benrinnes

Hi folks, Due to a change in circumstances I'm now living in a rented farmhouse that is accesed via a very bumpy mile long single track road comprising gravel, dirt, manure, stones etc. I only bought my approved used 5 series several weeks beforehand otherwise I may have went for an X3 or equivalent, as road surface aside, I'm concerned about the suspension despite planning on driving slowly up the track (I don't have the VDC) and also I am concerned about the ground clearance. (thankfully it's an SE model but clearance is still a concern) I would loathe to trade in my new bimmer at this stage as I'm loving it and have committed to pro sat nav and folding mirror retrofits in the coming weeks. I'd also rather avoid investing in a second "run around" car. So, I've been researching options for winter wheels and tyres in the hope this may help alleviate the above concerns. I'm currently on 225/55R17 run flats. My research to date has suggested investing in a new set of wheels & tyres for the winter (especially due to the single track farm road I now need to use on a daily basis), but that I may want to consider keeping these year round until I move house again. Specifially, 'Continental Winter Contact TS830P' tyres and accompanied by 17" X10 wheels by Uniwheel. I've also read about low profile tyres versus high profile tyres, and higher sidewalls to help prevent the alloys being scraped by the larger stones on the track? I'm out of my depth with this though :wacko: I was also hoping to ensure the ride quality is not affected by any changes, but whether or not that's realistic? I'd be grateful for your informed views and own experience of the above scenario and any recommendations, not just on the winter wheel/tyre swap, but whether or not an executive saloon can really be used on such roads at all? Best, Ben

Apologies if this has been asked many times before (I did search the forum and haven't found the answer). I'm looking to purchase a used 520d, but preferrably with VDC. The issue I'm having is that this option is never listed, that I can see, either in private sales or via dealerships. Does anyone know if Variable Damper Control can be added to the car post production i.e. retro fitted? I've possibly read too many reviews and watched too many video reviews to have arrived at the conclusion VDC is a must? This would be my first BMW incidentally, but I've been unable to find a dealer who can offer a test drive with and without VDC for comparison, or as I say, a private sale listing this option. Any advice on this would be much appreciated. As an aside - does anyone happen to know if you can easily fit a road bike into the boot of the 520d (presumably with front wheel removed and back seats down)? I didn't want to rock up to a dealership with my Cannondale in tow and ask them to pop the boot :-) It would just me myself in the car 90% of the time, so the Touring model would be overkill for my needs. I do like the smaller 3 series too, but I prefer the more integrated display on the dash.