[ezmaass]

I was flying home from a business trip last night and landed close to midnight - and as you could imagine, I just wanted to get home. The main highway heading back home from the airport is in terrible shape, and this winter didn't help it any - very rough, lots of broken and uneven surfaces, potholes, etc.

I decided I'd give Comfort+ an ACTUAL shot. I say "actual" since I've played with the mode on city streets, short stretches of cobble stone, and that sort of thing, but I've never driven any substantial distance, certainly not on the highway, in that mode.

Well, let me just say - I'm now a HUGE believer in it. I'm almost upset that it took me over a year to discover the real power/benefit of that mode for highway driving. I'm OCD about road conditions. I know where all of the bumps are, and I have my "way" of driving through those areas - keep left here, this speed, that turn, etc. So I have a great baseline of comparison.

Well, Comfort+ completely transformed the car over SO many trouble areas of the road. Yes, you still knew if there was a big enough bump, but the impacts were very, very noticeably less than in just "Comfort" (the default) mode. And I kept the pace at near 80, so it wasn't like I was going easy on anything. When I hit rough patches, I wasn't slowing for them.

The car almost "floated" like a big old Caddy, but amazingly it maintain significant poise and body control - I credit this to the ARS system. For the hell of it, I took the exit ramp pretty hard and left the car in Comfort+ to see just how ugly it would get. To my surprise, the car remained really well controlled - clearly not how it would feel in Sport, but nothing like just a big soft-suspension car.

Anyway, like I said, I'm now in love with this mode. I clearly won't use it all the time, but it was a GREAT mode for cruising (fast, mind you) a rough highway. And I'm certainly going to start using it more often. I had previously no appreciation for this mode, other than slow-moving city streets (like cobblestone), but I've gained a completely new perspective on its usefulness.

If you have DHP and any rough highways, I'd seriously consider giving it a go.

[Pimpsy]

The roads are so bad in NJ that I use Comfort+ most of the time. It makes a huge difference when going over the rough spots. DHP definitely helps, and sport shift mode is also a nice touch in the right spot.

Nice to hear it isn't just me!

[cwienck]

First, hi I'm new.

Second, I've been driving in Comfort+ almost exclusively since I got my 2012 535i, and I gotta say it's quite nice. You hit it on the head.

As a bonus, if you're cautious with the acceleration you can do pretty well with the gas mileage as well.

[AVIMAX]

If I'm doing any considerable highway distances, I switch to COMFORT+. I kind of like the floaty but not too floaty ride, very comfortable.

Did you notice that the car does not default back to NORMAL mode but stay in COMFORT+ after shutting the car off? SPORT mode always defaults back to NORMAL when the car is shut off, but COMFORT+ holds keeps it setting.

[dadysev]

Originally Posted by AVIMAX

If I'm doing any considerable highway distances, I switch to COMFORT+. I kind of like the floaty but not too floaty ride, very comfortable.

Did you notice that the car does not default back to NORMAL mode but stay in COMFORT+ after shutting the car off? SPORT mode always defaults back to NORMAL when the car is shut off, but COMFORT+ holds keeps it setting.

Always wondered why that was the case. I was hopping to find some programming that i can code it to stay in what ever I leave it.

Just an FYI,
One word of warning with comfort and normal mode. Don't do it for short distances (even though we are not supposed to be driving short distances). The RPM's are so low that its not enough to charge the battery with enough amperage. it basically pers at 1200 rpm in comfort and normal mode when your doing about 60km/45mph . I've noticed that driving in Sport mode for short distances keeps the battery charged a lot better.

[M5Beast_NYC]

Ive been using comfort+ as well. Felt more planted.

[AVIMAX]

Never had a problem with battery charging and I mostly use the default comfort/normal mode. I've never had the battery charging warning, even when the temperature dipped down to -20 when I know others have had the warning pop up.

I assume the SPORT model defaults back to COMFORT for fuel economy reasons, in SPORT you can configure the transmission to shift later and stay in lower gears.

[dblock2151]

Where in CT are you from? Nice to to know we have some locals. I'm from Newington/Hartford Area.

[ezmaass]

Originally Posted by AVIMAX

Never had a problem with battery charging and I mostly use the default comfort/normal mode. I've never had the battery charging warning, even when the temperature dipped down to -20 when I know others have had the warning pop up.

I assume the SPORT model defaults back to COMFORT for fuel economy reasons, in SPORT you can configure the transmission to shift later and stay in lower gears.

I had always assumed it didn't keep Sport mode more as a precaution - not putting the car into a more aggressive "mode" when first turned on, engine is cold, etc. Realistically, it probably doesn't make any difference, but I could see purists (auto engineers for sure) thinking this way.

[ezmaass]

Originally Posted by dblock2151

Where in CT are you from? Nice to to know we have some locals. I'm from Newington/Hartford Area.

