Active Roll Stabilization (ARS)

Anyone have any thoughts on the ARS? Is this something that is really needed? If I get a 535 AWD would the ARS make a noticeable different? I'm not sure if the $2,400 for 2012 is worth it. Any thoughts?

Originally Posted by vkperigord

Anyone have any thoughts on the ARS? Is this something that is really needed? If I get a 535 AWD would the ARS make a noticeable different? I'm not sure if the $2,400 for 2012 is worth it. Any thoughts?

Is the active roll stabilization part of the DHP package? I had the ARS on my '06 650i and now on my F10 550i xDrive. I really like it but $2400 as a stand alone option is a little steep.

Originally Posted by richschneid

Is the active roll stabilization part of the DHP package? I had the ARS on my '06 650i and now on my F10 550i xDrive. I really like it but $2400 as a stand alone option is a little steep.

Thanks! For 2012 the ARS is a stand alone option for $2,400. There is no DHP package from what I can tell for 2012.

So having the AWD you wouldn't suggest the stand alone ARS?

Is the ARS always active ?? even in confort mode??
I know this advance system will prevent the car from leaning side to side in when cornering or making line changes fast
Im also in the same boat, I dont know if Im going to order it

Originally Posted by jondoc72

Is the ARS always active ?? even in confort mode??
I know this advance system will prevent the car from leaning side to side in when cornering or making line changes fast
Im also in the same boat, I dont know if Im going to order it

Yea, I think it's always active.

Let me know what you end up deciding and how you find driving with or without it.

I love it. This car is huge and in my opinion needs it.

Originally Posted by me530

i love it. This car is huge and in my opinion needs it.

+1

It's always active but usually the extent of body roll varies with the dynamic drive settings.

There's a bit of a heated debate on this board as to whether the ARS is a good thing or not, but in my opinion anything that minimizes body roll is a good thing for those who take corners fast.

This is a main difference in the M Sport package for 2012, yeah? I think the reason that M Sport is 'only' $3800 for '12 vs $6500 in '11 (on 550) is because they removed ARS and made it a stand alone option?? Is this correct?

The ARS is supposed to work in conjunction with the dynamic dampering?

Originally Posted by vkperigord

Thanks! For 2012 the ARS is a stand alone option for $2,400. There is no DHP package from what I can tell for 2012.

So having the AWD you wouldn't suggest the stand alone ARS?

I would certainly get the adjustable suspension setting option at a minimum. Then add the ARS after you get a chance to test drive a car without it in sport mode. The nice thing about the ARS is that is works automatically at all times. One of the reasons I got the 650i instead of the M6 in 2005 was because the M6 had EDC which had to be set manually, similar to the DHP on my 550i, whereas the 650i had the ARS. Having both in my 550i is the best. I did miss the EDC in the 650i, however. But it seems that the M sport package plus the ARS comes to about the same price as last years combination. If you like to drive hard occasionally I think the ARS is worth it, especially if you are going to keep the car 5 or 6 years like I do.

Originally Posted by vkperigord

Yea, I think it's always active.

Let me know what you end up deciding and how you find driving with or without it.

Ok I will let you know
I did test drive the 535i 535xi without it and it was fine, I may just get it just in case

The ARS is active all the time. The amount of roll dampening depends on the chassis setting in the DHP. In normal the roll is slightly less than a Toyota Avalon. However in sport mode you really have to thrash it to notice any real roll - an example of not thrashing and appreciating the effectiveness is that you can go through a quick S doing 70 that is suggested at 45, not notice any roll and not think twice about how fast you're going - just another Sunday drive. Imho it is worth every penny and more.

My 550 doesn't have it but my old X6 had it. It was amazing on that thing.

I have ARS in my 650i and I can't imagine how there could be a debate whether it's good or not. My 4,300 lb tank corners as flat as my M3 with coilovers and upgraded sway bars. ARS is revolutionary and in my opinion it's a must for anyone who takes corners fast, especially on heavy cars. I've tracked my 650i and it was a blast mainly due to the ARS.

If you drive like my grandma I think ARS would be a waste of money and an unnecessary complication. The system can spring leaks after 6 or 7 years and repairs are not cheap.

Originally Posted by Stealth.Pilot

There's a bit of a heated debate on this board as to whether the ARS is a good thing or not, but in my opinion anything that minimizes body roll is a good thing for those who take corners fast.

Am not active enough in this forum to know that there's debate over the ARS. (I've not come across any negative view from a mag/website reviewer). There is a difference of opinion amongst reviewers over the IAS. Also, interesting whether the M sport suspension is better than the dynamic suspension, which I'm guessing the former is. The ARS is definitely a must have for the 535 and 550.

Originally Posted by vkperigord

Thanks! For 2012 the ARS is a stand alone option for $2,400. There is no DHP package from what I can tell for 2012.

