Premium Features Review after owning a F15 '14 & '15

[jman26]

Yes I know there are no pictures attached to this which is what you all want to see. It has snowed here basically since I picked up the car 2 weeks ago. I will update with some pics once I can get the beast cleaned.

I picked up via PCD on 11/13 a '14 F15 3.5ix. This was one of the first F15 US production cars out of the factory and it was custom spec sight unseen. It had 18k mi on it when some idiot hit me in an ice storm back in Jan '15. Below is old and current build along with several commments on changes I made to the car this time around. I have put 1,300 mi on in 2 weeks time and feel comfortable giving detaild comparison feedback in a few areas commonly debated on this forum.

2014 F15 3.5ix 2015 F15 3.5ix
Msport 19" RFT
Carbon Black/ Black Dakota
Anthracite & High Gloss
Fineline Oak
Cold Weather pkg
Driver Asst & DA+
Premium pkg
Ceramic Controls
Harman Kardon
Space Saver spare
Enhanced Bluetooth

Sport seats '14 Luxury Seating w/ ventilation '15
Active Steering '14 Standard Steering '15
n/a /14 ACC '15
Standard Suspension '14 Adaptive M Suspension '15
Black M Grill '15



1) Active Steering
This is a really cool feature. There are opinions that range 50/50 on love it or hate it across all platforms on bimmeprost. I called this option, lazy mans driving. When you were at low speeds around town it was awesome. Took very little effort to make turns and made the car feel very agile. It also helped to create that tight steering feeling most of the time regardless of sport/comfort mode. On the highway it was not much different than the car is without it. There was one major flaw though. When traveling on the hwy at excessive speeds it sometimes was hard to keep the car in a straight line. The acitve steering was to sensitive sometimes here. It is best explained by the dead space/slack in the wheel where you can move the wheel without it moving the tires. On the standard steering this range is very small before you hit the resistance point on the wheel. On the active steering the range/band of no resistance was slightly larger. However within this range the car had some response opposed to just being dead space/band on the turning radius. It was this which caused the problem on the hwy sometimes. I di not ever have a problem of not knowing what the steering response was going to be from the variable ratios. It actually made the car more fun to drive vs. the standard steering. The car always felt more like race car steering than a regular car. If i had a choice, I miss active steering. I have re-adjusted to standard and it is still pretty good, just doesnt make the car as fun 100% of the time. The highway issue is improved on standard steering but is still slightly noticeable. For the record, i dropped the AS to spend to money in other places below. If it is a dollazr constraint, some of the below are better values. I will also mention the guy who hit me, messed up my front axles and the repair costs of AS are very high. It was over $5k for that part to be replaced.

2) Suspension
This is where the AS money was spent instead. My wife used to complain that she would get car sick on longer drives in the old car. I never had the problem buy know where she is coming from. The standard suspension on RFT is very stiff and you feel everything. At times the car also bounces over potholes or grooves in the roadway at both high and low speeds. At high speeds you can sometimes be fearful the car is slipping. I opted to add Adaptive M suspension after some input from opasha and the suspension chart he has referrenced numerous times in this forum. All I can say if the rear axle air suspension is awesome. You notice a difference in ride quality almost instantly. The car rides closer to the suspension feel of a ML without sacraficing the feel of the road we all crave from a BMW. There is no more bouncing around on the road when I drive over potholes or bumps at high speeds. My biz partner and my wife noticed the difference right away w/o me even telling them I got a different suspension. I put on 1,200mi in 2 weeks and everyone notices the difference. Aslo, the sport suspension improves handling and sway arond curves. I take a clover leaf every moning at 50mph and notice an improved sticking factor of the car. It was never a problem before, I now just notice the improvement. All I can say is, I can't imagne how awesome DHP is. This pkg is money well spent if you get the rear axle or adaptive m suspension which are both similar. It is also cool how you can customize both transmission and suspenion for sport and sport+ modes. I have sport at transmission and sport+ at both. This way I can flick on sport w wife in the car and sport + on my own.

