[moldcad]

Questions to those of you who had a chance of driving a 4 (or 2) series with M-Sport Adaptive Suspension AND with the static Sport Suspension (I'm not interested in the normal version i.e. static non-M-Sport).

1. Do you think the Adaptive Suspension introduces any kind of compromise in handling in its stiff mode (i.e. with the car Sport mode), as compared to the pure M-Sport suspension?

2. On the other hand, do you find the static (non-adaptive) M-Sport suspension's comfort to be less than adequate on an average (bumpy) roads

3. Likewise, don't you find the adaptive suspension stiff enough for spirited driving, or is softer than the M-sport?

[R12ax7]

I have an F30 with the adaptive suspension and have driven several other F30s with the regular Msport suspension cars (note that the "regular/static" sport suspension is confusingly called "M-sport suspension" and the adaptive is "Adaptive M Suspension").

When I first got my car I felt the adaptive suspension - even in sport mode - was softer than the regular Msport. Ultimately i decided it was too soft and ended up getting the Dinan springs, which probably made the ride a tad more harsh/firmer than the static M-sport in sport mode, but even with the Dinan springs the M adaptive in comfort is probably a bit more compliant over bad roads than the Msport. I would really like to get the Dinantronics flash to the Adaptive module as I hear it really evens things out and makes both sport and comfort better and their respective purposes, but i doubt I will spring for it with just a year and a half left on my lease.

I guess it's nice to know that I have the option of dialing it back if i'm driving the wife or co-workers, but honestly 99% of the time I am in sport.

[focal]

easy solution if you can live with it.

non run flat tires, can of tire sealant, 12V compressor and an up to date road side assistance plan

the MPS with non run flat is more comfortable than RFT on a base suspension, but you get all the handling gains of the MPS

[Jamesons Viggen]

Static MSport 704 suspension is far softer than previous BMW sport suspensions and is very compliant for daily use. This gets amplified even more if you ditch the run-flats.

[snowghost]

Originally Posted by R12ax7

I have an F30 with the adaptive suspension and have driven several other F30s with the regular Msport suspension cars (note that the "regular/static" sport suspension is confusingly called "M-sport suspension" and the adaptive is "Adaptive M Suspension").

When I first got my car I felt the adaptive suspension - even in sport mode - was softer than the regular Msport. Ultimately i decided it was too soft and ended up getting the Dinan springs, which probably made the ride a tad more harsh/firmer than the static M-sport in sport mode, but even with the Dinan springs the M adaptive in comfort is probably a bit more compliant over bad roads than the Msport. I would really like to get the Dinantronics flash to the Adaptive module as I hear it really evens things out and makes both sport and comfort better and their respective purposes, but i doubt I will spring for it with just a year and a half left on my lease.

I guess it's nice to know that I have the option of dialing it back if i'm driving the wife or co-workers, but honestly 99% of the time I am in sport.

Wow. In my experience the Passive M-Sport was a softer spring rate than my Adaptive M-Sport in Sports Mode. I also put the Dinan springs on which stiffens a bit more, yet in Comfort has a nice blend of a little more compliance but still good handling.

[NO_RETURN]

So the stiffness of the ride is not going to make much of a difference on your bad back... IMHO it's all about the seats. Get the Upgraded leather seats with adjustable lumbar and your back should be fine.

By all means test drive both versions to be sure. +1 on DHP if you are ordering one or can find one.

[ronanz]

Originally Posted by NO_RETURN

So the stiffness of the ride is not going to make much of a difference on your bad back... IMHO it's all about the seats. Get the Upgraded leather seats with adjustable lumbar and your back should be fine.

By all means test drive both versions to be sure. +1 on DHP if you are ordering one or can find one.

Yup.... +1

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by Jamesons Viggen

Static MSport 704 suspension is far softer than previous BMW sport suspensions and is very compliant for daily use. This gets amplified even more if you ditch the run-flats.

+1

OP, I have the option 704 and stock staggered 19" run flats on my 335 and it is very comfortable and soft. No issues. Much softer than E90 sport suspension with 17" run flats

[casualDIYer]

Originally Posted by R12ax7

......note that the "regular/static" sport suspension is confusingly called "M-sport suspension" and the adaptive is "Adaptive M Suspension").
.

Just to make things even more confusing there's M-Performance suspension too, which you can't get as a factory option but only as a performance upgrade post delivery.

[focal]

Originally Posted by menncars

Just to make things even more confusing there's M-Performance suspension too, which you can't get as a factory option but only as a performance upgrade post delivery.

post delivery in Canada, but you can get it port installed in the USA.

[R12ax7]

Originally Posted by menncars

Just to make things even more confusing there's M-Performance suspension too, which you can't get as a factory option but only as a performance upgrade post delivery.

I believe (at least in the US) you can now roll these options into a lease or purchase price right up front. For leases the dollar amounts allocated to the MPerformance options are given a different residual than the rest of the car, but i'm not exactly sure how they blend it.

I'm not positive about this, but i would guess the impact of the different residual value would mean that if a $1,000 Dynamic Handling package adds, say $30 per month to your lease (not exact, i know), then an equally priced $1,000 MPerformance/port installed add-on is going to raise your monthly payment more than that $30.

[Asmooth0101]

That's not right.

Port installed accessories have a msrp and invoice just like any other option. When the lease is calculated, the same residual is applied.

I just leased a car with a 62% residual. I also added the mppk as a port installed option. Msrp was 1730 and invoice was around 1370 or around 79%. Dealers sold me the mppk at invoice. Hence, during the term of my lease, I am only paying for about 17% (79-62) of the msrp of this option, plus interest.

For is reason, the port installed accessories on a lease are some of the best values out there - the invoice prices are much lower relative to msrp than any normal options.

[moldcad]

OK guys - thank you for your input; the questions I asked in OP originate from the fact that - while in a car like the F10 - EDC is really efficient and using the Comfort+ mode really allows to float over bumps like in a boat - in smaller, more sports than luxury oriented cars like the 4 or 2 series coupe it is potentially a compromise. I mean - if we have regulated dumper rate - the "soft" is usually not soft enough, and the "stiff" may not be stiff enough for a really sporty handling.

I enjoyed EDC in my 528xi very much, but mainly its soft side; the Sport setting was of no special use as the engine didn't allow for a really sporty driving in that large and heavy car anyway. I'm glad in most opinions expressed here, the Adaptive Suspension (active like the EDC in my F10) actually can be comfortable in the soft setting and stiff enough in Sport mode.

[casualDIYer]

Originally Posted by focal

post delivery in Canada, but you can get it port installed in the USA.

Feeyuck....really? That sucks

[atg4]

Originally Posted by focal

easy solution if you can live with it.

non run flat tires, can of tire sealant, 12V compressor and an up to date road side assistance plan

the MPS with non run flat is more comfortable than RFT on a base suspension, but you get all the handling gains of the MPS

This. My world changed when I swapped the runflats out.

[teaston]

The M Sport suspension is far too soft! I had to put AC Schnitzer springs on mine to get the handling as good as my old E90 M Sport!

[Slalom]

OP,
I too have a bad back. I have never had a problem with BMW suspensions. But I strongly recommend getting the best seat package you can - lumbar support and heated seats make a massive difference.

My Z4 is the roughest. M3 has adjustable dampers - long drives call for a softer setting. Speed bumps are the worst, whoever invented them should be condemned to drive over them with a bad back in hell. My F34 is the softest and best for my back, right up there with the sport suspension E70 with comfort seats that I had 5 years ago.

In sum, it is a rare BMW that has given me any grief with my back.