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BMW Crew: Adaptive Drive

5K views 29 replies 13 participants last post by  Kar Don 
#1 ·
Quick question about adaptive drive for those that have driven it. We test drove an x5 before we ordered our vehicle and was advised by the sales manager that our vehicle would have it. We go to pick up the vehicle yesterday and it does not. It does have the M suspension, but no adaptive drive. (I actually called it the "sport" button and didn't know that it only comes with adaptive drive at the time. I didn't look at the sales order for it because I thought it came with the sports activity package).

If we were to order one, it would be an additional 4 week plus another ~$50/month on the lease.

The M suspension is nice, but from what I recall, the adaptive drive was quite a bit better.

I am also seeing that most people on this forum do appreciate the adaptive drive as well. my question would be, with the M suspension, would the adaptive drive system make things "that" much better?

Thanks!
 
#2 ·
Very quickly, wait the additional 4 weeks and pay the extra $50 per month!

I have a 2011 50i Sports Package with Adaptive Drive and I am loving every minute in the car. I drove quite a few different versions of the X5 including 2012 50i M Sport without Adaptive Drive. If you have driven the Adaptive Drive, it is very very hard not to miss it when you drive an X5 without it.

If you search on this forum or on Xoutpost or Xbimmers for "Adaptive Drive" you are going to find continual accolades and testimonies similar to mine. In all of my reading I think I found one person who preferred an X5 without AD to one with it.

Best of luck!

Good things come to those who wait! :)

Quick question about adaptive drive for those that have driven it. We test drove an x5 before we ordered our vehicle and was advised by the sales manager that our vehicle would have it. We go to pick up the vehicle yesterday and it does not. It does have the M suspension, but no adaptive drive. (I actually called it the "sport" button and didn't know that it only comes with adaptive drive at the time. I didn't look at the sales order for it because I thought it came with the sports activity package).

If we were to order one, it would be an additional 4 week plus another ~$50/month on the lease.

The M suspension is nice, but from what I recall, the adaptive drive was quite a bit better.

I am also seeing that most people on this forum do appreciate the adaptive drive as well. my question would be, with the M suspension, would the adaptive drive system make things "that" much better?

Thanks!
 
#3 · (Edited)
Wait and get AD.

That being said, the mistake I made was in getting the sport seats. I'm 6 2 245lbs and they are tighter in the upper back and side thigh support than I find comfortable. Understanding that they should be as they're sport seats, however in hindsight I should have ordered multi contour seats.
 
#4 ·
Seems like something you have to make the call on yourself, its your 4 weeks and your $50/month.

What you will get from others is purely subjective comments. Unfortunately it'll be hard to find a car with AD on the lot (only hope is used). See if you can find one to drive and then you can make the call.

Jay
 
#5 ·
Thanks for all the input guys. I think that at this point I want to get AD, but is it worth the hassle of ordering it and the extra $50/month. If it was just the $50, then I would probably just get it but another month of waiting might be a bit of a hassle.

Thanks again!
 
#8 · (Edited)
1. There was a post yesterday from someone RAVING about how much better AD is compared to his 2010 M sport suspension...do a search. IMO, it is significant.

Tell the puke dealer it was THEIR FAULT...you will pay them $0 per month, but will graciously wait for the AD. (The negotiated a deal and you signed it based on the sales MANAGER saying it was on the car...why is his mistake entirely your problem?!?!?(

Or find a new dealer, plenty of deals to be made.

GL

A
 
#11 ·
Yeah I agree with you 100%, but at the same time it wasn't the sales person who told me this and so I didn't want him to deal with it. Furthermore, they did cut about $1500 off our "final" negotiated price for "not" having the adaptive drive as a gesture.

That being said, I did just get back from driving the vehicle that does have it and yes it does make a difference, but I don't know about ~$5k difference. AD and adaptive steering. In another words, even if I wasn't told what I was and if I had the two options of the exact car but one had AD & AS, I don't know if I would pay for the additional amount. The M suspension is very nice as is and for the extra amount, perhaps just going to the V8 is a better option.
 
