Drifting on the Highway
07-07-2006, 08:11 PM
#1
Contributors
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Davidson, North Carolina
Posts: 1,087
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: On Order as of May 6- 2007 530i Titanium Grey and Grey Leather, with Sport Package, Premium Pkg, Cold Pkg.
2006 Porsche Boxster
Well I had the pleasure of driving my three week old 530i on a road trip from New Jersey to North Carolina.
It was the first significant distance drive for my beauty on the highway and I seemed to notice it was rather hard to keep on track. It seemed to drift in the lane. After a few hours my fiancee took over and noticed the same behavior. At the next stop at the gas station I pulled out the guage and found the tires were filled to 46 PSI!
I thoght holy fock! 
Looked at the manual and it clearly stated 29 PSI front (Cold) and 36 rear. Slightly higher for more passangers and higher speeds of over 100 mph. But this is the US and I rarely get the chance to pull speeds that high and not for any length of time.
Needless to say I dropped the pressure a bit and it drove like a dream.
Anyone have the same experience?
It was the first significant distance drive for my beauty on the highway and I seemed to notice it was rather hard to keep on track. It seemed to drift in the lane. After a few hours my fiancee took over and noticed the same behavior. At the next stop at the gas station I pulled out the guage and found the tires were filled to 46 PSI!
I thoght holy fock! Looked at the manual and it clearly stated 29 PSI front (Cold) and 36 rear. Slightly higher for more passangers and higher speeds of over 100 mph. But this is the US and I rarely get the chance to pull speeds that high and not for any length of time.Needless to say I dropped the pressure a bit and it drove like a dream.
Anyone have the same experience?
07-07-2006, 08:25 PM
#2
Senior Members
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 1,174
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: I have a 2007 Black Sapphire BMW 530i with SMG. It has the auburn interior, has PDC, Sports Package, Premium Package, rear automatic sunshades with manual side sunshades, 35% black tint, Upgraded angeleyes from Angelibrights, and Logic 7 Sound System
Model Year: 2007
sorry, not yet.
07-07-2006, 09:40 PM
#3
Contributors
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 7,363
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: 2007 E63 AMG | Obsidian Black | Schwarzes Nappa | Black BirdEye Maple | Premium II Package | Electronic Trunk Closer | Parktronic
Engine: RPi/Powerchips custom ECU tune, RPi Ram Air Kit (BMC filter, scoops), RennTech Sport exhaust, secondary cats, charcoal and resonator delete, custom AAA x-pipe
Exterior: 50% side windows / 35% rear window Formula One Pinnacle Series | Flat AMG hood emblem
Suspension: Renntech Lowering Module
Wheels/Tires: Radenergie R10, Falken FK452 245/30/20, Yokohama ADVAN Sport 285/25/20
-----------------------------------------
2005 545i Sport SMG | Ti Grau | Schwarzes Dakota | Anthracite Maple | Logic 7 | Nav
Engine: Custom AFE CAI, Superchips ECU remap, Sprint Booster, RDSport Dual Exhaust Conversion with Quad Pipes and X-pipe, 3 resonators deleted, 90mm tips!
Exterior: M-Tech Aero kit | M5 Mirrors | M5 Rear Bumper | Trunk Lid Finisher | Vorsteiner decklid spoiler | 50% Formula One Pinnacle Tint
Suspension and Brakes: Bilstein PSS9 coilovers, JBT BBK: 16" cross-drilled rotors, 8 piston and 15" cross-drilled rotors, 4 piston
Wheels: VIP Modular VR 02 20x9F, 20x10R | Toyo T1R 245/30/20F, 285/25/20R
Lights: PIAA 4150K Xtreme White Plus fog lights, AIB v3
MOST IMPORTANT: Hardwired V1; =)
ED Date: 4/7/05, Re-delivery date: 5/21/05
Originally Posted by nickolas_g' post='308161' date='Jul 7 2006, 09:11 PM
Well I had the pleasure of driving my three week old 530i on a road trip from New Jersey to North Carolina.
It was the first significant distance drive for my beauty on the highway and I seemed to notice it was rather hard to keep on track. It seemed to drift in the lane. After a few hours my fiancee took over and noticed the same behavior. At the next stop at the gas station I pulled out the guage and found the tires were filled to 46 PSI! I thoght holy fock! Looked at the manual and it clearly stated 29 PSI front (Cold) and 36 rear. Slightly higher for more passangers and higher speeds of over 100 mph. But this is the US and I rarely get the chance to pull speeds that high and not for any length of time.
Needless to say I dropped the pressure a bit and it drove like a dream.
Anyone have the same experience?
It was the first significant distance drive for my beauty on the highway and I seemed to notice it was rather hard to keep on track. It seemed to drift in the lane. After a few hours my fiancee took over and noticed the same behavior. At the next stop at the gas station I pulled out the guage and found the tires were filled to 46 PSI!
I thoght holy fock! Looked at the manual and it clearly stated 29 PSI front (Cold) and 36 rear. Slightly higher for more passangers and higher speeds of over 100 mph. But this is the US and I rarely get the chance to pull speeds that high and not for any length of time.Needless to say I dropped the pressure a bit and it drove like a dream.
Anyone have the same experience?
