I just picked up my 2005 545 sport and now comparing to my 2004 545 non-sport the handling is worse. Any bump in the road causes it to swerve into the bump and I keep having to fight with the steering to keep strait on any road that is not perfectly smooth. Is this a tire problem? Active steering problem? Alignment problem? Any input is welcome. The ride is also a lot rougher that my non-sport used to be.

 

Its a combination of:

1) The fatter low profile tires
2) The Harder runflat tires

You have a 2005 so unless they changed something you should have the tighter Active steering that we received with post August SW updates. have the dealer check it.

 

It is really tough to say without seeing the vahicle. Imagine a totaly 100% Perfect road. how is it behaving then?
Off course the car will follow the curve of the road since it is a Sport Package, but the way you are describing, it is impossible to handle. If the car is OK on the totaly perfect surface, you are probably OK.
Do you get a feeling that it only pulls one way, or does it pull both ways depending on the surface?
Where are you located?

 

Now I haven't changed my tires (yet), but your grievance is consistent with what others have reported relative to runflat tires. They definitely ride rougher because the sidewalls have very little flex. They are also more prone to tramlining, though I can't say that I have ever really experienced it (was much worse in my X5 4.4 sport with Michelin Diamaris).

Aside from getting redirected by road hazards, how do you find the handling in corners, smooth surfaces, at high speeds, etc...?

 

I am one of the few that has non-run flat summer tires, but run-flat winter Dunlop M3's. Comparing both tires and with my previous MY02 530 with all--seasons, the run-flats are definitely harsher on less that perfect roads.

You should take your car in and have the steering and balance and suspension checked. If everything is 0K, you may wish to change to better sports tires, such as the Goodyear F1's, which I here very good things about.

The other issue is that the wheels on the e60 are bigger all around that the previous model, which, as already mentioned, more rim equals less tire equals more road feel.

It is one of the reasons I did not get the sports package wheels with run-flats, and opted for my own. I got run-flats for winter because I hate changing a tire on the highway at -40.

 

I just took the car in today to have it checked out. It runs and handle well on a perfectly flat road. Any small inconsistencies in the road will make the car pull to either side of the road.

 

Then I think it is the run-flats. Ask your dealer to allow you to drive another 5 with sports package and one without, and then compare. You may just have to get different (non-runflat) tires.

 

Do they make the Dunlop Wintersport M3's in RUN-FLAT?

 

What KenTO said. However, if you drive another Sport model and find the same things are true, consider changing your order to the silky-smooth, fast, and very fun-to-drive non-Sport. I'm not sure if changing tires will solve the issues you're bringing up. The key finding will be, imo, if another up-to-date s/w, Sport model feels te same.

Sam

 

Thanks to ALL. I am now waiting for a call from my dealer