Active Steering
12-25-2005, 06:00 AM
#21
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My Ride: 2014 X5 xDrive 5.0 M Package Carbon Black Metallic/2008 M Roadster Imola Red
In my humble experience, most car critics that have criticised active steering also dislike iDrive. I think both features are innovative but, most importantly, require a learning curve. My car has AS and I fing it especially useful in underground parking lots. Unfortunately it is an expensive option and was bundled with the sports package (in Canada). Would I order it as a stand-alone feature? Probably not. Do I appreciate its capabilities? Absolutely.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.
12-25-2005, 06:02 AM
#22
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My Ride: 2005 545i Titanium Silver/Black/Poplar: Steptronic, Sport, Cold Weather, Premium Sound, Comfort Seats, Sat Radio, NAV & Shades
I think it's great. I drove a 525i w/o it rently and I noticed a big difference in steering. Active Steering just makes it much easier for mauevering. The fact that the M5 doesn't have it, to me is irrelevant. That is a whoe different beast and I don't think it's engineering principles are the same as other 5 series cars.
12-25-2005, 07:30 AM
#23
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My Ride: 2005 545i (SMG)
Titanium Gray
Black Interior, Anthracite Trim
M-tech kit
Sport Package
Premium Sound
Satellite Radio
Active Cruise
Comfort Seats
Navigation
Folding rear seats
Aviod it. Something else that can break. You gotta wonder why the ///M guys decided to skip it in the M5. It doesn't feel "natural" when you're going slow and making turns. Sometimes you don't know how much to correct and you will need to get used to it. It's not worth it IMHO.
Just some comments I want to make on this:
I have a 2005 545 SMG with Sports Package. As such, my car came with Active Steering... which was included with the Sport Package on 2005 models.
My impression? I LOVE Active Steering. Absolutely love it.
Active Steering is not something you notice when you drive a car that has it.
You notice it after you have been using it for a while, and then drive a car without it.
Instantly, you find that driving at slow speeds requires far more effort to steer.
Making a turn at a traffic light or stop sign, you must remove your hands from the wheel to get the added turns to complete the turn. With AS, I never take my hands off or 9 'oclock and 3 oclock.
When I heard that the M5 was not offering Active Steering, I was disappointed. I love my AS so much.. and my name is on the M5 list... but I wanted to have AS on the M.
That is.... until a couple of weekends ago... when I drove an M5 at the BMW performance center.
The M Servotronic steering is AMAZING. Absolutely the BEST thing about the M5, in my opinion. The steering is speed-sensitive, and the ratio is very quick and responsive. The steering wheel feels so loose, and is so easy to turn quickly... when compared to my 545... it makes the M feel like such a lightweight car.
I now understand why AS is not available on the M5. Servotronic is just awesome. Hands down. It has to be driven to be understood. But there would be no looking back for me.
So... does this mean I don't like AS anymore? No... it just means I understand why it is not available on the M5.
If I was not getting an M5, and had to get a 550 next... I think I would still get Active Steering.
12-25-2005, 08:25 AM
#24
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Here in Canada, when we order the sports package the car doesn't come with AS, so I decided to get all options except for AS and rear side airbag ...
The reason is, I let my wife drive my car (not very often but I do
) and I didn't want her, when switching between vechiles with and without AS to hit something - even something as small as scratching my rims ...
BTW, I love the way the 5 drives without AS, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't drive as well with!
The reason is, I let my wife drive my car (not very often but I do
) and I didn't want her, when switching between vechiles with and without AS to hit something - even something as small as scratching my rims ... BTW, I love the way the 5 drives without AS, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't drive as well with!
12-25-2005, 08:51 AM
#25
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My Ride: My ex-ride: EU '08 LCI 520dA. Space Grey, Sport Seats in Black Leather/Fabric Anthracite, Sport Steering Wheel, A/C with Extended Features, Hi-Fi Speakers, Cup Holders, Cruise with Braking function, Folding Rear Seats, Xenons, Park Distance Control.
I am really happy with my car that doesn't hve AS.
I did testdrive a 525i with AS and it was pretty handy in the city
and whilst parking in thight spots.
But as said, I mange great without it.
I did testdrive a 525i with AS and it was pretty handy in the city
and whilst parking in thight spots.
