From Diesel to 5.0 M-Sport, Adaptive Drive, Review, Photos

Originally Posted by Jim E.

My multiple test drives of different options indicate otherwise and I too have the self levelling suspension.

What I wrote is directly from BMW's own literature. If it was designed to improve "comfort" they would state it.

http://wds.spaghetticoder.org/en/zin...370002-F06.htm

http://wds.spaghetticoder.org/en/zin...370003-F06.htm

http://www.bmw.com/com/en/insights/t...levelling.html

I totally agree. The self levelling suspension has nothing to do with comfort...Except that it keeps the car in level under load...My car has by the way, both AD and self levelling suspension..

Regardless that particular vehicle felt like I needed a vice to turn the steering wheel while driving.
It did not have active steering as far as I know.
Then again first time driving w AD.
Jumped in a 2012 5.o w reg sport suspension non AD with 20"s
Steering felt a lot looser although still controlled.

Since my wife will be driving this vehicle more than me, I can't imagine she'll Njoy the AD
Being barely 5ft. Small gal....lucky me

Although ultimate test is going to be test driving the 2011 Msport and seeing if there is a big difference between it and the 09 msport

I know newer technology , tranny etc

I'll keep u updated
Rob

Sure it does.

Take a look at this article:

http://www.whyhighend.com/air-suspension.html

"Ride Quality The ride quality is extremely smooth when compared to conventional springs as compressed air is used to absorb irregularites on the road. This is perfect for providing a soft and comfortable ride for passengers but by adjusting the air pressure the suspension can be stiffened for a sport setting."

The ride quality with the air suspension is much better than that without.

Originally Posted by gjohnsen

I totally agree. The self levelling suspension has nothing to do with comfort...Except that it keeps the car in level under load...My car has by the way, both AD and self levelling suspension..

Originally Posted by EugeneM

Sure it does.

Take a look at this article:

http://www.whyhighend.com/air-suspension.html

"Ride Quality The ride quality is extremely smooth when compared to conventional springs as compressed air is used to absorb irregularites on the road. This is perfect for providing a soft and comfortable ride for passengers but by adjusting the air pressure the suspension can be stiffened for a sport setting."

The ride quality with the air suspension is much better than that without.

I agree with this.

The only problem is that there are only airbags in the rear. I suppose the heavier diesel upfront may load the springs just enough to take some jitteryness away from the front (assuming there isn't a different set of springs for each engine).

Either way, I'm more then happy with the ride in my 3 row X5d especially in terms of the comfort vs handling trade off. I'm sure I would love AD, but I love ~$3k too.

Jay

Originally Posted by EugeneM

Sure it does.

Take a look at this article:

http://www.whyhighend.com/air-suspension.html

"Ride Quality The ride quality is extremely smooth when compared to conventional springs as compressed air is used to absorb irregularites on the road. This is perfect for providing a soft and comfortable ride for passengers but by adjusting the air pressure the suspension can be stiffened for a sport setting."

The ride quality with the air suspension is much better than that without.

The X5 system works only on the rear suspension, and is made to level the car under heavy load...The system is not built into the shock absorber. You can not adjust the the airpressure for a smother ride, and it does not interact with the front suspension. Which means that the airpressure / spring rate must be the same as a conventional X5 without self levelling..I have driven both, and have not noticed any difference at all..

You can compare the BMW EDS system with a fully airsuspension equipped car.( in wider terms)..It means that the hole system works together, and you can soften/ harden the suspension with a push on a button...

I want to first congratulate the op! You found the car you wanted, and it rides the way you want it.

Self leveling suspension is a complementary system, to the rear standard spring/strut suspension, which is intended to Maintain the ride height as best possible. That means the x5 is allowed to feel the same way in terms of handling with or without additional weight.

Now this notion of why the car rides differently is difficult. The original vehicle was a front heavy diesel, SA PACK, 20inch wheels and the new vehicle is a lighter 5.0, 20s newer. There way too many variables in play to specifically attribute the self leveling to better handling.

Originally Posted by NoI4plz

I want to first congratulate the op! You found the car you wanted, and it rides the way you want it.