3) Changes to cam shaft or something. I read somewhere on the forums that the 2015 had a new camshaft or something that makes the car 0.2 sec faster. Whatever this change was it if for the better. The car is a little more responsive and the gear changes are drasticly improved. On the '14 there was a dead spot in the transmission where the car had to catch up with itslef and that is alway a frustrating thing. On the '15 this is improved and there isn't as noticeable lag when going full throtle. This isn't PR bs, They made a nice improvemetn here that is noticeable.

4) ACC
The first time aroudn I ddin't get this feature and even chastised someone ont he forum for getting it. My comment was why buy a BMW if you aren't goint to drive it? Right? I take that back.
I splurged and got this option as I do a lot of highway and beltway driving. The thing works pretty welll. I drove to NYC from DC and never had to adjust the brakes or gas. It is pretty cool and really alleviates stress in traffic. I have been using it on the beltway around here and I really enjoy the feature. You can rest your foot on the floor and not worry about the car not responding. It workds just as advertised. IT can be a little jerky depending on traffic darting in and out, however it works very well and is a cool feature if you drive in traffic a lot.

5) Seats
I lamented over this both times being unsure as which way to go. Since I purchased my '14 I suffered a bad back injury and become even more sensitive to this option. The sport seats are great. They are firm and hold you well. I got them at first as I am only 5'7" and wanted a tighter fit than stock seats which didnt feel comfortable to me. I never regreted thoose seats for a day besides not having ventilation for the summer. Thsi time I splurged and got the comfort seats. They are a very different feel. Seats are a little softer and you can notice it. On long drives I personally prefer the sport seats firmness. The comfort seats are very nice as well. It does take time to get the exact right fit in them with all the adjsutments, however once you have it you have it set. I would say these seats are an upgrade over the sport but not a must have option. I do like the ventilation on them. I would rather see you spend the $1k on upfraded suspension than comfort seats. If you don't have an Msport I would reccomend the comfrot seats. One other note is in the '15 there is an option to adjsut the temperature range of the heated seats. This was not an option in the '14 and it is nice. I was able to increase the temp higher from factory setting and it is noticeabel how much hotter it gets which is helpful with my back.

For now that is my review on these items. I will update with more as time passes. Next step is to see opasha for coding,

[Kzang]

Nice write up review of your car. Thanks.

Originally Posted by jman26

It had 18k mi on it when some idiot hit me in an ice storm back in Jan '15.

This is a perfect example of no matter how great your winter tires are or your AWD system is, it can't help you with other people driving like idiots during winter snow storms... I avoid driving in the snow as much as possible.

[r33_RGSport]

@jman26, great comparison review.

[opasha]

Great review, buddy . Glad you're happy with your F15. Coding is on hold for right now if anyone is on 55.1. I'm trying to get oshevtsov to give me some time to look at his cafd files. Will update after that (not sure when since I haven't heard from him yet - he must be busy since we are also on different time zones).

[epiphone3]

Great review! Are roads you drive on really rough or something? Around here, they are pretty smooth but it sounds like the suspension upgrade was essential for where you are. Did the car not ride well at all with the standard suspension?

[opasha]

Originally Posted by epiphone3

Great review! Are roads you drive on really rough or something? Around here, they are pretty smooth but it sounds like the suspension upgrade was essential for where you are. Did the car not ride well at all with the standard suspension?

Well, I drove today my stock suspension F15 50i at higher speed and on a big turn, the body roll was so severe that it took away any sort of good cornering ability forcing me to slow down significantly. You want flatness whenever maneuvering to maintain stability and corner without much effort. This is why I highly highly recommend upgrading to M Adaptive or DHP to truly take advantage of this vehicle. Everyone for day to day driving will be perfectly fine with stock. However, you'll regret stock when you need that control in higher speeds, bad rain, and snow (especially) to keep control. Is the stock suspension terrible? Not at all. It's great for what it is compared to other vehicles. I think the Mercedes suspension comparison was excellent because our 2014 MLs have solid suspensions (you can truly feel the road but still maintain comfort), but terrible chassis (tighter steering).

