Racer20's Adaptive Suspension Review

[Sedan_Clan]

Very well written review (..as were your contributions in the F30 months ago).

[RocketBoots]

Thanks for the review. Concise and informative.

Hope someone round your parts gets an F8X with the passive. Would love to hear your thoughts on the passive, although I suspect you'd be a LITTLE biased

In any case, I'm ticking this option. I was beginning to waver a little with all the rave reviews of the passive, but no more!

[JS919]

One thing to keep in mind is that dampers are only part of the equation. The springs and anti-sway bars rates don't adjust. There is only so much adjusting compression and rebound rates on the damper can do. What I've found in the cars I've had in the past with active dampers is that "comfort" mode is a farse. Lower damper rates and and static spring rates = bouncy ride. Then the sport+ mode equals way too high of damper rates that leads to a very harsh and jarring ride. I would feel better about the adaptive damper option if it weren't for the misleading "comfort" and "sport+" modes. Just have the damper adjust within the effective range of the springs and anti-sway bars and give up the gimmicks. Then again the gimmicks (comfort mode, button, and LCD display) are the reason most people purchase this option to begin with.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by Racer20

I love MW so far, but I haven't spent much time looking at it outside. Mostly just inside the Welt and in the parking garage at my hotel.

I have not tested the passive suspension, but if someone near SE Michigan would like to meet up to try out each others cars, I will post a review.

You are welcome to have some time in mine once it gets here.

Thanks for the detailed review of the adaptive suspension and also for making us all more informed than we would be otherwise.

[DVC]

Great review, @Racer20 - thanks for sharing your thoughts...and congrats on the new car!
I hope they get the adaptive dampers this good on the M2 as well.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by angelc5

Same here I'm getting the passive suspension by ordering error, but my car is out of production and doing ED next week, I'm not sure what my dealer is going to do for me.

Retrofit should not be too terribly difficult. Perhaps you can work out a fair price with them.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by angelc5

Same here I'm getting the passive suspension by ordering error, but my car is out of production and doing ED next week, I'm not sure what my dealer is going to do for me.

Give you cash so you can buy that beautifully crafted & developed Ohlins suspension. That's what your dealer should do for you.

[JoeFromPA]

Originally Posted by JS919

One thing to keep in mind is that dampers are only part of the equation. The springs and anti-sway bars rates don't adjust. There is only so much adjusting compression and rebound rates on the damper can do. What I've found in the cars I've had in the past with active dampers is that "comfort" mode is a farse. Lower damper rates and and static spring rates = bouncy ride. Then the sport+ mode equals way too high of damper rates that leads to a very harsh and jarring ride. I would feel better about the adaptive damper option if it weren't for the misleading "comfort" and "sport+" modes. Just have the damper adjust within the effective range of the springs and anti-sway bars and give up the gimmicks. Then again the gimmicks (comfort mode, button, and LCD display) are the reason most people purchase this option to begin with.

This is literally exactly what Racer20 wrote FYI, so apparently your skepticism on his opinion boils down to "I hold the exact same opinion of previous systems".

I have NOT driven the passive system on the F80. But what I can tell you is that this is the best adaptive system I've ever experienced including adaptive systems using air springs, which should be more adaptable as you said.

The springs and roll bars are utterly perfect IMO. So in all modes you have excellent initial behaviors and control. However, the damping tuning between each mode (comfort and sport particularly) are simply superb. I was blown away by the amount of road surface absorption achieved in comfort when cruising on the highway with absolutely no bounciness or softening of the driving characteristics in those driving conditions.

[Gearhead999s]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Give you cash so you can buy that beautifully crafted & developed Ohlins suspension. That's what your dealer should do for you.

I reordered one with the adaptive suspension which is the same way that my incoming car was supposed to be built.I have never driven or instructed in an E9x that worked any better than my E92 ZCP and actually the majority of them were quite compromised for no gain in performance.

[pkimM3r]

althought good, most people will switch them out with very good aftermarket options. no adaptive will ever match that IMO.

[pkimM3r]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Give you cash so you can buy that beautifully crafted & developed Ohlins suspension. That's what your dealer should do for you.

KW Clubsport 100-way or JRZ Pro v.9999 is your best bet

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by SlowSaloonM3

KW Clubsport 100-way or JRZ Pro v.9999 is your best bet

Makes my mouth water! It's too bad that I don't track my car/drive remotely hard enough to warrant those kits. H&R's on OEM shocks work for me. On my race bike however.......Ohlins FGRT 803's and TTX-36's with a Dan Kyle custom link thank you very much.

[ersin]

Originally Posted by JS919

I would feel better about the adaptive damper option if it weren't for the misleading "comfort" and "sport+" modes.

I was thinking yesterday that it would be better if BMW renamed Comfort/Sport/Sport+ to just 1/2/3.


Cheers.

[karussell]

Originally Posted by SlowSaloonM3

althought good, most people will switch them out with very good aftermarket options. no adaptive will ever match that IMO.

i would love to see some tangible evidence. have all other conditions equivalent except suspension. show me an improved lap time over the oem adaptive system. i'm not even talking about compromised ride comfort on street. i have my doubts and only noticeable benefit is lighter wallet and looks prettier in picture for being lower.

