35i vs 35is - adaptive suspension and power questions

W

Walle1danman

New member
Hello to everyone, first post.

I understand this may have been answered elsewhere on the forum so forgive me for asking.

I test drove a 35i on Saturday and found the car to be far too hard yet body control was very poor. The car had poor turn in and would roll from side to side yet would break your back over any sort of road imperfection. The car did not have the adaptive suspension but did have 19inch wheels.

So the first question is this. Does the adaptive suspension turn the car into a sharper drivers tool (more like the previous shape M-coupe i drove afterwards)? I could 'live' with the harsh ride if the body did not roll as much. Are there any differences between an adaptive optioned 35i and a 35is that helps with the turn in.

Power delivery
I found the 35i to have poor power delivery. It was a wave of torque unto 6k rpm and then it almost instantly ran out of puff. Without being insulting its delivery was very diesel like. Does the remap on the 35is change this characteristic or are you simply getting through the rev range quicker. No doubt it was a quick car, just not very exciting power delivery. Do the aftermarket remaps (something to consider if i were to buy a 2 year old car) have a pronounced effect or is it just more of the same?

Im not being discourteous as i really like the new Z4, im just a little disappointed.
 
Hi Daniel

welcome to the forum

Walle1danman said:
Hello to everyone, first post.

I understand this may have been answered elsewhere on the forum so forgive me for asking.
you should try search on adaptive suspension where you will find lots of posts

I test drove a 35i on Saturday and found the car to be far too hard yet body control was very poor.
(in relation to what?)
The car had poor turn in and would roll from side to side yet would break your back over any sort of road imperfection. The car did not have the adaptive suspension but did have 19inch wheels.
rolling from side to side?
Where did you test drive this? did you ask them?

I found the old zed a far, far harsher ride than the new one, and have tested most flavours, M suspension & without, standard and M models; the new one is like a magic carpet in relation (IMHO) however with the 19"s on, it is harsher than with 17 or 18"s, run flats also make it firmer, but I would not say it is that hard it would break your back (what are you currently driving?)
Poor body control? Jeese Louise - how are you driving it? Have you driven rear wheel drive before?

So the first question is this. Does the adaptive suspension turn the car into a sharper drivers tool (more like the previous shape M-coupe i drove afterwards)? I could 'live' with the harsh ride if the body did not roll as much. Are there any differences between an adaptive optioned 35i and a 35is that helps with the turn in.
you should try search on adaptive suspension where you will find lots of posts

Power delivery
I found the 35i to have poor power delivery.
Really, it's a twin turbo that does 0-60 in less than 5 seconds, what are you used to? I would ask the garage you were at my friend ,
It was a wave of torque unto 6k rpm and then it almost instantly ran out of puff. Without being insulting its delivery was very diesel like. Diesel like (-; Is that a flame request??? :D :D :D well mine certainly ain't no diesel, again you should be pointing this out to the garage where you test drove the car (& tell em to try super unleaded for start) :D :D :rofl:

Does the remap on the 35is change this characteristic or are you simply getting through the rev range quicker. No doubt it was a quick car, just not very exciting power delivery. Do the aftermarket remaps (something to consider if i were to buy a 2 year old car) have a pronounced effect or is it just more of the same?

Im not being discourteous as i really like the new Z4, im just a little disappointed.
Click to expand...
SHAME, doesn't sound like the BMW sDrive35i I am used to, still, like Bertie Bassett says "it takes Allsorts"

I would go and try another for a start Dan, I see your in East Sussex, get down to Chandlers and ask them to explain to you why you feel there is poor power delivery and lots of body roll in a 35i, I am sure they will either tell you that the car or you are wrong, either way they will answer your questions

Adaptive suspension firms things up for sure, but if you find the non adaptive is going to break your back you should be looking for a different car altogether, as with the adaptive fitted it will be firmer:

FYI The 35i is a GT / cruiser, not a race hard track car, but in relation to the competition out there I find it smooth with 19" wheels on but that's IMHO

I see on the Track Culture web site you were talking about getting a track car, spending £9,000 and looked at / considering MX2 MX5, Honda S2000 or a TVR Chimaera 450. I take it your not putting the 35i in the same ballpark as any of those, (especially on price, a two year old 35i will probably cost you three times that; ) I've driven all of them and wouldn't put any of them in the same league as an sdrive 35i, especially in relation to ride quality / driving quality / power / finesse and especially reliability

The Chimaera 450 has a V8 with 4546cc; 285bhp at 5500 and is slightly slower with less BHP than a 35i, however, (in my personal experience) they spend more time on the hard shoulder than on the road.

Happy car hunting :thumbsup:
 
Must admit, taking out any bias, that doesn't sound like my car at all? :?
I find my E89 more stable through corners than my old Z4 Coupe?
Mine is on adaptive and 18" wheels. I like the look of the 19", but find the handling nicer with the 18".
 
Doesn't sound like my ca either...maybe it was a Toyota MR2 under a 35i body!!!!

I had a little run out with a GTR last week, and at the lights I kept up with it, but it pulled away after 90 plus....but I still kept on going, and the GTR guy was impressed wih the pace at which it kept up....

I would say though that a Cayman S does it better, but ll the other ponts....either I'm stupid and just passed my test....or...
 
Thank you for the reply. I'll try and respond in some sort of way that makes sense!

I will search the adaptive question if this post didn't reveal anything. I may well ask for another test drive and try and get one on a quieter day.

