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M Adaptive Suspension - How much of an impact?

24K views 88 replies 23 participants last post by  voip-ninja 
#1 ·
Just bought a 335xi with Premium, Tech, Winter, HK, but left off the M suspension....Should I be worried that I left off the adaptive M suspension? I test drove a 335xi that didn't have adaptive suspension, and it handled like a BEAST.

After reading some of these threads, I feel like you can't live without adaptive suspension! Thoughts?
 
#2 ·
I dont have it now, didnt get it on my new car, not worried. the passive sport suspension is great imo. awesome balance between comfort and sport.
 
#5 ·
How does the xDrive Comfort suspension compare to the RWD Comfort suspension? Firmer, softer, same? Never got the chance to test drive both as my RWD was ordered before the AWD came out, thought I'd read somewhere that the xDrive Comfort suspension is softer than the RWD Comfort suspension. True?

BJ
 
#6 ·
I love how the adaptive suspension really changes the character of the car. I drive in comfort mode most of the time but will select sport from time to time. Feeling the suspension and the steering tighten up is really amazing...first time I pushed that sport button while driving the car home from the dealership I just had this big grin on my face...really amazing.

I drove a C300 for 3 years and while the suspension was stiffer than the F30 in "comfort" mode, the car was somewhat harsh in city driving...but no where near the stiffness of the F30 in sport mode. I enjoy having two distinct ride qualities and I feel like this is something all F30 drivers should experience!
 
#9 ·
Yes there are apparently threads in other forums (X5 or E90 probably a good place to start) that discuss eventual repair premiums. It is not a given that the car would need new shocks at the 8 year mark but if it did you are probably looking at an extra $1000 or so to replace the adaptive vs conventional suspension.
 
#10 ·
Really?

I wil push for the dealership to order me a new one with the M Suspension. I will drive it for a few days and see how it feels...

I am coming from an 2006 Acura TL, so just getting into the BMW, I think there will be a huge difference in the ride. I hope the steering is a tight as my bro's BMW, he had a 2009 330i.
 
#11 ·
DMonE621,

I too have just ordered a new 3-series x-drive BMW and I came from a 2005 Acura TL (the new TLs are ugly:thumbdwn:). I ordered the sport package rather than the M-adaptive suspension. It comes with the 704 Sport Suspension in the package which is stiffer, but not harsh. This maintains the more traditional shocks. The option on the 335i is $1700 ($800 more than m-adaptive) but includes the following:

Sport Line:18" Sport wheels (397)
Black Exterior trim (blacked out window trim & black mirror caps)
Anthricite Headliner
Sport Steering wheel
Sport seats (better support than standard)
Sport trim

IMO this option was more for money rather than the m-adaptive. :thumbup:
 
#14 ·
I thought the same, but my build from the dealer shows it and even on BMW website shows the sport suspention: http://www.bmwusa.com/standard/content/byo/lineslanding.aspx?namodelcode=133U
If this is not correct...:mad:
 

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#15 ·
Yeah it would seem silly to have a Sport Line that doesn't have the suspension.
 
#18 ·
It was too late to contact dealer to ask about the suspension on the x-drive sport, I can see where there could be an error, :dunno: yet I was told it had the sport suspension...I went to the BMW Config site and it had the same information on the x-drive for the #704 Sport suspension. :yikes:
 

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#19 · (Edited)
What bmwconfig does not show you is that all x-drive cars get 704 deleted when they are built.

Get over it. It's still a good car, just not as good as if it had the adaptive setup.

From what one of the site administrators here with contacts at BMW have explained, the 10mm lowered sport suspension does not clear all of the x-drive components. That is the reason that the x-drive cars are not equipped with the more aggressive sport suspension even if you order the sport package.

The m-adaptive suspension similarly is not lowered 10mm, but it does include the dynamically adjustable, real time active magnetic dampeners (shocks) which make a huge difference in how the car handles, especially when it is in the sport setting.
 
#21 ·
The lack of information on this and all the errors on BMW's site is frankly a disgrace. It's laughable.

But I finally found some information on this very site: CONFIRMED - F30 xDrive with Adaptive M Suspension Does NOT Lower Ride Height

But looking beyond xdrive, this news bit seems to answer answer some of my questions with this: "he Adaptive M Suspension offered for the rear wheel drive F30 includes a 10mm lower sport spring, the same spring that is offer on the sport suspension."

