[mlai]

Was out taking the car out to Shum Tseng for a spin. In normal mode, the steering feels light but still very connected and acceleration is silky smooth. In sport mode, the car feels completely different. One word: wow! Steering gets a lot harder and acceleration is immediate. Excellent car!

[RC3]

Originally Posted by mlai

No. Park assist is not dependent on navi and I don't have navi.

The dealer told me that in the park assist has to come with the navi.that guy is really so incompetent

how much is the park assist?

[RC3]

Originally Posted by mlai

Was out taking the car out to Shum Tseng for a spin. In normal mode, the steering feels light but still very connected and acceleration is silky smooth. In sport mode, the car feels completely different. One word: wow! Steering gets a lot harder and acceleration is immediate. Excellent car!

you tried the sport+ mode? when I test drove I really couldn't tell the difference between sport and sport+

[grimlock]

i just set my sport to chassis only
sport+ to chassis+drive train
so i dont know what happens when sport is on chassis+drivetrain
but on my current setting sport+ is wow! car wants to stay in powerband 2600-3000rpm like it is actually expecting you to race

mlai
does it feel like 0-100km in 5.1s ? i can tell you the 528 does NOT feel like 6.7s (feels slower) .. but then i havent gone above 3500rpm

[grimlock]

can you feel the IAS?
how are the rim/tires?

[mlai]

Originally Posted by RC3

The dealer told me that in the park assist has to come with the navi.that guy is really so incompetent

how much is the park assist?

HKD6,500 pre-tax. However, haven't tried it yet.

[mlai]

Originally Posted by RC3

you tried the sport+ mode? when I test drove I really couldn't tell the difference between sport and sport+

Just tried the sport mode. Haven't tried the sport+ mode yet as I haven't driven to the windy roads to test......

[mlai]

Originally Posted by grimlock

i just set my sport to chassis only
sport+ to chassis+drive train
so i dont know what happens when sport is on chassis+drivetrain
but on my current setting sport+ is wow! car wants to stay in powerband 2600-3000rpm like it is actually expecting you to race

mlai
does it feel like 0-100km in 5.1s ? i can tell you the 528 does NOT feel like 6.7s (feels slower) .. but then i havent gone above 3500rpm

The car is brand new so haven't really floored it yet But all my friends who sat in the car felt that the car may beat (or at least match) my ex-C55, which itself is a ~5.0sec car......

Suspension is a bit on the soft side for my taste at normal, so M-Sport suspension, here I come!

[juztinl]

mlai. your C55 should be a 4.5sec car???
and grimlock. the 528 without a turbo will need to rev up a bit to feel the power.

[mlai]

Originally Posted by grimlock

can you feel the IAS?
how are the rim/tires?

IAS is definitely a must. F10 turning radius with IAS is nothing short of amazing. In parking lots and tight spots, the F10 can make turns as agile as my ex-C55, which is a significantly smaller vehicle.

I even tried a tight U-turn dropping off one of my friends which my C55 couldn't do without backing up

20" rims with non-RFTs are very comfortable. In fact, none of the occupants in my car so far believe i have 20" on until they looked at the tyre spec...... For me, a little soft. I concurr that the BMW engineers probably tuned the suspension on the F10 for the RFTs. For non-RFTs, might be better to go M-Sport suspension instead of the Dynamic drive.........

[kfiend]

Originally Posted by mlai

IAS is definitely a must. F10 turning radius with IAS is nothing short of amazing. In parking lots and tight spots, the F10 can make turns as agile as my ex-C55, which is a significantly smaller vehicle.

I even tried a tight U-turn dropping off one of my friends which my C55 couldn't do without backing up

20" rims with non-RFTs are very comfortable. In fact, none of the occupants in my car so far believe i have 20" on until they looked at the tyre spec...... For me, a little soft. I concurr that the BMW engineers probably tuned the suspension on the F10 for the RFTs. For non-RFTs, might be better to go M-Sport suspension instead of the Dynamic drive.........

I have to agrees with you M-suspension is the better way to go. I'm finding it too soft. But changing the springs might lead to my Dynamic drive suspension to go into premature failure, still debating.

[kfiend]

mlai,

How's your Vellfire? I'm thinking of getting one now since they now have "hong" goods. Am also looking at the new Elgrand. Any comments?

Thanks mate.