[Kzang]

ML was never previously known for its sportiness handling... ML's were known for their plush / softer suspension similar to Lexus. I have not followed the recent ones.. are they more sport oriented now? Adaptive M suspension is more about sportiness, tighter suspension than comfort. I'm curious Opasha, do you have any experience with any of the suspension upgrades since your own car is stock suspension or are you just restating what others are saying on the forums of their "own" experiences of Adaptive M suspension and DHP?

[jman26]

Originally Posted by Kzang

ML was never previously known for its sportiness handling... ML's were known for their plush / softer suspension similar to Lexus. I have not followed the recent ones.. are they more sport oriented now? Adaptive M suspension is more about sportiness, tighter suspension than comfort. I'm curious Opasha, do you have any experience with any of the suspension upgrades since your own car is stock suspension or are you just restating what others are saying on the forums of their "own" experiences of Adaptive M suspension and DHP?

I actually got the adaptive M to help soften the ride for my wife so she wouldn't get car sick on trips up I95. The suspension exceeded my expectation as I didn't give up any of the feel for the road and got a more comfortable ride. The increased handling is noticeable as well and was secondary for me, however very happy w it. Like I said in the review, I take a very tight cloverleaf every day very fast so I have a great repeatable benchmark. It is a huge improvement in handling. I didn't have a problem before but now I know what I was missing. Of all the $1k add ins listed above it is the best use of your money.

The ML has always been in between the BMW and Lexus in these categories. A happy medium if you will. The adaptive M lets you have your cake and eat it to. It pretty much is exactly like the chart shows. Increased comfort, increased performance, no compromise (besides cost).

[Kzang]

I pick up my new X5 tomorrow with Adaptive M suspension and I will compare the drive handling to my current E70 with standard suspension that i drove for the last 3 years..

My understanding was that the DHP provides both sportiness and soft comfort handling with a flip of a switch. DDC offers comfort only and no sportiness to the handling.. Adaptive M suspension would be strictly Sportiness. And lastly.. Standard Stock suspension is softer than the E70 suspension.

[opasha]

Originally Posted by Kzang

I pick up my new X5 tomorrow with Adaptive M suspension and I will compare the drive handling to my current E70 with standard suspension that i drove for the last 3 years..

My understanding was that the DHP provides both sportiness and soft comfort handling with a flip of a switch. DDC offers comfort only and no sportiness to the handling.. Adaptive M suspension would be strictly Sportiness. And lastly.. Standard Stock suspension is softer than the E70 suspension.

The E70 suspension was very good. I drove a few as loaners and friends' E70s.

I don't have any experience driving Adaptive M. That is strictly researched based and pulling information from every review I can find from owners and people who actually know suspensions of BMWs (people with more knowledge than me - there are MANY out there ).

I have driven a DHP F15. My brother's friend let me drive one on the lot that was cancelled by an owner. There is a huge difference compared to stock suspension. It handles almost as well as my '04 FX35 stock suspension.

Mercedes has definitely made their suspensions better, but not sportier. You are correct that they focus on comfort. The ML63 however has all the suspension tightness we could ask for - drives very nicely with a few variations to play with. The ML350 on the other hand is like this: Road Feel/Comfort/Body: 7/10 (less body roll than F15 stock suspension, but the poor steering negates that) Steering: 3/10 (very loose).

I'm not on here to sell anything to anyone. I only provide helpful info to the best of my ability and research. For anyone getting an M-Sport line, $900 is worth every penny over stock suspension. It's a great middle compromise from everything I know about it. I've driven both extremes and many other SUVs with varying suspensions, so that's why I don't really hesitate to recommend it. Is that wrong? I don't think so . Everyone I've recommended suspension upgrades to have been completely satisfied, so I hope you don't see my research and help based on baseless information.

