To Order AS or Not?

It's been 2-yrs and I am back at the same point where I started...

I purchased a MY05 530i w/o SP back in the fall of 2004 because I had come to the conclusion I did not want AS - at that time as most know AS was wrapped up as part of the Sports Package. My decision was based on what I read and the amount of drift experienced at high speeds during test drives; one car I drove actually floated into a different lane, so I figured AS had an alignment problem / early technological gremlins, etc.). I had owned a BMW 528i w/SP a couple years prior and the steering was dead-on. Bottom line: b/c the AS was wrapped into the SP I was bummed out to say the least.

Comment on non-SP: Although, my MY05 w/o SP is a fantastic car - smooth engine performance, luxurious / comfortable ride, etc.; I still hate the fact that every time I go into a hard curve at decent speed (even w/comfort "thigh hugging" seats) half my body weight finds itself nearer to the IDrive controller than I prefer.

Comments on non-AS: can't complain. Yes, requires a little more elbow action in town/parking lots (relative to AS); however, at speed (note - I am currently stationed in Europe - so @ speed I am talking 90mph and over) and in corners servo-tronic is dead on. I feel very in touch w/the pavement and enjoy knowing that the driver is in control of the wheel.

This week it appears I will be trading up into a MY07 530i - to good of a deal to pass up. Going to get the SP obviously and the other goodies/options that I currently have...actually, that would be pretty much everything except for the non-essentials (HD/Sirius radio, Night Vision, Active Cruise). I ordered Comfort Seats, HUD, Pro-Nav, Logic 7, Cold Wx, Xenon, etc. in my MY05 and cannot do w/o again. To my fortune, Comfort Seats are now standard w/the SP and Xenon is also standard. Will also add comfort access.

Back to Active Steering (AS) - I spent yesterday reading the e60.net threads and am surprised by the large percentage of people who swear by AS..."never do w/o; would buy again; best option; best thing since sliced bread..." I also read UuronL's informative thread essentially reminding us all that we can't discount the role of ARS when discussing decreased turning angles w/AS.

Couple quick questions for MY06/07 owners w/AS:

1. Does your steering wheel move w/o your input at speeds above 60mph on a windy day? or, when crossing uneven pavement (like road / bridge grating)? Any issues when car is tramlining due to wet, snowy/icy, or unsurfaced roads (i.e., like those being repaved).
2. Although your mind may not register it, on a long drive how much of your time is spent moving/correcting the steering wheel?
3. How tight is tight at speed? (i.e., when compared to non-AS)
4. It would also be interesting to know what percentage of you w/AS have spent time at the dealership having your AS serviced, realigned, etc.?


I understand AS is based on preference. It seemed pretty cool at low speeds in town 2-yrs ago during my test drive. The problem I have is there are no 2007 SP cars w/AS available in my area to test drive before ordering. So, the question I am trying to answer for myself is whether to order it or not?

Thx for your input/advice in advance.
v/r

Leo

 

So you will not drive a Atom or a Ferrari

 

pinguhk to be honest, I wouldn't drive or plan to own (even if I can afford it) any of the big sports, quick as a fox cars, like Lambo or Ferrari. Correct me if I'm wrong, but they look very uncomfortable, and when you're that low on the road, I'm pretty sure you will feel every and i mean EVERY imperfections on the road. No no for me, gotta say, I love driving cars with performance, but losing comfort is not my cup of tea at all! I like luxury, performance, and comfort all in one car, and so far the E60 is doing just that for me. And of course you cannot compare E60s and those cars... Still I love my car with the active steering which is the whole topic of the thread anyways.

 

Ferrari 612 Scaglietti is very comfortable.
I am not compare E60s to other cars . I am comparing the AS to other cars.
like you say I'm pretty sure you will feel every and i mean EVERY imperfections on the road.
But not with AS it like a virtual steering, not real, not true steering.
AS is good for parking and tight corners not good for racing or track.
If it is good then why don`t the BMW F1 team use it.

