetrain. You can't have exactly what you want. I don't like the wooden, feedback less, sport steering setting, but like suspension in sport mode. I can't separate them out, annoying.
Thanks, so could that be fixed by the steering option variable option or would that just be linked again and just more progressive steering?
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      02-09-2013, 05:24 AM   #22
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Will be interesting to read the review of the 'back to back' test.

Even if they do have the same sport 'firmness', (I understand the adaptive valving is firmer anyway) the feel will be different, simply on refinement in the sport mode.

It is not as if sport mode sets the damping values as a fixed passive system, with all the compromises that come with passive valving. You still have an adaptive advantage of taking out the worst of discomfort.

Now whether most users are too bothered on the top few percent of refinement, that is open to debate. Even if you never choose to use the comfort setting, it also will be more refined then the standard passive suspension, again due to the refinement adaptive valving allows, based on the 'sky hook' principle.

Let's also keep in mind 3-series VDC is a simple 'two' base mode system, so is a bit more restricted than the more advanced VDC in the 5 and 7-series, which has 'three' modes, where there is a mid range setting between comfort and sport. That does make a difference, as I find the normal mode sits right where it copes best with typical UK road surfaces.

I sense some of you guys would prefer something like the EDC-K system as fitted to the E92 M3. Where the driver can choose between three settings, the controlled programs "Comfort" and "Normal", (variable damping) or the uncontrolled fixed setting "Sport". So a two in one system, VDC and a passive sport setting.

I was reading a magazine review just last evening on VDC against passive sport. The feeling was the VDC sport setting ties the car down better than the passive sport system. More the "hunkered down" feeling a decent BMW suspension should give us.

Wonder if that will be the feeling in today's review.

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