[thelom]

Hey guys,

So this Saturday I picked up a new 2014 535XI m-sport with passive suspension. All the new electronic goodies aside my 2012 535XI with passive non sport suspension had MUCH MUCH better handling characteristics and steering feel.

The new car while nice to look at is simply depressing to drive. The steering feels like a wet noodle and offers little resistance or precision (m-sports steering wheel is neat though). Suspension also feels way softer, I nearly killed myself on the off ramp today taking a turn that I usually take at ~70 while going exactly 60 (heads up display is a nice touch). I'm going to the dealership tomorrow to drive another m-sport 535XI to see if I got a broken car or if the new LCI update turned what was a fun sports sedan into an old Toyota. Anyways, any of you guys went from pre LCI to LCI 5 series and experienced issues with steering feel and handling?

-M

[pillpusher84]

Originally Posted by thelom

Hey guys,

So this Saturday I picked up a new 2014 535XI m-sport with passive suspension. All the new electronic goodies aside my 2012 535XI with passive non sport suspension had MUCH MUCH better handling characteristics and steering feel.

The new car while nice to look at is simply depressing to drive. The steering feels like a wet noodle and offers little resistance or precision (m-sports steering wheel is neat though). Suspension also feels way softer, I nearly killed myself on the off ramp today taking a turn that I usually take at ~70 while going exactly 60 (heads up display is a nice touch). I'm going to the dealership tomorrow to drive another m-sport 535XI to see if I got a broken car or if the new LCI update turned what was a fun sports sedan into an old Toyota. Anyways, any of you guys went from pre LCI to LCI 5 series and experienced issues with steering feel and handling?

-M

I couldn't tell you affirmatively, since I was not in your exact situation ... however I went from a 2011 535xi M-Sport w/ DHP & ARS to 2014 550xi M-Sport w/ DHP & ARS ... the only thing I noticed was an obvious increase in weight in the nose of the car, however I as well am used to taking many on-ramps to the highway at 50+ MPH & everything remained static for me ... I have no change in my suspension from '11 to '14, and never had the non-adaptive suspension in either vehicle ... so maybe they made a change to the passive suspensions

[Super6]

Upgrade your sway bars

[Noggie]

Not sure here but don't the LCI have electronic power steering and the old ones good old hydraulic?
That would certainly explain the difference in steering feel.

[Apple Corps]

Originally Posted by thelom

Hey guys,

...I'm going to the dealership tomorrow to drive another m-sport 535XI to see if I got a broken car or if the new LCI update turned what was a fun sports sedan into an old Toyota.
-M

If you think for a moment that is correct it is probably time for you to change cars or marques.

[Alan l.]

None of this makes any sense. Both cars are Xi, both with hydraulic steering, both with passive suspension. No way you are feeling that big of a difference. You would be the first to say a pre 2013 feels better than a 2013/2014 F10.

Are you sure about the options on your 2012? What about tires?

Alan

[ezmaass]

Originally Posted by Alan l.

None of this makes any sense. Both cars are Xi, both with hydraulic steering, both with passive suspension. No way you are feeling that big of a difference. You would be the first to say a pre 2013 feels better than a 2013/2014 F10.

Are you sure about the options on your 2012? What about tires?

Alan

Agreed - guessing something else is off here. I don't doubt that the OP feels a difference, I'm more so wondering what else may be different here.

[ferrarif1]

Didn't the M-Sport package include DHP in 2012 or did that stop after 2011?

[RASHID007]

I have a 2014 535d x drive with stock passive suspension. It's been at dealer for over a week and they gave me a 2013 535i x drive and the steering on the 2013 is MUCH stiffer and nicer. Either my 2014 is a dud, BMW softened the LCI steering or the tires are to blame.

I've asked dealer to look into it since they already have the car in for another reason. I will let you know what they say about steering.

[The X Men]

Originally Posted by ferrarif1

Didn't the M-Sport package include DHP in 2012 or did that stop after 2011?

The OP did not say his 2012 was a MSport.

[thelom]

Originally Posted by RASHID007

I have a 2014 535d x drive with stock passive suspension. It's been at dealer for over a week and they gave me a 2013 535i x drive and the steering on the 2013 is MUCH stiffer and nicer. Either my 2014 is a dud, BMW softened the LCI steering or the tires are to blame.

