[MattCowher]

I was on the highway going about 75 or 80 and the truck in front of me had something in the back that came flying out. I swerved quickly staying in the same lane. I had a 2010 Jetta TDI before this and it could handle this maneuver yet my freekin B M W wagged it's tail like a dog. It felt like an old Camry! Is this the suspension? Do all F30s behave like this? I didn't really rip it up on test drives but the BMWs of old were never less that gocart like with handling. How would I fix this?

[spuntyb]

Originally Posted by MattCowher

I was on the highway going about 75 or 80 and the truck in front of me had something in the back that came flying out. I swerved quickly staying in the same lane. I had a 2010 Jetta TDI before this and it could handle this maneuver yet my freekin B M W wagged it's tail like a dog. It felt like an old Camry! Is this the suspension? Do all F30s behave like this? I didn't really rip it up on test drives but the BMWs of old were never less that gocart like with handling. How would I fix this?

Does it have the adaptive dampers? Doesn't sound like it. The stock xdrive suspension is pretty awful.

How to fix? Depends on what you want. If you want to keep the comfort for daily driving, but want a more tuned feel and a slight drop, get the KW street comfort suspension. Runs about $1500-$1700 for the kit. If you want a more aggressive set up, Bilstein or KW has you covered.

[kpgray]

Originally Posted by MattCowher

... wagged it's tail like a dog. It felt like an old Camry! Is this the suspension? Do all F30s behave like this?...

Lots of threads discuss the "soft" xDrive suspension. I sold my F30 xDrive and went back to a F30 RWD M-Sport... MUCH BETTER! If yours has some miles on it, worn out shocks could be an issue. On the other hand... If you get an F30 xDrive it really makes a difference to get the Adaptive suspension. Meanwhile, maybe a set of aftermarket springs can help resolve the handling issue?

[the dope steez]

+1 for coils. I have street comforts and they are amazing.

[BMW11]

Do the rear tires have good tread left?

[SpenceRx]

Originally Posted by BMW11

Do the rear tires have good tread left?

I was thinking the same thing. Tires. It's your tires.

[jmg]

X Drive suspension is notoriously soft. RFTs are not the greatest, and your TDI Jetta is lighter. Suspension, non-RFT tires will go a long way.

[anotheran]

Originally Posted by SpenceRx

I was thinking the same thing. Tires. It's your tires.

THIS ^
I'm thinking the op just got the car and it's the same tire from the last owner from '13

[Blubaron79]

Some staggered 19s with summer tires I swear compared to 18s on all seasons is like night and day.

[AGONXF30]

Originally Posted by Blubaron79

Some staggered 19s with summer tires I swear compared to 18s on all seasons is like night and day.

Squared set up is actually better than staggered. And a summer is not necessarily better than a all season tire. It is all dependent on tire/brand/spec.

OP: The MKV/A5 chasis was pretty phenomenal. My MKV does have suspension work, but even stock I feel it handled pretty damn good. Right now my MKV GLI is more fun than my civilized F30. Granted my GLI is also pushing 15 to 20 PSIG and it is not stock.

[Blubaron79]

Originally Posted by AGONXF30

Squared set up is actually better than staggered. And a summer is not necessarily better than a all season tire. It is all dependent on tire/brand/spec.

OP: The MKV/A5 chasis was pretty phenomenal. My MKV does have suspension work, but even stock I feel it handled pretty damn good. Right now my MKV GLI is more fun than my civilized F30. Granted my GLI is also pushing 15 to 20 PSIG and it is not stock.

You could be right but I will find it hard to find anyone on this forum that agrees all seasons are better than summers. Especially S001's or PZeros.

[cfm56d7b]

Originally Posted by the dope steez

+1 for coils. I have street comforts and they are amazing.

I also recommend KW Street Comfort Coilovers for F30 xDrive vehicles. Had them on my previous F30.

[anotheran]

Originally Posted by Blubaron79

Some staggered 19s with summer tires I swear compared to 18s on all seasons is like night and day.

That's a good idea. Staggered induces understeer

[Buzzo]

Originally Posted by AGONXF30

OP: The MKV/A5 chasis was pretty phenomenal. My MKV does have suspension work, but even stock I feel it handled pretty damn good. Right now my MKV GLI is more fun than my civilized F30. Granted my GLI is also pushing 15 to 20 PSIG and it is not stock.

