[drwankel]

Granted I've never driven this car with adaptive suspension, but I cant really understand why someone would want the ability to set the car more soft than the standard suspension anyway.

Its already pretty soft to begin with. Any softer would be soul sucking.

Compare that to my e92 m3 with adaptive suspension, and the m340i feels like a pillow compared to my m3 even in comfort mode.

Also long term, this is a moot point, because people will change the shocks or add coil overs to these cars later in life and get the softness or firmness that they really want.

[toddwalton]

Originally Posted by drwankel

Granted I've never driven this car with adaptive suspension, but I cant really understand why someone would want the ability to set the car more soft than the standard suspension anyway.

Because there are actually 4 suspensions for this car and they all feel different. In order of "firmness":

1. Comfort Mode on the Adaptive Suspension - Softer and Accurate

2. Sport (Base Models) Suspension - Firm and Harsh

3. Sport Mode on the Adaptive Suspension - Firm but Not Harsh

4. M-Sport (M-Sport Models) Suspension - Firm and Ridiculously Harsh

The Sport Suspension (on the Base Models) is too firm and it's harsh, you feel every road imperfection and pothole. Doesn't feel like a luxury car or a sports car. A rental car suspension.

The M-Sport Suspension (on the M-Sport Models) is way too firm and way too harsh, makes the kids nauseous, you think you popped a tire every day, the car explodes in a pothole. So bad that people take delivery and come here and scream about it every week, can't believe what they're experiencing.

The Adaptive Suspension is a tweener. It's softer than the Base Suspension in Comfort Mode and loses the harshness in Sport Mode. And it's active all the time, it's constantly sensing for road imperfections and making adjustments to the dampers in milliseconds. It's brilliant. Feels phenomenal on local streets and highways when dad is hauling the kids, tap a button, turns into a firm carver.

Originally Posted by drwankel

Also long term, this is a moot point, because people will change the shocks or add coil overs to these cars later in life and get the softness or firmness that they really want.

I know you think that every poster in this forum is a modder, but many of us (most of us?) are 40+ years old and have no interest in coilovers in our leased cars. Especially since ordering the car properly from the factory eliminates the need for such things.

[toddwalton]

Originally Posted by koopa

I know you're the resident iDrive 8 fan and I wouldn't dispute you can get used to it quickly, but now you're claiming that the buttons in the old system are so poorly laid out that it's harder to use buttons? Come on, even you don't believe that.

I do. Both iDrive 7 and iDrive 8 are easy enough to use when you are stopped and looking at the buttons, no argument there.

The issue is when one is driving and can't take one's eyes off the road.

iDrive 8 wins because a) you don't need to fiddle with buttons due to the amazing new Climate Control automations and b) the buttons you do want to use frequently [1-8 Shortcuts] are big and labeled and in your line of sight.

On the iDrive 7 buttons, the most frequently used ones are at your knees and have no labels. And you can't feel the difference between Button 6 and Button 7, they are tiny and identical. No one uses the Mode or Band buttons either, a waste of space. And the Climate Controls are indistinguishable from each other too.

iDrive 8 solves all of this with one swipe of the finger to bring down the Shortcuts screen. And Climate Control isn't a problem as a tap of the +/- Temperature persistently on the bottom of the screen achieves the same ease of use and result as the physical buttons anyway.

[drwankel]

Originally Posted by toddwalton

Because there are actually 4 suspensions for this car and they all feel different. In order of "firmness":

1. Comfort Mode on the Adaptive Suspension - Softer and Accurate

2. Sport (Base Models) Suspension - Firm and Harsh

3. Sport Mode on the Adaptive Suspension - Firm but Not Harsh

4. M-Sport (M-Sport Models) Suspension - Firm and Ridiculously Harsh

The Sport Suspension (on the Base Models) is too firm and it's harsh, you feel every road imperfection and pothole. Doesn't feel like a luxury car or a sports car. A rental car suspension.

