Grrrr..To Adaptive drive or not X5D

Yes, I have read the forum and searched. But it still doesn't make it any easier. I drove a 5D yesterday w/out AD and it seemed fine to me. I drove it around my hood on the rutted and potholed streets where I live. No worse than my S4. I live in a downtown neighborhood. My driving is 50/50 freeway/city. I honestly am not going to be doing any spirited driving in this one. I am selling my S4 because I really don't have the time or the roads to do much over cruise control at 75 Lol.

The CA's I spoke with, as you all mentioned in other threads, said it was unnecessary and he wouldn't order it if it was his X5. He wasn't trying to push me into a car on the lot b/c he knows I am ordering. He said he really couldn't tell tat much difference around town with the 18's and 19"s. He said lose the RF tires and get normal tires and the difference will be imperceptible unless one is tossing the car around corners at speed. He said he would pay 500 or 1000 for it and feels it is worth it. He said at 3500, definailty not worth it.

Problem is there are none on lots for me to drive with AD so I have no way of measuring. The car will be my daily driver. Taking clients to see property, going up to the mountain skiing and road trips in the summer hiking etc.


Grrrrr...

Around town ride quality is smoother but biggest difference is at speeds 35mph+ going over uneven surface and bumps...smooths it right out.

Thanks for the info. man, I wish I could drive one. Anyone in Portland with AD on their X5 that wants to let me drive?

The problem I am facing is it's not a question of whether or not I can afford it, I can. its a question of whether or not I

A. Need it given the driving I do?
B. Whether I should spend the $3500 on something else? premium sound maybe?

I mean, while I am sure it's nice, did BMW really design a truck to sell to the masses that sucks w/out it? Seems like quite a spendy option to me. I can see it on a M3. But on an SUV that is going 25-35-45mph around town

All these cars and trucks in this range are built to handle whatever we can through at them with in reason on a normal road, right. When I bought my Allroad and then my S4, the local dealer had track day free and 100 of us went out and tossed our cars around corners, wet autocross etc. There were people taking wet corners at full throttle in their A4's and the car was just fine

1. dealers have truely been brainwashed into the nonsense they spew- they arent lying, they actually believe it.

2. AD changes the driving dynamics at all speeds. It is noticeable. Does it matter? Much? one cannot say what YOU want/need.

3. Almost universally (except for a few outliers) people with it swear by it- and people without it swear against it. (Or they use the dealers' comments of "its just a grocery getter' and 'I dont really toss it')

I dont toss mine much, if at all, and the handling is sublime. Think of it this way- AD makes the car handle as if it was 1000 lbs smaller.

I am sure without AD you will be "fine". The majority of cars on the market dont have AD. You want permission to not get it???? Here you go!

A

If u can find a 2011 Msport 35 or 5.0 close by that car will have the AD for u to test drive
I believe the 09 and 10's msports as well
But for se reason I detected a big difference in 09/10 and the 11
Different engines etc

Here is my take on this - I had a 2009 X5d that came with the AD so I did not like it much as it was too floaty for my liking. At times, I thought I had no control over the steering but not in a dangerous way, especially at high speeds. Sometimes I would feel like the car would shift left and right under my butt. It felt good driving on the cobblestone roads but that's about it. Now I have a 2011 X5d without AD which I picked up on Friday and drove it about 300 miles and absolutely loved it. The steering felt tight - it just had that sporty feel. Drove it again yesterday in the city and I know I won't miss AD at all.

I think it's a matter of personal preference. If you can test drive both and see what you like and if you can't tell much of a difference then keep that $3,500 in your pocket. To me, it's a waste of money. I'd use that $3,500 towards HUD and Tech package.

AD is worth it, if you feel like you need that extra suspension assist. Examples, you are a spirted driver who likes to take corners at above average speeds.

Ad is not worth it if you feel like you need the traditional BMW sport feeling, but rather invest in something that makes life connected. Examples you want to drive sporty but maintain speed limits on offramps.

its down to your personal preference. Do you want extra sporty or do you want invest in some options that make the interior more lavish and tech oriented.

If I were you, and fell into the first category. HELL YEA AD!!

