Didn't the reps tell you during the Ultimate Driving Experience that the E90 was the first car (or first BMW at least) whose suspension was designed especially for run flats?

Sounds like marketing mumbo jumbo, but that's probably why the E90's RFTs felt fine during the AutoX. The E60's suspension was not designed for RFTs.

 

Yeah, I think I remember them mentioning something like that.

What about the brand of runflats?..........could that have something to do with the difference in performance? I know the E90's at the UDE had Bridgestones. I am pretty sure that 2006 model E60's and E63's have Bridgestones as well (my friend's 2006 650 convertible has Bridgestones), while mine has Dunlops. What brand are the runflats that are on your car?........Dunlops or Bridgestones?

 

Isn't that like taking a fit rottweiler to a greyhound race?

I have some tight 2nd gear twisties on my daily commute and when I'm in a, shall we say dynamic, mood the E60 does OK but you can feel that this ain't its purpose in life...

--
Przemek

 

Yeah i have Dunlops too. Maybe other RFT brands are better...?

 

In the E60 brochure, I don't see any pics of the car in snow....the E60 wasn't designed to perform well in snow, so its purpose isn't to drive in the snow.

Should I never drive the car when it snows?

If I do drive it in snow, I realize its not ideal, but am I not allowed to be disappointed?

Get my point? I don't see anything wrong with taking my car to the AutoX or track once in a while.

BMW tests all their cars (even the X5) on the Nurburgring or other tracks. That's gotta count for something...

 

No thanks to RFs (soon to change) and AS (wich i feel the same way about it+it's just a thing that can go wrong+tire geometry with AS aouch...)

 

Dear jet190rs,

Must have been a heck of an fun!

Overhere our BMW Club Finland also arranges these track days!

The M's usually rules the common races and the race series is ruled
by ol' beuties.

My 525iA on the track - not !

 

Don't get me wrong - I don't see any problem with doing it and I plan to give mine a work out in something similar we have locally. I'm just not surprised that you found it wasn't a stellar performer. I don't know much about AutoX's but I would think most would be way tighter than the Ring. The E60 is entertaining on sweeping bends or while banging down an autobahn at 100 mph+. A tight course isn't its cup of tea.

--
Przemek

 

I?m not sure I get the idea of this Autocross thing right. What kind of cars are getting into this, how much modding is allowed in a class, are there any weight, displacement or hp limits? How can Miatas and MR2 rule the show, looking at the results list? If just stock versions are allowed, M3?s and Porsches should leave everyone behind. Anyway, it is pretty clear to me, that a 1700+kg sedan just can?t be on top of things in a short-track race highly depending on handling properties, RFTs or not, so why bother taking part in it and losing....????

 

It's all about handling as most of the time, you don't get out of 2nd gear. In stock trim, the e46 m3 actually doesn't do that well in it's class.

Can't answer for the original poster, but one reason to do it is that it's fun.