And as opposed to the MK6 Jetta sedan, the MK6 Sportwagen is still on that same MKV/A5 chassis. My MK5 GTI and even my MK6 Sportwagen TDI were more tossable on back roads than the 340ix (w/ adaptive suspension).
OP's case is one of overrated F30 vs underrated MKV/A5 when it comes to handling. (I don't miss my TDI, but I do miss my GTI)

[JollyRodger]

Originally Posted by anotheran

THIS ^
I'm thinking the op just got the car and it's the same tire from the last owner from '13

$10 that's the issue but instead of getting a new set of tires, OP will drive them to the cords and instead spend two grand on shocks and springs.

The number of people I know who drive on bald tires is always worry some. I just assume everybody on the road is about to have a tire blow.

[MattCowher]

I just got the car in December. The tires have good tread but they will get replaced at the end of the fall this year. I am a big believer in Summer/ Winter tires. I will start looking into the suspension upgrade options. If it takes a few grand to get her to drive like I was expecting than that's what I'll do. I just wish I didn't feel regret about not buying an Infiniti Q50 sport hybrid and saving myself $5000

edit: besides, why would tires make the ass-end of a car bounce and float away like it did? I just don't understand that one. it didn't slide or loose traction, it was floaty. And for what it's worth the RFTs are friggin aweful whatever idiot thought that was a good idea should be replaced with a small spare tire. you know, the one we all should have had in our trunk? :-)

[floydarogers]

I suspect tires (probably lower-profile than your Jetta), and bad road surface.
Heavily rutted lanes can cause pronounced input to the chassis (read up on "tramlining". If you came OUT of a rutted lane, could cause what you experienced.

[anotheran]

Originally Posted by MattCowher

I just got the car in December. The tires have good tread but they will get replaced at the end of the fall this year. I am a big believer in Summer/ Winter tires. I will start looking into the suspension upgrade options. If it takes a few grand to get her to drive like I was expecting than that's what I'll do. I just wish I didn't feel regret about not buying an Infiniti Q50 sport hybrid and saving myself $5000

edit: besides, why would tires make the ass-end of a car bounce and float away like it did? I just don't understand that one. it didn't slide or loose traction, it was floaty. And for what it's worth the RFTs are friggin aweful whatever idiot thought that was a good idea should be replaced with a small spare tire. you know, the one we all should have had in our trunk? :-)

If you meant bounce and not fish tailing (tail wagging is side to side too) then it's the soft shocks/dampers.

[MattCowher]

Originally Posted by anotheran

If you meant bounce and not fish tailing (tail wagging is side to side too) then it's the soft shocks/dampers.

ok so maybe wag was the wrong word. lol

I think suspension is the issue. It is my everyday driver so I don't want it too aggressive but I wanted it to handle better than this. If I want to carve up a back road or I have to avoid a collision I don't want my back end floating away on me.

I think if I fish tailed I would know I needed tires. It was more like how a 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis would handle. It kind of felt like a boat making a slow turn.

[EvenKeel]

Originally Posted by MattCowher

ok so maybe wag was the wrong word. lol

I think suspension is the issue. It is my everyday driver so I don't want it too aggressive but I wanted it to handle better than this. If I want to carve up a back road or I have to avoid a collision I don't want my back end floating away on me.

I think if I fish tailed I would know I needed tires. It was more like how a 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis would handle. It kind of felt like a boat making a slow turn.

I think what you're trying to say is you experienced significant & sudden body roll as a result of your abrupt maneuver that felt like it upset the chassis and left a lot to be desired in terms of confidence.

This is totally different from oversteer where the tail actually steps out. What you experienced was likely the result of the suspension being under damped in the name of a softer, ride comfort-biased, setup.

Fwiw, the N55 power train and ZF8HP45 transmission and drivetrain in the 335i is in a different league compared to the Nissan VQ powertrain and Jatco transmission and drivetrain in the Infiniti you have buyers remorse about.

[anotheran]

Originally Posted by MattCowher

ok so maybe wag was the wrong word. lol

I think suspension is the issue. It is my everyday driver so I don't want it too aggressive but I wanted it to handle better than this. If I want to carve up a back road or I have to avoid a collision I don't want my back end floating away on me.

I think if I fish tailed I would know I needed tires. It was more like how a 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis would handle. It kind of felt like a boat making a slow turn.

You should look at the bilstein b6 shocks. See this thread http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1200991

[eluded]

If I take the steering wheel and crank right and then crank left the car will wag its tail like an excited dog happy see it's a master after a long long long long long long long long long long long long long long long day at work. All-wheel-drive doesn't save you from the rules of physics.

I suggest you head to the nearest driving school for further instructions