C's Bimmer

I got the 18" 123 OEM wheels with my 530xi. It's true that the sport steering wheel, 20 way Comfort Sport Seats and Shadowline trim do make up a lot for the sport package on my car, but not having the ARS or the calibrated sport suspension is something I dearly miss. As for the 18" wheels, they were ok, but the runflats just suck. I ended up swapping the runflats for Blizzaks and made the 18's my winter set-up. It couldn't be a better set-up! I eat Audi's for dinner now.

I ended up going with 19" wheels and regular, non-runflat tires for summer and the car drives so much better. As for the springs, it's night and day. The car handles so much better around cornering. The roll/sway has also been limited with the new wheels (wider wheel in the rear) and the springs. As for it voiding any warranty, I wouldn't worry. I took my car in recently to have something fixed and the service manager came out and clearly knew that I had lowered the car with H&R springs. In fact, he asked me how I liked the ride and if he could take it around the lot for a spin. Ha!

I suggest that ALL xi owners get these springs installed on their cars, especially if they have the sport package. It completes the look and gets the car more in-line with the standard sport package on the RWD cars.

PS - Rick - If you come to the meet on July 8th, you can drive my car and see what you think. Just don't expect any twin turbo's to be kicking in.

iversonm

You're absolutely right. I'll rephrase it:

The xi will feel *slightly* more ponderous than the i. The difference will be small.

It will be more noticable if you get the sport package, as the upgraded suspension is not available.

iversonm

The explanation that the difference is due to gearing ratios does not entirely make sense. the xi has a lower final drive ration (3.46) when compared to the i (3.64). This should make the car slower to 60, not faster. The added weight and rotating mass will also slow it down.

The real reason for the 0.1s difference is that the i needs two shifts to reach 60.

This is not obvious on paper. In theory, 2nd gear readlines at 63.2 mph on the i, and hits 60 around 6750 rpm. However, 6750 rpm is well past the torque peak of the engine, and it would be faster to get back into the 300 ft-lb. area of the torque curve.

The xi will readline at 66.5 mph in second, and hits 60 at about 6200 rpm, where the torque curve has not fallen off as much.

In general, compared to a typical NA motor, the turbo motor runs out of steam at high rpms.

sleepyca31

WHy dont the XI versions-sport just come with a super stiff anti-rollbar set? I mean what downside is there to this-maybe it would take away from the "feelibility" of the road at slow speeds but if you are buying a sport package shouldnt you be offered SOMETHING decent in the increased handling department. Why not do this?

cvb

I wish I knew...Not sure if its a technical thing (like the XDrive hardware makes it impossible to "fit" the sport suspension pieces or the XDrive weight/positioning does not play well with the sport suspension) or if it is a bad marketing decision (buyers who want AWD want security and safety and not sportiness). If it's the later, you'd think they'd at least keep the option avaialable.

I guess the question is if the OEM springs will fit into an xi?

aybeesea

Marketing decisions have to be made.

How many would they sell as a percentage of the entire market.

For example, in UK BMW do not offer a RH drive version of e60 XDrive. It doesn't make economic sense to be "tooled up" for the few they'd sell.

ABC

cvb

Even so, that would just mean dealreships would not want to order them this way for their stock, but BMW could still offer it for cars built to order. That's how I would order mine if they would just let me.

sleepyca31

Thats what I am saying-I think the new active anti-sway bar or whatever does not groove with all wheel setup but there is no way a straight up stiffer sway bar would not fit. And stiffer springs would also obviously fit since they are usually the same size only stiffer unless your lowering the car which the sport package does not.

Go figure-atleast its not just the USA this time that misses out on some options like every other cool option out there! Ill never get an XI so doesnt matter but isnt the sport package just as expensive on the Xi-so that is a rip for the Xi folks and not fair especially if they dont really understand that they are not getting much for the dough

cvb

no, the sport package on the XI is a lot less than on the i.

sleepyca31

oh well than wahts all the complainin about jk-that aint bad then though-guess you could just upgrade your own crap with the money ou save. So what do you get-a new steering wheel and rims-sweeet SPORTS package hahahah