[Bilqie18]

Hey all

I just picked up an e90 xdrive. Love the steering feel (among other things), but find the car doesn’t feel super buttoned down on the highway. Would swapping the current Michelin primacy mxm4s for PSSs help? If not, would love ideas on affordableish solutions.

Thanks!

[Welcome to NBA Jam]

The xi comes with standard springs and dampers, which can make it feel floaty. Swapping them out for some lowered Eibach springs and Bilstein B8's will really make it feel planted without sacrificing much ride quality.

[e90yyc]

To clarify, it doesn't feel like something is wrong per se, just that it's not as planted as you'd like?

My previous vehicle was an F30 340 with the M Sport suspension, so in comparison, I'd say the E90 is a little softer. But one of the things I most appreciate about it is how direct and organic it feels relative to the F30.

I'm sure better tires wouldn't hurt, but I wouldn't expect a massive difference in the area you mention. As NBA mentioned, changing suspension bits is your best bet.

Side note: I don't know why BMW insist on putting such shitty tires on these cars from the factory. I dunno if Primacy were ever OE, but the Bridgestone Turanza EL42 RFT's that were on my car from factory were beyond bad.

[RocketSurgeon]

MXM4s are pretty bad, but I would also check alignment. That can certainly effect how planted the car feels

[labrador]

As already mentioned, maybe the problem is the suspension and not the tires?

[tlow98]

Those arent great tires. Likely shocks if the car is getting past 75k miles or so, too. Sometimes even as early as 50k the shocks will exhibit a floaty feeling

[swift111]

I'll advice you get some Bilstein B8's

[dsjr2006]

What is the current mileage?

If you're on original suspension and over 70k miles your struts and shocks are probably worn. Replacing them will restore ride quality and high speed stability.

You can upgrade the suspension, but even the standard suspension is pretty good at highway speed when fresh.

[asiflicious]

That floatyness is normal, especially for the xdrives. Your best bet is coilovers/spring and damper combo

[dsjr2006]

Originally Posted by asiflicious

That floatyness is normal, especially for the xdrives. Your best bet is coilovers/spring and damper combo

This has not been my experience. Have you owned or driven a brand-new xDrive car?

[asiflicious]

Originally Posted by dsjr2006

This has not been my experience. Have you owned or driven a brand-new xDrive car?

Yes.

[e90yyc]

What exactly is this floatiness? Forgive me if it's obvious, but I'm just trying to put my finger on whether I've felt this before.

I've driven practically every modern BMW and the E90's and am not sure I understand what this is... Floaty like a 7-series? Or floaty as in poor damping/prone to bouncing and body roll?

[MysticRob]

Originally Posted by e90yyc

What exactly is this floatiness? Forgive me if it's obvious, but I'm just trying to put my finger on whether I've felt this before.

I've driven practically every modern BMW and the E90's and am not sure I understand what this is... Floaty like a 7-series? Or floaty as in poor damping/prone to bouncing and body roll?

Same question from me, OP. Floaty to me means it bobs up and down constantly on the springs because the struts and/or shocks are blown out. Or, if you're one of our local broke-ass risers, you've completely removed the shocks and have little vehicle control left.

Could also be from having 10PSI in the tires, but how likely is that?
The tires listed have good reviews on Tire Rack so I doubt the issue is tire related, at least when it comes to "floaty".

[joeinsd]

I've felt this "floatiness" on my stock suspension. You just don't feel that instant reaction from the car when moving your steering wheel, and this was even while on PSS tires. I really don't know how else to describe it, but it also felt that as if you were driving on water and just "floating". I recently got rid of my e92 suspension and throw on Ohlins. What a difference it made, and in hindsight, it should have been one of my first mods. I don't know why I waited so long, and spent money elsewhere first. Now, the car, on the same tires, feels very planted and rides like it's on rails.

[dsjr2006]

Originally Posted by joeinsd

I've felt this "floatiness" on my stock suspension. You just don't feel that instant reaction from the car when moving your steering wheel, and this was even while on PSS tires. I really don't know how else to describe it, but it also felt that as if you were driving on water and just "floating". I recently got rid of my e92 suspension and throw on Ohlins. What a difference it made, and in hindsight, it should have been one of my first mods. I don't know why I waited so long, and spent money elsewhere first. Now, the car, on the same tires, feels very planted and rides like it's on rails.

That sounds like worn out suspension. Stock Sport suspension could hardly be described as floaty when new.

[joeinsd]

Originally Posted by dsjr2006

That sounds like worn out suspension. Stock Sport suspension could hardly be described as floaty when new.

Yeah, I failed to mention that and it ended up being that, + blown rear. With as old as some of these cars are starting to become, upgrading suspension isn't a bad idea for most.

[MysticRob]

Originally Posted by joeinsd

Yeah, I failed to mention that and it ended up being that, + blown rear. With as old as some of these cars are starting to become, upgrading suspension isn't a bad idea for most.

That makes sense. Blown shocks/struts can cause all kinds of issues. I have a section of highway that undulates in just the right way that makes my M-Sport 335i pitch up and down in ways my other vehicles never do on that same stretch. And I know all 4 corners need replaced at this point. Pretty sure I'm on the originals with 140k on them. Car was mostly a highway driver before I bought it, so bushings are solid, but on any given pothole or imperfection I can feel the springs rebound and shoot the car back up so fast it feels like a pogo stick. No rebound damping whatsoever. I have B4-sports and associated components waiting to go on in the garage.