Petes550i

Dynamic Handling (w/Sports package) is an absolute MUST when you get a F10. It really makes a world of difference when you put the car in the Sport/Sport+ modes....it makes the F10 more quick and agile and makes the driving experience that much more satisfying.

That being said, however, I can still see why some people just can't get used to it. Nothing wrong with that.

The E90 is a whole different class of car. Whereas the F10 borders on being almost a full-size car, the E90 is still considered a compact. If you don't have kids or carry a lot of passengers and want a more smaller/nimbler car, the E90 is a perfect match. Only thing I would have done different in that situation is I would gotten a M3 and not a 328 (the 328 is a good handler but too slow/tame).

Gene

a growing 2 yr old in a fwd facing seat will fit good, along with one more adult behind me in an M3 e90...I tested/checked the space personally

e90 v f10 is a huge difference
e90 v e60 is not so bad IMO, trunk space perhaps, but for some that's not a deal breaker


RE: agreed ZSP and ZDH is a mus w/ the f10, some say even adaptive steering is a must...I'm hoping the LCI F10 will come with some of these goodies as a standard option

swajames

The fact that BMW will sell you an F10 equipped with a "sport package" that is entirely cosmetic and does absolutely nothing to enhance handling or agility is telling.

Gene

not just the ZSP, but M sport pkg as well....

tadtaggert

I actually find this quote kind of funny, seeing how 60% or more of the threads seem to deal with dropping, tailpipes, bumpers, or any other of a hundred different non-driving related visual only mods.

BMW seems to know it's core pretty well.

CVTBenhogan

The f10 weight gain is the lack of a aluminum frame in the front like the e60 and the cost savings of sharing the same chasis with the 7. The twin turbo engine and tranny are probably heavier as well. BMW did a nice job on the e60 with the alloy front frame, knowing they were adding weight with new equipment.

Given all this, what bothers me is the famous 50/50 weight distribution is gone. Something like 54/46. BMW is becoming Audi. I'd rather take weight in the back like Porsche but not in the front.

Anyway, after my golf trip, I'm heading over to Motorwerks for a test drive. Both the 550 and M3. I'll report my impressions in a week or so.

Fore!!!!!!!!!!

Gene

true, but the core of the car is not changed or modified with most aftermarket mods. also, as stated constantly, we are but a small fraction of f10/5 series customers. Most just want to get in their car and go. The majority of the members that do mod, do so purely exteriorly as the actual performance and handling of the car is never in question. The e60 stock suspension and steering seem to fit just fine for most (yes I know this is a subjective measure). Now however it seems one has to buy all the extra packages and options to get to the feel that was once "standard". Not knocking BMW, that's smart marketing....

camilosal

The F10 had adaptive drive with the sport automatic and I still found it to be very isolated.
Like someone else commented in another post, when BMW is offering a sport package that is merely cosmetic tells me a lot as to where their priorities lie.

The sad thing is that I have driven almost everything in our market that is in that segment and the F10 is by far the sportier.

Petes550i

Not entirely true since the Sports Package upgrades the 18" wheels to 19" and all-season tires to performance tires......you get better handling, grip, and braking as a result.

Anyways, the Dynamic Handling package includes the Sports Package and is only $500 more than the Sports Package alone.....so I'm sure that pretty much all the F10's that come with the Sports Package also have the Dynamic Handling Package (unless it was ordered otherwise by the customer).

swajames

The underlying point remains, BMW describing an entirely cosmetic group of options as a "sport package" on a non-Xi model speaks to the philosophical change in the F10 and its migration away from what used to be at the core of the 5 series.

The September F10 sales numbers were released yesterday, and they are not good. BMW sold 2859 cars, again fewer than the same period last year. My own judgment is that the poor launch sales are, in part, attributable to the lack of focus in the F10 and BMW moving away from what differentiated the car from its peers. The cosmetic sport pack is but one example of this change in focus.

Additionally, whether 19" wheels are a performance upgrade is debatable. Many Porsche owners switch out their stock 19" wheels for 18" wheels when they track their cars as the 18s tend to deliver better performance.