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Sedans BMW 5-Series BMW 5-Series Sedans
12657 messages, Last post on Nov 05, 2009 at 6:14 PM
You are in the BMW 5-Series Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
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Replying to: anon3 (Mar 19, 2008 10:07 am) Regarding the sport package. I can tell you from personal experience that a five series without a sport suspension and wheels definitely involves a trade off. (Note that not all five series sport packages include sport suspension and wheels.) Without a sport suspension, it cruises nicely on the highway in a straight line and increases your comfort while driving over broken pavement. But... if you are a BMW enthusiast and you like "spirited" driving, the standard suspension and wheel package is a disappointment and will not live up to the engine's performance potential. Too much lean in corners and a little too much bounce over undulating pavement. The ride is not bouncy by any means, but you do give up a significant degree of handling control in corners and on twisty roads. So it depends on how you like to drive and how much value you place on comfort vs fun to drive. (If someone just wants to drive in cushioned comfort in a straight line, then save some money and buy an Acura or Lexus because the advantages of a BMW will be lost on them.) I currently have a 535xi Was wondering how you classify your 535Xi w.r.t. the above? I also have a 535Xi. I chose it because notwithstanding the lack of a sport suspension option, I assumed it handled better than the competition in the AWD LPS category, and the engine seemed to put it in a class by itself. Bruce
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Replying to: anon3 (Mar 19, 2008 10:07 am) My previous car was a 2006 Lexus GS300 (which I 'lemoned'), and my current car is a 2008 535i SP. The Lexus was actually a lot harsher than the 535. The best word to describe the feel of the 535i sport is "supple", even over rough New Hampshire roads. I think Lexus views "harsh" and "sporty" as the same thing, whereas BMW knows how to do it right.
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Replying to: bdkinnh (Mar 22, 2008 12:03 pm) Exactly. And Lexus learned it from GM... 
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Replying to: roadburner (Mar 22, 2008 2:11 pm) Remember when the GM answer to EVERY suspension question was the "FE3"? - Add bigger roll bars, stiffen things a bit, and fatter tires - All you need to know about suspension dynamics LOLOL
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Replying to: ny540i6 (Mar 22, 2008 3:34 pm) Don't forget the "F41". Just add the "Performance Exhaust" that sounds like a Chris Craft and you've got yourself a gen-you-whine "Sports Sedan"... 
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Replying to: tayl0rd (Mar 19, 2008 10:56 am) A short test drive comparison of the two won't give you full appreciation of the turbo six. As I said, the turbo six grows on you and it's easier to appreciate after driving it for a while. The engine and transmission are, I guess I would say, less intrusive (i.e. less "drama"). Personally, I think it's a little too smooth and quiet and you feel less involved in the driving experience. So I find myself frequently thinking "I know this car is nearly as fast as the 8 cyl by the numbers, but it just doesn't feel as satisfying or as fun." So I have to rationalize the turbo six. That having been said, the point is moot because you can't get a V-8 five series with xDrive if you have a requirement for all wheel drive. So the fact that the turbo six has a performance disadvantage of as little as two tenths of a second 0 - 60 with all wheel drive makes it a very reasonable choice. However, BMW's decision not to give us a sport suspension option with xDrive equipped five series is not reasonable. It shows how even BMW's marketing department can be just plain stupid and doesn't understand its customer base. Maybe there's a mechanical reason for this, but you can get an all wheel drive V-8 X5 with sport suspension, so why not in the five series???? In the end, it doesn't matter because I only keep my daily driving cars for one year. I drive a 535xi because I wanted to try something different. My next vehicle will have the twin turbo V-8 or will have BMW hybrid technology. |
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Replying to: bruceomega (Mar 20, 2008 4:56 am) |
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Replying to: anon3 (Mar 24, 2008 1:36 pm) I think it shows that they are spot on. It's not as though AWD has been around (in large numbers) since the beginning of cars and every car sold in the snowbelt had it. Years ago, people had to make due with FWD/RWD or 4X4. I think how BMW is interpretting it is that if people are so gung-ho about AWD and absolutely must have it to survive inclement weather, they aren't too confident in their driving abilities or aren't truly into spirited/performance driving. And I agree with that interpretation. I think this reliance on AWD stems from a fear that the car might actually get sideways. Fear of the unexpected causes panic. Panic causes accidents in an otherwise recoverable situation, not the lack of AWD. I'm with the camp that says a set of snow tires will do a car fine. Though, I've never mounted anything more climate specific than a good set of A/S tires and have always been just fine; even driving through a blizzard in Vail, CO in January in a Chevy S10 with an open differential and no ballast in the back, and I think those were actually BFG touring tires.
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Replying to: anon3 (Mar 24, 2008 1:36 pm) I'm wondering if the replacement for the current 5 series will offer AWD with the V-8, and a sport suspension option for the AWD cars, as they can design that in from the get-go. BMW seems to be evolving the performance aspects of their AWD system, or at least starting to lean in that direction. They now offer Dynamic Performance Control for the X-6, with hints that DPC could migrate to other AWD vehciles. And they now offer an aftermarket sport suspension for the 328Xi, with speculation they may offer one for the 335Xi. Bruce |
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Replying to: tayl0rd (Mar 25, 2008 4:31 am) BMW has always been driver centric and gives us the option to equip a car according to the individual's driving preferences. Most people buy AWD sedans for peace of mind knowing that AWD is there during the 1% of driving conditions when four wheels are better than two. But they buy a BMW for the way it handles and performs in the other 99% of driving. The market generally perceives AWD as a way to drive through snow. But BMW designed xDrive as a performance system to manage under/over steer and to enhance control, safety, and agility in all conditions. The issue is the BMW driving experience on dry pavement when a sport suspension is needed, not how it handles snow.
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