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      07-24-2019, 04:36 PM   #1
thebmw
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Drove a M850 Xdrive Convertible

I drove a M850 Xdrive Convertible on Sunday. Nice car. Very powerful. Responsive transmission. Sonic Blue is sweet. Seats are comfortable. Screen is a little unfamiliar and will take time to get used to. Lack of knobs for climate control really stinks.

But what could be a deal breaker is the steering. So artificial! I turned the wheel and it felt like there was a slight delay in the wheels turning. It also felt very over boosted. It was not natural at all and very un-BMW. BMW's are known for their steering feel and this felt worse than a Tesla or a video game. I was told it was the assisted steering feature.

I'm sure I'm not the only one that has noticed this.

Last edited by thebmw; 07-25-2019 at 10:45 AM..
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      07-24-2019, 05:31 PM   #2
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A little over the top there, imo. Did you try the basic Sport mode or the configurable Sport mode? Also, there most certainly are “buttons” for the ventilation system (though I rarely need to touch them because the Auto function is so remarkably effective).
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Last edited by redhot47fla; 07-24-2019 at 07:44 PM..
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      07-24-2019, 06:55 PM   #3
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thebmw I agree with redhotfla that you can really customise all aspects of the ride/control with the 8 and then every time you get in just press one button on the dash and its set to your preference.

I personally love the x-drive as you can really throw the car into sharp corners with greater confidence knowing you can handle anything that’s slightly unpredictable ahead. Agree with factory settings at very low speed the steering is light but that is very helpful in tight car parks and getting in/out of my garage with steep driveway.

On the climate control my Genius visit (see separate post) highlighted that the auto function is much more sophisticated than it used to be. My experience so far is this is proving to be true.
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      07-25-2019, 10:50 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by redhot47fla View Post
A little over the top there, imo. Did you try the basic Sport mode or the configurable Sport mode? Also, there most certainly are “buttons” for the ventilation system (though I rarely need to touch them because the Auto function is so remarkably effective).
I meant knobs, not buttons. I fixed my post. I frequently change the temperature and it is annoying to keep pushing the button many times.

I drove it in sport mode and comfort mode. In both modes, the steering was awfully light and disconnected. There was that slight lag in response as well when parked or at low speeds. It was a weird feeling and not one that is consistent with BMW. I like connected steering feel.

I did not configure the steering so it is possible that the factory setting was on "numb/disconnected" aka active steering to the max. The BMW M Drive rep that was with me did not let me know that it was configurable! I guess she doesn't really know as much as I thought she did.
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      07-25-2019, 11:06 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thebmw View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by redhot47fla View Post
A little over the top there, imo. Did you try the basic Sport mode or the configurable Sport mode? Also, there most certainly are “buttons” for the ventilation system (though I rarely need to touch them because the Auto function is so remarkably effective).
I meant knobs, not buttons. I fixed my post. I frequently change the temperature and it is annoying to keep pushing the button many times.

I drove it in sport mode and comfort mode. In both modes, the steering was awfully light and disconnected. There was that slight lag in response as well when parked or at low speeds. It was a weird feeling and not one that is consistent with BMW. I like connected steering feel.

I did not configure the steering so it is possible that the factory setting was on "numb/disconnected" aka active steering to the max. The BMW M Drive rep that was with me did not let me know that it was configurable! I guess she doesn't really know as much as I thought she did.
No offense to them but most of them don't know as much as you would think unless you're talking to a BMW Genius.
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      07-26-2019, 02:56 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by phoenixbmwlife View Post
No offense to them but most of them don't know as much as you would think unless you're talking to a BMW Genius.
Yes, maybe she didn't know what she was talking about. I told her how awful it felt and she said that this is the way it is.
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      08-02-2019, 06:34 PM   #7
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Maybe I'm crazy but Tesla to me has some of the best steering out there right now.
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      08-04-2019, 07:15 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by geddylee View Post
Maybe I'm crazy but Tesla to me has some of the best steering out there right now.
Telsa steering is like playing a video game. It is literally completely disconnected from the wheels. You could argue that all electronically assisted steering systems are disconnected, but Tesla takes it to a whole new level. I found Tesla steering artificial and lacking feedback as well, like every review has stated.

In the 8, I think it was at the active steering that made it feel artificial. Perhaps if it was off completely, the steering would feel more natural.
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      08-05-2019, 12:57 AM   #9
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thebmw sounds like the M8 is the car for you!
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      08-05-2019, 10:07 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ozzie8 View Post
thebmw sounds like the M8 is the car for you!
I personally like the 6 series styling better and will stick with it for now. Plus, it has knobs
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