why is Adaptive Drive so rare?

[Spanky Deluxe]

Ok, I managed to answer my own question. If there is a button present directly below the shifter then the car has Adaptive Drive. See the 2007 X5 Owner's Manual here: http://cache.bmwusa.com/PDF_6cc05348...7-732719793466

The button (labelled number 21 on page 14) is for 'Adaptive Drive'. According to page 86, Adaptive Drive is always on but it can be set to either Sport mode (LED in button lights up) or Normal mode. So there is a physical giveaway if a car has Adaptive Drive or not - look for the button.

[ard]

Originally Posted by MOD220

so if all you need to do is press a button to turn off sport suspension, why do people choose "sport suspension delete?"

No, you are confusing "sport mode" with "sport suspension".

In the USA, at least up to 2012, everyone 'got' the sport suspension delete- so there were two falvors: Adaptive Drive or Stock Suspension.

To further confuse matters, the "Sport PACKAGE" used to include AD. In 2010 they renamed it "Sport Activity Package", reduced the price by $3500, and made AD a $3500 stand alone option.

There is a simple button directly 'behind' the gearshift selector, that says 'sport' with an LED:



AD is on ALL THE TIME. When you press sport and the light comes on the suspension stiffens slightly.

But you can never turn it off, it is always active.

A

[MOD220]

So adaptive drive always has a sport (tight) suspension option and does not have the "deleted" suspension? And if that button is behind the shifter, the car for sure has AD?

[AzNMpower32]

Originally Posted by MOD220

So adaptive drive always has a sport (tight) suspension option and does not have the "deleted" suspension? And if that button is behind the shifter, the car for sure has AD?

Correct.

[ard]

Originally Posted by MOD220

So adaptive drive always has a sport (tight) suspension option and does not have the "deleted" suspension? And if that button is behind the shifter, the car for sure has AD?

Nomenclature.

You are not getting this... the "sport suspension" is a package called "SA226"..this is the sport suspension.

The AD does not have SA226.

Up to 2012, NO US CAR HAD SA226. All had sport suspension delete.

The AD feature is an entirely different suspension unrelated to other packages BMW may ship- and it has two modes, standard and sport.

(Now, if someone knows the spring rates and damper coefficients used in the AD and can compare those to the standard suspension and the SA226 package then we might be able to say they are the same...)

AFAIK, the button equals AD. But why not get the VIN and have the dealer run the configuration for you? Not service history, just new order configuration....

[Alan Smithee]

Originally Posted by COrth

To add to the confusion...

For a while I thought BMW considered the adaptive drive to be the sport suspension, but now I don't know.

You are correct, for US models. AD was originally part of the 'sport package', and it still was later when re-named 'sport activity package'. However, for $3,500 less, there was a "sport suspension delete" sub-option to eliminate AD from the 'sport activity package'.

[ard]

Originally Posted by Alan Smithee

You are correct, for US models. AD was originally part of the 'sport package', and it still was later when re-named 'sport activity package'. However, for $3,500 less, there was a "sport suspension delete" sub-option to eliminate AD from the 'sport activity package'.

This is partially correct- my understanding:

You are correct, for US models. AD was originally part of the 'sport package', and it still was later when re-named 'sport activity package'. However, for $3,500 less.

In addition, the "Sport activity" package got the SA266 sport suspension (bit stiffer) ...however all US models got the mandatory "sport suspension delete" sub-option to eliminate this sport suspension from the 'sport activity package' as it was felt the US market would not like this.

Again, my understanding.

[Alan Smithee]

Originally Posted by ard

In addition, the "Sport activity" package got the SA266 sport suspension (bit stiffer) ...however all US models got the mandatory "sport suspension delete" sub-option to eliminate this sport suspension from the 'sport activity package' as it was felt the US market would not like this.

You are making a confusing issue even more so by bringing up non-US models, codes on build sheets that people will likely never see, etc.

I cannot speak for all models and all model years. What I do know is that on my 2011 (November 2010 build) 35d, when the 'Sport Activity Package' option was selected, it included AD. There was a 'sport suspension delete' sub-option to delete AD for $3,500 less in both the 'Build Your Own' section on BMW.com, as well the dealer order system. Because there were only two suspensions available, standard and AD, it did appear that BMW NA was equating AD with sport suspension. I believe this is what the OP is referring to towards the beginning of this thread.

Perhaps in other parts of the world a 'Sport Activity Package' vehicle without either AD or 226 (sport suspension, non-Adaptive, not available at the time) would be 'sport suspension delete', hence the confusing name of the sub-option once offered here in the US. Regardless, AD is now a stand-alone option.

[ard]

Originally Posted by Alan Smithee

You are making a confusing issue even more so by bringing up non-US models, codes on build sheets that people will likely never see, etc.

I cannot speak for all models and all model years. What I do know is that on my 2011 (November 2010 build) 35d, when the 'Sport Activity Package' option was selected, it included AD. There was a 'sport suspension delete' sub-option to delete AD for $3,500 less in both the 'Build Your Own' section on BMW.com, as well the dealer order system. Because there were only two suspensions available, standard and AD, it did appear that BMW NA was equating AD with sport suspension. I believe this is what the OP is referring to towards the beginning of this thread.

Perhaps in other parts of the world a 'Sport Activity Package' vehicle without either AD or 226 (sport suspension, non-Adaptive, not available at the time) would be 'sport suspension delete', hence the confusing name of the sub-option once offered here in the US. Regardless, AD is now a stand-alone option.

Uh, I don't think I am confusing the issue. Sorry if it is a complex issue, but the BMW ERP system configures cars for worldwide production- you see vestiges of this reality in the various order options.

You are flat out wrong that 'sport suspension delete' is "AD delete".

BMW reconfigured the package to take AD out of the sport package-true. However you are assuming this is what the "delete" is referencing...

But in ROW the sport package gets a sport suspension...in the USA it gets "sport delete".

Configure a car in the UK with the Sport Activity package (without AD) and you will see no automatic "sport delete" in 2010 and 2011.

[rh71]

rode again in a non-sport X5 shuttle vehicle... don't bother with AD unless you're throwing it around corners at 60mph+.