[645Nm]

Fnckr: Thanks for the comment...i get your point about the trucks But i am not all innocent. I had the turbo on my one series upgraded and i tested it the same day as B3 Lux was testing the bilsteins...so when ever i try to pass him i would encourage him (waving) to drive the damn car as hard as he can - all in good spirit

It is always difficult to describe a ride on a car because so many things play a role. For example running on 19s and RFTs make any ride feel hard/harsh and sometimes bumpy. For the drive with B3 Lux I put on the stock 17 wheels, so the ride was more comfy and I wanted hime to focus on the suspension and how it performed.

Also, lowering the car by 20mm is low enough for me and also makes the drive "harder" compared to the normal stock sportpack 15mm drop. I drove the car at both and the 15mm Bilstein drop is the ideal drive height for me especially with 19s. But you don't get the low, sporty "look". So settled on the 20mm drop.

In normal mode the drive is simmilar to the stock feel (but a tad more comfortable; this is what i mean by soft) but the car does not behave stock...not sure if this makes sense. There is'nt any body roll in normal mode at regular speeds like you would get with the stock suspension.

When switching to race mode the car feels "stiffer" or "harder" without being porno...

Okay back to the point. In race mode the steering feels so precise, you can "feel" each of the wheels and the feedback it gives. It is tight, taught and goes where you point. The most astonishing feeling is that you can push the car much, much harder into corners and bends then what you could ever do in stock guise.

Imagine driving the car at high speed with DTC off. Your senses through your hands and fingers on the steering wheel tells you that some of the safety features of the car has been disengaged - this feeling can be disconcerting...now with the ridecontrol with DTC off...and the car in race mode the steering wheel tells you everything is in order...all safety measures are in place...this is the best way i can describe the feeling.

Lastly, i am still convinced when the car is in race mode it is quicker off the mark...perhaps e92fan can chime in on his experience.

[fnckr]

Originally Posted by 645Nm

but the car does not behave stock...not sure if this makes sense. There isn't any body roll in normal mode at regular speeds like you would get with the stock suspension.

That's the only thing I really needed to know. It's the OEM-sport body roll that I don't like.

[Alpina_B3_Lux]

Originally Posted by fnckr

WOW! He took a borrowed car and passed a convoy of trucks with oncoming traffic clearly within sight?!!! That's balls on his part, or as you say he's a great driver and clearly had the confidence he could pull it off. Very trusting on your part as well!

Well if you only pass when there's no traffic at all, you can't get anywhere fast... And there was indeed some margin left which the oncoming cars underestimated, although not enough margin for 645Nm to do the same (remember: he had some hp less). And as I have exactly the same car, I did know quite well what it was capable of, so the risk was not substantial.

Originally Posted by fnckr

Good reviews from both of you, too! I commend you both.

One question, in Bilstein Normal/Sport mode, as opposed to Bilstein Sport/Race mode, you say that the car has improved handling while ALSO being softer than the OEM-sport. What exactly does that mean?

To me softer would mean there's more roll, but you say "improved handling." That's confusing to me. Could you elaborate a bit? I have OEM-sport and wouldn't want anything softer for my daily driver. If anything OEM-sport is too soft in my opinion. So if this Bilstein set-up is softer I might have to eliminate it as an option.

645Nm took the words right out of my mouth - less body roll, same ride comfort, more precision, that was my impression.

[Alpina_B3_Lux]

Originally Posted by 645Nm

Fnckr: Thanks for the comment...i get your point about the trucks But i am not all innocent. I had the turbo on my one series upgraded and i tested it the same day as B3 Lux was testing the bilsteins...so when ever i try to pass him i would encourage him (waving) to drive the damn car as hard as he can - all in good spirit

It was really great, and that 1series is seriously fast!

Originally Posted by 645Nm

It is always difficult to describe a ride on a car because so many things play a role. For example running on 19s and RFTs make any ride feel hard/harsh and sometimes bumpy. For the drive with B3 Lux I put on the stock 17 wheels, so the ride was more comfy and I wanted hime to focus on the suspension and how it performed.

Also, lowering the car by 20mm is low enough for me and also makes the drive "harder" compared to the normal stock sportpack 15mm drop. I drove the car at both and the 15mm Bilstein drop is the ideal drive height for me especially with 19s. But you don't get the low, sporty "look". So settled on the 20mm drop.

I think that's ideal, too - looks great, and a fine compromise with ride comfort. I'm not at all for the "the lower the better" fraction, as on a bumpy circuit for example you're actually slower because the car jumps too much and gets uncontrollable, and what's more you screw up your back (and your front spoiler too most of the time).

Originally Posted by 645Nm

In normal mode the drive is simmilar to the stock feel (but a tad more comfortable; this is what i mean by soft) but the car does not behave stock...not sure if this makes sense. There is'nt any body roll in normal mode at regular speeds like you would get with the stock suspension.

When switching to race mode the car feels "stiffer" or "harder" without being porno...

Okay back to the point. In race mode the steering feels so precise, you can "feel" each of the wheels and the feedback it gives. It is tight, taught and goes where you point. The most astonishing feeling is that you can push the car much, much harder into corners and bends then what you could ever do in stock guise.

Imagine driving the car at high speed with DTC off. Your senses through your hands and fingers on the steering wheel tells you that some of the safety features of the car has been disengaged - this feeling can be disconcerting...now with the ridecontrol with DTC off...and the car in race mode the steering wheel tells you everything is in order...all safety measures are in place...this is the best way i can describe the feeling.

Exactly! Now I obviously didn't switch off the DTC while driving your car, but the difference between the two modes describes accurately what I experienced.

Originally Posted by 645Nm

Lastly, i am still convinced when the car is in race mode it is quicker off the mark...perhaps e92fan can chime in on his experience.

Well, I'll ask him tomorrow when we meet at the Nürburgring!

Cheers,
Alpina_B3_Lux

[335iheLLraiseR]

whats the difference between this and the PSS9s?

[645Nm]

I am not sure. My guess:
Looking at pictures of the Pss9/10 and the B16 ridecontrol they look all the same except the ridecontrol has the wiring come out from the shocks to control the dampening inside the car with a switch. With the Pss9/10 you have to get out of the car to adjust dampening (on all four wheels).

[jah29]

does anyone know the spring rates for this set-up?

thanks