Raighne

On various threads, I have seen some of you comment that having Comfort Seats can make the harshness of the RFT ride-quality somewhat more tolerable.

What I can't figure out is if those of you who commented on this were being ironic or not...

Is there any truth in this?

ipp

I have comfort seats and I've never noticed a problem with RFTs. I think that issue is hyped.

MrTrilby

Comfort seats make everything more tolerable! I'm not convinced they make a huge amount of difference to the ride though.

caveat: I don't have a big problem with RFTs though either - they're a bit nastier over concrete surfaces and noisier than they should be, but I can drive home with a puncture without needing to stop - seems a fair trade.

AP Sales

I have comfort seats and have run with the original RFTs and current non-RFT snow tires. Honestly, I couldn't tell the difference between the comfort of the ride when I switched tires. All this rumble about ride quality with RFTs seems overblown to me. P.S. Comfort seats are definately worth the cost if you drive many miles.

Raighne

Trust me. It's not hyped...
Depends on a few things though (i) the quality of the road surface (ii) suspension choice (iii) Tyre Profile /Wheel size

I have an E90 with non-sports suspension, 17" wheels with Potenzas. I know this can't be compared to the E60... (maybe the E60 is better as the E90 is a very different style of car). The RFTs on my car are really bad on our roads. I'm not making it up.
My partner want to go in long drives in the car as it makes her feel sick; I don't notice it quite as much but I don't feel the car is planted and have to keep a firm grip the steering. I sometimes feel drained after driving on poor roads and hitting a ridge or pothole can be terrifying.

There is no hype. It's a very real problem but you will experience it to greater or less degrees depending on your car model, roads, tyre size (even brand) and suspension choice. As some point in the permutation, you end up with a ride that is much too compromised.

Anyway, that another topic and one that comes up on this forum on a regular basis... my real question was if comfort seats make life better for those who suffer the harsh ride of RFTs.
If you don't find the run-flat ride annoying then I'm happy for you ;-)

ipp

No I'm not ... I've experience from my std 17" 530d, and from my girlfriend's dad's 18" 535d M-Sport. Both car has comfort seats.

About the comfort seats.. They are worth it. I didn't know how the sport seats felt until yesterday when were at the dealer to order a new 530. I was thinkin of switch to sport seats because of the M-Pack, the price for the comfort seats are the same even if you've paid for the sport seats with the M-Pack.

My biggest problem is the you have very bad support for the upper back and the headrest is way too far from the head.

subterFUSE

I have Comfort Seats, and switched from RFT to Michelin PS2 tires.

Night vs. Day difference in ride quality.



The issue of the RFT tires has nothing to do with the seats. RFT tires just get harsh and noisy after about 10,000 miles.

With the Michelin tires, my car rides smoother and is much more quiet.



Comfort seats RULE, though. Get them just for the comfort.

aybeesea

I don't perceive a problem and continue to live in blissful ignorance until I somehow discover the "error of my ways".

Oh. And the Missus doesn't have an issue as either a passenger or driver.

But this thread is about opinions and there will be no outcome or consensus.

ABC

Hawkwing

Raighne, as there is a known 'sensitivity' within the household emanating from 'they whom must be obeyed' (and the indifferent road surfaces in Ireland) would it not make sense to stick with the SE (ditch the M-Sport suspension harshness) and add the dynamic drive option - and, to keep in the good books with your partner add the comfort seats too! - Really, the comfort seats are light years in front of the standard or sports seats for support and comfort in any given situation IMO that is, and it seems of others here too.

As for the RFT's, you can always make a switch to non-RFT's later if you felt this was the way to go.......................

jagman

I have driven an E90 with RFT's it was lent to me by my local BMW dealer for three days, it felt like I was driving on wheels made of wood,I could not believe how hard the ride was ( standard base saloon) and when I got back into my E61 with RFT's, my car felt so much better, there was no comparison in the rides and my car is a Sport version.

Yes, I do have comfort seats and I think they do enhance the overall driving experience (you would hope so for the cost) and I do believe they soak up some of the harshness of the ride, but not all.

The roads in Ireland I know are not brilliant ( I've driven on them many times) I certainly wouldn't suggest the Sport version with RFT's to be best suited but mainly due to the firmness of the suspension.

Go to your local dealer and try some variants and see what is best suited for you and the way you drive, it's your money and your decision.