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      04-14-2024, 09:12 AM   #5
Thecastle
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Drives: F10 550i
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Houston, TX

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Garage List
2020 BMW M340i  [0.00]
2019 RAM 3500  [0.00]
2020 BMW X3  [0.00]
2016 BMW 550i  [0.00]
2000 Ford F450 7.3l ...  [0.00]
I race my 550i xdrive F10, and run the stock suspension, I drive on Michelin Pilot Sport 4s on the street year round (there are better track tires). If you drive it right, its a real BMW underneath the softness and lean, and you can easily tripple or quadruple any posted corner speed limit, you're not at the limits until you can hear howling, and feel scrubbing.

Tires will make a bigger difference in your handling than any suspension mod. They are the only thing that contacts the pavement and their grip are what limits your handling, braking and acceleration. Changing dampers, springs, etc will not meaningfully improve handling, like a tire change will. Do not run all seasons or RFT, if you want good grip, run dedicated summer performance tires when weather allows. Their improvement will be a revelation.

Really when people say I want to improve "handling" what they really mean is feel/ride quality. They aren't actually trying to drive the car at its limits and improve their cornering speed. They just prefer the feeling of a stiffer riding car. Which actually can make for worse handling as too stiff suspension will cause the tires to leave contact with the pavement when crossing road imperfections/pot holes lowering your grip. For most people handling on the street means, confidence, wandering, feeling connected to the car so I'm not nervous driving at freeway speeds in a construction zone. Not I'm trying to get my lap times down by carrying 4 mph more through that 60mph corner that I'm trying to run at 129mph instead of 125.....
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