F10 Noob Question - Suspension configuration

Hello all:

I'm in the market for a car to replace my beloved '04 Volvo V70R and one of the cars on the list is the F10 535i (as well as an E61 535 among others).

I test drove a 535 the other day and I am confused by some of the suspension options. Forgive the nOOb question, but I have pondered the manual as well as the online configurator, and what I remember from the window sticker.

The car I drove had the sport package. It did NOT (to the best of my knowledge) have the Dynamic Handling package. Nor did it have the sport automatic option. It also did not have active steering.

The car had the buttons next to the auto shifter that could change the car from comfort, normal, sport and sport plus. The salesman told me that this was changing the suspension, but from the options the car had I didn't believe him. My test drive was so short, though, that I couldn't get a good bead on what WAS changing with changing this setting. So, two questions:

1) What options prompt this system to be added and
2) With the above configuration, what exactly was I changing about the car? The manual is very, very fuzzy on this.

Thanks guys.

Oh, you'll like this one: the sales guy asked me not to put it into Sport Plus during the test drive since it reduced the stability control system. It was dry, and the most i could get up to was 50 mph on a 3 mile test drive. Please.

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

The car had the buttons next to the auto shifter that could change the car from comfort, normal, sport and sport plus.

If there is a Comfort, there is the DHP package.

Perhaps you should make the sales guy an offer, who knows what other packages the car has that he doesn't know about

Originally Posted by solstice

Perhaps you should make the sales guy an offer, who knows what other packages the car has that he doesn't know about

Hahaha.

In all honesty, the mention of the packages was my recollection of the sticker, plus trying to rectify the total MSRP on the dealer's website. I emailed the sales guy after the test drive asking for a copy of the sticker or a listing of the options, and never got a response.

So in order to have that selection you have to have the dynamic handling or the active steering packages?

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

Hahaha.

In all honesty, the mention of the packages was my recollection of the sticker, plus trying to rectify the total MSRP on the dealer's website. I emailed the sales guy after the test drive asking for a copy of the sticker or a listing of the options, and never got a response.

So in order to have that selection you have to have the dynamic handling or the active steering packages?

Only DHP gives you all four modes.

Needscaf btw if you can wait a year to buy a new car - join BMW CCA to get the $1000 discount should you desire to buy the F10. DC dealers are pretty accommodating when it comes to ordering and paying close to invoice. I was able to get about $1500 over invoice and could have gotten closer to the $1000. Wow they only let you have a 3 mile test drive?!?! I was once offered a two block one but had a long one before buying the car.