[atomicS]

Originally Posted by 300hp

I have DHP too on x drive 335i. In comfort and Eco pro modes I do hear sounds coming from the tire absorbing the bumps. However this is a pleasant sound, I interpret this as feedback of the active suspension at work, nothing intrusive at all and only hear this when the windows are open. Once in sport and sport + the sound goes away as the chassis is stiffened up. I would say if you find the turbo whistles intrusive and noisy then you will find the sound from the suspension intrusive in comfort or Eco pro mode, if the whistles are music, same goes for the Suspension. I also have to add that I don't feel as if something is falling off so its also possible something is wrong with your car

No it is not the kind of sound I would expect from any suspension, active or passive. Previous rides include a VW MK6 GTi.

[300hp]

Originally Posted by atomicS

No it is not the kind of sound I would expect from any suspension, active or passive. Previous rides include a VW MK6 GTi.

Does it sound like pressure being released?

[atomicS]

Originally Posted by 300hp

Does it sound like pressure being released?

Not air pressure. It sounds more like a hollow knocking sound.

[300hp]

Originally Posted by atomicS

Not air pressure. It sounds more like a hollow knocking sound.

That's a different sound then, I guess lets wait to see what your dealer has to say

[PaulBailey@ltbmw]

Great review!

[IS350]

Originally Posted by atomicS

I have a 335i with M adaptive suspension. Mine gives out extra sounds coming from the direction of the wheel under the steering wheel over slightly uneven roads. I wouldn't call it a rumble but more like a very annoying "cook cook" sound with additional echoes as if it continues to vibrate after the jolt. I thought it sounded like something was loose or falling apart. It is most apparently heard from the driver and front passenger seat.

I have brought the car back to the dealer and after months of checks and troubleshooting, told that it was a characteristic of the M adaptive suspension. I was told told that BMW AG is working on a fix. Meanwhile I turn on the music and enjoy the drive of an otherwise awesome car.

Any updates on the noise here? This is a great thread as I am trying to determine whether I should take a discount on an M4 without M adaptive suspension or wait and order a car a few months out with less of a discount with the feature. Here is a video I found as well as another link to this discussion.

http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...3&postcount=15

[JJS]

Originally Posted by atomicS

I have a 335i with M adaptive suspension. Mine gives out extra sounds coming from the direction of the wheel under the steering wheel over slightly uneven roads. I wouldn't call it a rumble but more like a very annoying "cook cook" sound with additional echoes as if it continues to vibrate after the jolt. I thought it sounded like something was loose or falling apart. It is most apparently heard from the driver and front passenger seat.

I have brought the car back to the dealer and after months of checks and troubleshooting, told that it was a characteristic of the M adaptive suspension. I was told told that BMW AG is working on a fix. Meanwhile I turn on the music and enjoy the drive of an otherwise awesome car.

I hear the same on mine, but it occurs only when I'm driving slowly over speed-bumps. I don't hear the noise when traversing normal roads or even the lip of my garage.

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by Yay-Z

Bwahahah!!

Love the adaptive suspension. Even though I drive mostly in sport, I enjoy the comfort option for long drives.

With the adaptive susp even sport mode can be configured to put the suspension in the stiffer mode.
Although you may already know this.

I use sport mode about 80% of the time, 15% sport+, and rarely the comfort mode, never the eco pro nonsense.S always configured to Sport mode is set to have the suspension and steering in it's sport mode.
So I always the "chassis" mode on. I activate the "drive line/train" mode when I feel like it while also have traction control fully on.
Other than that sport+ is the same as sport with DHP in full sport mod other than it activates DTC/dynamic traction control.

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by W12x

Haven't tried the adaptive suspension on the F30 so can't say anything about it, but I have driven a 2011 E92 M3 with Competition (EDC) and a 2013 Camaro ZL1 with Magnetic Ride Control, I have to say the GM's newest MRC technology is far superior compared to BMW's EDC.

The difference in ride is much more noticeable on the GM MRC system.

I agree.
GM magnetic fluid is a superior technology with greater ability to control fluid control and spring oscillation.
GM's system alters the fluids viscosity. BMW's electro-mechanically varies the dampers fluid flow circuits.

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by ks200906

I don't have the adaptive suspension but I can still easily believe that it will be 'better' than the passive one in most aspects. However, I am not so sure about the "extent of differences" between the two. I also think this test performed by OP might be biased. A more valid test would be a double-blind test and the feedback from that would be more convincing and worthwhile.

To know and understand why the adaptive suspension is better, it's help to know how suspensions work in general.
When you understand that, then you don't need a double blind test to tell you that a continuously variable damper has superior control over it's fluid flow to better control the springs motions.

The thing one can compare is whether or not they like the quality of either suspension from a personal preference standpoint.
From a technical standpoint the adaptive suspension is better as it controls the springs better, and that's what a dampers job is, to control the springs.

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by ks200906

Again, that's all about numbers... driver's experience and feedback cannot be quantified. You were suggesting that feedback can be subjective and now you are talking about taking real data by instruments. That's self contradicting...