I've asked dealer to look into it since they already have the car in for another reason. I will let you know what they say about steering.

Yeah that's exactly the issue I'm having... I'm guessing the car isn't a dud. FUCK.

I still haven't been able to stop by the dealer due to work. Hopefully this weekend I'll have some answers.

[noixd]

Originally Posted by thelom

Yeah that's exactly the issue I'm having... I'm guessing the car isn't a dud. FUCK.

I still haven't been able to stop by the dealer due to work. Hopefully this weekend I'll have some answers.

Man stop being lil bitches and complaining about the car. Just drive!!!
You prob leased it so who cares! Cot dammit

[Apple Corps]

thelom - kind of a basic question but very important...

Did you not test drive the car prior to purchasing it?

If not - duh..........

If so, was the test drive not sufficient to give you the flavor of how it handles?

I'm sure the suspension / tires / steering have not changed since you purchased it - so it is quite puzzling ....

[raleedy]

Originally Posted by Apple Corps

thelom - kind of a basic question but very important...

Did you not test drive the car prior to purchasing it?

If not - duh..........

If so, was the test drive not sufficient to give you the flavor of how it handles?

I'm sure the suspension / tires / steering have not changed since you purchased it - so it is quite puzzling ....

I can imagine not test driving if going from the same car 2 years earlier -- but it's kind of an object lesson, isn't it? You never know what they may have changed.

[ezmaass]

I have a 14 550xi and find the steering to be GREAT. I came from an 07 335 sport package, which certainly had superb steering feel and handling... and while the 550 feels "different" I've yet to find any way to say it's not precise in steering or handling.

I've found that its steering is a bit "lighter" than the 335 when in Comfort mode, but put it in Sport, and certainly Sport+, and the steering is pretty stiff (as stiff as I think most would want for a 4-door sedan!). In all modes, it's also dead-on precise. I really think there's more mental/emotional stuff going on here than reality.

You may want to check tires and suspension, as well, if something seems way off.

[pillpusher84]

Originally Posted by ferrarif1

Didn't the M-Sport package include DHP in 2012 or did that stop after 2011?

only 2011 had the DHP included with M-Sport

[RASHID007]

Originally Posted by ezmaass

I have a 14 550xi and find the steering to be GREAT. I came from an 07 335 sport package, which certainly had superb steering feel and handling... and while the 550 feels "different" I've yet to find any way to say it's not precise in steering or handling.

I've found that its steering is a bit "lighter" than the 335 when in Comfort mode, but put it in Sport, and certainly Sport+, and the steering is pretty stiff (as stiff as I think most would want for a 4-door sedan!). In all modes, it's also dead-on precise. I really think there's more mental/emotional stuff going on here than reality.

You may want to check tires and suspension, as well, if something seems way off.

I'm confused. I thought the RWD F10 had electric steering and hence steering feel changes between driving modes. But xdrive models have hydraulic steering and the feel doesn't change between modes.

Has that changed for 2014?

And does my x drive diesel have hydraulic or electric steering? It DEFINITELY does not change steering between driving modes.

[Alan l.]

I had a 2013 535xi and my hydraulic steering definitely changes between Sport and Comfort modes.

[ghueser]

What about the tires? Doesn't it usually take at least a couple of hundred miles to get them in shape?

[Sjoerd]

I can definitely confirm the opposite. Went from a '10 535i to a '14 535d; the only different being the IAS. But boy does the '14 handle better than the '10. Since a few months I added M5 and M550d swaybars which improves the handling slightly further.

Both cars were/are on standard m-sport suspension.

[RASHID007]

Originally Posted by Sjoerd

I can definitely confirm the opposite. Went from a '10 535i to a '14 535d; the only different being the IAS. But boy does the '14 handle better than the '10. Since a few months I added M5 and M550d swaybars which improves the handling slightly further.

Both cars were/are on standard m-sport suspension.

Thanks. But were those cars x drive or RWD

[cdmulders]

Originally Posted by Alan l.

I had a 2013 535xi and my hydraulic steering definitely changes between Sport and Comfort modes.

Same here for my 2013 535xi. Steering feel changes between Comfort and Sport. I have ARS and DDC.