BulldogE60

Hi all as you can see in my post I am a noob to E60. However I have always admired this car in both stock and modified forms. I may actually be getting into one but just have a quick question.

We all know that to drive a BMW is like driving no other car, my favorite aspect is the tight turns and stiff suspension. However, I'm looking at a 530 right now with everything including manual transmission, except for the sports package. I know the components that come with the package such as, seats, steering wheel, wheels, etc. But what actually makes it turn so tight and responsive?
Is it only the suspension(springs and shocks)? How about for the modified guys. For example, when you lower the car and change out the suspension (springs and shocks), do you still have the tight suspension? I'm trying to see if it is only the suspension because I plan on lowering the car anyways.

Thanks

John@Motorcepts

the sport package will have the shadowline trim (almost everyone w/o the sport package switched to shadowline trim), sport suspension which gives you a bit stiffer and lower ride, sport seats, and sport wheels.

gwf545

Read on the BMW web site about Active Roll Stabilization. That alone makes the sport package a must. It allows the car to corner like it is on rails by hydraulicly assisting the action of the stabilizer bars. There's a lot more to the package and you can find it all here: http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Content/Uni...ions/Power.aspx

Bedford530i

With the sport package you also get Active-Roll Stabilization (ARS).

BulldogE60

How do you change the chrome trim? Its not as bad as I thought it would be, but I'd still prefer the black. I'd love to have the black one, but since I'm buying used I'm taking what I get haha.

But I digress.....So I guess its the ARS that makes it feel that way. So would it be safe to say that when you change springs and shocks on the sport package, you lose a bit of that feeling?

v_therussian

what is it about the people who refuse to search?!

BulldogE60

actually I did search. I typed, but did not find anything out about after market suspension on sport package and the difference it'll make.

However, I did search the shadowline and gotta say, I'm kind of happy!

gwf545

With ARS I would not alter the suspension at all for any reason. Not even lowering- the sport version is already lower by almost an inch anyway. If you want to scrape the pavement, get a non-sport and do a number on it, better yet get a rice rocket and save yourself a lot of money.

BulldogE60

I know there will always be die hard OEM guys on every board, but just because you want to lower your car a bit and not look like a 4x4 when you run a bigger size wheel, doesn't mean you want to scrape pavement or drive a rice rocket. I think the 5 series can remain its classy and sportier look even with a slight drop. If I wanted to scrape pavement, I'd get airbags

v_therussian

hmm... I remember reading and posting in many threads about the merits of the sport pack... anyway, in a nutshell, BMW+Sport Pack=Ultimate Driving Machine. Without it, its still a BMW, so its just a preference. But I'm definitely never gettin' a BMW without a Sport Pack, if I can help it. That's where I stand.