Fairfield County here.

[Pimpsy]

Originally Posted by ezmaass

I had always assumed it didn't keep Sport mode more as a precaution - not putting the car into a more aggressive "mode" when first turned on, engine is cold, etc. Realistically, it probably doesn't make any difference, but I could see purists (auto engineers for sure) thinking this way.

It's so they can claim a certain MPG per regulations, but you can code the car to remember the last setting.

[GABMAN]

I do not know if Canadian models are coded differently from those in the USA, my settings are as follows
Sport+
Sport
Comfort
Eco-Pro

Anyone feel like giving me a short understanding of these different modes along with the do's and dont's of using these modes? Thanks

[AVIMAX]

Do you have DHP? My 2011 F10 without DHP had only:
NORMAL
SPORT
SPORT+
none of which did anything to the suspension of course. My 2014 with DHP has:
ECO-PRO
COMFORT+
COMFORT
SPORT
SPORT+
I think BMW changed the name of NORMAL to COMFORT and added ECO-PRO to all cars.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by GABMAN

I do not know if Canadian models are coded differently from those in the USA, my settings are as follows
Sport+
Sport
Comfort
Eco-Pro

Anyone feel like giving me a short understanding of these different modes along with the do's and dont's of using these modes? Thanks

With your list (as listed in the UK) you don't have the adaptive suspension. Worth reading the user manual to get a feel for the way your options change according to modes. Your settings will influence throttle, steering and auto gearbox variations.

There have been many threads dissecting the modes function and some in depth discussions on the variables, permutations and combinations. May be worth a search and a couple hours reading them through.

Also experiment and feel the differences yourself.

HighlandPete

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by AVIMAX

I think BMW changed the name of NORMAL to COMFORT and added ECO-PRO to all cars.

Yes, that is what happened to later builds, and with an adaptive suspension option (VDC, AD, DHP) Comfort+ was added.

My 2011 F11 (pre Eco-Pro) has Comfort, Normal, Sport, Sport+. Covers Adaptive Drive suspension option.

HighlandPete

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by ezmaass

... Anyway, like I said, I'm now in love with this mode. I clearly won't use it all the time, but it was a GREAT mode for cruising (fast, mind you) a rough highway. And I'm certainly going to start using it more often. I had previously no appreciation for this mode, other than slow-moving city streets (like cobblestone), but I've gained a completely new perspective on its usefulness.

If you have DHP and any rough highways, I'd seriously consider giving it a go.

I know quite a few laugh at, even scorn the softer setting, as if inappropriate to a BMW. I use all the modes, according to my roads and my driving mood.

What I found to my surprise (having the wagon and rear air self-levelling suspension) when loaded at cruising speeds, it rides better than when empty. I anticipated more float and vertical movement, but in fact it rides much flatter and controlled than expected. In really does ride with a near magic carpet like ride quality out on our motorways.

Even through bends the car still has good composure in the comfort modes, ARS being the 'master' at controlling the body roll.

HighlandPete

[mness]

Originally Posted by AlanM

It's so they can claim a certain MPG per regulations, but you can code the car to remember the last setting.

Are you sure? If so, what's the coding value to set it to remember last setting (ie SPORT)? Whenever I've seen this question come up before, was told there was no coding option to set the driving mode to remember SPORT, though it could be set to ECO PRO. Thanks.

[VWtoBMW]

Originally Posted by GABMAN

I do not know if Canadian models are coded differently from those in the USA, my settings are as follows
Sport+
Sport
Comfort
Eco-Pro

Anyone feel like giving me a short understanding of these different modes along with the do's and dont's of using these modes? Thanks

I have Comfort + on my 2013 Canadian car. I also have the DHP so maybe that has something to do with it.

[Bbb34]

I get what OP is saying, appreciate having option of COMFORT+ and agree that it fully transforms the car. I just don't particularly care for how the car feels in this mode and rarely use it (badly pothole ridden roads mostly).

To me, car just feels too soft/sloppy in this mode. I guess I just appreciate the "other end" of DHP more.

[gatorfast]

Comfort+ definitely lives up to its name. Not that comfort/normal is at all harsh, but comfort+ provides a noticeable increase in smoothness and fully absorbs nearly every road imperfection.

[Pimpsy]

Originally Posted by mness

Are you sure? If so, what's the coding value to set it to remember last setting (ie SPORT)? Whenever I've seen this question come up before, was told there was no coding option to set the driving mode to remember SPORT, though it could be set to ECO PRO. Thanks.

Checked my car today and it did default back to comfort mode, so I guess you're right. Doh!

[RSBro]

Anytime I hit the highway I put it in Comfort+.
I have the Executive Seats package so if I'm in the car long at all I turn on the seat massagers and warmers or coolers and I'm in heaven.