Self leveling suspension is a complementary system, to the rear standard spring/strut suspension, which is intended to Maintain the ride height as best possible. That means the x5 is allowed to feel the same way in terms of handling with or without additional weight.

Now this notion of why the car rides differently is difficult. The original vehicle was a front heavy diesel, SA PACK, 20inch wheels and the new vehicle is a lighter 5.0, 20s newer. There way too many variables in play to specifically attribute the self leveling to better handling.

Thanks,

The 5.0 is almost 200 lb heavier than the D and has a little more weight in the back as well as far as weight distribution

Interesting and unexpected fact.

When I got the car, the dealer told me they raised the air pressure in the tires from the factory setting. Today I was planning on driving the car on the beach, so I checked the air pressure before hitting the sand. I was a bit surprised, it was 42 in the rear and 39 in front. I aired down slightly below factory settings of 33/36 to 32.5/35.5. The car handled the sand just fine but when I hit the streets on the way back I felt the suspension was a bit harsher than what I was used to. The ride was a little more busy/choppy. The steering a little heavier. Just seemed harsher overall. I put the pressure back up to 38/41 drove on the same road back and forth and it smoothed out the ride quite a bit. I found this a bit surprising given the I would expect the opposite to be true.

Originally Posted by z51vette

Interesting and unexpected fact.

When I got the car, the dealer told me they raised the air pressure in the tires from the factory setting. Today I was planning on driving the car on the beach, so I checked the air pressure before hitting the sand. I was a bit surprised, it was 42 in the rear and 39 in front. I aired down slightly below factory settings of 33/36 to 32.5/35.5. The car handled the sand just fine but when I hit the streets on the way back I felt the suspension was a bit harsher than what I was used to. The ride was a little more busy/choppy. The steering a little heavier. Just seemed harsher overall. I put the pressure back up to 38/41 drove on the same road back and forth and it smoothed out the ride quite a bit. I found this a bit surprising given the I would expect the opposite to be true.

I've noticed the same phenomenon on my 335d. When the tires are under inflated the ride is harsh; when they're properly inflated the ride smooths out. My car has RFT's.

I'm guessing this is true on RFT because you are probably riding on the softer rubber portion at full pressure but at lower pressure you are riding more on the stiff reinforced sidewall... causing it to be harsher.

Kinda but not really off topic!

Do we know if on a 2011 5.0 are all the sport suspension x5's "adaptive drive" included

i know on the msport but what about reg "sports suspension"

and if it has self leveling suspension does that mean it does not have the "adaptive Drive"

thanks
Rob

Originally Posted by 5seriesHB

Kinda but not really off topic!

Do we know if on a 2011 5.0 are all the sport suspension x5's "adaptive drive" included

i know on the msport but what about reg "sports suspension"

and if it has self leveling suspension does that mean it does not have the "adaptive Drive"

thanks
Rob

There are 3 suspensions available for the X5. 1. 2vaa Adaptive Drive. 2. Regular suspension. 3. 226 Sports suspension..

You can order self levelling on all three suspensions. Im not completely sure, but i believe self levelling suspension was includet in AD on earlier models??

Originally Posted by gjohnsen

There are 3 suspensions available for the X5. 1. 2vaa Adaptive Drive. 2. Regular suspension. 3. 226 Sports suspension..

You can order self levelling on all three suspensions. Im not completely sure, but i believe self levelling suspension was includet in AD on earlier models??

What's 330 then?
In a 2011 model
Anything to do with adaptive drive

Originally Posted by 5seriesHB

What's 330 then?
In a 2011 model
Anything to do with adaptive drive

330 = spare wheel:-)

For instance, take a look a this truck for example.
Anyway to tell if it had adaptive drive from info provided?

http://www.southbaybmw.com/2011-BMW-...-CA/vd/8961126
and then this line is so confusing please explain?

"includes Sport Suspension Delete"

yet it then has sports suspension two lines later added

its like the SAT's all over again

ROb

Looks like this car doesn't have adaptive drive. The tip I got from this forum when looking for cars that have AD installed is to look for the sport button (see link below for an illustration)

http://www.xoutpost.com/245604-post1.html

When I was looking for cars with AD I tried to look at pictures to be sure the car has it because most of the time the salesperson was clueless, I ended up custom ordering a new one though!

