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robg · 10-14-2014, 02:45 PM

Great reviews. You certainly have quite the BMW resume. Do you miss the e39 M5? I've driven one once, and my recollection is that it doesn't have the greatest steering feel either. How does it compare to your current stable?

I've had 2 BMW automatics (wife's requirement like you). I thought the 6 speed in the 335 was great. It was fast, smooth and didn't have any bad habits that I could discern. Strangely, the much-praised 8 speeder in my F10 is a bit of disappointment for some of the same reasons you mentioned. In sport mode, it shifts unnecessarily harshly and there is a bit of a jerky sensation when rolling to a stop (it insists on always downshifitng to 1st unlike my e92). I never noticed any hestiation in manual shifting w/ the paddles in either. And as with your e61, it also locks out top gear in sport mode. Given how tall 8th gear is though, its not really a big loss.

Haven't driven an F30 recently, but my steering impressions were similar to yours. For some reason the steering in my F10 feels more natural (though of course still not up to par with the older hydraulic units). I think they got so many bad reviews that they finally did something about it during the LCI.

I've only tried the pre 09 idrive twice and it was pretty bad. Bad enough to not want to buy a used BMW with that system. Amazing what a huge leap they've made to the point where its now the best on the market. (They all suck in different ways, but the current idrive sucks the least).

BMW tends to learn/unlearn/re-learn the same lessons with each model I think. So the classic advice of buying the latest year possible for a particular chassis code is very appropriate. I woudn't be surprised if the LCI version of the F30 has much improved steering for example.

10-14-2014, 02:45 PM	#22
robg Carmudgeon Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 3,243	Great reviews. You certainly have quite the BMW resume. Do you miss the e39 M5? I've driven one once, and my recollection is that it doesn't have the greatest steering feel either. How does it compare to your current stable? I've had 2 BMW automatics (wife's requirement like you). I thought the 6 speed in the 335 was great. It was fast, smooth and didn't have any bad habits that I could discern. Strangely, the much-praised 8 speeder in my F10 is a bit of disappointment for some of the same reasons you mentioned. In sport mode, it shifts unnecessarily harshly and there is a bit of a jerky sensation when rolling to a stop (it insists on always downshifitng to 1st unlike my e92). I never noticed any hestiation in manual shifting w/ the paddles in either. And as with your e61, it also locks out top gear in sport mode. Given how tall 8th gear is though, its not really a big loss. Haven't driven an F30 recently, but my steering impressions were similar to yours. For some reason the steering in my F10 feels more natural (though of course still not up to par with the older hydraulic units). I think they got so many bad reviews that they finally did something about it during the LCI. I've only tried the pre 09 idrive twice and it was pretty bad. Bad enough to not want to buy a used BMW with that system. Amazing what a huge leap they've made to the point where its now the best on the market. (They all suck in different ways, but the current idrive sucks the least). BMW tends to learn/unlearn/re-learn the same lessons with each model I think. So the classic advice of buying the latest year possible for a particular chassis code is very appropriate. I woudn't be surprised if the LCI version of the F30 has much improved steering for example.