The M-Sport Suspension (on the M-Sport Models) is way too firm and way too harsh, makes the kids nauseous, you think you popped a tire every day, the car explodes in a pothole. So bad that people take delivery and come here and scream about it every week, can't believe what they're experiencing.

The Adaptive Suspension is a tweener. It's softer than the Base Suspension in Comfort Mode and loses the harshness in Sport Mode. And it's active all the time, it's constantly sensing for road imperfections and making adjustments to the dampers in milliseconds. It's brilliant. Feels phenomenal on local streets and highways when dad is hauling the kids, tap a button, turns into a firm carver.



I know you think that every poster in this forum is a modder, but many of us (most of us?) are 40+ years old and have no interest in coilovers in our leased cars. Especially since ordering the car properly from the factory eliminates the need for such things.

My car is an m340i, without adaptive suspension. I suppose that lands me in category 4. Firm and ridiculously harsh is in no way what I would describe the suspension. I'd call it sporty soft. It's exactly what I was after in a daily, no complaints.

I'll be 40 next year, but I've been through enough cars and platforms to know the lifecycle. The second and third owners will modify the suspension to get exactly what they want. In other BMWs it is common to delete adaptive suspension entirely.

[CSBM5]

Originally Posted by toddwalton

[IMG]
I do. Both iDrive 7 and iDrive 8 are easy enough to use when you are stopped and looking at the buttons, no argument there.

The issue is when one is driving and can't take one's eyes off the road.

iDrive 8 wins because a) you don't need to fiddle with buttons due to the amazing new Climate Control automations and b) the buttons you do want to use frequently [1-8 Shortcuts] are big and labeled and in your line of sight.

On the iDrive 7 buttons, the most frequently used ones are at your knees and have no labels. And you can't feel the difference between Button 6 and Button 7, they are tiny and identical. No one uses the Mode or Band buttons either, a waste of space. And the Climate Controls are indistinguishable from each other too.

iDrive 8 solves all of this with one swipe of the finger to bring down the Shortcuts screen. And Climate Control isn't a problem as a tap of the +/- Temperature persistently on the bottom of the screen achieves the same ease of use and result as the physical buttons anyway.

Thanks for posting your screenshot - very helpful to see how other people have customized the dropdowns. Now for a question! Do you know of a way to create a dropdown to take you directly to the vent settings screen (the one you get to by touching settings in the climate menu)? I've tried to create a link to that screen so I can have a dropdown for the dash vent cold-hot slider, but it won't work.

[zlatko]

CSBM5 - not possible to have this exactly how we had it as physical wheel in ID6, BUT you can add climate settings to short cut! That opens for you the screen with cool/warm air slider(plus some other settings I can't recall). To add it - just press and hold on climate settings within the left pane of the climate menu in OS8. At first I was trying to press on the cool/warm slider itself and it didn't work

[WXdrivefun]

I have adaptive suspension, and as others have said it is subjective, but you do feel the difference. here are more reference posts:

This post has articles about vehicle dynamics:
https://g20.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1686543

This article specifically gets into the technicalities of the differences of suspension and dynamics
https://jalopnik.com/the-engineering...ing-1830257906


Similar question has been posted about Adaptive suspension:
https://g20.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1621306

https://g20.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1613560

[Bc2005]

My 2021 M340i did not have adaptive suspension, and after a few months of ownership I really wished I had added to the option list.

Stock M340 suspension was great when driving on good quality pavement, but it did not take potholes very well, and I really had to slow down if there was road work issues. It was quiet and rattle free when taking potholes, but a very jarring impact if you didn’t adjust your speed. I assume adaptive would have helped.

I also had issues with the Pirelli P7 runflats, but I don’t know if adaptive would have resolved it. The Pirelli tread was able to absorb pothole impact, but then transferred the load to the sidewall.
I had one tire that got a sidewall bulge, and three tires where it just blew out a fist-sized flap of sidewall. Two blowouts happened on the GW Parkway, and one was on I-65 near Indianapolis. It’s not like I was driving off-road.