Is this correct in US? I thought the ARS has to be ordered with ZSP or ZMP which has dynamic handling http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=558483

http://bimmerfest.com/forums/showpos...7&postcount=34

This was the case here in Sg.

Ars used to be a no brainer. It's a great feature and if it truly was a stand alone option it would still be a no brainer. With the F10 it's unfortunately much more complicated since it requires that you first add a package that includes EDC which I think is a menace in general and especially the way it is tuned for the F10 ( soft ). Since neither the sports or m-sport package include much worth being called "sport" I would not select any sports pkg or ars and instead buy the base setup and add some nice wheels with summer tires and after market sport springs and dampers.

ARS is great but can make a grinding sound at low speeds when the ambient outside temperature is below 55 deg F

Originally Posted by dga

ARS is great but can make a grinding sound at low speeds when the ambient outside temperature is below 55 deg F

This situation doesn't arise in Miami

I don't think it's entirely fair to claim the M Sport provides nothing that can be labeled as "sport". You get some nice appearance mods plus DDC. Are you saying dynamic damper control is useless? Is it optimized when mated with ARS?

Please help as I'm wondering whether or not to spring $2500 for ARS (M Sport is definite, as I love the body kit and wheels alone).

Originally Posted by chelseafc

I don't think it's entirely fair to claim the M Sport provides nothing that can be labeled as "sport". You get some nice appearance mods plus DDC. Are you saying dynamic damper control is useless? Is it optimized when mated with ARS?

Please help as I'm wondering whether or not to spring $2500 for ARS (M Sport is definite, as I love the body kit and wheels alone).

It depends what kind of a car you want. But anyone who wants a fixed firm setup should be buying something else. Probably a Porsche or an Audi.

What's great about BMW is that the car is great at everything. Great on the rough old roads of the city center, great on the smooth autobahns, it balances comfort and handling. A fixed firm setup maybe sporty but it won't deliver the complete package.

Personally I'm committed to DDC and ARS. It's the best setup IMO.

I knew the ARS was doing something right when I didn't hear my wife yelling at me while i was cornering.

Originally Posted by Stealth.Pilot

It depends what kind of a car you want. But anyone who wants a fixed firm setup should be buying something else. Probably a Porsche or an Audi.

What's great about BMW is that the car is great at everything. Great on the rough old roads of the city center, great on the smooth autobahns, it balances comfort and handling. A fixed firm setup maybe sporty but it won't deliver the complete package.

Personally I'm committed to DDC and ARS. It's the best setup IMO.

I for one like the idea of a configurable ride, this is part of what appeals to me about the universal appeal of the F10 and that convenient rocker switch.

Fixed/firm - couldn't that be provided by DDC and setting of Sport +? I'm not saying firm as in 997 firm (that will rupture a kidney unless you drive on glass). But realistically speaking, out of a 4k+ pound vehicle, I have a feeling that DDC and Sport+ setting would provide a nice, firmish ride.

You say DDC AND ARS...as in I shouldn't pass up the ARS??

Originally Posted by chelseafc

I for one like the idea of a configurable ride, this is part of what appeals to me about the universal appeal of the F10 and that convenient rocker switch.

Fixed/firm - couldn't that be provided by DDC and setting of Sport +? I'm not saying firm as in 997 firm (that will rupture a kidney unless you drive on glass). But realistically speaking, out of a 4k+ pound vehicle, I have a feeling that DDC and Sport+ setting would provide a nice, firmish ride.

You say DDC AND ARS...as in I shouldn't pass up the ARS??

DDC adjusts ride firmness. ARS further reduces body roll when cornering. DDC is adjustable, ARS is always on.

Some say the combination of the two creates an artificial feel given all the wizardry going on. Personally I have loved this setup in the past and in my test drives of the F10. Of all the options, the ones I am most firm about are DDC and ARS.

If you get M-Sport I would highly recommend ARS. It's a great system that really works well. The problem is DDC on the F10 since it's a very soft base setup that is electronically firmed up with the dampers when you flip the switch to sportier settings. The problem is that not even Sport+ is able to hide the soft long springs and secondly the feeling is artificial and do not give the same dynamic, predictable and connected feel as a well tuned passive setup. My comment about not much sport in the sport pkg. is due to that the seats are not sporty and neither is the steering wheel or the suspension. You get a lot of complexity though that makes it more difficult and more expensive to add sportier suspension components and there is a bigger risk for very costly failures down the line. I do prefer a firm, very controlled and sporty ride though and never used comfort or normal mode which make it even more useless for me, others might like the more floaty isolated luxo ride and find the softer mode a reason to buy this car. I just don't understand how they belong in the sports packages...

One note of caution though, we don't know if BMW have retuned the DDC setup for 2012. Perhaps they've moved the modes a couple of notches towards sport with shorter stiffer springs and retuned DDC.