Learning to use an E90

[GHS]

If you notice it, the wiper speeds adjust according to both the intensity of the rain and also the speed of the car. The faster you drive, the faster the speed of the wiper. If it is heavy downpour and your car is not moving (during heavy traffic or stop at traffic light or slow moving thru traffic), the wiper speed is also slow. That is what I am experiencing with my car.

Yes I can confirm that...

 

[manu3116m]

Learning to drive e90

Hi guys & happy CNY,

Managed to drive my e90 325 "a little" over the CNY.

My impressions compared to my previous e46 are :

1. Definitely more stable and smooth

2. Much bumpier ride (maybe due to RFT)

3. Tends to understeer a little at higher speeds (due to Adaptive Steering??)

4. Interior ergomomics - less favorable in my opinion; keep winding down RH back window instead of drivers window due to button positioning.

5. Not use to inserting key using left hand.

6. Sound system so-so, feels that e46 is better. Also on/off volume switch is tiny.

Anyone care to comment especially on point 3?

cheers/

 

[Juan Powerblow]

Hi guys & happy CNY,

Managed to drive my e90 325 "a little" over the CNY.

My impressions compared to my previous e46 are :

1. Definitely more stable and smooth

2. Much bumpier ride (maybe due to RFT)

3. Tends to understeer a little at higher speeds (due to Adaptive Steering??)

4. Interior ergomomics - less favorable in my opinion; keep winding down RH back window instead of drivers window due to button positioning.

5. Not use to inserting key using left hand.

6. Sound system so-so, feels that e46 is better. Also on/off volume switch is tiny.

Anyone care to comment especially on point 3?

cheers/

I like the steering on the E90 a lot more than the E46 which I used to own for 5 years. If you have the Sports model, there's no Active Steering. The mild understeer is a nice welcome actually, makes it a bit more fun to drive at high speeds i.e. more involving and sportier. I had the pre-facelift E46 325i which was less direct to steer, so I'm having more fun in my E92 though oddly, my E92 323i's steering ain't as magnificent as the E90 325i's I used for a month plus prior to delivery of my E92. This is foremost on my mind to rectify when I send my E92 in for a warranty claim repair in a week or so. I was advised that with Active Steering, there's a special tool or software that AB has which can solve my irk.

 

[E46Fanatic]

Overall I have to agree with JPB's comparo. In terms of understeer, maybe let the tires settle down a bit to get a better feel. But it does make sense, as the rears are now stock 255's in the rear compared to 205 or 225 for the E46 all round, which should now induce more understeer. However, the AS is really superb to mask any understeer in low speeds heh.

 

[Schwepps]

It really depends on what speeds you're hitting the corners and what you're doing with the brakes and accelerator through them manu3116m. The E90 is one of the most neutral handling cars around, but as for any production car, BMW would have designed it for terminal understeer for the safety of normal drivers. Terminal is when the cornering load exceeds tyre traction. Are you talking about terminal situations when you feel understeer? If not, perhaps it's related to your cornering style? Just my opinion.

 

[izuaff]

i hold on tight during high speed cornering, the bump steer on mid-corner can be unsettling sometimes , this is due to RFT, i think

 

[Juan Powerblow]

i hold on tight during high speed cornering, the bump steer on mid-corner can be unsettling sometimes , this is due to RFT, i think

Sometimes I wonder if cars are designed to handle the sad condition of Malaysian roads. I dunno if it's just me, but I'm very very sick of our bad our roads have gotten over the years! If ever there's an election pledge I find most tantalising, it would be to repair and maintain our roads for good!

 

[astroboy]

My 320i has 225 tyres x 4. So I felt very balance ler..

Technically, its possible for the 325i to experience some understeer as pointed out by E46F for the rear tyre being 255, would definitely have better traction for the rear with all 4 wheels having near equal load of the 50/50 weight distribution chassis.

But your DTC should rectify whatever over/under steer issue ma.. Did u off it?

