Drove an E90 330.

[Sharp11]

John V,

Did this 330 i have the sport package? Over on Bimmerfest, LarryN wrote extensively about his autox'ing experiences with his - he swapped out the 18's and rf's for 17's and special rubber - rotation was not a problem and the car did well.

Wrt the throttle response: I've driven stock E90 325's and 330's and one 325 with the SP. The bone stock cars had noticeable lag, especially the 325. My guess is this is to keep the RWD newbies out of trouble - that and all the skid control nannies.

The Z4 3.0 is DBW and IMO, is really quick (especially with the sports button engaged), so it's not necessarily a DBW problem, it's a 'tuning" issue, I believe ( obviously).

Ed

[Sharp11]

Originally Posted by iateyourcheese

For example, in the Z4, isn't there a device to pipe in engine noise to the cabin?

Sports cars have had a variation on this for years, it was Alfa Romeo who did it first (I think) way back in day.

It's a simple band-pass filter, that is, it lets one narrow range of audio frequencies through, amplifies them (acoustically in this case, which I find cool in its old-school way) and sends it right into the firewall.

I think it's only on 3.0 SP cars pre 06 and si's and M's post.

Ed

[John V]

Originally Posted by Optimus Prime

-But I don't understand not being able to steer with the throttle. On at least 4 occasions I've been able to induce understeer and then slide the rear end out very easily. It's also been amazingly easy to control in a "drifting" sort of way. I hope this isn't insulting, but did you turn the electronic gizmo's ALL the way off?

Not insulting, good question, I pressed the DSC button and held it until the spinny icon came on the information display between the speedo and tach.

I have driven E46 M3s in "sport" mode... they might as well call that "abrupt" mode as it's impossible to drive smoothly with it on. This was the complete opposite.

TD, let's do a post-work car swap. You take the Boxster out for a while, then we'll take the 330i out for a while.

Ed, not sure if this was a "sport package" model. It felt very soft and observers commented that it had the most body roll they'd ever seen out of a BMW as I manhandled it through the slalom. It definitely had 18" wheels, though. I doubt the owner changed anything - the school was the first time the owner had ever popped the hood!

Maybe with the camber pins removed and the usual huge anti-roll bar bolted up the car would become OK and not so pushy, but man was it uninvolving and unrewarding to autocross.

[Sharp11]

Originally Posted by John V

Not insulting, good question, I pressed the DSC button and held it until the spinny icon came on the information display between the speedo and tach.

Ed, not sure if this was a "sport package" model. It felt very soft and observers commented that it had the most body roll they'd ever seen out of a BMW as I manhandled it through the slalom. It definitely had 18" wheels, though. I doubt the owner changed anything - the school was the first time the owner had ever popped the hood!

With the Z4, there are two levels of skid control - what you've described here would only defeat the first.

The 18's seem to indicate the presence of the SP.

The fact the owner has never popped open the hood means BMW knows its target market for this car, perhaps that's why they've removed the dipstick.

Ed

[John V]

Originally Posted by Sharp11

With the Z4, there are two levels of skid control - what you've described here would only defeat the first.

The 18's seem to indicate the presence of the SP.

The fact the owner has never popped open the hood means BMW knows its target market for this car, perhaps that's why they've removed the dipstick.

Ed

Pushing it once lit up an icon that said (I think) ASC. Pushing and holding for 5-7 seconds or so lit up a second icon that had the triangle with an exclamation point inside it, with the "oh god we're gonna spin out" arrow around it. I think it was fully defeated. Or did I have to push up up down down left right left right A B select start too?

[ff]

Originally Posted by Sharp11

The fact the owner has never popped open the hood means BMW knows its target market for this car, perhaps that's why they've removed the dipstick.

Ed

They didn't remove the dipstick. They simply relocated it to the driver's seat.

[lemming]

Originally Posted by ff

They didn't remove the dipstick. They simply relocated it to the driver's seat.

ah jeezus.

LOL.

[Nick M3]

One thing I've noticed after spending some time in an E90 325 loaner is that it seems to do a hell of a lot more driver adaptation than, say, an E46 does. The loaner drove very differently this morning than it did when I got it yesterday.

Also, I'd have to get one with active steering - the standard steering is a horrible combination of annoyingly heavy and completely dead.

[John V]

I forgot about active steering. I wonder if this guy's car had it or not.

TD and I are trying to arrange schedules so we can do a little test drive action.

[Nick M3]

I just really want the E90 rear suspension for my race car.