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BMW 3-Series and 4-Series Forum (F30 / F32) | F30POST > 2012-2019 BMW 3 and 4-Series Forums > General F34 3-Series GT (Gran Turismo) Forum > Anyone have GT without adaptive suspension?
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      12-11-2013, 07:23 AM   #1
mcoops
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Anyone have GT without adaptive suspension?

So I notice that most of you have specced this, and it's almost impossible to find a review of the car without it, as BMW have predictably included adaptive on all their press loaners.

I get that the universal view is that it's a great option and well worth having if you can afford to include it. What I can't find anywhere is a view on how good the car is without it, not relative to those with it, but relative to a standard / passive suspension set up on other compact execs, family cars or crossovers.

I'm not going to be driving mine on the track, or at the limit on the street. However I'm still buying a BMW in the expectation that it will be better than its peers, all other things being equal. For instance, I'm expecting it to be better than our Evoque, and previous cars we owned, previous generation Honda CRV and VW Passat. On the other hand I expect it will feel a bit less controlled than my outgoing e87 120d given the difference in size.

So, is it good but not great, or really not so great?
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      12-11-2013, 09:36 AM   #2
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I have the F34 335i M-sport with standard suspension,and I love it. I tested it with and without, and found the adaptive to be too soft when in "comfort" mode and too hard in "sport."

The standard suspension is right in the middle and a joy to drive. (Coming from a E90 335d with m-sport suspension, which was lots of fun to drive but not terribly comfortable for passengers.)
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      12-11-2013, 01:08 PM   #3
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I also opted out of the adaptive suspension. I noticed no benefit in at the limit behavior and in normal driving the standard setup is more controlled than the default adaptive mode. Plus I didn't like the steering on the adaptive setup felt even more artificial to me
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      12-12-2013, 01:42 AM   #4
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Doesn't the rim size also have a great impact the handling through corners? So if you have 17" or 19" wheels could make a greater difference than standard /msport chassi?

I've tried a GT with standard chassi and it is slightly softer than my standard F31 chassi.

If I'm not mistaking the GT has greater wheel travel (sorry for crappy English, blame google translate), higher
centre of gravity, longer wheel base and is roughly 75kg heavier than a F31. So it should behave differently. I really liked to drive the standard chassi GT though since I do 90% of my driving on the highway.
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      12-12-2013, 02:43 AM   #5
AndyMD
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I too didn't go for the adaptive option. I test drive one with and I thought it was too bouncy in comfort and too firm in sport for UK roads. I am totally happy with the why mine drives. I get the full mix of roads each day, 30 mph country lanes, 60 mph country lanes and dual carriage ways with roundabouts. The car performs well on all 3
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      12-12-2013, 02:52 AM   #6
mcoops
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Great insights everyone. This is reassuring, given that I know from other threads how important the handling characteristics are to many of you who are going to drive your GTs harder than I am.

It does make me wonder whether there is some lazy journalism going on, with reviewers who like the adaptive set up, just assuming without having tested it that it the passive will be cruddy.

@Rioblast - yeah, I'd assume any number of things are going to affect the feel of the car. The rims will obviously affect how firm the ride feels and transmission of bumps and lumps into the cabin. My focus was more particularly on body roll and vertical movement in the standard set up. However Richbot made a good point in another thread that while there is some roll in the GT, this doesn't necessarily impact balance or the ability to actually place the car going through corners etc.

Thanks again everyone - that's one less unchecked options box to worry about. Now, what else didn't I tick...
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      12-12-2013, 03:29 AM   #7
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What about variable sport steering that comes with the adaptive damper package. Have you tried it?
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      12-13-2013, 10:49 PM   #8
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I'm not sure why exactly, but to me the steering in sport mode felt noticeably lighter at higher speeds in a F30 loaner minus DHP/VSS than in my F34 with it.
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      12-14-2013, 11:53 AM   #9
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I went for the Adaptive dampers as I had one of the first 530 F10 without, a few years ago and the ride was horrendous. All the reviews recommend it as said previously. So I followed the advice. I will be off shortly on a 300 mile A road trip and will see what I think of the various settings. At this time I have not been out of comfort apart from testing it out, and comfort is a better ride than that 5 series. The car is epically quick in sport mode though and I am really enjoying that!
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      12-20-2013, 05:55 PM   #10
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Test Drive in NYC