[pkimM3r]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Makes my mouth water! It's too bad that I don't track my car/drive remotely hard enough to warrant those kits. H&R's on OEM shocks work for me. On my race bike however.......Ohlins FGRT 803's and TTX-36's with a Dan Kyle custom link thank you very much.

put them on the cruiser LOL

[pkimM3r]

Originally Posted by karussell

i would love to see some tangible evidence. have all other conditions equivalent except suspension. show me an improved lap time over the oem adaptive system. i'm not even talking about compromised ride comfort on street. i have my doubts and only noticeable benefit is lighter wallet and looks prettier in picture for being lower.

is this for real?
my car on clubsports takes speedbumps firmer than sport+ mode on edc, yet more supple than comfort on edc at the same time.

there is no compromised ride...in fact like in the above, i can take it over potholes and rough road on the street / berms on the track and the car will not jerk and hop around like it did with the oem edc. (comfort too soft and bouncy, sport+ stiff but too much upsetting of the balance of the car).

who does suspension for looks (most of us aren't stance guys on here)?! thats just a side effect.

granted this is not the f8xM version but I don't see it being too different (saw your other post...e90 is 8/10 so there is room for improvement).

i love your garage

[ersin]

Originally Posted by SlowSaloonM3

is this for real?
my car on clubsports takes speedbumps firmer than sport+ mode on edc, yet more supple than comfort on edc at the same time.

there is no compromised ride...in fact like in the above, i can take it over potholes and rough road on the street / berms on the track and the car will not jerk and hop around like it did with the oem edc. (comfort too soft and bouncy, sport+ stiff but too much upsetting of the balance of the car).

who does suspension for looks (most of us aren't stance guys on here)?! thats just a side effect.

granted this is not the f8xM version but I don't see it being too different.

i love your garage

1) He specifically stated that he's not mentioning compromised ride comfort.
2) You didn't address his point about "improved lap time over the oem adaptive system". Do you think the aftermarket systems will get better lap times? If so, he's asking to prove it.


Cheers.

[Brosef]

Originally Posted by karussell

i would love to see some tangible evidence. have all other conditions equivalent except suspension. show me an improved lap time over the oem adaptive system. i'm not even talking about compromised ride comfort on street. i have my doubts and only noticeable benefit is lighter wallet and looks prettier in picture for being lower.

totally agree

Originally Posted by SlowSaloonM3

is this for real?
my car on clubsports takes speedbumps firmer than sport+ mode on edc, yet more supple than comfort on edc at the same time.

there is no compromised ride...in fact like in the above, i can take it over potholes and rough road on the street / berms on the track and the car will not jerk and hop around like it did with the oem edc. (comfort too soft and bouncy, sport+ stiff but too much upsetting of the balance of the car).

who does suspension for looks (most of us aren't stance guys on here)?! thats just a side effect.

granted this is not the f8xM version but I don't see it being too different.

i love your garage

that was the opposite experience I had with my e92. I had KWV3's put on, and not only was traction slightly compromised (because all of the suspension geometry is screwed up), but the ride was suddenly uncomfortable. even on the softest settings, it was noticeably stiffer than stock. I didn't realize how bad it was until I finally had them taken off, and then I fell in love with the stock suspension all over again. I plan on leaving my F80 almost completely stock (although that's what I said last time as well).

[pkimM3r]

Originally Posted by ersin

1) He specifically stated that he's not mentioning compromised ride comfort.
2) You didn't address his point about "improved lap time over the oem adaptive system". Do you think the aftermarket systems will get better lap times? If so, he's asking to prove it.


Cheers.

are you his #1 fan?

there are tons of ppl here who go out on track who have driven stock vs. after suspension mod (other upgrades remaining the same). you can google it yourself and get the answers. there are some pretty good write-ups around. but like i said this was not specifically to the f80m...i haven't driven it...maybe it is THAT good.

i would also like to note that i did mention that it has to be a good setup....i believe that aftermarket suspensions can in fact be a big downgrade vs oem but if you are getting a proper setup with it tuned, i believe it will be better. maybe its just confidence, maybe its actual performance.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by SlowSaloonM3

put them on the cruiser LOL

That's the best idea that you've had yet. I wish that I could. These damn cruisers are floaty as fuck.

[pkimM3r]

Originally Posted by Brosef

that was the opposite experience I had with my e92. I had KWV3's put on, and not only was traction slightly compromised (because all of the suspension geometry is screwed up), but the ride was suddenly uncomfortable. even on the softest settings, it was noticeably stiffer than stock. I didn't realize how bad it was until I finally had them taken off, and then I fell in love with the stock suspension all over again. I plan on leaving my F80 almost completely stock (although that's what I said last time as well).

i have the exact opposite experience as you with my kwcs. but then maybe i prefer a more harsher ride? i really do feel that it is more supple while more stiff. i was sick of the whole car thrashing around over a bump when in sport plus...

[slalomfever]

Thanks for a very informative write up. I ordered the car with it but BMW AG pushed my production back 1 month due to limited supply of the M adaptive suspension. The delay is killing me