[sysop]

I have just returned from a 4 day trip covering 1800 kms mostly over good tarred roads, with the occasional gravel surfaces. I return with grave misgivings about the comfort of the E90 320i with 16" wheels (the softest type) over a long trip. The car handles wonderfully. I enjoy driving it, the power and the technology. BUT at the end of a day's drive I am absolutely bushed! The ride comfort seems ok over short distances, and certainly around town, but the cumulative effect of the choppy ride over a roughish main highway, and the high-frequency vibrations transmitted though the runflat tyres from a coarse tarred surface take their toll over a 4 hour period. So much so that I am debating whether this lovely car is really as good as the E46, which, by the way, gave me great pleasure, and great comfort over the same driving conditions. I wonder if others have found the same.

[nocturnal]

I'll let you know how i like my e90 once i get it! 2 months..... i wish i could just go to sleep and wake up 2 months later!!

Sorry you don't like your ride as much as I hope i'll like mine...

[ward]

I sit in my car all day,
no problems at all, I think it's the most comfortable car I've ever had

[nocturnal]

Hey Oprah,

You're everywhere!! haha I post something, and you're there!!
You spend a lot of time here don't you?? Well you've got competition now ........... ME!

[Petercat]

Sorry to hear of your discomfort.
From the instant I first sat in the regular seats of my 325i, I thought they were the best I've sat in... over 2 months later now, I have to say they are still great. I have my spine fused at four vertebrea and can not sit for more than half an hour... This car helps make the ride a lot easier for me.

[nocturnal]

Originally Posted by Petercat

Sorry to hear of your discomfort.
From the instant I first sat in the regular seats of my 325i, I thought they were the best I've sat in... over 2 months later now, I have to say they are still great. I have my spine fused at four vertebrea and can not sit for more than half an hour... This car helps make the ride a lot easier for me.

Wow, what happened to your back??
I"ve got back problems too from being dropped too many times at rock climbing

[txusa03]

hey sysop, u have sport pckg or sport seat or premium seat? I have made a 3:30 drives 2-3 times now and I enjoyed every minutes of it. I have the 18" wheel and sport seat.

[nocturnal]

hey txusa03, do you have the 18's with sport package or no SP?
I don't have SP, but can't decide if i want 18" or 19"
Any suggestions? Heard 19's don't have a choice of runflats yet.

[LEDZEP]

I just took a 1,500 mile trip in mine and found it very comfortable. Sure, you're going to feel the rough roads - blame the DOT not the car. I have long been fond of the firmness and comfort of German seats. Rarely had to switch my seating position for comfort during my 12 hour drives. The only challenge to me (and I am not tall) is finding good comfort for my right leg when using cruise control (which is most of the time). Taking off your shoes helps alot with that!

[mnelsf@san.rr.com]

I'm sorry to hear that you aren't comfortable. I live in San Diego and we must have some of the bumpiest roads in the country. My other cars are a Porsche Boxster and a MINI Cooper S. My new e90 330i rides smoothly over the same roads that punish me in the other cars. It is by far the most comfortable car I've ever owned. Maybe your troubles come from your 16" wheels and tires--maybe it's some sort of resonance problem related to the smaller wheels and the way they make your roads. I have the Sport Package with 18" runflats and they work beautifully with the suspension to provide a smooth trip on our roads. Doesn't usually make sense that larger would be smoother but there you go!

[thrill30]

Originally Posted by mnelsf@san.rr.com

I'm sorry to hear that you aren't comfortable. I live in San Diego and we must have some of the bumpiest roads in the country. My other cars are a Porsche Boxster and a MINI Cooper S. My new e90 330i rides smoothly over the same roads that punish me in the other cars. It is by far the most comfortable car I've ever owned. Maybe your troubles come from your 16" wheels and tires--maybe it's some sort of resonance problem related to the smaller wheels and the way they make your roads. I have the Sport Package with 18" runflats and they work beautifully with the suspension to provide a smooth trip on our roads. Doesn't usually make sense that larger would be smoother but there you go!

On one particular bump on my route from home, I find the Sport suspension and 18" wheels to be better than the standard suspension and 16" wheels on my E46.... which doesn't make any sense at all ... but it's true.