I thought the body roll was a lot compared to any other roadster / sports car with that level of power. I would have expected it from a 5-series but not a Z. I did ask and they confirmed that it is more GT then roadster type layout, which i can believe and have read. It was just a lot more then i had expected. It was more to illustrate the point so as to create a comparison with the 35iS and the adaptive suspension. As you say, i should try and get a ride in a 18" equipped adaptive car, but there aren't many and i don't want to take the mickey with the dealer. I'll ask, but i wont expect them to break a leg trying to find one.

My poor body control statement comes from my opinion that i was simply not expecting that much (relatively speaking). I knew it wasn't as good as the M, but i didn't expect it to be as poor as it was. For what its worth, i've just got rid of a V8 R8.

Power delivery.
I didn't mean it was slow (it wasn't!), but its power delivery was poor. There was no excitement, just a rush of torque and change gear. No manic rush towards the redline, just a feeling that it was blowing as hard as it could and then ran out of breath. Quick though, without a doubt. My main question was if the remap of the 35is changes this or if the power delivery is the same, just more of it. Thank you for not flaming me, i'm not being disrespectful or trolling as it is just an honest question.

With regards to track culture, one of the reasons the R8 had to go was that it was too fast for the road and the probability of me crashing it or losing my licence was getting closer to 1. I had to opportunity to buy a perfect 450 Chimaera, but after a passenger ride it was far too GT and old fashioned. When the weather is better, I am booking the Brands Hatch M3 session as a taster to see if i actually enjoy track driving (I might not and it would be daft to spend X amount on a track car only to find I don't like the atmosphere, or something equally daft). I can then have a rethink as to what i want to do. Christmas eve is better then Christmas day, looking forward to and thinking about what to buy is sometimes better then actually owning the thing.
 
Anyone have a dyno map for the 35is? I found one here http://e89.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=274175 for the 35i that seems to back up the OPs point regarding power delivery after 5000rpm. Remember this car isn't normally aspirated so that curve is to be expected surely?!

No denying they are quick cars though. :thumbsup:
 
Hey Dan

As for
Walle1danman said:
As you say, i should try and get a ride in a 18" equipped adaptive car, but there aren't many and i don't want to take the mickey with the dealer. I'll ask, but i wont expect them to break a leg trying to find one. .
Click to expand...

That's exactly what the dealers ARE there for, you don't have to do them favours, especially in the current marketplace, they should be tripping over themselves for your business and hard earned. Can you tell us what dealer you have tried please; They should be willing to get the car you want. I guess your going UAC- go to BMW UK at Park Lane, they are the only non independent (Owned by BMW UK) and have access to cars way before the independent BMW dealers get to even hear about them. (N.B. If you do, send me a PM and I will give you a specific salesman to deal with)

FYI- Mine is not adaptive and on 19" RFT's; would have preferred adaptive too, but there wasn't any in the country with the full spec I wanted, so compromise was the key. Got everything else I wanted though except comfort access

If you were going new you can spec a 35i with a range of M features, (Z4 sDrive35i M Sport) and add the adaptive suspension to this, but it's still going to be half the price of a V8 R8, did you have the spyder?

regards IWL
 
I have the 35i with adaptive suspension, it was the first thing on the spec sheet for me. I do know what you mean about the roll in corners on the 35i, i was surprised at the ride when i test drove one, but on reading up on the car the bmw decision to soften the car to widen the target audience was the reason. With the adaptive suspension the ride does firm up and is much more like the ride i have experienced in a friends zcoupe (shock horror, yes i have been in one).
A lot of people say the ride in the z4 is rough and with runflats it is pretty harsh sometimes but i have driven mine round a good chunk of france, italy etc and done a 10 hour solid drive back from Provence without any discomfort. Ok so it's not quite as comfortable as my 3 series was but hey it isn't meant to be. As for acceleration, well i have some possible issues but they are specific to my car and i feel a new thread coming on. I need to spend some time using 98 ron and then i will be asking some opinions from the forum.
If you're moving from an R8 i would imagine the worlds your oyster for choice of cars so what is it you really want from a car. Perhaps you should be looking at an M3 convertible or something entirely different. Whatever you decide i think the 35i is a great car and loads of fun. Good luck :thumbsup: :)
 
Thank you for all your comments.

I've been looking at the brochure again and i think I'll give the car another chance. It does look lovely. I'll phone the dealer tomorrow and ask to book a 35is for a longer test drive, on roads that i know. May'be i am being too critical.

IWL, the R8 was a coupe. Awesome car and highly recommend them, but find a decent dealer...
 
You find a big difference with the 35iS in the steering department more than anything else and the sound.

Great cars. I love the them.
 
Hey Dan

Good luck on your test drive, not trying to tell you how to suck eggs, but if you mention to BMW UK (rather than your chosen dealer) that you are considering leaving another German manufacturer and considering choosing a BMW, and that your coming from an R8 coupé I am sure they will give you a contact at HQ who will follow your sales experience & monitor how you are dealt with. Also, if you ask them to point you to a dealer with someone on-site that can talk at your level and allow you a longer (24hr?) test drive you'll be more likely to purchase, they can arrange that for you. :wink:

I know also that Vines of Crawley do high spec rentals, they were really helpful and responsive with me getting a longer run than a basic "test drive" before I chose the 35i at park lane.

whatever route you go, Good Luck :thumbsup:
 
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