[Branflakes]

Hi all,

Search didn't come up with much and I'm curious about anyone with first hand experience. I'm looking at the M5 Comp (2018/2019) pre-LCI and most reviews say it's a pretty stiff suspension and doesn't tame as much as the regular M5. I can't tell if it's really that extreme or if that's just relative because people are comparing it to luxury cars. For contrast, I've been daily driving a 2021 M6 ZL1 for the last two years so I'm already used to a somewhat tight/stiffer suspension. I rarely put the ZL1 in comfort (only do it for the wife) and I tend to throw it into track mode any time twisty roads or an on-ramp are coming up. Before the ZL1 I daily drove a Shelby GT350 and they've both had a great suspension IMO. I'd consider the M3 but I can't get over the grill so that's out...

Almost all the comparisons I see across sites are "apples and oranges" etc., etc., which isn't really helpful. I get they're very different cars but I measure a car by "is it fun?" not what kind of fruit it is like.

Anyway, I'm not looking to track my car again and want to get into something with a little more comfort and luxury. Anyone have experience driving both the M5 Comp and ZL1 and can give feedback on suspension specifically? Is it really that stiff or is that just relative compared to a luxury car?

Thanks for any feedback!

[AHall]

Perhaps you should find one and test drive it. Then you would know first hand how the suspension feels.

[Branflakes]

That would be ideal but the ones I've been interested in are typically hundreds of miles away. Even the closest are normally 100+ miles away and I don't want to waste anyone's time if it isn't the right fit (interior/exterior color, solid carfax). I hoped someone was familiar with both. If not I may have to make a weekend trip when one pops up closer.

[pbonsalb]

From what I have read, Magne-ride is really good and probably better than M-adaptive. Whether you would like a M5 more than a Camaro is another question.

[jnotrom711]

I have a 2019 comp....im sure some will disagree, but I actually like how stiff it is. and I dont find it too stiff at all. But you can definitely feel the road.

I wouldn't say it's overly stiff considering what the car is, its race car in a luxury car package. In my opinion, the stiffness to me imparts a more aggressive overall feel to the car. But some may not like it, especially comparing to a standard 5 or 8 series.

Also highly depends where youre driving most of the time, if you're in a major metro area with horrible roads and a lot of pot holes, I think an M5 comp, or ZL1 will be a night mare. However, to me still not a big enough nightmare to not buy the M5, it's just part of the aspect of owning a performance car. So I would deal with it.

I cant imagine a Camaro being much smoother.

Even if it is, I personally wouldn't take that as a selling point over the M5, since I like stiffer/more "feel" when I drive. But to each their own. With that said, there is also about 100 other things about the M5 vs Camaro which as huge selling points. One of them being, it's an M5, not a Camaro. Probably top of that list to me. Camaro is fine for what it is, and I dont mean to sound too biased, even though I clearly am. LOL. The ZL1 is great for what it is, I have no doubt about that. But in my opinion they're 2 very different cars, and not really comparable.

[ResIpsaLoquitur]

Originally Posted by jnotrom711

I have a 2019 comp....im sure some will disagree, but I actually like how stiff it is. and I dont find it too stiff at all. But you can definitely feel the road.

I wouldn't say it's overly stiff considering what the car is, its race car in a luxury car package. In my opinion, the stiffness to me imparts a more aggressive overall feel to the car. But some may not like it, especially comparing to a standard 5 or 8 series.

Also highly depends where youre driving most of the time, if you're in a major metro area with horrible roads and a lot of pot holes, I think an M5 comp, or ZL1 will be a night mare. However, to me still not a big enough nightmare to not buy the M5, it's just part of the aspect of owning a performance car. So I would deal with it.

I cant imagine a Camaro being much smoother.

Even if it is, I personally wouldn't take that as a selling point over the M5, since I like stiffer/more "feel" when I drive. But to each their own. With that said, there is also about 100 other things about the M5 vs Camaro which as huge selling points. One of them being, it's an M5, not a Camaro. Probably top of that list to me. Camaro is fine for what it is, and I dont mean to sound too biased, even though I clearly am. LOL. The ZL1 is great for what it is, I have no doubt about that. But in my opinion they're 2 very different cars, and not really comparable.

