[MaxGainz]

Those with the update, is sport and sport+ as sharp as before?

[ProfessorPatPending]

Originally Posted by spucktacular

My car is butter smooth on 21” since doing the 03/21 software update. Like drastically more comfortable to boot in every mode, and personally do feel a noticeable difference between the three suspension modes.

Spucktackular, what tires are you running? Reports like yours make me think my car has a fault.

Today I lowered to 33/38 psi, drove about 10 miles and still couldn't detect a difference on rough roads.

[sittingmongoose]

Originally Posted by ProfessorPatPending

Spucktackular, what tires are you running? Reports like yours make me think my car has a fault.

Today I lowered to 33/38 psi, drove about 10 miles and still couldn't detect a difference on rough roads.

I doubt you're car is defective. Switching off the contis made a huge difference. It also stops it from pulling back and forth so much. My winter tires were also much more comfortable than my contis were.

TLDR; ditch the contis.

[ProfessorPatPending]

Originally Posted by sittingmongoose

I doubt you're car is defective. Switching off the contis made a huge difference. It also stops it from pulling back and forth so much. My winter tires were also much more comfortable than my contis were.

TLDR; ditch the contis.

You guys may be right that tires will allow the setting to make a difference. However I expect an important feature of an $80K+ vehicle to function as described upon delivery.

Another thought: Tires are Un-Sprung weight, and electronic dampers affect Sprung weight. Shouldn't we expect to feel a difference regardless? I'm more ready to believe the springs are too stiff.

I'm not talking about ride quality.. rather about the setting having ANY noticeable effect.

[sittingmongoose]

Originally Posted by ProfessorPatPending

You guys may be right that tires will make the suspension setting make a difference. However I expect an important feature in an $80K+ vehicle to function as described upon delivery.

Another thought: Tires are Un-Sprung weight, and electronic dampers affect Sprung weight. So I still expect to feel some difference regardless of tire.

Well the car was developed for the ps4s tires so it was intended to function well. They switched to contis last year to save money. And, well they suck.

[spucktacular]

Originally Posted by ProfessorPatPending

Spucktackular, what tires are you running? Reports like yours make me think my car has a fault.

Today I lowered to 33/38 psi, drove about 10 miles and still couldn't detect a difference on rough roads.

Michelin 21" 33/38 psi... honestly, huge difference after the upgrade... but as someone else said, its not more comfortable hitting a sharp edge.. it's more compliant settling back down after bouncing over uneven surfaces.


My car was sitting on Contis at the dealer, but I told them I'd only buy it if they swapped the tires with another X3M they had with Michelins after reading about comfort issues on the Contis... not sure what I can say, none-the-less the software upgrade wouldn't change the tire compound so it must be a mechanical dampening improvement... maybe it depends what you are watching out for?!

[spucktacular]

As someone who bought an X vehicle for the comfort aspect, living downtown Montreal, which is a city with road conditions worse than most 3rd world countries.. I can guarantee, as a certified OCD nut when it comes to road comfort. I feel the same, I want my 100k car to be fast but still be comfortable. The upgrade made me go from, oh my car is always a pain to drive downtown.. to, I just never feel uncomfortable to even think about it anymore... In the span of 3 weeks I went from kinda hating my car, mainly for how expensive it is for it to be uncomfortable... to just, I will never buy another non-M car again. I absolutely LOVE the improvement.....

[Klazu]

Should one visually see anything changing outside the car when switching the modes? The car doesn't lower ever do slightly or anything when switching the mode?

I have to agree to noticing almost any difference on a 2021 X3MC on Continentals w/o the latest istep.

[allinon72]

Originally Posted by Klazu

Should one visually see anything changing outside the car when switching the modes? The car doesn't lower ever do slightly or anything when switching the mode?

I have to agree to noticing almost any difference on a 2021 X3MC on Continentals w/o the latest istep.

No, it simply changes the shock tuning electronically.

[spucktacular]

Originally Posted by Klazu

Should one visually see anything changing outside the car when switching the modes? The car doesn't lower ever do slightly or anything when switching the mode?

I have to agree to noticing almost any difference on a 2021 X3MC on Continentals w/o the latest istep.

Really?

What do you expect, the car to levitate? Sorry, but please learn the difference between an air suspension and electronically adjustable *DAMPERS* before you chime in.