 

I saw in your earlier post that you have never tried AS. I'm sure if you get the chance you would see that your statements here really aren't accurate. AS is a fully mechanical and predictable system, it is absolutely 100% "real, true steering". I do not have AS on my 550 Sport and to be honest I made a mistake in not getting it again (I had it on my 545). Members here have posted that it's not any good on the track, yet in an article in one of the BMW magazines they specifically credited AS with helping during a track event (though the E60 is by no means a "track car" in any event). I do think you need to have experienced something to have an opinion on it!

Oh, and AS isn't on the BMW Sauber F1 car because an F1 car isn't a 4000lb family sedan...

 

Leo,

I think that to judge the influence of AS on our driving style is a bit more complicated than just compare car with or w/o it. First of all, any comparo should be based on identical car, with same engine, suspension set-up, tyres, wheels, even same steering wheel and seats. That because any change in one or more of the options can have a very noticeable effect on the behaviour of your car and, so doing, heavily affect your perception of how AS works.

I had a very bad impression about it until I finally switched to high performance NO-RFT Michelin PS2, had a software update performed and I installed a fattier steeringwheel. After all the mods, I never had any more any chance to criticize AS as I did before the mods. That means that when I complained about the AS as being too light and sensible to roads surface imperfections, it was mainly a matter of poor tyres and poor software setup. Since then, I never complained any more and literally I fell in love with it.

To sum up, I think that AS actually makes your car more nimble, more agile and reactive and it's great in town and in any mountain/twisty road. The only thing you must get accustomed to is that you need to apply more steering than usual when driving very fast in high velocity turns in highways (roughly from 110 mph on). In other words, you don't need to be scared of using your steering wheel when driving very fast, something you're not used to do (scareful of the always possible oversteering) in most other rear traction cars.

 

Very old topic but a short comment:

AS good - 18" RF tyres not!

Auto is a must!

Driving on Scandinavian shitty roads and much in the city.

 

I drove an E60 with AS and i didn't like it. It was prior my purchase. Many said that you do need time to master it or ohhh you just drove probably one of the early versions with problems. Maybe true! But why would i accept to pay some time to get used to it? What do i get in return? For instance i would galdly pay the time needed to get aquainted with a SMGIII gearbox, and how to master it because i know what i will get in return (lots of joy, and unbeatable gear changes by a manual and releave the left foot in town and so on). With the AS car i testdrove i literally felt the disconnection, cuz prioir to that i drove a normal servotronic E60, i really felt the steering wheel not communicating enough with me as the other did. It seemed like there was a big buffer zone between the wheels-steering-driver. Also i disliked the fact and it caught me a bit unprepared that when i had to brake haaaard before a tight bend from pretty high speeds i felt the steering ratio being changed and almost missed the turn, but that's because also the road was pretty bumpy and it seemed the steering wheel had a life of it's own trying a bit to "fight me" or find it's way to resolve the situation. It was like driving a force feedback wheel but along with the feedback from the road i got some feedback of it's own. I didn't like that. I also agree that it was terrible plesant not to work with the wheel that much when parking or doing slow manouvers but it simply didn't work for me overall. Then i found out that you have to pay a fortune for a banal allignament (somewhere topping 1k) then i really said NO knowing the poor quality roads here.

I agree that it's a real steering wheel but not that real to be as a servotronic, as the servotronic isn't that real as i understood as the old fashion system found on the Z4M.

I also agree that it's not the most suited steering system for the track. If it would have been the M5 would have gotten it. The M5 has a steering system closer to the servotronic than the AS.

And i also have to say that we have to count the magazines and shows that didn't credit the AS. I think there are many more.

 

I have driven non-active steering loaner 5 ers. I much prefer my active steering. I am getting an 08 model, the refreshed 5 series, 550 next summer or fall. I will definitely be getting active steering.

 

I must try it then but in HK they do not have a demo car with the AS I nned to find a frend that has it.
so AS is not for light cars?
Do any other cars have this like MB etc.....?