The BMW tire and wheel warranty (add-on) covered it, but by then I really cringed whenever I drove on roads that had unexpected holes or road work. I also definitely tested my driving ability on run flat tires, since blowouts always seem to happen at a bad time/place. Calling a tow truck was always an option, but would have usually required at least a 3-4 hour wait. In most areas those tow trucks are not just sitting out there waiting for you to call.

[zazzau]

Originally Posted by Bc2005

Stock M340 suspension was great when driving on good quality pavement, but it did not take potholes very well, and I really had to slow down if there was road work issues. It was quiet and rattle free when taking potholes, but a very jarring impact if you didn’t adjust your speed. I assume adaptive would have helped.

I also had issues with the Pirelli P7 runflats, but I don’t know if adaptive would have resolved it. The Pirelli tread was able to absorb pothole impact, but then transferred the load to the sidewall.

Simple answer: adaptive would NOT have made a difference. That's not what the suspension is designed for. I have Adaptive M and had two blowouts, just as you described, within the span of 3 months to each other. This was on non-rft PS4S high performance tires. Always a jarring experience when hitting potholes even at relatively low speeds - granted, I'm on 19" wheels. Thankfully wheel&tire has come to the rescue on every damage.

If you are regretting not getting Adaptive because of potholes, you're not missing out on anything. Good to have for other benefits but countering pothole isn't one of them.

[toddwalton]

Originally Posted by Bc2005

My 2021 M340i did not have adaptive suspension, and after a few months of ownership I really wished I had added to the option list.

Stock M340 suspension was great when driving on good quality pavement, but it did not take potholes very well, and I really had to slow down if there was road work issues. A very jarring impact if you didn’t adjust your speed. I assume adaptive would have helped.

Adaptive Suspension 100% would have helped with the jarring impact of potholes. It's the #1 reason I was disappointed with my past BMW's and am forever grateful that BMW offers it as an option in 2024.

In fact, if BMW discontinued the Adaptive M Suspension, they'd lose me as a customer.

[jg4c]

Originally Posted by toddwalton

Adaptive Suspension 100% would have helped with the jarring impact of potholes. It's the #1 reason I was disappointed with my past BMW's and am forever grateful that BMW offers it as an option in 2024.

In fact, if BMW discontinued the Adaptive M Suspension, they'd lose me as a customer.

Adaptive suspension would do absolutely nothing for
hitting the wrong kind of pothole.

Zazzau is 100% correct.

18’s with non run flats is way better protection
against pothole blowouts.

[toddwalton]

Originally Posted by jg4c

Adaptive suspension would do absolutely nothing for
hitting the wrong kind of pothole.

Zazzau is 100% correct.

18’s with non run flats is way better protection
against pothole blowouts.

I am not talking about flat tires.

I am talking about not being able to feel road imperfections, cuts in the asphalt, 'lumpy' overlays on the asphalt, and your average-sized pot hole. No more of the "jarring impacts" that the poster I responed to mentioned.

Of which, in this large city/suburban area of the US I live in, there are an abundance and has made my BMW experience absolutely miserable in the M-Sport and Sport suspensions I have owned and experienced in the past. The Adaptive Suspension eliminated them. I haven't experienced a jarring impact in years.

[jg4c]

Originally Posted by toddwalton

I am not talking about flat tires.

I am talking about not being able to feel road imperfections, cuts in the asphalt, 'lumpy' overlays on the asphalt, and your average-sized pot hole. No more of the "jarring impacts" that the poster I responed to mentioned.

Of which, in this large city/suburban area of the US I live in, there are an abundance and has made my BMW experience absolutely miserable in the M-Sport and Sport suspensions I have owned and experienced in the past. The Adaptive Suspension eliminated them. I haven't experienced a jarring impact in years.

Sure, I get that. I think my adaptive in comfort
offers slightly more comfort from jarring impacts,
but not by a lot, compared to sport.

I wonder if the adaptive suspension performs
differently from your GC to my 340 model and
offers more comfort in comfort mode.

I’ve never driven the GC, so can’t compare.

