E90 a little sensitive on the highway?

Mauricio · 06-13-2005, 02:40 PM

I've had my 330i with SP since last Wednesday and when I drive it on the highway at 70-80mph, it doesn't seem to have a defined center on the steering wheel. It doesn't feel as solid and untossable as my old 325i. In other words, it feels like it drifts to much and I'm constantly correcting my steering. It seems really sensitive at this speed to input. I know this might be a good thing, but I loved the old feeling of driving what felt like a solid locomotive while doing 90mph. Will the steering break itself in over time? Is it a result of speed sensitive steering being over adjusted? BTW, I don't have active steering.

Gnosis · 06-13-2005, 02:55 PM

I've read reviews where they complain about this... but then only at speeds above 100 mph. I'm keeping my fingers crossed...

xspeedy · 06-13-2005, 02:58 PM

The E90 steering is rather vague at center - like there is a degree or so of free play where turning the wheel doesn't do anything to change direction of the car. I could see this being a problem.

Typical BMW steering has no slack. A touch of the wheel will change the car's direction.

Robin_NL · 06-13-2005, 02:58 PM

Driven 1300 miles now and I realy don't know what's the fuzz about luckily(I have the sports suspension and the 162s)

An hour ago I saw 158mph on the gauges

Still with 2 hands on the wheel :rocks:

Byebye Volkswagen Pheaton who 'chased' me

Mauricio · 06-13-2005, 03:12 PM

Gnosis, where did you read the reviews where they mention this feeling? If you can point me in the right direction I'd appreciate it. Thanks for your reply btw.

shipo · 06-13-2005, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mauricio

I've had my 330i with SP since last Wednesday and when I drive it on the highway at 70-80mph, it doesn't seem to have a defined center on the steering wheel. It doesn't feel as solid and untossable as my old 325i. In other words, it feels like it drifts to much and I'm constantly correcting my steering. It seems really sensitive at this speed to input. I know this might be a good thing, but I loved the old feeling of driving what felt like a solid locomotive while doing 90mph. Will the steering break itself in over time? Is it a result of speed sensitive steering being over adjusted? BTW, I don't have active steering.

A couple of things occur to me. First, it is a simple fact that the wider the front tires of a car are, the lower the "On center feel" is. Did your old 325i have the SP too? If not then the tires on your new 330i are about an inch wider than the ones on your 325i.

Second, have you checked your tire pressure? My first BMW (1999 328i) was delivered to me without having the "transport pressure" removed from the tires. When our cars are shipped, the tires are inflated WAY beyond normal operating pressure to keep them from bouncing around on the various transports that move them to our dealerships. If that extra pressure is not removed, then the car is very squirrelly to drive, so much so that I almost hit the left wall crossing the Tappan Zee Bridge on my first trip across. A quick trip to the dealership (I incorrectly assumed it was an alignment issue), and the problem was solved. I wonder if the detail guy got a slap on the wrist.

Best Regards,
Shipo

silverado · 06-13-2005, 03:54 PM

I've read a review that said that steering with the sports package might not stay on center at low speeds on bumpy roads. I find that to be quite true; on a road that has seen utility work, if I'm approaching a light and quite driving slowly, the steering wheel well because it might be thrown around a lot by the bumps. They said that active steering helps with that.

I have not noticed this problem on the highway though.

Mauricio · 06-13-2005, 04:44 PM

shipo,

I'm going straight to buy a new tire pressure guage after work to check the pressure. My old 325i had the sports package but they were 16" rims. I can't really compare the two except for the fact that it drove better on the highway (except for passing power, which is amazing on my E90.

mfstout · 06-13-2005, 05:13 PM

Mauricio:

Good call on the tire pressure gauge. I used to work on a tire ad account and one of THE major causes of accidents in America is low or incorrect tire pressure. Tires should be checked about once every month. Sounds obssessive but it's worth it.

Hope it solves your problem.

sparky

Gnosis · 06-13-2005, 06:09 PM

I think it was the german mag "auto, motor und sport". Not sure though... but it was in german....

Anyway - what they said was that the car felt unstable at speeds above 160 kph (about 100 mph). And that - for example - audi and mercedes was much more stable at high speeds.

However - they didn't say why this was. Theoretically it could be because of the steering, aerodynamics, suspension geometry or even the new run flat tyres... who knows...