But as said, I mange great without it.
12-25-2005, 09:18 AM
#27
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My Ride: 535d Eccelsa, 05 2005 (built 12-04), sapphireblack, beige dakota leather, electric seats, poplar wood trim, sport suspension, 124 style 18" alloys, differentiated f/r runflat tyres, steptronic, adaptive light control, bi-xenon, BMW PRO nav, cd, cd changer, electric-foldable and automatic antidazzle rear mirrors, automatic antidazzle internal rear mirror, adjustable central armrest, BT, Hifi Professional LOGIC7 , extended functions aircon, full lighting package, green comfort fascia on windshield, PDC park distance control, voice control, CPT9000 car phone, BMW Assist, BMW On-line, BMW Tracking, alarm system, programmable remote controls.
After almost 18 months with an AS equipped ED60 (at first a 530d, now 535d) I'm not yet fully accustomed to it. Downtown or along very twisty roads (mountains and hilly roads, especially), it works great, but when you drive very fast along highways, up to 130 mph and above, definitively you need to change your habits otherwise you're lost. I feel that, in those situations, you have to turn your steering wheel more than usual; if you don't, the car developes a tendency to understeer and that is not a behaviour you expect from her. This is even more appreciable driving in wet or icy conditions, when you develope a natural tendency to drive softly and do not "force" the steering wheel in order to avoid any loss of traction. It's true that, if you use the steering wheel aggressively, the chassis and suspension of the E60 react very well, so it's more a matter of being used to the strange feeling of AS than any real disadvantage, but the feeling I receive from it is not what I would like to have, considering the very high performance and speed reached by a chipped 535d!
12-25-2005, 09:35 AM
#28
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My Ride: 2008 M5 -- Exterior: Silverstone, Interior: Black. Fully Loaded. That just about sums it up! :-)
So there you have it...
The votes are in and......"Undecided"!
Clearly there is no way to please everyone. Personally I enjoy having it. I definitely do notice a difference during low speed manuvers and parking.
The votes are in and......"Undecided"!
Clearly there is no way to please everyone. Personally I enjoy having it. I definitely do notice a difference during low speed manuvers and parking.
12-25-2005, 10:27 AM
#29
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My Ride: 2007 530i, white/black manual, sports package, nav, PDC, etc.
Does your car have Servotronic steering assist? Here in the US, all non-AS cars now come with Servotronic, which IMO also robs the steering a road feel.
Had AS on my first E60. I found it vague at speed. I didn't order it on my current E60 and don't miss it a bit. I find my current car's steering feels superb at speed with loads of feel. AS is a waste of money IMHO.
[/quote]
Try it and see what you think. Personally I *love* active steering. Whether it was or wasn't on the //M is not really relevant - it's not an apples to apples comparison, and other features such as dynamic drive didn't make the M either and most owners who have that seem to love it. And personally I wouldn't read too much into the reviews - a lot of them were done early in the E60's life, and the system has changed a lot since then with software updates. Plus half the time the writers claiming this or that want to make you think they are better drivers than the BMW engineers who develop this stuff.... If you've never has AS you can definitely live without it - but once you've had it you'll miss it every tiime you drive a non-AS car.
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12-25-2005, 11:24 AM
#30
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My Ride: 2001 BMW330ci, Steel Gray, Black leather, Steptronic, PP, SP, PDC, Heated seats, Xenon head lights, HK, 6 disk changer, OEM alarm, OEM clears,Iice white fog lights ,Universal trasnciver, 17 inch Michelin Pilot Sport Tires
2005 530i Titanium Gray,Black leather, Nav.,HUD,PP,CWP,SP,PDC,Xenon lights,Steptronic,Logic 7 sound system,,Fold down read seats,Power shades
ON ORDER
In my 99 323i BMW the road feeling felt great at higher speeds thru the steering.In my 2001 330ci when I first had the car the road feel was very bad at higher speeds,I had the steering retrofit done and IMO very little inprovement as a matter of fact the difference was so mi nute it wasn't worth the time it took to have the retrofit done. In the MY 05 530i IMO its the best of both worlds, the road feel is very good at high speeds and the parking is a snap.Good luck if you have it or if you don't. I love AS
cheers
vern
cheers
vern