Active Steering Owners...
 

For those of you who opted for Active Steering, now that you've lived with it for a while, what do you think? Are you happy with your choice or do you regret getting it? Please share your thoughts...

I can't speak to how a X5 feels without Active Steering (as I haven't driven one) but, compared to other SUVs that I've driven, the steering feel of the X5 with Active Steering is worth every penny.

Driving around town is just so easy -- the car feels lighter and more nimble. Parking is so easy with just so a turn or two. It feels like I'm driving a 3-series.

On the freeways, the steering is definitely more indirect and really makes one feel more in control. Tiny movements don't change the car's direction. I haven't done really long trips (> 3 hours) yet but I would expect that I would feel slightly less "driver fatigue" from constantly having to adjust my drive path.

I just hope they have fixed the components. Both my 5 and 6 with AS had issues with errors.

i have tried both and from my point of view and any othere person who drove

my car is its something unbelievable ,,, active steering and the suspension really turns the car around , test drive both and you will see what i mean ,

i traded my 2007 x5 for 2008 just for the active steering , believe me its worth it , hope this helps

I've test driven an E70 with Active Steering and loved it. I see the tech writers panning it like it was the second coming of I-Drive; but I very much liked it. I'm seriously considering it.

What's your view other than the errors? and what years are they again?

Thanks for all the responses. Anyone else?

Also, I did get to drive an '05 530 with Active Steering for about an hour. I think I really like it a lot, but I also feel that I have to spend more time with it to really decide...

Go for it! You won't regret it, it is probably the most pleasant option I have on my car (together with adaptive drive). It makes the car handle so lightly, it feels like you're driving on air :) Some critics say it takes away some of that famous 'BMW driving experience', but I disagree. When going fast, it feels very firm and controllable. For doing manouvres it is also very comfortable. I tow a boat and also 5000 lbs trailer, and hooking these trailers to the car is much more easy then with my previous E53.

2004's, just Active Steering error lights. Didn't really notice a difference in driving though so I'm not sure why they threw errors.

With the castor set for LHD and not adjustable for RHD (that being the LH front wheel is set back 5mm than the RH wheel) great for Europe & USA. When you have the X5 in RHD the vehicle tends to steer left on our heavy camber roads.

With active steer more pressure is required to keep the X5 from veering left. Not so noticeable with normal power steering as it is lighter to the touch but it becomes a pain after 2 hours of driving, that extra pressure starts to hurt your wrist.

The wider the wheels also the more pressure is required, it is fine around town but on counrty roads it is a pain.

So much so BMW flew 3 sets of control arms out from Germany but could not solve the problem. All they needed to do was engineer some new bushes so it would bring the LH wheel forward and the RH wheel back - simply castor asjustment to suit RHD cars, Mercedes do it.

Anyway handed the X5 back told them to build me a X5 that was suited to RHD, the new X5 arrives late Feb 08.

I have Active steering and I really like it.
I drove a 328xi(without Active steering) temporarily while installing aerodynamic kit, and the handling was way heavier than my X5(eventhough X5 is much bigger than 3-er).
Hope this might help...

After having Active Steering in my 2004 645cic, I knew I had to get it for the X5. Nothing better than having to lightly turn the steering wheel less than one full turn to get out of a tight parking spot in comaprison to 2 full turns on a steering wheel without active steering.

I think it is a must have option, but the car magazine writers don't like it because it takes away from the direct feedback found in traditional steering. I don't think that is applicable to the benefits in real world driving, not track.

Big thumbsup for AS

Here :)