[buckybadger]

My dealer did a lousy alignment of my M2C. I hardly feel any improvement in steering and handling. On center feels a little loose than normal but it could just be the EPS.

Does anyone here got their M2C aligned? Did you got for the standard OEM spec or custom one? Basically I want to tighten the on center feel and handling. Also on freeway there's lot of tramlining in certain sections and would be nice to solve it by alignment. We have horrible cement freeways in California.

See my attached alignment spec.

Thanks in advance.

[VIERsr]

A good improvement over before for rear toe, now it should be good for a street driving.

[nearwater4me]

To me those settings you have currently look okay.
If you increase front toe(toe-in, +), you may have more center feel, but tire wear will increase and car may want to understeer more.
Hydro-planing situation will get more jittery also.

I believe tramlining has more to do with tire width and tread pattern(for those steel bridge surfaces).
Hope this helps.

[buckybadger]

Originally Posted by nearwater4me

To me those settings you have currently look okay.
If you increase front toe(toe-in, +), you may have more center feel, but tire wear will increase and car may want to understeer more.
Hydro-planing situation will get more jittery also.

I believe tramlining has more to do with tire width and tread pattern(for those steel bridge surfaces).
Hope this helps.

Thanks, I think all my on center feel issues are to do with Michelin PSS stock tires and combination of alignment. I had the same tires on my 335i and they caused vague on center feel as well, till I switched to Michelin PS4S. The PS4S are significantly quieter, more comfortable and taut tires comparatively. My 335i has much much better feel along with the performance suspension now.

I'm looking to get the PS4S on my M2C in future. Did anyone here upgrade their tires and feel any differences?

[nearwater4me]

Originally Posted by buckybadger

Thanks, I think all my on center feel issues are to do with Michelin PSS stock tires and combination of alignment. I had the same tires on my 335i and they caused vague on center feel as well, till I switched to Michelin PS4S. The PS4S are significantly quieter, more comfortable and taut tires comparatively. My 335i has much much better feel along with the performance suspension now.

I'm looking to get the PS4S on my M2C in future. Did anyone here upgrade their tires and feel any differences?

Ah I see. This is my first Michelins so I had no idea.
I’m eager to try out the new PS4S!

[buckybadger]

Thanks!
Does anyone here feel the on center EPS is slightly vague at times in the M2C. Turning the steering slight left and right back and forth gives a vague/fake sort of a feel and then the steering engages to stiffen up. It looks one has to turn the wheel slightly for it feel engaged and tight, otherwise on center is vague and feels disconnected and inaccurate. This is especially obvious when in Sport+ mode.

Is this normal?

My 335i has much better on center accuracy and feel.

[nearwater4me]

I haven’t driven my car for a few days now. I’ll pay attention to it next time I drive.

[buckybadger]

Originally Posted by nearwater4me

I haven’t driven my car for a few days now. I’ll pay attention to it next time I drive.

Thanks! That'll be great!

[skier219]

I feel like this is normal for the M2C and is in my opinion a weak spot compared to other sports cars, and even newer BMWs. It is obvious to me that the M2C is using the previous generation EPS system and not the newer system that has given improved feel in the G series models. I had this complaint about previous BMWs as well — they just did not do a good job with EPS until the G generation.

Some of the vagueness may also be coming from the tires, as I detect some vibrational squirm when changing direction from center at all speeds. And in general, the tires seem very sensitive to pavement texture to me.

The steering vagueness is made more noticeable in sport+ due to the effort, and is one reason I went back to sport for my steering setting. I feel like the steering effort is too low at all settings, but I grew to dislike the way sport+ made that on-center vagueness so much more apparent. Drop the steering back to comfort and the on-center vagueness is much less apparent, but then it’s too soft. Sport seems to be a good compromise in the middle.

I have criticized BMW EPS for years, and whenever I see a reviewer or magazine bring it up in public I feel like BMW brought this on themselves. The M2C just got dinged for lousy steering in a C&D comparison, and I was not surprised in the least.

[Tag]

Here are the alignment specs in Degree° Minutes' Seconds"

[Tag]

Dinan also has alignment specs for their coil-over system which is in degrees. If you convert it to DMS it should be the same as the stock specs. See page 10.

[buckybadger]

Originally Posted by skier219

I feel like this is normal for the M2C and is in my opinion a weak spot compared to other sports cars, and even newer BMWs. It is obvious to me that the M2C is using the previous generation EPS system and not the newer system that has given improved feel in the G series models. I had this complaint about previous BMWs as well — they just did not do a good job with EPS until the G generation.

Some of the vagueness may also be coming from the tires, as I detect some vibrational squirm when changing direction from center at all speeds. And in general, the tires seem very sensitive to pavement texture to me.

The steering vagueness is made more noticeable in sport+ due to the effort, and is one reason I went back to sport for my steering setting. I feel like the steering effort is too low at all settings, but I grew to dislike the way sport+ made that on-center vagueness so much more apparent. Drop the steering back to comfort and the on-center vagueness is much less apparent, but then it’s too soft. Sport seems to be a good compromise in the middle.

I have criticized BMW EPS for years, and whenever I see a reviewer or magazine bring it up in public I feel like BMW brought this on themselves. The M2C just got dinged for lousy steering in a C&D comparison, and I was not surprised in the least.

Thanks for confirming! Appreciate it.

I can't wait to switch to PS4S tires and re-align for better on-center feel now.

You will be surprised how good my 335i with PS4S on-center feels (I do have performance suspension). At this point, my 3 on-center is more accurate than my M2C.

It's just a matter for configuring the M2C but it's disappointing to see how poorly M cars are setup stock.

[Davil]

The criticism is usually always from tier B or C reviewers. Never the good ones. I think the steering is fantastic. Turn in, the way you can point it, unwind it and control direction is superb. Absolutely direct and precise. All this with no pain in the ass tram lining that you get in other cars.

CBM5 explained well the only issue with steering feel (not steering per se):
"Having owned the M2C now for over a year, the biggest fault I have found with the steering (compared to my E90 M3), is in a situation where you are at steady state in a corner, loaded up a lot (say 0.6g+ maybe), dry road, and you have to quickly open up the lock and then even faster regain the previous loading. In other words a huge transient situation in the middle of a high cornering load such as you would experience if you were came upon something in the road you have to immediately avoid. "

[buckybadger]

Originally Posted by Tag

Here are the alignment specs in Degree° Minutes' Seconds"

Thanks! Is this the stock M2C alignment spec? My goal is to tighten the on-center steering accuracy and heft. Also want to reduce tramlining on cement free ways. Too many grooves!

[Tag]

Originally Posted by buckybadger

Thanks! Is this the stock M2C alignment spec? My goal is to tighten the on-center steering accuracy and heft. Also want to reduce tramlining on cement free ways. Too many grooves!

Yes, stock.