Originally Posted by 5seriesHB

For instance, take a look a this truck for example.
Anyway to tell if it had adaptive drive from info provided?

http://www.southbaybmw.com/2011-BMW-...-CA/vd/8961126
and then this line is so confusing please explain?

"includes Sport Suspension Delete"

yet it then has sports suspension two lines later added

its like the SAT's all over again

ROb

Originally Posted by neo_ny

Looks like this car doesn't have adaptive drive. The tip I got from this forum when looking for cars that have AD installed is to look for the sport button (see link below for an illustration)

http://www.xoutpost.com/245604-post1.html

When I was looking for cars with AD I tried to look at pictures to be sure the car has it because most of the time the salesperson was clueless, I ended up custom ordering a new one though!

Thanks
Just curious when u hit te sports button does that change transmission shifting and handling ie: adaptive drive
Or if u have AD is it available when sport button is not being used?

Originally Posted by 5seriesHB

Thanks
Just curious when u hit te sports button does that change transmission shifting and handling ie: adaptive drive
Or if u have AD is it available when sport button is not being used?

I think you got it confused. AD is engaged (when the car has it) by the "sport" button next to the gear shift handle, and it is independent from sport shifting mode for the transmission which is engaged by moving the shift handle from Drive to the left (towards the driver) Sport/Manual mode. Probably the "sport" word is confusing as it pops up here and there all over. For example, is "sport suspension delete" really adding sport suspension (as compared to base X5) or deleting it (as compared to X5M)? I really think bmw could do a better job naming their options...

^^ this.

I have the M Sport Package (337) - which includes the self leveling (air/rear) suspension (220). Has no impact on ride comfort (bump comfort). It's a load thing.

Adaptive Drive (2VA) is an altogether different option. I have this. I like it.

From BMW: "Adaptive Drive instantly adjusts the suspension settings of the wheels on one side to practically eliminate any perceptible unevenness in the road. In addition, you can choose between a more comfortable default setting for the suspension, or a more sporting setting."

Actually, if you have Adaptive Drive, you have no choice but to be using AD 100% of the time - it cannot be turned off. The "Sport" Button below the gearshift implements a more aggressive adaptive drive setting. If I compare my AD Sport Package X5 to a non AD X5, here is generally what I think the driver experiences:

AD X5 - Sport Button NOT Selected - AD car is more relaxed when the car is just cruising around compared to either a standard non AD X5 or a non AD Sport X5. However, when the car is pushed hard into a corner or has to stop quickly, it is quite a bit firmer and does not roll or pitch as much as non AD X5s. I am guessing even with sport mode off, the AD X5 does not roll as much as non AD Sport X5s, but I could be wrong on this.

AD X5 - Sport Button Selected - AD car is firmer than non AD X5s and is as firm as Non AD Sport X5s when the car is just cruising around. However, when the AD car is cornering hard or has to stop quickly it is firmer than any type of non AD X5

Originally Posted by bxmxwx

I think you got it confused. AD is engaged (when the car has it) by the "sport" button next to the gear shift handle, and it is independent from sport shifting mode for the transmission which is engaged by moving the shift handle from Drive to the left (towards the driver) Sport/Manual mode. Probably the "sport" word is confusing as it pops up here and there all over. For example, is "sport suspension delete" really adding sport suspension (as compared to base X5) or deleting it (as compared to X5M)? I really think bmw could do a better job naming their options...

Originally Posted by HIRISC

^^ this.

I have the M Sport Package (337) - which includes the self leveling (air/rear) suspension (220). Has no impact on ride comfort (bump comfort). It's a load thing.

This, directly from the owner's manual:





Again, I don't like pointing things out in BMW's literature because I don't need a manual to tell me what my A** is feeling. Those "spring motions" the manual is referring to is what I absolutely hated about the regular suspension, especially with the 20" wheels. I found it to be absolutely intolerable around my NYC neighborhood. I take my car off-road almost daily and I can tell you that the Self Leveling suspension is a lot more comfortable than the Standard fare.