In other words, if you get it on a luxury line, you do get the sport springs and adaptive dampers. By implication, if you add the package to the sports line, you keep your springs and you get adaptive dampers instead of passive ones. If this is all true, it finally does make some sense to me. It also renders the idea of lines a little more inconsequential than before.
 
#28 ·
I'm little confused here and hope some one can clear this up for me.
So I'm getting 335i (no X Drive) Sport line. It comes w/ M sport suspension. Is this that different from adaptive M suspension? I see it as option for $1k more. Should regular normal drives get this? If so what others? I heard about the handling package. Do these really make big difference?

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Bimmer App
 
#29 ·
I didn't order the adaptive M suspension on my M Sport - 13' 328i xDrive, and I am not worried about it. I did not buy my car to race or to experience it at high speeds. I drive like a flippin' grandpa... and I am 28... I'm not bothered by the comfort suspension. I got almost every option on my car, and I am quite happy with what is coming to me.
 
#33 ·
OK, stupid question time: what does the Adaptive M Suspension on a 328xi actually do?

I've seen plenty on what it is, and what it has, and whether you should get it. But what I'd like to know is, what is the practical result of using it for the driver? What does it do for your drive, what is the advantage, and in what situations does it best manifest itself?

I'm looking at a 13 328xi base (i.e., none of the four defined lines), so I'm mulling over whether it add it. I live in the city of Chicago, where the roads are really flat, really straight and littered with stop signs and traffic lights.

Bonus question: are the settings Comfort/Sport/Sport+ tied directly to Adaptive M Suspension?
 
#34 ·
You are not asking what it does, that's been explained. You are asking for some kind of subjective evaluation of the suspension, when you should just find a dealer that has a car with it (even a used one) and find out for yourself.

In a nutshell, since you drive on city streets the primary advantage is that the active suspension will soak up bumps better than the stock suspension. However if you are buying a no-lines model and keeping it long term and aren't a sport-oriented driver then you might be better off saving your money as the adaptive suspension will cost more to service/replace components on, down the road.
 
#35 ·
You are not asking what it does, that's been explained. You are asking for some kind of subjective evaluation of the suspension, when you should just find a dealer that has a car with it (even a used one) and find out for yourself.

In a nutshell, since you drive on city streets the primary advantage is that the active suspension will soak up bumps better than the stock suspension. However if you are buying a no-lines model and keeping it long term and aren't a sport-oriented driver then you might be better off saving your money as the adaptive suspension will cost more to service/replace components on, down the road.
This bold part helps.

I guess am asking for is a listing out of its benefits, because I am having trouble finding a concise explanation of that. I have looked around for a while and just haven't been able to find it. I have found technical explanations of what it is ("a lowering of the chassis by ten millimetres and electronically controlled dampers result in increased agility") and, to your point, what it does ("sensors continuously measure data and control the shock absorber valves in the Adaptive M suspension according to the driving situation and road profile"), but I haven't found much on how it helps drivers (e.g., corner more sharply, accelerate more smoothly, brake more effectively, stuff like that).

You have helped a lot by talking about how it soaks up bumps on rough city streets. That helps, and thank you. If you have a link or a referral to any complete concise explanation of driver benefits, I'd appreciate that.

I also do appreciate your recommendation based on my circumstances. Thanks for that, too.
 
#36 ·
Do you not see it as being a benefit that the suspension can be switched, on the fly, from a very supple suspension that provides a comfortable ride to a very firm and sporty suspension that is very responsive? If you don't get that this is something worth $900 then I'm not sure why it should be discussed. The only time someone should pass on the adaptive-m suspension is if they don't want to outlay the cash, don't drive the car in sporty fashion (ever) or believe that the regular sport suspension can be pushed "harder" than the adaptive setup.
 
#37 ·
When you say "switch on the fly", are you talking about switching from Sport to Sport+ to Comfort? Are these settings associated only with the Adaptive M, and not available without them? That's another thing I haven't been able to determine yet.
 
#51 ·
The "responsiveness in handling" does not change when you change driving modes unless you have adaptive m.

Without adaptive m the suspension doesn't change no matter what mode you select, so the ride and handling don't change when you change modes.

With adaptive m you can change the suspension behavior by changing modes, which is what determines the ride and handling.
OK, so without the adaptive M, if the switch from Sport to Comfort does not change the suspension or ride or the handling, then all it really changes is the acceleration?
 