Unlike AMG or Porsche, BMW M does not produce any M vehicles with an air suspension, which is what allows for heigh adjustment. Electronic dampers affect the *DAMPENING RATE* not the ride height.

I’m sorry, but there should be a minimal technical competence required owning any M vehicle.

[Razel]

Originally Posted by spucktacular

Really?

What do you expect, the car to levitate? Sorry, but please learn the difference between an air suspension and electronically adjustable *DAMPERS* before you chime in.

Unlike AMG or Porsche, BMW M does not produce any M vehicles with an air suspension, which is what allows for height adjustment. Electronic dampers affect the *DAMPING RATE* not the ride height.

I’m sorry, but there should be a minimal technical competence required owning any M vehicle.

Fixed that for ya ...

[BOGX4M]

On my X4MC (21" - Pirelli):
On street, daily drive, I feel no difference between Comfort, Sport and Sport+
but on racetrack the difference is huge in stability and dynamic.

[Transfer]

Psssh I just did a road trip with two dogs and wife and all were super comfortable riding with suspension in comfort mode. Sport+ definitely noticeably more stiff and darty.

[BobsM3Coupe]

Originally Posted by spucktacular

Unlike AMG or Porsche, BMW M does not produce any M vehicles with an air suspension, which is what allows for heigh adjustment.

I’m sorry, but there should be a minimal technical competence required owning any M vehicle.

Hmmmm?? Seems to me, the F85 X5M had rear air suspension.
Whoops on your last sentence.

[2kaccordocoupe]

Originally Posted by spucktacular

Really?

What do you expect, the car to levitate? Sorry, but please learn the difference between an air suspension and electronically adjustable *DAMPERS* before you chime in.

Unlike AMG or Porsche, BMW M does not produce any M vehicles with an air suspension, which is what allows for heigh adjustment. Electronic dampers affect the *DAMPENING RATE* not the ride height.

I'm sorry, but there should be a minimal technical competence required owning any M vehicle.

This is the result of watering down the ///M badge. Sorry to say but it's true. The target audience for the M badge is not the same as before.

[strohw]

Originally Posted by 2kaccordocoupe

This is the result of watering down the ///M badge. Sorry to say but it's true. The target audience for the M badge is not the same as before.

I feel like there is some irony in your statement considering that you, I and a lot of others in this forum own a M badged SUV.

[spucktacular]

Originally Posted by strohw

I feel like there is some irony in your statement considering that you, I and a lot of others in this forum own a M badged SUV.

I don't agree with that. I completely understand where you are coming from, but in my opinion.... M doesn't represent a low ride height coupe with RWD. It represents a technical capacity, power output, thermal endurance and sharpness that is well above the standard offering of BMW vehicles... whether you apply that level of refinement to a 2 series, 3/4/5 or X line series.

An M vehicle doesn't mean all will have the same agility as an M2 CS, but rather getting the best out of any chassis that gets the blessing of an M variant. Why can't I have that level of braking endurance if I choose to drive an SUV with AWD because I deal with 7 months of snow and terrible roads.

What does performance level have to do with seating capacity or road clearance. With all due respect, that's non-sense.... If I want to spend the money on an M trim, I should be able to enjoy it in any model or chassis level that I determine accommodates my needs.

Saying an X3 or X4 aren't deserving of an M badge, is like someone saying the Mustang GT 5.0 is more practical than an X4M just cause the rear trunk line is a little lower than an X3M.. its ridiculous logic any way you look at it..

.. yet a Urus or Tesla model X are perfectly acceptable. That's called a double standard without any logic... My X4M can fit 4 people, a trunk full of stuff, clear 4" of snow and handle a Canadian winter storm, while still also bringing home a armchair from Ikea, and outpacing a AMG GT Coupe 4.0 V8 twin turbo in a straight line.. but somehow idiots still say it's "not practical.. whats the point of this car, why does it even exit"... when the hell was the last time someone with a X3M actually filled their trunk to the top of the roof line, that a difference between the X3 vs X4 would have made an ACTUAL REAL LIFE DIFFERENCE...

and whether I'm sitting 3" or 12" off the ground, I shouldn't be able to go 180KM/h and slam the brakes repeatedly without fading cause that's ironic in your view?

Who exactly are you to tell me how I should spend my money... if I want the best handling, fastest, and best braking compact coupe SUV that BMW can make... who are you to tell me how I should enjoy my money?