[zazzau]

Originally Posted by jg4c

Sure, I get that. I think my adaptive in comfort
offers slightly more comfort from jarring impacts,
but not by a lot, compared to sport.

I wonder if the adaptive suspension performs
differently from your GC to my 340 model and
offers more comfort in comfort mode.

I’ve never driven the GC, so can’t compare.

Agreed! My earlier comments were based on M340i for like-kind comparison since OP is referring to M340i. Haven't driven the GC either so no idea how ride quality/comfort compares to the G20.

Just like I often mention on other similar threads to those with FOMO, just like OP, is to be the best judge by having some seat time on a test drive with Adaptive M if possible.

[Tim 4723]

Originally Posted by justplain

Raises an interesting question though, will BMW start installing the adaptive suspension as standard in say, M-Sport models and then you either pay a sub or buy outright to activate ?

It's so weird how differently BMW handled options in different countries. Here in Australia every M-Sport model came with adaptive suspension as standard, presumably because our road quality is generally not great. It seems like US roads are pretty similar in a lot of the country.

[toddwalton]

Originally Posted by zazzau

Agreed! My earlier comments were based on M340i for like-kind comparison since OP is referring to M340i. Haven't driven the GC either so no idea how ride quality/comfort compares to the G20.

Just like I often mention on other similar threads to those with FOMO, just like OP, is to be the best judge by having some seat time on a test drive with Adaptive M if possible.

Thing is, zazz, that there are zero Adaptive M cars out there for prospective buyers to test drive. None. Not going to happen. It's a unicorn option. So advising people that a) it's kind of maybe not important and b) go test drive and see for yourself isn't the proper thing for BMW veterans to do.

Because in the last 15+ years in BMW forums, the Adaptive M Suspension has been, unquestionably, the single most important feature to recommend to those new to BMW and the 3/4 platform.

Similarly, the harsh ride quality of the M-Sport suspension is the single most complained about characteristic of the 3/4 platform for the last 15+ years in the forums.

There comes a time when "take a test drive and see for yourself" doesn't apply and isn't necessary. There comes a time when it is so ingrained in the DNA of the forums as common knowledge that it's okay to just say "get the Adaptive M Suspension if you have imperfect roads" and have it accepted as canon. Not challenged. Not adding potential confusion to those in need.

[zazzau]

Originally Posted by toddwalton

Thing is, zazz, that there are zero Adaptive M cars out there for prospective buyers to test drive. None. Not going to happen. It's a unicorn option. So advising people that a) it's kind of maybe not important and b) go test drive and see for yourself isn't the proper thing for BMW veterans to do.

Because in the last 15+ years in BMW forums, the Adaptive M Suspension has been, unquestionably, the single most important feature to recommend to those new to BMW and the 3/4 platform.

Similarly, the harsh ride quality of the M-Sport suspension is the single most complained about characteristic of the 3/4 platform for the last 15+ years in the forums.

There comes a time when "take a test drive and see for yourself" doesn't apply and isn't necessary. There comes a time when it is so ingrained in the DNA of the forums as common knowledge that it's okay to just say "get the Adaptive M Suspension if you have imperfect roads" and have it accepted as canon. Not challenged. Not adding potential confusion to those in need.

Yes I understand dealer lot isn't packed with this feature which is why I ended my comment with ifpossible. I might also be careful with comments like zero Adaptive M out there for potential buyers. I don't think that's true. Rare perhaps but not impossible.

I'm not a proponent against Adaptive M - I have this feature myself. My comment was very specific so that the poster can set expectations accordingly. I don't believe my response to that poster translates to kind of not importantto put it in your words. But then again, if that's how you want to interprete it. Context matters here.

As with other similar posts I've made about this feature, I stand by the fact that it isn't a magic wand of sorts against potholes - at least not on the G20/M340i. I was disappointed finding this out the hard way until I learned exactly what the feature was designed for by educating myself and talking to 2 different foremen. You learn something new everyday. Let's be free to share feedback with others.