Agree with a lot of the points made here. I've now had both a (base) pre-LCI and a (Comp) LCI. Everyone always said how harsh the pre-LCI was, but the car was so much fun, I did not care. I agree that in some ways it is almost a selling point of the car. With that being said, I did not really realize the harshness until after I got my LCI, so perhaps it wasn't that bad. It took comparison to something else that is butter smooth to realize that it felt harsh. For me, the biggest difference was the jerkiness in "manual" shifting mode while in Sport+. The car felt like it lurched no matter how smoothly I changed gears or pushed down on the accelerator. My new car in Sport+ felt like my old car did in comfort mode.

To his point, I also live in a major metro area with very poor roads. I am regularly, but I would not say constantly, avoiding potholes and generally crappy roads. I have bubbled a few tires for sure when I am in an unfamiliar area where I don't know of the potholes. I have a vehicle much more suited to this environment, but it's nowhere near as fun as my M5, despite being infinitely more comfortable, and my M5 is my DD, so it sees the most use out of my other cars. As stated, this comes with the territory of owning a performance car.

I think even the pre-LCI is totally livable as a DD when you take into consideration the extreme amount of fun you get for what some might characterize as harshness.

If finding one at a dealership is not ideal, see if there is one for rent on Turo in your area. Spend 24 hours with it and drive it everywhere you'd normally drive.

[Branflakes]

Appreciate that feedback guys. I'm just outside Indianapolis and if I have to go downtown I usually just grab an Uber or Lyft. The roads are pretty bad in some areas.

Funny you mentioned Turo, I do check on there time to time to see if there's anything for rent that I want to check out. That's how I ended up buying the GT350.

[ResIpsaLoquitur]

Originally Posted by Branflakes

Appreciate that feedback guys. I'm just outside Indianapolis and if I have to go downtown I usually just grab an Uber or Lyft. The roads are pretty bad in some areas.

Funny you mentioned Turo, I do check on there time to time to see if there's anything for rent that I want to check out. That's how I ended up buying the GT350.

I know several people that ended up in new cars because of a Turo rental as well!

[bobmd]

I have a 997 Carrera s and the pre LCI M5C was rougher. I got a 2021 M5C and am very happy with it.

[HerkHealer]

There are several Pre LCI M5 owners who swapped the springs out with M550 springs, which are a tad softer............if that helps with your decision.

[pbonsalb]

They may be softer, but they are also shorter. Does the reduced suspension travel cause any issues?

Some cars, like the E90M3 I had, don’t offer enough travel to handle lowering springs without risk of bottoming out unless other changes are made such as cutting down the strut mount guide tubes and swapping to shorter bump stops. I ran H&R Sport on the E90 M3, made the recommended changes, and still occasionally bottomed out. Have not bottomed out yet in the M5 but I have driven only about 5k miles since installing H&R Sports (M5 application).

[Rams01]

So, I actually drove a 2018 A10 ZL1 and traded it for my 2020 M5C. I regularly tracked my ZL1 and even upgraded some of the suspension in order to stop the immediate misalignment after 1 track day.
The M5C with the suspension set all the way up will Jar you similarly to the ZL1 but not the same way the 1LE does. BMW redistributes this force better than in the ZL1 and is smoother over bumps etc. In comfort mode the M5C is smoother IMO than the ZL1 but most average ppl would say that it is “stiff” but have nothing to compare it to besides their commuter SUV or normie person car.
You wont regret trading the ZL1 in for the M5C. Its just a great car all around but will NOT track like your ZL1 does. Its just a heavy ass car and while i did beat my PB by 1 second id argue the ZL1 would have done better in this particular weather.
But again, the ZL1 is a legit track focused car and apparently the M5C is not but for back roads the trans shifts lightning fast and with MPS4s grips better than the ZL1 on public roads/canyon carving since the ZL1 isnheavily dependent on the SC3’s getting A LOT of heat in them before they come to life which wont happen on the street.
Last thing, it took time to get used to how the power band comes in and out turbo vs roots blower. The blower had bad heat soak but the power came in so early and immediately to lower rpms. The M5 though once in the power band just pulls forever and doesnt run out of steam like the ZL1.

[EM5C]

I’ve driven my buddy’s ZL1 many times. Awesome car. I do find my pre-LCI f90 much more comfortable however. The description of them being stiff is certainly subjective and relative to a number of factors. I daily mine and it’s a pretty comfortable ride in my opinion. I’m very happy with it.