Perhaps you missed my point here. Anyways...
(1) If you want to test the two suspension systems, yes, you use instruments, take some data and work out a meaningful conclusion (quantitative)
(2) If you want to test the driver's feedback on the two systems, you use a blind-test and get their feedback (qualitative)

Personal "preference" can be based on variables we don't need to concern ourselves with.
Belief is not factual in the sense that one can believe that 2+2 equals 5.
It may make that person feel better that he thinks he "knows" the correct answer, when the math/science based answer is that 2+2 equals 4.

Over the past couple of decades there has been a push towards questioning science, it's research, and conclusions, with people expressing the view point that science is also a "religion" that is based on peoples beliefs and opinion.
The worst case of this is those denying that man made pollution is a major contributor to changing weather patterns.

One can make himself "feel" better by relating everything to personal belief and opinion, because there isn't a base standard for whether or not an opinion is repeatable and predictable.
Science can't be what it is if it were based on belief and opinion.
Science can tell not only how to make gun powder, but also why it explodes.
It isn't "magic" as it was once 'believed'.

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by Gift2self

I actually find driving in Eco pro to be very effective on snow and ice as it reduces the power which increase control. I don't have xdrive and many told me I was crazy. With good winter tires I find I have better control than I used to with front wheel drive car with winter tires.

I can agree with that.
A reduced response throttle can help the average driver in slick conditions.

However, suspensions doesn't really affect traction in snow.
That is a function of the tires regardless of the suspension....unless you're talking about racing on snow, then that is a different question altogether.

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by Propagator

So the guy who owns the adaptive found it to be superior in every regard, even in terms of NOISE LEVEL. The guy who owns passive did not notice much difference overall, except that the comfort mode is nice.

This is a text book example of why one needs to conduct a double blind test. When you are dealing with subtle differences like this, personal bias and preconceived notion trump any real differences.

Well, the non adaptive drivers response sure does tell you something about the adaptive dampers greater ability to perform better over various road conditions.
The base suspension can't alter it's damping ability and the passive sport suspension can't either.
So, you can choose one aspect of suspension performance or the other.
That adaptive suspension allows the driver to choose which base level of performance is better suited to the driving condition the driver will be driving on. That is a positive and better performing suspension.

And don't forget that even though you can choose the base level of suspension damping, the system is still not passive in either mode.
It is still adapting to what the road surface is, which neither of the passive systems can do.
That's another positive and better performance point in favor of the adaptive system.

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by sean10mm

Yep, can get it on any line, and RWD or xDrive. At least in the US.

One point about that, yes you can get the M adaptive in most if not all lines, but the Xdrive doesn't get the shorter and stiffer rate sport springs, so
M adaptive on an Xdrive won't give you the full capability of the M adaptive suspension as it is in RWD versions.

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by IS350

Any updates on the noise here? This is a great thread as I am trying to determine whether I should take a discount on an M4 without M adaptive suspension or wait and order a car a few months out with less of a discount with the feature. Here is a video I found as well as another link to this discussion.

http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...3&postcount=15

That's interesting.
I don't notice any difference in the suspension between sport and sport+.
According to BMW's tech info on the adaptive M suspension, there are only 2 modes to choose from, "sports" and "normal".
There's "comfort" suspension setting for comfort and eco pro drive modes, and "sports" for the sport and sport+ modes, with no incremental differences between the 2 groups.

Maybe the adaptive M suspension has an additional calibration in the 5 series, which I think is the car he is talking about.

[nozydog]

Originally Posted by Propagator

So the guy who owns the adaptive found it to be superior in every regard, even in terms of NOISE LEVEL. The guy who owns passive did not notice much difference overall, except that the comfort mode is nice.

This is a text book example of why one needs to conduct a double blind test. When you are dealing with subtle differences like this, personal bias and preconceived notion trump any real differences.

This guy is spot on, what were the chances of a person who has bought the adaptive set up saying he didn't really notice much difference!?

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by nozydog

This guy is spot on, what were the chances of a person who has bought the adaptive set up saying he didn't really notice much difference!?

There are users who having bought the adaptive, can't feel much difference in the modes.

Problem is, some of it is us, the human element. Read up on how we 'feel' and sense suspension frequencies, head toss, NVH, etc., and it is easier to understand why we read contrary views on the same thing. Not easy to have absolutes when we are judging on personal sensations, which are as different as we are individuals.

[anotheran]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

There are users who having bought the adaptive, can't feel much difference in the modes.

Problem is, some of it is us, the human element. Read up on how we 'feel' and sense suspension frequencies, head toss, NVH, etc., and it is easier to understand why we read contrary views on the same thing. Not easy to have absolutes when we are judging on personal sensations, which are as different as we are individuals.

True about the feeling part. I can feel the difference on my 328i but i can't feel as much of a difference on the 340i.

[defrakt619]

whats the weight difference?

[F31Estate]

Awesome Review. Thanks

[Skyhigh]

Originally Posted by defrakt619

whats the weight difference?

Thanks for digging out this 6 years old thread It is actually quite interesting.

The weight difference must be negligible. Just different shock absorbers and some wiring.