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Road testing an M Sport when trying to buy a Luxury ...

3K views 12 replies 9 participants last post by  HoR 
#1 ·
I am in the market for a 218i AT Luxury, but the only car that my local dealer is able to lend me for an extended test drive is an M sport. I would like to clarify which functions on the M Sport I can disable in order to give me the closest approximation of what a ride in a Luxury model is like. I am not so much fussed about issues like acceleration, more with the suspension and general feel of the ride. I am sure that this is something that the dealer should easily be able to tell me, but my experiences with the knowledge which dealers have of the products which they are selling, has been - to put it no higher - mixed !
 
#4 ·
Some cars may have adaptive suspension that allows the dampers to be stiffened - but thats a different thing to MSport suspension.

As Marco says, if you don't want the stiffer MSport suspension the only thing you can do is find the right spec car to try.
 
#6 ·
Other main difference is the seats, unless the optional sports seats are specified, then the Luxury in the UK will have the standard seats, which I found short, uncomfortable and hard. The sports seats are vastly superior in my mind and worth getting a Sport or Msport for. I would strongly suggest at least sitting in a Luxury and see how you get on. If it helps then the current X1 shares seats with the AT, you dealer might have one of those with standard seats in to compare.
 
#7 ·
Thanks for the info to date. I live in London and am very surprised how hard it is to see these different models. I have managed a 20 min drive in a Sport, but have been trying to get BMW Park Lane (who keep reminding me that they 'are' BMW and therefore have priority access to any cars coming through the system) to show me / let me drive a Luxury model, but I have not yet succeeded. Nor do any of the other London dealers that I have spoken to seem to have a Luxury model that I can look at. Knowing about the seat similarity with the X1 is helpful, as it does at least give me another car to search for.
 
#8 ·
Just in case anyone else is in the same position..... We ended up being able to borrow both a Luxury and an M Sport for an extended overnight loan. The Luxury had 18" wheels and the M Sport has the usual 18" runflats. To be honest, I don't seem much (if any) difference in the ride and certainly nothing that could be described as significant. Mrs TBH1 has yet to take a ride in the M Sport and she is more troubled by the jolting over bumps than I am, so I await her views.
 
#11 ·
order an msport and delete the suspension
 
#12 ·
My wife has a 220d Gran Tourer Auto with Luxury trim - it's on 17" non-runflats and the ride is excellent. previously I might have thought that 17's would leave it looking a little 'under-wheeled', but it doesn't seem to do this.

The comment above about the seats is correct - it doesn't have the sports seats and if I was driving it more, I'd have wanted these specified. I drive it from Cornwall to London about once every couple of months and I just added a small lumbar cushion as this is the area I really noticed it. I had sports seats in my last 4 or 5 BMW,s from E91 through to F11 and they are always excellent.

Overall it's a great car, but non-run flats and sports seats if possible would be ideal - my wife though has never mentioned the seats being an issue..
 
#13 ·
tweeky said:
order an msport and delete the suspension
Absolutely this: however, a couple of things from my experience. The sports seats are well worth the purchase (especially with lumbar support and electrical adjustment) and you can easily find a spot that suits and the chairs are extremely comfortable. We've come from a Lexus CT which was one of the most hard-riding cars I've ever spent time in... (A Civic Sports model being the most uncomfortable); however, the chairs were immensely comfortable - the Bimmer feels a little firmer to the bum region, but has more adjustment and support to the thighs. The 225xe M Sport on our drive has 18" wheels, but BMW UK say it doesn't have M-Sport suspension; I have to say that the ride is much better than the old Lexus, on 17" wheels. I know this is rather confused, but I guess the heavier 225xe, riding on 18" wheels should give a moderately good idea as to how the Luxury might ride on 17"ers.

TL:DR Our heavy 225xe on 18" wheels rides better than a Lexus on 17" wheels. Therefore your 17" Luxury should be even better still.
 
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