[franxx]

Hi,

I'm considering purchasing a second-hand 545e and one of the options I'm not sure about is the adaptive suspension.

I plan to get 18" or 19" tyres on the car, and from what I've read adaptive suspension is not a must in the 540i. However I wonder if that is different for the 545e, given that maybe the suspension is different to account for the extra substantial weight of the battery.

Any experiences with and without adaptive in he 545e to share?

Many thanks.

[StuW530e]

Mine has adaptive suspension but I haven't made a point of trying to feel the difference between the sport and comfort setting. I have 20" wheels and run flats so I feel every minor discrepancy of the road surface, so from the start I have always had it on comfort setting. Can't believe I haven't experimented with it now that I think about it!
Will change it to sport setting and have a play tonight then report back tomorrow!

[Neusser]

Originally Posted by franxx

Hi,

I'm considering purchasing a second-hand 545e and one of the options I'm not sure about is the adaptive suspension.

I plan to get 18" or 19" tyres on the car, and from what I've read adaptive suspension is not a must in the 540i. However I wonder if that is different for the 545e, given that maybe the suspension is different to account for the extra substantial weight of the battery.

Any experiences with and without adaptive in he 545e to share?

Many thanks.

You'll get a soft and slightly stiffer mode. For an even stiffer setup you need the passive 704 M suspension, or the adaptive M suspension (which is on the 550i and 550d).

If you want a comfortable car and aren't much of a driver, adaptive should do the trick. It's their Average Joe setup.

[ted99]

I had 2 2020 530e--one with adaptive suspension and one without. Both had the Pirelli RF 18" tires. The one with the adaptive suspension had a much more compliant ride over potholes and bumps than the one without. It made the car "almost" feel like it had non-RF tires.

[franxx]

Originally Posted by ted99

I had 2 2020 530e--one with adaptive suspension and one without. Both had the Pirelli RF 18" tires. The one with the adaptive suspension had a much more compliant ride over potholes and bumps than the one without. It made the car "almost" feel like it had non-RF tires.

Thanks a lot for the input. I should have actually asked in the title of the post for 530e/545e (I forgot that the 530e is offered in the US).

I can imagine that the 530e without adaptive is less compliant than the one with adaptive, but still more comfortable than let's say an M340i without adaptive, right?

[ted99]

Originally Posted by franxx

Thanks a lot for the input. I should have actually asked in the title of the post for 530e/545e (I forgot that the 530e is offered in the US).

I can imagine that the 530e without adaptive is less compliant than the one with adaptive, but still more comfortable than let's say an M340i without adaptive, right?

No recent experience with the 3-series. I'd expect any non-M 5 to be more compliant than any M car. Would have far preferred the 545e, but not available in the US.

Just did a test drive on the new dual-motor EV 5-series. Bloatmobile. I thought I was driving a 7. The 5 series no longer has any pretensions of being a "sport sedan".

[Neusser]

Originally Posted by ted99

The 5 series no longer has any pretensions of being a "sport sedan".

Not so sure about that. In EV form I would agree, as EVs are too heavy and devoid of emotion, but many of the mags over here say the 5 still drives quite well.

Also, what makes a sport sedan a sport sedan? To me sheer size matters less in this category (to a point, ofc), as these are primarily vehicles for carrying several people around.

[ted99]

^^^ Agree that my comment was about the full EV version. Haven't driven the ICE version. A large car can drive smaller, but not the EV 5 er. The 3-series is now about as large as my 1994 540i, which was truly a sport sedan. I'd be looking at the EV 3, but for the unbearable, to me, front grill. Waiting now for the neu klasse i3, which reminds me of the late 2002ti.