[stampchez]

Is it over boosted? Whenever I drive a at with EPS I am always annoyed by how light the steering is.

[E90Fleet]

Its a very personal thing
Some absolutely love it, others hate it

The F30 has its own specific settings, so you will have to drive one to see if you like it

[ibimmer954]

I agree, there's going to be no definite answer to your question. Just like colors, the steering feel is going to be a personal thing. I have the IAS (Integral Active Steering) option on my F10 535i. I really like the way it makes the car feel in the corners. But compared to the E93 335i I had before and the E46 M3 I have now, the steering definitely has less road "feel". Some people are OK with this, some people aren't. You'll just have to try it and find out.

For even more confusion, the Active Steering will feel different than the standard. I have test driven a 550i without IAS (but still electric) and I didn't like the steering feel as much as my car with the IAS. Especially at low speed IAS makes it much easier to maneuver.

[unintelligible]

Originally Posted by stampchez

Is it over boosted? Whenever I drive a at with EPS I am always annoyed by how light the steering is.

I recently test drove the Z4 sDrive28i to sample the N20 engine / 8 speed transmission. That vehicle is also equipped with EPS. It was noticeably lighter than my E90, but then again, the E90 is extremely heavy. I will say that while it was very light it did offer a direct feel both on-center and while turning, without the vagueness I have experienced in other cars with EPS.

Most of the first drive reviews of the F30 mention the lightness of the steering, so I would expect the F30 to feel similar to the Z4, albeit maybe a bit less direct since it is not as "sporty" of a car.

[E90Fleet]

Originally Posted by unintelligible

but then again, the E90 is extremely heavy. .

Ever drive a facelift E46, or a car without power steering ?
E90 is light

[unintelligible]

Originally Posted by E90Fleet

Ever drive a facelift E46, or a car without power steering ?
E90 is light

Yep, I owned one - '05 325i ZSP. Perhaps I should clarify. I am not saying the E90 steering is comparable to a car without power steering... not really sure how you got that from what I said. What I am saying is that in comparison to other cars in the segment, the E90 steering requires the most effort. The Audi S4, MB C350, Infiniti G37, Acura TL (ok, now we're stretching "segment" a bit here ) - all of these cars have lighter steering. There's no debating that.

By the way, just as an aside, I prefer higher effort steering anyway. I'm not looking forward to lighter steering in the F30. It means every time I get in the car I have to dial up Sport or Sport+ to firm up the steering... meh.

[Jon D]

This has been exhaustively discussed on the 5'er forum and, having gone from an E92 with hydraulic steering to my current F10 with electric, I was one of the main detractors.
All comments about vagueness on-centre and lack of road feedback are pertinent to the F10 and, following extensive test drives of 1k+ miles, I find the new 6'er F12 no different.
My F10 has been significantly improved by a full KDS re-alignment and a rack/motor/control assembly replacement under warranty, but it's still not as involving as my E92 was. One thing I've found to make a vast difference is tyre pressure adjustment within the specified limits. I've never known a car to be so sensitive to minor differences and I'd recommend any F10 owners reading this to play around with an accurate pressure gauge.
Getting back to the F30, Autocar UK recently drove the new 325i and reckoned that the steering was 'perfect'. They have a reputation for good reviews, so BMW might have finally got it sorted; only personal experience will tell...

[Jon D]

Originally Posted by unintelligible

...By the way, just as an aside, I prefer higher effort steering anyway. I'm not looking forward to lighter steering in the F30. It means every time I get in the car I have to dial up Sport or Sport+ to firm up the steering... meh.

I'm with you there, sport or sport+ are the modes I use for about 90% of my driving, but whenever I'm on the undulating, potholed, cobblestones of Aberdeen's back streets, I'm very glad to have the option of comfort.

[David328M-Sport]

Originally Posted by E90Fleet

E90 is light

I concur - 6 and 1/2 years and still going strong - or should I say, light!!!
It's perfectly fine for me.

Looking forward to M-Sport 328i.........in September or October. Eeeeeekkkk
That's far too many sleeps to count.