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Now that I've posted my findings in more detail, I'll go back a bit in time.
We had an attempt to find a decent E60/1 when wanting to change from the E39 540i Touring (M-tech suspension, 17" staggered wheel set). Now I know we could debate steering precision, (rack and pinion vs. the V8 system), but I assure you, I had no issues with the 540i for either ride, handling or steering.
The first E60/1 examples I tried, 530d saloon and touring, were so jittery and weird on the road, I dismissed the cars as under developed on RFTs. We held off a bit and when the E90 came around, the talk was "set up for RFTs". So I tried several examples, not at all impressed on the refinement, (on the same route the F10's were taken on). So one last attempt at an 535d M-sport touring. The ride was so rock hard, I knew I couldn't live with it day to day. Nothing like the fluidity and composure of the E39 540i.
In the end after much deliberation and suspension and wheel size discussion, we opted for a 330d SE touring on 17" wheels and standard suspension. We took it new, into the good summer of 2006 and it did seem pretty good, a good blend of ride, handling and precise steering.
Come autumn the ride and steering precision fell apart. To cut a very long story short, the car now runs on non run-flat tyres and is on Koni FSD dampers, turned a 'Jekyll and Hyde' driving experience into a predictable and fluid drive. A much more mature BMW feel.
What I'm sensing with the F10 is, we are still not sorted, these RFTs are still going to haunt us in the latest cars. Why? The worst of the test drives, pre choosing the 330d were in winter time, so there was NO BENCHMARK for comparison. No one, at the time, was saying these tyres are temperature sensitive. My experience has shown that 10 - 12 degress is the ambient temperature where we can have a change of characteristics. Depends on journey lengths, wet/dry roads. Drop below 10 - 12 degrees and the 330d would start all the nonsense, which translates to poor driving dynamics and unpredictable ride.
What I'm wondering is... the test drives we are seeing reported, what were the ambient temperatures during these tests? We can have very skewed results, if the tyres are still the 'faulty goods' many of us believe they are, due to experience and use.
I'm almost convinced that, put a decent set of tyres on the F10 and we will make it a much better car.
HighlandPete
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