[wjbender]

Originally Posted by jman26

I actually got the adaptive M to help soften the ride for my wife so she wouldn't get car sick on trips up I95. The suspension exceeded my expectation as I didn't give up any of the feel for the road and got a more comfortable ride. The increased handling is noticeable as well and was secondary for me, however very happy w it. Like I said in the review, I take a very tight cloverleaf every day very fast so I have a great repeatable benchmark. It is a huge improvement in handling. I didn't have a problem before but now I know what I was missing. Of all the $1k add ins listed above it is the best use of your money.

The ML has always been in between the BMW and Lexus in these categories. A happy medium if you will. The adaptive M lets you have your cake and eat it to. It pretty much is exactly like the chart shows. Increased comfort, increased performance, no compromise (besides cost).

+1 I have the adaptive and it really helps control body roll on fast curves. I test drove a 2014 ML before settling on the F15. ML is a very nice car, but it felt heavy around curves. I'm sure if I pushed it would start sliding. Not as secure as the BMW

[Kzang]

Opasha, you keep referencing and comparing your FX 35 stock suspension but I must disagree with your assessment that the Infiniti suspension is of equal or superior to BMW's standard suspension.. and especially with DHP.
I don't even think it comes close.. My sister has a 2010 FX35 and the stock suspension when I drove it was bouncy. Nothing special about the FX at all.
Suspensions on a SUV is nothing special as far as handling goes, although it has improved drastically recently... I would suggest you to drive a M5 or any of the ///M cars to benchmark the suspension comparisons.

[opasha]

Originally Posted by Kzang

Opasha, you keep referencing and comparing your FX 35 stock suspension but I must disagree with your assessment that the Infiniti suspension is of equal or superior to BMW's standard suspension.. and especially with DHP.
I don't even think it comes close.. My sister has a 2010 FX35 and the stock suspension when I drove it was bouncy. Nothing special about the FX at all.
Suspensions on a SUV is nothing special as far as handling goes, although it has improved drastically recently... you need to drive a M5 or any of the ///M cars to benchmark the suspension comparisons.

Respectfully, the 2004 and 2010 are completely different suspensions and bodies. The older body style with my 20" wheels is more planted - not bouncy at all. Last I checked, this is an F15/F16 (SUV) forum (I wasn't comparing suspensions of all vehicles, only SUVs. I know cars handle better ).

Anyway, back on topic. Let's not detract from his review, which was nicely written and helpful to many.

[Jenya B]

Nice article !

[oshevtsov]

I have both M Adaptive and DHP on my F16. This combination is phenomenal. Ride is much smoother than on my ex-F15 (which only had Comfort, no DHP). Handling, agility - above any expectations, and zero body roll.

This is all to say I would surely prioritise suspension-related features above all other options.

[senoromar]

Great review. I will keep some of your points in mind if i get a chance for a do-over, esp about ACC. I always thought it was non essential like you once did.

[jman26]

Congrats on your pickup today! You will love this ride w/ the M Suspension @kzang

[Kzang]

Originally Posted by jman26

Congrats on your pickup today! You will love this ride w/ the M Suspension @kzang

The Adaptive M suspension is freaking awesome ... it keeps my X5 flat on sharp turns and it keeps all corners balanced ( no nose dives ). Adaptive M Suspension so far to me has been "sporty" but in a soft way.. Its hard to describe it.. this is with my 20" wheels. It puts my E70 standard suspension to shame.. and this SUV handles as good as my previous 2010 535i with sports package with (anti roll stabilization). If anyone orders a Msport without the $900 Adaptive M suspension then I feel really sorry for you!

[MattBianco]

Informative. Thank you for sharing.

[mattsnow]

I didn't get air suspension because i have heard that they are very unreliable, especially in cold temps like we have up here. My CA told me that the mechanics see a lot of problems with them up here. Anybody else have knowledge/experience concerning air suspension reliability?