The Sport suspension and 18" wheels are really comfortable for me....I've done a 4 hour trip on a smooth tarred road though, with no problems at all.... I didn't feel tired at all... in fact i wished the journey was longer, so that I could continue enjoying the E90 :rocks: .

Yes, in general the Sport suspension and bigger wheels are harsher than standard suspension and 16" wheels, but for some reason there are cases where the Sport suspension feels better... i think it depends on the type of road surfaces or something.

[Broken1]

I have the 17" 158 style wheels, and ride comfort is very smooth and comfortable, even on "hard/rough" tarred roads. When I get on long trips and pick up the speed to 140km/h the ride is so smooth I end up speeding way too much and praying I didn't get a speeding ticket (we have damn camera traps all over this place).

Try checking the pressure in your tires? They might be significantly over inflated which would make the ride quite riggid...

[thrill30]

Originally Posted by Broken1

Try checking the pressure in your tires? They might be significantly over inflated which would make the ride quite riggid...

Yep, that's a very good point.... tyre pressure makes a big difference in ride comfort.

In my E46 I once overinflated my tryes because I was carrying too many people and luggage. After dropping off that load, the ride quality was awful... I had to deflate the tryes to the correct pressure because the ride quality was unbearable.

[cl312]

Hi, I just came back from Southern Spain in exactly 19hrs (2100 km) in a E90 320d - 17" - sports suspension. The ride is simply magnificent, no complaints on the ride quality at all. The sportseats are fantastic, even my wife, who is 4 months pregnant, had no pain at all. (she did complain a little bit when I had the cruise control on 170 km/h between Bordeaux & Paris, but that is such a long, boring road without much traffic at that time). I have to say that the 2100 km were all on highways though... so hardly any bumps. I drove that road many times with different cars, and this is simply the best !
Have a nice weekend!

CL312

[sysop]

Originally Posted by Broken1

I have the 17" 158 style wheels, and ride comfort is very smooth and comfortable, even on "hard/rough" tarred roads. When I get on long trips and pick up the speed to 140km/h the ride is so smooth I end up speeding way too much and praying I didn't get a speeding ticket (we have damn camera traps all over this place).

Try checking the pressure in your tires? They might be significantly over inflated which would make the ride quite riggid...

Interesting that you like the 17 inch wheels - mine was delivered with those same wheels and I found the road imperfections caused "tracking" of the steering, so I had them changed for the standard less-low-profile 16 inchers. However I DO run them at .3 bar lower tyre pressure already to improve the ride. I am not a fast driver usually, and watch the 120 kph limits and cameras carefully. (My business is car rental and we get hundreds of those damned summonses!!)

[sysop]

Originally Posted by txusa03

hey sysop, u have sport pckg or sport seat or premium seat? I have made a 3:30 drives 2-3 times now and I enjoyed every minutes of it. I have the 18" wheel and sport seat.

No I have standard leather seats and standard suspension, and the seats are magnificent. The roadholding and handling is supurb, and I agree that it is great to drive, my problem is that there it is much more tiring than my 2002 E46 (same tyres, not runflats), in which I could drive 500 kms to the city and 500 kms back 5 hours later, and still feel great! I cannot with the new car!

[sysop]

Originally Posted by mnelsf@san.rr.com

I'm sorry to hear that you aren't comfortable. I live in San Diego and we must have some of the bumpiest roads in the country. My other cars are a Porsche Boxster and a MINI Cooper S. My new e90 330i rides smoothly over the same roads that punish me in the other cars. It is by far the most comfortable car I've ever owned. Maybe your troubles come from your 16" wheels and tires--maybe it's some sort of resonance problem related to the smaller wheels and the way they make your roads. I have the Sport Package with 18" runflats and they work beautifully with the suspension to provide a smooth trip on our roads. Doesn't usually make sense that larger would be smoother but there you go!

Ah! now there's a possible cause - "maybe it's some sort of resonance " . That is what I think it is - a high frequency vibration. As soon as other brands of runflats become available here (mine are Continentals) I shall try them - they say Pirellis are better riding - we shall see!

[David328M-Sport]

I felt an AMAZING difference between my e46 and my e90. Much better seats, ride, POWER & TORQUE and long distance driving as well. I am so impressed each time I get in to drive my car. I can't wait.

In fact I'm going to go and drive it NOW!!!

See ya!!