07-08-2006, 03:18 AM
#4
Senior Members
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Bucharest, Romania
Posts: 6,458
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes. Air under heat expands same pretty much for all other gases (yes even N2) but air expands more. So to check the pressure exactly after you've pulled over from a highway journey is not a correct way to get an acurate reading. None the less that doesn't mean your tires were overinflated. But it's in a way too much to say that car drifts on a highway? I mean come on...maybe gets slightly more instable but drift?!
07-08-2006, 05:39 AM
#5
Contributors
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Davidson, North Carolina
Posts: 1,087
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: On Order as of May 6- 2007 530i Titanium Grey and Grey Leather, with Sport Package, Premium Pkg, Cold Pkg.
2006 Porsche Boxster
Originally Posted by BetterMakeWay' post='308228' date='Jul 8 2006, 07:18 AM
Yes. Air under heat expands same pretty much for all other gases (yes even N2) but air expands more. So to check the pressure exactly after you've pulled over from a highway journey is not a correct way to get an acurate reading. None the less that doesn't mean your tires were overinflated. But it's in a way too much to say that car drifts on a highway? I mean come on...maybe gets slightly more instable but drift?!
All I can report is what my fiancee and myself felt when driving it. The next morning I reset the tires to the correct cold PSI per the manual and it drives great now.
07-08-2006, 05:45 AM
#6
Members
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Charlotte, NC USA
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: ED '07 530 soon to replace my ML500
previous: '00 540i6, '98 V70T-5, '95 318i, '89 Jetta, '79 Beetle Conv.
Nick,
I just drove from Charlotte, NC to the SC coast (~200mi) this past Monday, and returning in a few hrs.
Next month I will be driving from NC to Maine.
FWIW over 4 BMWs (and 4 VWs) I use the 100mph setting for trips and return the inflation to normal upon return. I usually have four of us and heavily load and traveling at night esp NC-Maine I can run high speed.
I only notice the "drifiting" you mention on rutted roads (SC) solely due to the low profile tires.
Hope you enjoyed your time here.
I just drove from Charlotte, NC to the SC coast (~200mi) this past Monday, and returning in a few hrs.
Next month I will be driving from NC to Maine.
FWIW over 4 BMWs (and 4 VWs) I use the 100mph setting for trips and return the inflation to normal upon return. I usually have four of us and heavily load and traveling at night esp NC-Maine I can run high speed.
I only notice the "drifiting" you mention on rutted roads (SC) solely due to the low profile tires.
Hope you enjoyed your time here.
07-08-2006, 06:22 AM
#7
Contributors
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Jose, California, USA
Posts: 4,119
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: 2008 Porsche 911 Carrera S Convertible. Midnight Blue, 6 Speed.Retired - 2007 997 Carrera S, Midnight Blue, Grey leather, premium audioRetired - 2007 550i, Monaco Blue over Beige, Navigation, Logic 7, Cold Weather Pack, Comfort Access, Sport Package
Model Year: 2008
Yep, mine were over inflated too. I followed Ray Hull's advice and dropped them to just over the minimum recommended pressures and it made a big improvement as you say.
07-08-2006, 09:07 AM
#8
Senior Members
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Northern NJ
Posts: 630
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I picked up my car from Atlanta on 6/30 and drove it to Fayetteville, NC approx 450 miles and the initial interstate ride was very smooth, so smooth that when I was doing 80mph it felt like I was only doing 40, 50mph.
After a week in NC I drove my car from there to NJ approx 620 miles. The drive was similar very smooth, despite the rough roads in SC and parts of NC. Maybe because I don't have the SP or lower profile tires than 50.
I got a total of 1210 miles on my car as of now. My break in period was a quick one
In the end I didn't notice any *drifting* on my journey. I didn't check the psi on my tires but according to the tire label it says that the max psi is in the 51 range.
After a week in NC I drove my car from there to NJ approx 620 miles. The drive was similar very smooth, despite the rough roads in SC and parts of NC. Maybe because I don't have the SP or lower profile tires than 50.
I got a total of 1210 miles on my car as of now. My break in period was a quick one
In the end I didn't notice any *drifting* on my journey. I didn't check the psi on my tires but according to the tire label it says that the max psi is in the 51 range.
07-08-2006, 02:47 PM
#9
Senior Members
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 2,074
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: '05 545i - scheduled for ED pickup in Munich on 7/22!
07-08-2006, 07:11 PM
#10
Contributors
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: FLA - East Coast, USA
Posts: 3,618
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: (USA) 645Ci, Silver Gray, Chateau, Cold Weather PKG, Premium Sound PKG, Sport PKG, Step, NAV [Std Equip in 645], HUD, Satellite (SIRIUS) Radio, Aux Input, Bluetooth enabled using iPhone 3GS w/ adapter cradle - Build date - 01/05, Baby delivered 2/24/05
It should be well known by all that checking tire pressure is almost number one on any and all new car pick up check lists.
That air pressure is the shipping pressure. Your dealer has not prepped the car properly. They should have let OUT the air pressure to the proper setting. It's usually about 50 PSI as shipped from Germany
That air pressure is the shipping pressure. Your dealer has not prepped the car properly. They should have let OUT the air pressure to the proper setting. It's usually about 50 PSI as shipped from Germany