Adaptive / magnetic dampers - feedback

S

Sae

Senior member
Does anyone adaptive damping or magnetic dampers on their other cars/4x4s?

If so, what have you got, and does it really make that much difference? I'm just looking for comments on experiences on the extremes
- slow 30mph pot holed roads
- faster a/b road blasts

Thanks in advance :thumbsup:
 
I had them on my e34 M5 (so old tech now) and they were great for B-roads.

They had 3 settings - auto, sport, comfort.

Auto was supposed to chose the best depending on the road conditions, but it was never fast/clever enough to do so.

Sport was supposed to be stiffer - and it was to an extent - but you'd never call it track-focused.

Comfort was the mode you'd use most of the time - and always for wet trackdays (hence why my track photos show more roll in the wet than the dry).

Biggest downside was their initial response - as they'd take a second to decide what mode they were going to.

I was considering upgrading the Z4M suspension with Bilstein adaptive suspension (with a dash-mounted controller), but they said they had no plans to do a system for the Z4M.
 
It's becoming an option on a lot more luxury cars, just wondering if they are must spec options with genuine improvement.
I guess it's still new tech, so I'd imagine they are getting better all the time.
 
I have adaptive suspension on my e89 35is & 640. It's fantastic.2 totally different cars in both. Comfort setting is as it says,maybe a bit soft but ideal for every day driving.sport or sport plus is my favourite car tightens rite up changes the driving experience.
 
I have it on my 2007 Porsche 997. 2 modes. comfort and sport. i rarely use sport as it's too hard for uk road. also regardless of which mode you're in, if the system thinks you're going for it it'll stiffen things up.

also have it on my 2012 range rover sport. it's called dynamic mode. makes a big difference when on the twisties. not from a sporty perspective. just less annoying roll from left to right.
 
KERMIT1970 said:
I have adaptive suspension on my e89 35is & 640. It's fantastic.2 totally different cars in both. Comfort setting is as it says,maybe a bit soft but ideal for every day driving.sport or sport plus is my favourite car tightens rite up changes the driving experience.
Click to expand...

Interesting, do you have a new shape 640?
 
gadgetJunky72 said:
I have it on my 2007 Porsche 997. 2 modes. comfort and sport. i rarely use sport as it's too hard for uk road. also regardless of which mode you're in, if the system thinks you're going for it it'll stiffen things up.

also have it on my 2012 range rover sport. it's called dynamic mode. makes a big difference when on the twisties. not from a sporty perspective. just less annoying roll from left to right.
Click to expand...

Must be a bit mind bending on a big rrs?
The dynamic suspension on the evoque is supposed to be excellent too.
 
Sae said:
gadgetJunky72 said:
I have it on my 2007 Porsche 997. 2 modes. comfort and sport. i rarely use sport as it's too hard for uk road. also regardless of which mode you're in, if the system thinks you're going for it it'll stiffen things up.

also have it on my 2012 range rover sport. it's called dynamic mode. makes a big difference when on the twisties. not from a sporty perspective. just less annoying roll from left to right.
Click to expand...

Must be a bit mind bending on a big rrs?
The dynamic suspension on the evoque is supposed to be excellent too.
Click to expand...
I had a 2005 range rover sport before. the handling is soooo much better. it's even better in the new shape one.
 
Sae said:
KERMIT1970 said:
I have adaptive suspension on my e89 35is & 640. It's fantastic.2 totally different cars in both. Comfort setting is as it says,maybe a bit soft but ideal for every day driving.sport or sport plus is my favourite car tightens rite up changes the driving experience.
Click to expand...

Interesting, do you have a new shape 640?
Click to expand...
Yes 2014 with 20" rim drives great considering f466ccd67e101665f713fe273b5a2856_zps33dd513d.jpg
 
KERMIT1970 said:
Sae said:
KERMIT1970 said:
I have adaptive suspension on my e89 35is & 640. It's fantastic.2 totally different cars in both. Comfort setting is as it says,maybe a bit soft but ideal for every day driving.sport or sport plus is my favourite car tightens rite up changes the driving experience.
Click to expand...

Interesting, do you have a new shape 640?
Click to expand...
Yes 2014 with 20" rim drives great considering f466ccd67e101665f713fe273b5a2856_zps33dd513d.jpg
Click to expand...

That's niiiice :thumbsup:
 
I have the adaptive chassis control in my company car... a Volkswagen CC. It does make a noticable differece - it has 3 modes IIRC - sport, comfort and normal....but regardless of how stiff the suspension is, it's still a low powered eco-diesel that is basically the size of a small house, so in reality it went in comfort mode on day 1 and hasn't moved out of that since.

I would get it on a sportier car in the future though.
 
Had magnetic ride on a TT courtesy car when Audi had my S8 in for a couple of days.

Didn't tend to notice a big difference to normal springs unless you put it in the sport mode, hammered it and really threw it around then it felt like a big kart!

I'd probably spec it if I were to buy a new car with mag ride as an option.
 
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