You will need to add adaptive drive separately from the options page for $3500. It does not come with the $2200 Sports Activity Package. BMW needs to fix their website.
AD is 10000% worth the $3500. The sport activity package is useless. 20" rims useless.
And the whole issue was solved multiple times over the last 2 years- "AD is not in the Sport Activity Package". There is no question, there is 100% clarity, this is not a game, BMW is not baiting or switching...just silly.... zibawala, you've been shopping this car for months- you've never looked at the multiple order guides and documents posted here and on xoutpost?
So u got 19 inch, no sports but adaptive? $2200+$950= $3150, adaptive is $3500, and it is possibility that u can't have adaptive without sports so there you go, now pay $5700, with keeping 19 inch and around $ 6700 with 20 inch upgrade.
I would love to see guides though. Are those stickies on this forum? Please advise
The Infiniti Q45 in 1990/1991 had adaptive drive...actually called active suspension. It is not 'new and unproven technology' (although arguably that was a Nissan product, and their reliability is 20 years ahead of the germans...)
There are A LOT of things that can go wrong... I keep cars 8-10 years too, and just see the occasional 2k-4k repair as a cost of driving luxury/performance.
. . . It is not 'new and unproven technology' (although arguably that was a Nissan product, and their reliability is 20 years ahead of the germans...)
There are A LOT of things that can go wrong... I keep cars 8-10 years too, and just see the occasional 2k-4k repair as a cost of driving luxury/performance.
Truth be told, if I were to place my X5 order today, I would order AD - I think the positives outweigh the negatives. Last year when I was deciding on the options I wanted, two things went against AD - first, as mentioned earlier, I was not too sure about its reliability. Second, somewhere I read, on AD equipped cars, the ride is harsher. With the 20" RFT plus AD, I thought the ride might get too rough. No I did not do a with/without AD test drive . . . dealer didn't have them.
ard - do you have AD on your 2010 X5? If not, I sure would like to hear your comments on "ride quality" (not handling) when you have AD. Test drives don't offer the range of road surfaces and length of time to make a true comparison. If your 2010 did not have AD (not sure) and your 2012 has AD (you have indicated this), you are in a perfect position to make a true comparison. Thanks.
Ideally I would like to hear from someone with/without AD and 20" RFTs.
My 2009, 2010 and 2012 all had AD. (Ordered the 2009, when it arrive at the dealer I didnt take delivery...)
So no head to head comparisons...
If I wasn't lazy and super busy, I'd say lets have a meet with a few X5 owners, and have 3,4 guys drive both vehicles and write up their impressions, each independently based on their own driving styles...
My 2009, 2010 and 2012 all had AD. . . . So no head to head comparisons...
If I wasn't lazy and super busy, I'd say lets have a meet with a few X5 owners, and have 3,4 guys drive both vehicles and write up their impressions, each independently based on their own driving styles ... But...
Perfect solution may not be possible . . . hopefully someone with AD might get a loaner without AD (wishful thinking!) . . . and that would generate the comparison we are looking for. The best I have done on a loaner is a reasonably loaded 3 series!
My "guess", after reading about AD more carefully is - the increase in ride harshness is no more than going from non-RFT to RFT. Even AD+RFT most likely is tolerable . . . after getting used to it, barely noticeable.
^^ I dont think it is harsher... where did this come from??
I think there is a commonly held belief that 'sportier=harsher'....and since AD is "Sportier" it must be "harsher"
For me, AD just sucks up bumps, the 19" wheels with nice sidewalls give a nice compliant ride, and the car just feels 'planted' and 'brutish'...the torque and steering feel coupled with minimal body roll makes it very interesting to drive.
^^ I don't think it is harsher... where did this come from??
I think there is a commonly held belief that 'sportier=harsher'....and since AD is "Sportier" it must be "harsher"
For me, AD just sucks up bumps, the 19" wheels with nice sidewalls give a nice compliant ride, and the car just feels 'planted' and 'brutish'...the torque and steering feel coupled with minimal body roll makes it very interesting to drive.
I can't find the post that said AD has a "rougher ride" . . . most likely folks are just repeating what they "think" sporty ride means - think Indy cars! Based on what I saw on the BMW video on AD, it should suck up the bumps.
20/20 hindsight - I should have asked for any X5 (diesel or gas) with AD when I did the test drives.
You have the 19" non-run flats - right? I wonder if the 19" run flats offer a more compliant ride than a 20" RFT. If yes, folks contemplating AD with 3rd row seating may want to go with AD + 19" RFT. Just a thought.
BTW I started to drive on city streets using the DS mode . . . a world of difference! Not sure why I didn't think of that sooner! (I do shift in manual mode on a regular basis, never bothered with DS.) Yes I expect the mileage to drop . . . on the hwy it makes no difference when you are cruising - both ends up in the sixth gear.
I have 20" wheels with Conti DWS non run flats and no adaptive drive. I cant comment on the ride with AD but haveing been on the non run flats for a few days now I will say that the car feels really nice on less than purfect surfaces. I was driving over cobblestone streets the other day and the ride was surprisingly quiet. The car feels really planted in turns and I am very satisfied with the choice of not getting the AD. If the ride was "harsh" as is I would be always wondering if I had made a mistake. For all I know the AD might make the driving experience far superior but I'm satisfied as is. Good Luck.:thumbup:
I have a 2012 with AD and 20" wheels. The biggest surprise with this vehicle is how dam good the ride is, and I leave it in Sport all the time. Like ard said, it just sucks up the bumps and rough roads in my area. It is awesome, I am happy that I opted for AD. :thumbup:
I have a 2012 without AD and with 20".
The ride is very soft and i feel no bumb's at all...
Would not spend $3500 for AD after my experiance with out it.
My experience with 2011-2012 X5's is that the ride is better with AD. When my M5 was in the shop for 4.5 weeks I had a 2011 X5 with 19" wheels and no AD. Having that X5 for such an extended time (1,400 miles driven, including a short road trip) is what convinced me to pull the trigger on buying one. I loved the ride, it was nice. When I ordered mine with AD, I fully expected the ride to be little harsher, especially in Sport mode. But WOW, I was surprised to feel how much better it felt. I personally think that AD takes bumps and potholes better than the regular suspension. Not to mention the cornering of this thing is amazing for a vehicle this size.
My logic to spend the $3,500 is the cost of what you get: uprated springs, shocks, and the AD itself. If I got the regular "Sport Suspension Delete" option, and decided to upgrade the suspension myself, I would end up spending at least $3,500, plus I wouldn't get the Sport button or AD!
. . . I fully expected the ride to be little harsher, especially in Sport mode. But WOW, I was surprised to feel how much better it felt. I personally think that AD takes bumps and potholes better than the regular suspension. Not to mention the cornering of this thing is amazing for a vehicle this size . . .
andy727 - I agree 100% . . . last year, I "over-weighted" the negatives of AD (reliability concerns) . . . also I pretty much ordered all the options except the front ventilated seats and AD. I couldn't get the ventilated seats because it didn't come with the interior color/leather we wanted. The sales chap was also not too keen on AD, not sure why (mini was not a X5 off the lot).
Those contemplating a X5 or have changeable order in place should take a closer look at AD before saying no . . . also watch this video to get a better understanding of what AD does.
Andy - do you have the 19" RFTs? Couldn't say for sure from the photos.
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