[joes325xi]

I'd be happy enough with an Xi with any sort of real SP. Body roll is really disgusting at this point for a bmw.

When i get into my dad's Boxter and my friends M3/4 i want to trade my car in for something with better handling. After driving my dad's new 745i (yes, he got the E65), i am surprised by how well it handles - that dynamic suspension system is pretty impressive. Instead i'm "stuck" with a suspension befitting a lincoln :bawling:

 

[joes325xi]

My previous car was a Subaru 2.5GT. The GT was Subaru's attempt at a sporty all-wheel drive sedan. It was a very nice car for the money and it had far less body roll than my new xi. It is possible to have a firm suspension and still be able to get around in the snow.

My girlfriend just got a Subaru Impreza 2.5RS (same thing as the WRX but diff't engine) - although it feels a little slow and not quite as refined as my car, there is definately less roll when i drive it hard (to her chagrin). I agree, i don't think that a firm suspension and AWD are mutually exclusive - maybe BMW will learn that - or maybe next time i'll get an S4....

rost12 - while suspension is fixable aftermarket, it costs an arm and a leg to buy the components and have them installed by a shop. Way more than it would cost us to get bmw's sports package and for them to still turn a profit on it.

 

[joes325xi]

Hey rost12 - i'm not attacking you at all bro!
Just venting/voicing my frustrations more than anything else. Even to just get a new set of springs (alone) to lower the height for aesthetics and more importantly to decrease roll, it would cost ~$250 for the springs (which is actually reasonable), but another $400-$600 for installation! And that doesn't even ensure that handling will be improved that much. Otherwise, need to go to a Bilstein PSS system, and those are pretty expensive - esp after installation. :tsk:

I'd also agree with you that a 330cix would be awesome - no one ever gets into my back seats and the coupe is better looking IMHO - but the practicality that the AWD affords is unfortunately more important in these snowy climates.