E46 Diesel Ride Comfort

[cologne2792]

How much difference is there between the M-Sport and SE / ES ?

[AB]

In terms of ride, only difference is the suspension.

M Sport may have larger alloys.

All other differences are cosmetic and won't affect ride.

[littleredrooster]

Before I bought my E46 330d SE a couple of years back, I test-drove one with M-sport suspension. The difference between them was quite marked, I thought, with the M-sport being very firmly damped.

I eventually sold the car because I became tired of the jiggly ride on long motorway journeys, and replaced it with an S-Type which has a much more compliant ride and - IMO - better handling.

[Ozzie Osmond]

IMO a BMW on "sports" suspension is a good car ruined. Ride quality becomes unacceptable on rubbish UK road surfaces.

[Escort3500]

Although the handling is good, the ride of my M-Sport is harsh, it tramlines and has got worse over the last few years as the condition of British roads has deteriorated. I've recently fitted the winter wheels and the ride is noticeably better on 16" rims with higher profile rubber than the standard 18" ones with 40 profile tyres.

[the_lone_wolf]

The new old runaround E46 has 16" wheels and M-sport suspension, it's actually quite a nice ride, firm but not crashy at all...

With 17s or even 18s I think it would be horrible though...

[Sticks.]

I bought the SE 330d some years back. When I parted sold it, it was partly because there was too little support from the seats and too much roll. We now have a 330ci M Sport which I find much better.

Imho it's runflats which really make the ride unreasonably harsh. Btw cured tramlining by having matching brand tyres front and back.

[Escort3500]

Sticks. said:

I bought the SE 330d some years back. When I parted sold it, it was partly because there was too little support from the seats and too much roll. We now have a 330ci M Sport which I find much better.

Imho it's runflats which really make the ride unreasonably harsh. Btw cured tramlining by having matching brand tyres front and back.

Interesting view on tramlining. I had (crappy) Falken 452s all round on the M-Sport rims and the tramlining hasn't got noticeably worse with Falkens on the front and Michelin Sports on the rear, though I'll have Michelins all round when the Falkens wear out.

[cologne2792]

Sticks. said:

I bought the SE 330d some years back. When I parted sold it, it was partly because there was too little support from the seats and too much roll. We now have a 330ci M Sport which I find much better.

Imho it's runflats which really make the ride unreasonably harsh. Btw cured tramlining by having matching brand tyres front and back.

That's very interesting thanks. Do you think the diesel has a stiffer ride due to BMW trying to compensate for the additional weight of the diesel engine over that of the ci ?

[Sticks.]

cologne2792 said:

That's very interesting thanks. Do you think the diesel has a stiffer ride due to BMW trying to compensate for the additional weight of the diesel engine over that of the ci ?

I don't know, but I suspect BMW would have been aiming for them to be as similar as possible. Iirc the diesel did feel a little heavier at the front.

Oddly though, I don't find it as easy to get comfy in the ci as it has electric seats, which don't go so low, I believe (someone will correct me), but that's just me.

I never had any tramlining issues with the 330d on 17s but it was awful on the ci's 18s until we matched all four (Bridgestone) so beware that as a potential extra cost.