But I don't think the car they tested had active steering so it wasn't because of that.....

06-13-2005, 02:40 PM	#1
Mauricio Private First Class 16 Rep 107 Posts Drives: 2006 330i, MT, SP Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Miami, FL iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 330i [0.00]	E90 a little sensitive on the highway? I've had my 330i with SP since last Wednesday and when I drive it on the highway at 70-80mph, it doesn't seem to have a defined center on the steering wheel. It doesn't feel as solid and untossable as my old 325i. In other words, it feels like it drifts to much and I'm constantly correcting my steering. It seems really sensitive at this speed to input. I know this might be a good thing, but I loved the old feeling of driving what felt like a solid locomotive while doing 90mph. Will the steering break itself in over time? Is it a result of speed sensitive steering being over adjusted? BTW, I don't have active steering.
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06-13-2005, 02:55 PM	#2
Gnosis Private 21 Rep 90 Posts Drives: 330i on order :-) Join Date: May 2005 Location: Earth iTrader: (0)	I've read reviews where they complain about this... but then only at speeds above 100 mph. I'm keeping my fingers crossed...
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06-13-2005, 02:58 PM	#3
xspeedy Second Lieutenant 7 Rep 266 Posts Drives: Join Date: Mar 2005 iTrader: (0)	The E90 steering is rather vague at center - like there is a degree or so of free play where turning the wheel doesn't do anything to change direction of the car. I could see this being a problem. Typical BMW steering has no slack. A touch of the wheel will change the car's direction.
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06-13-2005, 02:58 PM	#4
Robin_NL S0THPAW 8717 Rep 7,846 Posts Drives: HS M2 Competition Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: The Netherlands iTrader: (0)	Driven 1300 miles now and I realy don't know what's the fuzz about luckily(I have the sports suspension and the 162s) An hour ago I saw 158mph on the gauges Still with 2 hands on the wheel :rocks: Byebye Volkswagen Pheaton who 'chased' me
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06-13-2005, 03:12 PM	#5
Mauricio Private First Class 16 Rep 107 Posts Drives: 2006 330i, MT, SP Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Miami, FL iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 330i [0.00]	Gnosis, where did you read the reviews where they mention this feeling? If you can point me in the right direction I'd appreciate it. Thanks for your reply btw.
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06-13-2005, 03:54 PM	#7
silverado Captain 288 Rep 874 Posts Drives: 2018 M2 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Boston iTrader: (0)	I've read a review that said that steering with the sports package might not stay on center at low speeds on bumpy roads. I find that to be quite true; on a road that has seen utility work, if I'm approaching a light and quite driving slowly, the steering wheel well because it might be thrown around a lot by the bumps. They said that active steering helps with that. I have not noticed this problem on the highway though.
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06-13-2005, 04:44 PM	#8
Mauricio Private First Class 16 Rep 107 Posts Drives: 2006 330i, MT, SP Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Miami, FL iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 330i [0.00]	shipo, I'm going straight to buy a new tire pressure guage after work to check the pressure. My old 325i had the sports package but they were 16" rims. I can't really compare the two except for the fact that it drove better on the highway (except for passing power, which is amazing on my E90.
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06-13-2005, 05:13 PM	#9
mfstout Lieutenant 21 Rep 429 Posts Drives: e92 328i Coupe Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Chicago iTrader: (0)	tire pressure is everything Mauricio: Good call on the tire pressure gauge. I used to work on a tire ad account and one of THE major causes of accidents in America is low or incorrect tire pressure. Tires should be checked about once every month. Sounds obssessive but it's worth it. Hope it solves your problem. sparky
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06-13-2005, 06:09 PM	#10
Gnosis Private 21 Rep 90 Posts Drives: 330i on order :-) Join Date: May 2005 Location: Earth iTrader: (0)	I think it was the german mag "auto, motor und sport". Not sure though... but it was in german.... Anyway - what they said was that the car felt unstable at speeds above 160 kph (about 100 mph). And that - for example - audi and mercedes was much more stable at high speeds. However - they didn't say why this was. Theoretically it could be because of the steering, aerodynamics, suspension geometry or even the new run flat tyres... who knows... But I don't think the car they tested had active steering so it wasn't because of that.....
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