[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by Tanveer_2558

There is no option in the idrive as well to configure any sports mode settings, You can simply toggle modes, Steering feel and engine response and throttle response will change only according to the mode you have selected.

No, mine used to have, that was the LCI and from 2015 if I am not mistaken. Current X5 also does have, will be a good idea to decode VIN if not done already.

[Tanveer_2558]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

No, mine used to have, that was the LCI and from 2015 if I am not mistaken. Current X5 also does have, will be a good idea to decode VIN if not done already.

I had decoded the VIN the day i decided to buy this particular car.

Screenshot i took just now, Standard suspension.

[Santoshbhat]

Originally Posted by Tanveer_2558

As per my knowledge 520d never came with adaptive dampers, 530d only in the initial batches around 2010-2011 came with adaptive dampers where you had the option in the idrive to select things you want to be in sports mode, M sport variants have stiffer suspension than the non - M sport variant's, But they are not Adaptive.

I remember distinctly that the 5 series came with adaptive dampers in late 2015 since I evaluated the car while buying the X3 and at the time the 5 series came with adaptive dampers just as the X3 did. Other 530d owners can throw some light on this!

Originally Posted by Turbanator

I think, Tanveer is confusing this with M Suspension, If I am not mistaken wherever we can select Chassis and/ Or Engine in Sports mode from iDrive, adaptive dampers should be present. There should be buttons near to the gear lever as well. Unless, my understanding is totally wrong as I always feel chassis firm on Sports mode by default.

Even in models without adaptive dampers the iDrive shows the configure sports menu with drivetrain and chassis options. Dug up this pic from Ganesh's 3GT review which does not come with adaptive dampers

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by Tanveer_2558

I had decoded the VIN the day i decided to buy this particular car.

Do you see this screen?

EDIT - So does it mean that BMW guys were selling just the regular stuff and we guys were having some sort of placebo effect

But, I always feel that my 7 series does not bottom on speed brakers when in sports mode. Let me decode some of previous cars

[graaja]

Originally Posted by Tanveer_2558

I am 100% sure mine isn't adaptive & even GTO's isn't, Matter of fact In India only the first very few initial batches around 2011 got adaptive as far as i know. G30 530d gets adaptive dampers now.

Quoting GTO from his 530D review. Looks like his 530 has adaptive dampers.

Sport Mode - Engage Sport mode when you want to drive like an enthusiast. I engage sport mode on night drives, and whenever I hit the highway. Here, the steering weighs up more and the suspension / dampers firm up. The gearshifts are lightning fast, and usually maintain a lower gear (than comfort) to keep the engine in the meat of the power band. Throttle response is sharp.

When you hit the highway or your favourite ghat section, engage 'Sport' mode. You'll immediately feel the dampers becoming stiffer. Ride quality is now firmer, and the body roll more controlled. Leave aside the driver's seat, I can tell the difference between the two modes from the passenger's chair. The grip levels - as you would imagine from this chassis & fat tyres - are enormous.

Maybe yours does not have adaptive dampers. BMW is quite notorious in juggling features in their cars to a point where it becomes absolutely confusing!

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

Even in models without adaptive dampers the iDrive shows the configure sports menu with drivetrain and chassis options. Dug up this pic from Ganesh's 3GT review which does not come with adaptive dampers

Very good catch. Even in cars without adaptive dampers, the graphics shows the suspensions to be affected by selection of Sports mode.

[Tanveer_2558]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

Do you see this screen?

Like i said before, No option to configure sports mode on idrive.

[#enzowho]

The LCI cars which made it to India came without Adaptive Dampers.
So GTO's has them because it's a Pre-LCI.

[graaja]

Originally Posted by #enzowho

The LCI cars which made it to India came without Adaptive Dampers.
So GTO's has them because it's a Pre-LCI.

Thanks. That explains it then! So in LCI, they brought the digital instrument cluster and adaptive LED headlights and took away the adaptive dampers.

[Santoshbhat]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

Do you see this screen?

EDIT - So does it mean that BMW guys were selling just the regular stuff and we guys were having some sort of placebo effect

But, I always feel that my 7 series does not bottom on speed brakers when in sports mode. Let me decode some of previous cars

Pretty sure it is not a placebo on my X3 atleast. It makes a huge difference to the way the car handles on the highway.

Originally Posted by #enzowho

The LCI cars which made it to India came without Adaptive Dampers.
So GTO's has them because it's a Pre-LCI.