[mlai]

Sent you a PM regarding VF as this is a BMW forum. But I prefer water goods over hong goods on the Alphard/VF.....

However, if I ditch my current VF, will probably find an european equivalent. So far, no european equivalent yet......

[grimlock]

mlai
good to hear u r satisfied with your 550i .. all of us who have received our cars seem to feel like way
IAS can beat C55 for turning radius - cool.. i think this is very useful, i always have to reverse a few times! .. tell us about the handling when u eventually get to test it more! IAS is one of the cooler options i would consider if i got a 550i
its so comfortable on 20s, good to hear, i did not have a chance to try before fixing on 19s
m suspension - go for it!

u know i have a strange feeling, on sport and sport+ i dont hate the soft suspension, just i hate having to press the button every time .. if it was always like that, i might be satisfied with no suspension mod (except for looks, though)

[grimlock]

kfiend
i think we need to investigate how the adaptive drive actually works - then u can know where it could be improved etc.
u could get harder springs, it shouldnt affect the electronic on the shock.. ??
ur car is alreay 10mm lower than standard though right? .. u want another 25?

[grimlock]

juztinl
yes, it feels so weak in the city, stop-and-go..
i need to move to live at the end of one of those long windy roads.. then i would enjoy it everyday

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by grimlock

but on my current setting sport+ is wow! car wants to stay in powerband 2600-3000rpm like it is actually expecting you to race..

Sport+ should be identical as sport for engine and gear changing performance, sport+ is only DSC/DTC modification, allows the wheels to have a bit more freedom. So less DSC intervention. It's not simply another level up from normal, as you seem to be describing.

HighlandPete

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by RC3

you tried the sport+ mode? when I test drove I really couldn't tell the difference between sport and sport+

You won't in normal driving, only when you really push the limits, will you get the benefits (or scares) of less DSC intervention.

HighlandPete

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by mlai

...20" rims with non-RFTs are very comfortable. In fact, none of the occupants in my car so far believe i have 20" on until they looked at the tyre spec...... For me, a little soft. I concurr that the BMW engineers probably tuned the suspension on the F10 for the RFTs. For non-RFTs, might be better to go M-Sport suspension instead of the Dynamic drive.........

Dynamic Drive (DDC) doesn't firm up the suspension, tightens the car through firmer steering response in sport, as you've found out. I notice from your original post you don't have Adaptive Drive, so you don't have the sport suspension setting, just the normal level with passive damping. We have the option for either Adaptive Drive, in sport setting, or M-sport passive suspension to get a firmer drive.

HighlandPete

[joy5]

Congrats and enjoy it - please post some more pics when you have time. Curious to see the "Deep Sea Blue"...

[RC3]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

You won't in normal driving, only when you really push the limits, will you get the benefits (or scares) of less DSC intervention.

HighlandPete

I see, thanks HighlandPete. You have cleared up a lot of our quires here.

[grimlock]

hi highlandpete
ive read some of your previous posts about the tire/rim/suspension combos with great interest, and they were most helpful in improving my understanding of the issues at work, so thanks

i know, dynamic drive doesnt effect the suspension! i beleive it too , but having driven my car for a month, my butt disagrees with my cognitive function (i cant do the 'shrug' icon yet, sorry)
do not ask me to explain, if i were to have this debate with myself, i would be torn apart fundamentally
i dont know why?
have u gotten urs yet? .. sitting in it dissagrees with all the research i did b4 while waiting . im NOT saying it has any electronics /var.damping etc. .. what i AM saying is that it FEELS different. thats all. i 'robinhood' (sorry if i got your name wrong) from netherlands with the m suspension said a similar thing ..

i really like the car in sport and sport+ , but the higher revs in sport+ is less practical so i keep it on sport for city driving . but i gotta say sport+ feels even better 'suspension' wise (i am aware the illusion of suspension may be caused by drivetrain+steering changes, but 'shrug')

i havent tried m suspension but im now more curiious than ever.. am tempted to go for it, but my standard 528i is so damn perfect driving-wise (ex-normal mode) dont want to mess with perfection!

sport+ is more awesome than plain sport, its more than just the stability off.. psychological? maybe ..
or one possilbility is the overall 'deadness' of feedback from the tires through to steering, which fogs up an message to the driver in terms of what the car is capable of, so u dont know how far to push it