The ride also feels more sporty and lighter. I'm guessing that's why it is standard with the M-Sport Package. Also, in the 2012 and on, Self Leveling is the standard suspension with M-Sport. Unlike the 2011 and prior which had Adaptive Drive with M-sport.

Originally Posted by z51vette

This, directly from the owner's manual:





Again, I don't like pointing things out in BMW's literature because I don't need a manual to tell me what my A** is feeling. Those "spring motions" the manual is referring to is what I absolutely hated about the regular suspension, especially with the 20" wheels. I found it to be absolutely intolerable around my NYC neighborhood. I take my car off-road almost daily and I can tell you that the Self Leveling suspension is a lot more comfortable than the Standard fare.

The ride also feels more sporty and lighter. I'm guessing that's why it is standard with the M-Sport Package. Also, in the 2012 and on, Self Leveling is the standard suspension with M-Sport. Unlike the 2011 and prior which had Adaptive Drive with M-sport.

That explains alot..thanks Vette.
sent u a pm

Originally Posted by z51vette

This, directly from the owner's manual:





Again, I don't like pointing things out in BMW's literature because I don't need a manual to tell me what my A** is feeling. Those "spring motions" the manual is referring to is what I absolutely hated about the regular suspension, especially with the 20" wheels. I found it to be absolutely intolerable around my NYC neighborhood. I take my car off-road almost daily and I can tell you that the Self Leveling suspension is a lot more comfortable than the Standard fare.

The ride also feels more sporty and lighter. I'm guessing that's why it is standard with the M-Sport Package. Also, in the 2012 and on, Self Leveling is the standard suspension with M-Sport. Unlike the 2011 and prior which had Adaptive Drive with M-sport.

Before I jump in here, I wanted to say the manual image is broken. Secondly z51 could you describe specially on a new post what you felt on your experience with the diesel vs 5.0. (sorry if I'm asking for too much).

Originally Posted by HIRISC

^^ this.

I have the M Sport Package (337) - which includes the self leveling (air/rear) suspension (220). Has no impact on ride comfort (bump comfort). It's a load thing.

Adaptive Drive (2VA) is an altogether different option. I have this. I like it.

From BMW: "Adaptive Drive instantly adjusts the suspension settings of the wheels on one side to practically eliminate any perceptible unevenness in the road. In addition, you can choose between a more comfortable default setting for the suspension, or a more sporting setting."

Although it seems like it has no effect (I thought so too), I stumbled upon some new evidence that may answer this discussion in a more visual form. To say the least I think all the responses are valid, but need some clarity in terms of visuals.

Sorry you weren't happy with your D, but congrats on the 50i! That's what we would have gotten, skipping the 35i completely, if my wife didn't like the D.

Ride is very nice with our D and the standard suspension and 18" Style 209 wheels, even on pretty choppy and rough pavement. We specifically avoided the larger 19 and 20" wheels for this reason. It still handles more than good enough, although there's noticeable body roll in corners without AD. We have third row seats, which I think includes the self-leveling suspension. Very comfortably riding car no matter what we drive it over. The only thing that bugs me about the 6 speed automatic is that the first two gears are way too short. They did this on purpose to give it some solid towing and slow speed off-road ability while skipping the two-speed transfer case. Not my DD so I'm probably just not used to it. Feels a bit mushy at slower speeds too, probably to avoid driveline shock if you were towing something pretty heavy. Torque converter stays unlocked which makes it feel slushy, but put your foot down and it clamps down hard in lockup mode and feels nice and crisp again. Drove an E90 335d loaner for a week which has the same 6 speed automatic but a much taller final drive ratio, and it felt much more natural to drive to me. No complaints about not being able to get downshifts. It does try to hold the upper gears in D mode, but put it in DS and it'll happily downshift very easily. Yup it does run out of steam up top quite noticeably. It's great at up to 8/10ths, but if you're pushing beyond that you'll feel like you want more. JBD chip? I did test a 35d and 35i back to back and had them flat on some highway acceleration tests, and they really didn't feel a whole lot different to me though. I think the 35i/N55 loses a lot of its charm when in 5000lb E70 duty. I like it a whole lot more, and the exhaust sounds a whole lot better in my E93 335i.

Anyways have fun with the 50i! Should be a beast!