What does format have to do wth performance/endurance/luxury tier level?

[R19W81]

I have a x5 m sport 30d 2021 with 22 inch and two axel air suspensions. The different driving modes do make the suspension change noticeably. Not a day and night difference but certainly a big change from sports and comfort modes. The new adaptive mode is really a good one too as it adapts according to the driving situation.

[Max Well]

Originally Posted by ProfessorPatPending

My Suspension setting does nothing.. how about yours?... Thanks!

It may be your tires as some have suggested. On the PS4S we can tell the difference between modes, but with my wife's previous Contis the impression was much less. Simply changing out her tires allowed the characteristics of each setting to become clearer.

Originally Posted by spucktacular

... when the hell was the last time someone with a X3M actually filled their trunk to the top of the roof line, that a difference between the X3 vs X4 would have made an ACTUAL REAL LIFE DIFFERENCE...

Apologies to OP for off-topic, but I do use the full cargo volume for landscape supplies on a fairly routine basis (which is the only reason I've never cross-shopped the X4 line, which is a great model in it's own right).

[strohw]

Originally Posted by spucktacular

I don't agree with that. I completely understand where you are coming from

Who are you to tell me how I should enjoy my money?

What does format have to do wth performance/endurance/luxury tier level?

You don't agree with him or you don't agree with me. Go back and read his statement and then my response. You don't find it ironic that someone who believes the M badge has been watered down is driving an M SUV? Maybe he was just being facetious, I'm not sure. But the majority of people who would make that comment not in jest, probably think fast SUVs are silly.

in my opinion.... M doesn't represent a low ride height coupe with RWD. It represents a technical capacity, power output, thermal endurance and sharpness that is well above the standard offering of BMW vehicles... whether you apply that level of refinement to a 2 series, 3/4/5 or X line series.

Or you could just say it's the sportiest trim that BMW offers for that model.

My X4M can fit 4 people, a trunk full of stuff, clear 4" of snow and handle a Canadian winter storm, while still also bringing home a armchair from Ikea, and outpacing a AMG GT Coupe 4.0 V8 twin turbo in a straight line.. but somehow idiots still say it's "not practical.. whats the point of this car, why does it even exit"... when the hell was the last time someone with a X3M actually filled their trunk to the top of the roof line, that a difference between the X3 vs X4 would have made an ACTUAL REAL LIFE DIFFERENCE...

This feels like a tangent into a personal grievance. I'm not sure how you got from M SUV not being true M to people thinking the coupe BMWs are not practical and silly.

I will take you up on that topic though. I DO need the storage in the back as I routinely haul full cargo loads from floor to ceiling for my business as well as needing a tow hitch. Last week my wife and I picked up a dresser that took up the entire rear and fit within 1.5" of the top. I would not have been able to haul that dresser with a 4M because of the roof line cutting off vertical storage space.

I shouldn't be able to go 180KM/h and slam the brakes repeatedly without fading cause that's ironic in your view?

Actually, I would be surprised if you could do that repeatedly without fading. Regardless of how sport oriented this vehicle is it's still intended for the street and street pads will easily fade doing something like this. But you're just exaggerating to make a point and I'm taking that point literally.

[allinon72]

The whole "M badge doesn't belong on an SUV" is such a tired straw man argument. Over the years consumer tastes have changed, and so has BMW engineering. While BMW has certainly whored out the M logo, the true M vehicles are still incredibly capable machines, even the SUVs. One only needs to look at spec sheets and lap times against other more agile competition to prove this point.

[X3mcesq]

Originally Posted by allinon72

The whole "M badge doesn't belong on an SUV" is such a tired straw man argument. Over the years consumer tastes have changed, and so has BMW engineering. While BMW has certainly whored out the M logo, the true M vehicles are still incredibly capable machines, even the SUVs. One only needs to look at spec sheets and lap times against other more agile competition to prove this point.

Originally Posted by allinon72

The whole "M badge doesn't belong on an SUV" is such a tired straw man argument. Over the years consumer tastes have changed, and so has BMW engineering. While BMW has certainly whored out the M logo, the true M vehicles are still incredibly capable machines, even the SUVs. One only needs to look at spec sheets and lap times against other more agile competition to prove this point.

Mic drop ! 🙌🏼