#38 ·
You cannot change the suspension independently. Putting the car in comfort mode makes the suspension "comfortable". Putting the car in sport mode puts the suspension in sports mode. You can go into the adaptive settings and say that if you are in sport mode you don't want the suspension changed with the sport mode change. Why anyone would choose to do that is beyond me. If what you are looking for is independent control of the suspension independent of the driving mode, that does not currently exist in i-drive.
 
#62 · (Edited)
What I described is nowhere near a race car. It's actually a compromise which I have learned from using Koni adjustable dampers over the years; quickly responsive while being refined enough to smooth out all the bumps on the road to make you a better driver even above the 7/10ths driving limits. Do take into account that the suspension is only 1 component to this whole package refinement. You have to factor in chassis stiffness & design, bushings, tires, springs, brakes, etc...

Plus scenario #1 is what highly aggressive traffic drivers follow if they prefer to drive using all the allowable characteristics that their car provide.

Having driven or experienced (as a kid) all different types of my fair share of suspension combinations makes a difference to feel the differences; highly recommended to try them all, definitely helps with suspension tuning- dedicated race coil overs (Moton, Cusco, Toda, Ohlins, Bilstein), mid-level adj shocks/struts/coil overs (Koni yellows [my favorite benchmark for the middle ground], KYB AGX, Monroe Air, Bilstein PSS, KW V series, HKS, TRD), non-adj upgrade shocks/struts (Koni FSD,
KYB GR2, Bilstein HD & Sport), stock non EDC OEM shocks/struts (Sachs, Bilstein, Koni, TRD, Mugen, all the major car manufacturer brands), EDC shocks/struts (Nissan & Toyota [some of the first implementations of fully active EDC], Mercedes ABC, BMW DHP, GM MagnaRide).
 
#71 · (Edited)
Thanks for all the great comments. I looked up some info on MagneRide and it does seem to have at least a couple of advantages. It has no valve system to control damping, and therefore no associated response delay and wear. It modifies the viscosity of the fluid directly and apparently much faster than a mechanical valve system. But other than that it works in a similar way as far as having sensors, a CPU, and a computed response sent to the actuators.

A middle ground solution could be a passive system but with 2 or 3 damping settings.
 
#72 · (Edited)
IMHO, if I were to get the AWD then I'd get the Adaptive because that's the only way to get the Sport Suspension. I bought the passive because I'm the only one driving the car and I would always be in Sports Mode anyway. And besides coming from an E46 M3 with 19" wheels, the F30 Sport Suspension already feels like it's in Comfort Mode.
 
#73 · (Edited)
Public roads vary widely as to surface condition which is what makes adaptive suspension attractive for street driving. A passive performance suspension, like the sport suspension on the E9x, will perform very well on relatively smooth surfaces such as a race track or on a smooth road. The problem is that in the real world you are going to run into less than ideal conditions and that is where a passive sport suspension will show limitations. On bumpy surfaces it will have trouble keeping the tires in contact with the road surface. Once the bumps have upset the balance of the car the passive suspension is no longer a good handling suspension so while I accept that in some cases the passive sport suspension will outhandle the adaptive suspenion IMO unless you have the luxury (which I don't) of driving exclusively on pristine surfaces the adapative suspension will be a better choice.

I have not driven an F30 in any form but I have a 335i (E93) with sport suspension (on which I have replaced the RFTs and installed Koni FSDs) and a 750Li. The 7 has an adjustable suspension and it is very effective and the diffenence between sport and comfort in very obvious. Of course the 7 is a high performance luxury car as opposed to a luxurious high performance car. When I put the 7 into Sport Plus the suspension tightens up, the car shifts more agressively and I swear to God it gets 500 pounds lighter and 18" shorter. In sport plus it is hard to believe you are driving a car that is as big and as heavy as it actually is.

I have driven Jaguar XKR-S and Cadillac CTS-V and my impression is that as good as the adjustable suspenion in the 7 is BMWs technology is not as good as Jaguars or Cadillacs. The Jag suspension is very good and the Cadillac magnetic shocks are in a class by themselves.
 
#78 ·
Apparently you drive much more aggressively on the street than I do, since I've pushed the car reasonably hard and have not experienced anything like you have described with the suspension lagging.

You might be an incredible driver, or you might just be an accident waiting to happen. In any event, from a moral perspective I am against driving the car anywhere near as hard on public roadways as I would drive it on a track, where I tend to drive, or ride, as fast as I possibly can without crashing.
 
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