F30 M Sport Handling vs Ride Comfort
Discussion
I have a 2016 330D M Sport Plus that I got in January this year. I have driven it a fair amount in that time, around 4000 miles and I am beginning to think that it's handling/ride comfort trade off is a bit crap.
It is on 19" wheels with run flats and the M sport suspension, so the ride is definitely on the firm side. You really feel it when you hit deep ruts and while most things don't unsettle it I'd say the ride is about as firm as I would put up with for this sort of car.
That's obviously all made up for when you are cornering though and the car corners nice and flat and handles well. Herein lies the problem though, I don't think the car corners very flat all, it feels like there is quite a lot of body roll, much more than I would expect given how firm the car rides. In terms of handling, it's not bad really. I can achieve quite decent corner speeds and the car feels well planted when you want it to. It's just that while all of this is going on, I feel like I'm rocking about in the cabin quite a bit more than I would like. With most of the other cars I have had, it's usually been a rule of thumb that the stiffer the car/harsher the ride the less body roll you get. It feels like with this car that I am getting a bit too much of the worst of both worlds.
Any other owners feel the same? My car is around 40k miles so I'd like to hope suspension wear isn't a factor here.
ETA - It is a saloon by the way.
It is on 19" wheels with run flats and the M sport suspension, so the ride is definitely on the firm side. You really feel it when you hit deep ruts and while most things don't unsettle it I'd say the ride is about as firm as I would put up with for this sort of car.
That's obviously all made up for when you are cornering though and the car corners nice and flat and handles well. Herein lies the problem though, I don't think the car corners very flat all, it feels like there is quite a lot of body roll, much more than I would expect given how firm the car rides. In terms of handling, it's not bad really. I can achieve quite decent corner speeds and the car feels well planted when you want it to. It's just that while all of this is going on, I feel like I'm rocking about in the cabin quite a bit more than I would like. With most of the other cars I have had, it's usually been a rule of thumb that the stiffer the car/harsher the ride the less body roll you get. It feels like with this car that I am getting a bit too much of the worst of both worlds.
Any other owners feel the same? My car is around 40k miles so I'd like to hope suspension wear isn't a factor here.
ETA - It is a saloon by the way.
Edited by Al U on Tuesday 28th April 23:17
I have a 66 plate 335d. I changed the 19” with Pirelli PZero, for 18” Goodyear Efficient grip. Both runflats. I found the ride comfort better, but it was not that harsh on 19”. Depends where you live, in the South East of England the roads are terrible. In North Wales, the roads are much better looked after. I feel no need for suspension changes, nor going to non-runflats.
Pica-Pica said:
I have a 66 plate 335d. I changed the 19” with Pirelli PZero, for 18” Goodyear Efficient grip. Both runflats. I found the ride comfort better, but it was not that harsh on 19”. Depends where you live, in the South East of England the roads are terrible. In North Wales, the roads are much better looked after. I feel no need for suspension changes, nor going to non-runflats.
I could put up with the ride comfort, like I say it is firm but not terrible. I just would expect a stiffer car in the corners for how firm it rides if that makes sense.I guess I have just had cars that corner flatter in the past and I'll have to live with it and maybe get non-run flats to get a bit of suppleness back from the ride.
PorkInsider said:
It's the runflats. They're ridiculously harsh and unforgiving.
I used to look forward to putting my (non-runflats) winter wheels on each year when I had an F30 330d just to get the runflats off.
The car will need new tyres in the next 6 months (assuming I start driving to work again) so may take a punt on non-run flats.I used to look forward to putting my (non-runflats) winter wheels on each year when I had an F30 330d just to get the runflats off.
I've got the F31 , so heavier, with the Adaptive M Sport Suspension option and your experience seems to resemble my "sport mode."
It's not the automotive slippers of "comfort mode," but whilst sharper doesn't really feel it's handling as it should.
I'd be confident that switching to a decent performance tire will help. I've not done that, but on the previous E generation., such a change made a difference.
On the E generation the best tires I had were the Michelin Pilot Sport 4
It's not the automotive slippers of "comfort mode," but whilst sharper doesn't really feel it's handling as it should.
I'd be confident that switching to a decent performance tire will help. I've not done that, but on the previous E generation., such a change made a difference.
On the E generation the best tires I had were the Michelin Pilot Sport 4
PorkInsider said:
Is it X-Drive, by any chance?
They have softer, longer springs as far as I can recall - SE spec' on all models with X-D I think?
I've just got a price to replace my 35DXdrives springs from the standard SE springs to AC Schnitzer Suspension springs and will be having that done when we are safetly out of lockdownThey have softer, longer springs as far as I can recall - SE spec' on all models with X-D I think?
Smuler said:
I've got the F31 , so heavier, with the Adaptive M Sport Suspension option and your experience seems to resemble my "sport mode."
It's not the automotive slippers of "comfort mode," but whilst sharper doesn't really feel it's handling as it should.
I'd be confident that switching to a decent performance tire will help. I've not done that, but on the previous E generation., such a change made a difference.
On the E generation the best tires I had were the Michelin Pilot Sport 4
My car is on Bridgestone Potenza's S001 which I think they class as a performance tyre.It's not the automotive slippers of "comfort mode," but whilst sharper doesn't really feel it's handling as it should.
I'd be confident that switching to a decent performance tire will help. I've not done that, but on the previous E generation., such a change made a difference.
On the E generation the best tires I had were the Michelin Pilot Sport 4
Again I don't think the handling is particularly bad, I just think there is a lot of body roll considering how stiff the car feels when it isn't cornering if that makes sense.
Edited by Al U on Wednesday 29th April 12:38
I have an F31 335d, I originally had 18’s with run flats when I bought the car and found the ride harsh, preferred the look of 19”, so swapped to 19” but with non-run flats and the ride marginally improved but still poor, as I do 20-25k miles I wanted comfort so now have 18’s with non-run flats and the ride is massively improved. Also think the car handles better, though that could be the 18’s have Michelin PS4? It defiantly feels happier on 18’s
Before you even said it, I said to myself, bet he has the bridgestones.
And sure enough... You do indeed.
I have a F31 330D xDrive at the moment. The suspension, for better cornering with less roll, its the AC springs that get spoken about a lot. I'm not bothered myself, mostly in the city or motorway and I can put the car round a corner plenty quick enough without getting upset by how it leans a bit. I'm not putting it on a track and I'm not keeping it forever.
The tyres, I've managed to get my rears to goodyear assy 3's RFT. The front bridgestones are switching to them too as soon as theyre worn out.
Those bridgestones are just hideous.
And sure enough... You do indeed.
I have a F31 330D xDrive at the moment. The suspension, for better cornering with less roll, its the AC springs that get spoken about a lot. I'm not bothered myself, mostly in the city or motorway and I can put the car round a corner plenty quick enough without getting upset by how it leans a bit. I'm not putting it on a track and I'm not keeping it forever.
The tyres, I've managed to get my rears to goodyear assy 3's RFT. The front bridgestones are switching to them too as soon as theyre worn out.
Those bridgestones are just hideous.
F31 330d M-Sport here too, S Drive. Changed to Michelin PS4's within weeks of ownership from Bridgestone RFT. Made a big difference for me. Ride is still not 'refined' as such and requires concentration to avoid jarring on some (most) of the poor quality roads where I am.
Most likely it is on the harsh side for the UK, although this is a non issue on German roads....
Most likely it is on the harsh side for the UK, although this is a non issue on German roads....
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