 

[izuaff]

during heavy downpour on PLUS highway, i dare not to speed. Once, i braked and felt the car slide to the side a little due to wide rear tire. scary

 

[astroboy]

Oh yes... wider tyres will give greater aqua-plane effect, more so if tread has worn off.. like a plane with wide wings.. Be real careful!

 

[manu3116m]

My ride is standard 325 so all corners are same tyres lah.

My slight understeer is felt during normal driving. Have not push her very hard yet ler....also DTC is on.

My 320i has 225 tyres x 4. So I felt very balance ler..

Technically, its possible for the 325i to experience some understeer as pointed out by E46F for the rear tyre being 255, would definitely have better traction for the rear with all 4 wheels having near equal load of the 50/50 weight distribution chassis.

But your DTC should rectify whatever over/under steer issue ma.. Did u off it?

 

[Schwepps]

You shouldn't be feeling understeer under normal cornering speeds on non-staggered setup with new tyres and DTC on in an E90. I feel the car is absolutely neutral even at tyre scrubbing speeds in my staggered Sports, and even when I punch the accelerator at the apex, it doesn't flinch. Much more competent handling than the E46 and E36.

IMHO something may be out of sync. Tyre pressures? DTC? Active Steering? Suspension settings? Warrants a check.

 

[E46Fanatic]

My ride is standard 325 so all corners are same tyres lah.

My slight understeer is felt during normal driving. Have not push her very hard yet ler....also DTC is on.

Interesting.. 2005 325i CBUs came with staggered wheel/tyres, 2006 CKDs 325i 225 all round, 2007 325is CKDs back to staggered, and then 2008 325i back to 225 all round? Whats BMW Malaysia doing?

Also I believe both brakes and tyres need 500-1000kms before settling in. Also might want to check the tyre pressures on the car. The AB PDI didnt do a good job in my case, and not only were the pressures off during delivery, the RFT indicator lit up as well on my way home from collecting the car. Headed to the gas station and re-did all the pressures and initialized the indicator before finally reaching home on my E90's first debut drive home.

 

[David Yong]

Bro manu116m, strongly suggest you to send your car for a check as it sounds a bit weird for a new car with such problem.

 

[astroboy]

Understeer means the front wheel skidding le.. can u explain to us in detail how you manage to skid the 225 tyres.. ??? You have to drive real fast... or u just turning in a wet surface under building cement surface car parks.

If its the latter, than normal la...

 

[Schwepps]

Agree with astroboy. Understeer in an E90 with 225s should only come when you're about to lose it, not at normal speeds on normal roads. I've tried to reach that point but haven't yet. Not taken it on track and not had the road.

 

[manu3116m]

Bros,

Thanks for all your concerns. Actually I am not complaining. Just that I am used to the e46 (with smaller tyres I must admit) and it felt more neutral going round the bends. In the e90, I felt like I had to pull the steering with a little more strengths to turn it as it appears to want to go straight ahead a bit more than the e46.

So my ori question was is this normal given bigger tyres, RFT etc compared to e46.

cheers

 

[Schwepps]

Bro, I think our collective answer is no, the E90 doesn't understeer. Perhaps you're not actually experiencing understeer but are just not used to the active steering yet or as E46F said, you have to let the tyres bed down a bit? If it IS understeer you're experiencing then it could be something out of whack which can be checked and fixed.

 

[AlexNg]

heavy steering maybe?

 

[Schwepps]

Description of BMW Active Steering:
At low speeds, the motor adds an appropriate amount of wheel lock. Parking, for example, the ratio is such that just two turns are needed to go lock-to-lock. Around town, the steering ratio is increased, though the system is tuned to be much more direct than a conventional power steering unit. The idea is to make the car feel more agile and nimble, and cut driver fatigue by reducing the input from the driver through the steering wheel. At high speeds, Active Steering makes the steering much more indirect so small movements won't change the vehicle's path.