You are right! They silently deleted it in the LCIs which I guess helped them with the discounts. A bit of googling lead me to a couple of active links of the India F10's spec sheet from 2016 and 2017. They only mention "Rough road package". No mention of adaptive anywhere.

https://www.bmw.in/content/dam/bmw/m...s%20Diesel.pdf

https://www.bmw.in/content/dam/bmw/m...ries_Sedan.pdf

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by Tanveer_2558

I had decoded the VIN the day i decided to buy this particular car.
Standard suspension.

I checked the old records, so mine 2014 did not had and nor does the Pre-LCI I had in 2010.

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

Pretty sure it is not a placebo on my X3 atleast. It makes a huge difference to the way the car handles on the highway.

Thankfully I have on the X5 - M- Suspension



Surprisingly there is nothing for the 7 series.

[#enzowho]

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

You are right! They silently deleted it in the LCIs which I guess helped them with the discounts. A bit of googling lead me to a couple of active links of the India F10's spec sheet from 2016 and 2017. They only mention "Rough road package". No mention of adaptive anywhere.

Yup, The package is just taller springs.
I never saw the point of it, just makes the stance ugly.

[Tanveer_2558]

Now that its clear my LCI version did not come with adaptive suspension, Back to the car. (Can't wait for the B6 though)

Buzzing sound like a bunch of utensils!

There was never a moment i have hated this car, Never! Its such a lovely all rounder, But what if i say, It was only because of me that i started hating one of the work i got done on the car!

Rear Tips - Diffuser - Custom Piping - From Sushila Autotechnik(Virar)

A classic example of how even good quality products are no use if the workmanship isn't upto the mark!

I still remember day 1 when i had got the car back with all the work done, The diffuser was very badly installed, gaps everywhere and made it look like a forced aftermarket add on, Sent the car back (Mind you, To and from Virar from my place is roughly 65kms one way) and got the car back looking a bit better but still not perfect.

Roughly after a month the tips at the rear started rattling loudly! So loud that people around would get confused where is the sound coming from. Got in touch with them again and drove down to their workshop (120kms) again to get it fixed and with fingers crossed it wont happen again left from there after a few hours thinking all the niggles from these work are sorted now.

But there was more in store, I was in Pune in the following week with my dad and the tips + piping started rattling again! I got a lovely mouthful from dad asking me where did i get such shoddy work done that i have to get it fixed every couple of weeks? Now imagine your with your dad & the car is making sounds like several utensils crashing into eachother at idle and even when the car is in motion. Apparently the mounts they used were just crappy and they would simply break off every now and then resulting in noises same happened with the tips too. So much for an expensive work job? By no means the work was done for a cheap price!

Got in touch with them again and i was directed to a shop near juhu circle, Went there and it was again said to be fixed and the sound gone.

But this never stopped. Infact i started visiting the shop in juhu every month almost to get rid of the noise from the tips and piping! paid the guy 500 inr almost for every visit and i am guessing till date i have visited him atleast 10 times.

Just few days back i typed down a long message to the owner of the workshop explaining my frustration but well, I never got a reply back. Adding to all of this was, I never got back by stock diffuser and tips! If i would have had my stock pair of tips, I would have bought another set and fixed those! Apparently they misplaced it.

Few days back at the same shop in juhu i visit regularly to get it fixed.


No doubt i love how the car looks with the tips and diffuser, But all of this was nothing more than a headache! Ill be replacing the tips to new ones and the noises should go permanently then.

One of my favourite picture to end this post, Next post hopefully with B6 installed.

[stanjohn123]

There is a lot of confusion with which MY 5 series got the air suspension or not. As per discussions on this thread, it seems pre- LCI like GTO's 2014 530D has it but later models don't get it.

But I would be interested in a car with no air suspension since I'm contemplating getting a used 520D or 530D in (2012-2016 MY) but I would prefer a model without the air suspension as I would like to reduce maintenance costs as much as possible.

So knowing which model year's don't get the air suspensions would be helpful. Is there any other way to find this info out for india specific 5 series ?

[Turbanator]

None of the 5 series get Air Suspension, most of the discussions happening are relating to M- suspension which was given on some MY. Nothing to worry about suspension on any of the old 5 series.

[GT3]

Originally Posted by stanjohn123

There is a lot of confusion with which MY 5 series got the air suspension or not. As per discussions on this thread, it seems pre- LCI like GTO's 2014 530D has it but later models don't get it.

But I would be interested in a car with no air suspension since I'm contemplating getting a used 520D or 530D in (2012-2016 MY) but I would prefer a model without the air suspension as I would like to reduce maintenance costs as much as possible.

So knowing which model year's don't get the air suspensions would be helpful. Is there any other way to find this info out for india specific 5 series ?

AFAIK the 5 Series never came with air suspension in India. It had adaptive dampers which had oil filled dampers.