I have an E90 with the sport suspension, and find it too hard riding on poor quality roads that are all too common here. I test drove an F34 with the regular suspension on both New York City streets and on higher speed highways. I found the ride better than my E90, but not "floaty". I have not tried the adaptive suspension since most dealers do not stock it for a test drove purposes. I would never order any BMW with a suspension harder riding the the standard suspension if you live in an area with anything other than perfect smooth roads. I assume the adaptive suspension gives you the option of a firmer setting for great handling. I would most likely never use it, so why pay extra for a capability I would not use? I don't know your road situation, but perhaps my experience will help.
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      12-20-2013, 11:47 PM   #11
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I like the idea of having 2 settings for my 2 driving modes. Comfort = cruising home from work; sport = carving high speed sweepers on a Saturday morning joy ride. I am sure the standard suspension can do both just fine but a little more control can't hurt. Especially on xdrive cars which get the non sport suspension and can use a little firming up.
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      12-24-2013, 06:52 AM   #12
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I have done 11800km on my new GT on standard suspension, no Msport. I went to this from a lowered +firmer than Msport E46 :-).
I do drive on very variable roads, and am supremely happy with the set-up. Yes it is softer than an F30(slightly), but boy do you appreciate it on long journeys! :-):-)
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      12-24-2013, 09:14 AM   #13
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All the sport mode does is change the feel of the car as it encounters bumps. There's very little to gain in stiffer damping alone when it comes to handling at the limit. See also e9x m3 which is quickest around a racetrack in the default setting when equipped with adaptive dampers

If you like the feel that's good. For me the sport setting felt over damped and the comfort mode felt too floaty.
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      03-04-2014, 05:28 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by f34 View Post
The standard suspension is right in the middle and a joy to drive. (Coming from a E90 335d with m-sport suspension, which was lots of fun to drive but not terribly comfortable for passengers.)
I agree with the above comment - I have the f34 Sport and the I find it good and confortable - I am coming from a 1 Series with M sport suspension which was fun indeed but uncomfortable for everyday use.
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      07-06-2015, 10:32 AM   #15
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Apology for the thread resurrection here.

My question has probably already been answered above and I've managed to read around it.

My GT has the M Sport suspension but not adaptive. I guess this isn't the "standard" suspension people are referring to above and wonder how that compares to the adaptive suspension (on a GT). Has anyone got a GT with passive M Sport SDrive suspension?

I'm guessing that this is different again form the Xdrive suspension, which sits higher than passive M Sport suspension?

confused.com
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      07-07-2015, 04:03 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Palexr View Post
Apology for the thread resurrection here.

My question has probably already been answered above and I've managed to read around it.

My GT has the M Sport suspension but not adaptive. I guess this isn't the "standard" suspension people are referring to above and wonder how that compares to the adaptive suspension (on a GT). Has anyone got a GT with passive M Sport SDrive suspension?

I'm guessing that this is different again form the Xdrive suspension, which sits higher than passive M Sport suspension?

confused.com
no the M Sport suspension is not adaptive it just lowers the car a bit. I guess it will be a bit firmer then the standard suspension. I ordered mine with the M Sportsusption but will have to wait a couple more weeks before getting it. It is a company car so had a certain budget for options. the adaptive suspension took a large chunk out of my budget so did not take it
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      07-07-2015, 05:37 AM   #17
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I have tried both and could never go back to non-adaptive on UK roads. Just such an improved car - and I am a family driver (so no boy racer)
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      07-07-2015, 06:02 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tameautumn View Post
I have tried both and could never go back to non-adaptive on UK roads. Just such an improved car - and I am a family driver (so no boy racer)
OK, thanks, budgets dictate though.. I will have to see how the M Sport suspension works out I guess. I figured that though it was slightly lowered an stiffer than normal suspension it would be relative and not actually that hard on the GT (as opposed to the saloon or estate).
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      07-07-2015, 12:15 PM   #19
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I've always spec'ed M Sport suspension on BMWs (various 3 & 5 series). I've never noticed the hard ride some speak of but then I've usually not gone for the largest wheels (apart from 20s on my 5 GT where the whole car is more set for comfort anyway). On my current 3 GT I do have 19" wheels but I have adaptive & xdrive so can't comment on standard M Sport but I would have thought you'd be fine. A lot of it comes down to wheel choice - the newer 3s and 5s all have larger wheels but with higher profile tyres - in the E90s if you specced 19" you'd get 255/35s on the rears where now they are 255/40s - that extra cm in tyre wall height seems to make all the difference (plus the latest RFTs are definitely better). If you've gone for standard M Sport wheels you'll have 18" and certainly won't have any concerns in my view... If you do find it an issue (e.g. if you opt for 20" then an easy fix is to change off of RFTs - personally I wouldn't recommend it due to insurance and hassle of what to do when you get a flat...
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