If I were you, and fell into the 2nd category, I`d pass, and a) Pocket the money for something else non car related b) get the tech pack with HUD and side view C) get the luxury seat pack d) invest in some snow tires for your new ride.

G Luck.

BTW if you need to comb through AD experiences, this debate is BIGGGG ON THIS FORUM. SO i would search e70 forums for AD related discussions. It gets brutal lol

Originally Posted by NoI4plz

AD is worth it, if you feel like you need that extra suspension assist. Examples, you are a spirted driver who likes to take corners at above average speeds.

Ad is not worth it if you feel like you need the traditional BMW sport feeling, but rather invest in something that makes life connected. Examples you want to drive sporty but maintain speed limits on offramps.

its down to your personal preference. Do you want extra sporty or do you want invest in some options that make the interior more lavish and tech oriented.

If I were you, and fell into the first category. HELL YEA AD!!

If I were you, and fell into the 2nd category, I`d pass, and a) Pocket the money for something else non car related b) get the tech pack with HUD and side view C) get the luxury seat pack d) invest in some snow tires for your new ride.

G Luck.

BTW if you need to comb through AD experiences, this debate is BIGGGG ON THIS FORUM. SO i would search e70 forums for AD related discussions. It gets brutal lol

Good post. The end of the thread.

I had an x5 without ad and thought it was fine until I got my new x5 with ad. If you don't drive on uneven bumpy roads and don't corner hard, you could probably skip ad. I wouldn't want a new E70 without ad.

This business of 'floaty feel' seems to have taken on a life of its own....

People drive cars with different tires, different alignments- and then declare the differences in feel are 'due to the AD'. Pretty ignorant actually.

My car, with Michelin Latitudes, 255/50-19s, perfect alignment and AD is a planted brute. Floaty is the last attribute I'd give it.

I didnt need to trade AD for other options. If the $3188+/- it will cost is a factor, consider a less expensive car. Seriously.

Anyone in the Sacto area need a test drive, PM me.

A

ARD
I'm in HB if ur not busy tomorrow can u swing ur non floaty ass down here
Namaste and happy new year
Rob

Originally Posted by jonnyz1245

A. Need it given the driving I do?
B. Whether I should spend the $3500 on something else? premium sound maybe?

I mean, while I am sure it's nice, did BMW really design a truck to sell to the masses that sucks w/out it? Seems like quite a spendy option to me. I can see it on a M3. But on an SUV that is going 25-35-45mph around town

A. Nobody needs Adaptive Drive, the car runs fine without it. If you don't know what it does and do not drive one equipped with it you will not miss it.

B. Sure, spend the money on something else but don't waste it on a couple of other options that are useless like Night Vision for example. Premium sound is good and perhaps worth it if you listen to uncompressed music like CDs, otherwise Sirius, Pandora and others all sound the same in the MP3 format

My 2¢: AD transforms the car into another totally different machine. Dump the RFTs in addition to AD and you get the ride of a Rolls with the handling of a BMW

BTW, your CA has no idea what he is talking about.

whats HB?

Adaptive Drive is very sporty. Forget the comfort. That is just icing on the cake if you ask me. I am sure you research all about the technology.

Just know this, Porsche offers the similar technology in their Cayenne (not the diesel) and so does ML. It is that important part of new sport car feel. I checked the M build site. The X5M has adaptive drive as standard as far as I can tell. Yes, M people felt it is definitely sporty!

As for floaty feeling, I have experienced it on a stretch around freeway 85 near San Jose. I was able to fix the problem by doing either two things:

1. Pump up tire pressure to be 3 psi above normal recommended by BMW but less than 100 mph recommend by BMW.

OR

2. Switch to sports mode.

This seem to be an issue with concrete paved road based on my study of freeway 85.

Originally Posted by ard

whats HB?

Hb is typically what SoCal'ers call Huntington Beach. Some use it for hermosa beach...that's where Rob is I think.

Yes Huntington Beach it is!
And no i didnt really think u would swoop down here in the x5 ARD but maybe the 996
anyways this has been a gret thread and Kar Don and Ard have been amazing contributors to this entire Bimmerfest forum.
Happy and healthy New Year to you guys