#16 ·
Ok so where are the pics!....ur keeping it , we've helped u now help us and show us this beauty:thumbup:
ASAP:bigpimp:
 
#18 ·
Quick question about adaptive drive for those that have driven it. We test drove an x5 before we ordered our vehicle and was advised by the sales manager that our vehicle would have it. We go to pick up the vehicle yesterday and it does not. It does have the M suspension, but no adaptive drive. (I actually called it the "sport" button and didn't know that it only comes with adaptive drive at the time. I didn't look at the sales order for it because I thought it came with the sports activity package).

If we were to order one, it would be an additional 4 week plus another ~$50/month on the lease.

The M suspension is nice, but from what I recall, the adaptive drive was quite a bit better.

I am also seeing that most people on this forum do appreciate the adaptive drive as well. my question would be, with the M suspension, would the adaptive drive system make things "that" much better?

Thanks!
I believe you got the standard X5 suspension. You can only get the M-suspension on a REAL M-5.

But, you have the option to order a 226 sports suspension - which was originally so hard and uncomfortable that it lead to the 227 sports suspension delete. Which is the default setting, when ordering the X5 with M cosmetics;-)..
 
#19 · (Edited)
Got some updates.

1. gjohnsen is somewhat correct in that it is NOT the M suspension as I was told. It's the M package but has the sports suspension. This is going off the window sticker. The ride is a bit stiff with the 20's and RFT's, but we plan on getting toyo proxes.
2. dnadrifter is correct in that AD is $3150 but AS is another $1550, I believe. Total obviously being $4700. For that kind of $, I would rather get the v8.

At the end of the day I feel as thought I got a very good deal, especially for our region. A lot of credit to this board and members, the numbers I asked our dealership to get was far lower than anything anyone else in our region was willing to come close too. Couple that with getting an additional ~$1500 off, plus the "one" lease payment returned on our current vehicle, I feel that they've really helped us out.



 
#20 ·
Got some updates.

1. gjohnsen is somewhat correct in that it is NOT the M suspension as I was told. It's the M package but has the sports suspension. This is going off the window sticker. The ride is a bit stiff with the 20's and RFT's, but we plan on getting toyo proxes.
2. dnadrifter is correct in that AD is $3150 but AS is another $1550, I believe. Total obviously being $4700. For that kind of $, I would rather get the v8.
The V8 M-Sport has a different suspension. It is not as stiff as the Sport in the 35i M-Sport and also comes with self leveling rear air suspension. I drove both and the 50 M-Sport is very comfortable. More so than M-Sport with AD and 19s
 
#23 ·
I'll just point out that, again, some people here confuse Adaptive Drive with the Sport button being lit up. Adaptive Drive is ALWAYS on. When the Sport light is off, that just means it's in Comfort mode, not Sport. If you drive a car with AD, leave the light off, and you compare the quality of that ride with any other X5, you can't tell me with a straight face that the ride is better in the non-AD car. When you do turn Sport on, it's definitely sportier, but never harsh like the Sport or M suspension. The reality is that AD controls vertical motions - that busyness you feel on highways when bumpy" and because it includes Active Roll Stabilization, it just corners flat.

Sales people will tell you "why do you need to take corners flat in your SUV? Are you racing your SUV" and they are idiots for saying that. Adaptive Drive changed my perspective on the X5, I could never buy another BMW without Adaptive Drive again. It's optional all the way up to the 7-series, it's that good, and it's worth every penny. Especially in the X5. Get it.
 
#24 ·
I think after reading ur last post I would be very surprised if when I purchase an X5
I did not have AD
That explanation is On the money
Thanks
So happy that ur njoying ur X5

Best
Ron
 
#25 ·
#27 ·
The dealers are worthless when it comes to AD. I have a very good friend who didn't listen to me, listened to the dealer, and believed that the new car he was buying without AD would drive the exact same as the car with AD he was trading in when the light was off. He was so disappointed that he sold the car at a huge loss 2 months later. It is not even close to the same ride.
 
#30 ·
AD rides incredibly smooth. Finally drove it today and is WAY smoother than the standard sport suspension delete. Both cars had 19inch Michelin RFTs.
 
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