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[composed]

Originally Posted by J08M3

I don't see how you could assume that since it isn't stated anywhere by BMW that without EDC you are in Normal not Sport mode. You are always in sport mode without it and you just don't have an option to choose Normal

Sorry, I should have explained a step further! My point is that I can see how people get confused about the settings and what they do. Aside from the fact that you mention (that BMW doesn't provide some of the detailed specific info which is of course true), the point that should be made is that EDC is dynamic and constantly changing the compression and rebound settings of the dampers. A non-EDC car has dampers that have fixed compression and rebound settings. This is why you would buy EDC, and accordingly one really shouldn't be trying to compare the performance of an EDC car with that of one without - they are two different animals in a sense.

There are not 3 distinct compression/rebound settings for the dampers because there are 3 "modes" in EDC, which I would guess some people might think as well (I think there are other car systems out there like that).

As I understand it :
1) Normal mode means that EDC is doing it's "regular" thing of automatically and constantly adjusting the dampers according to your driving style, cornering, braking, road surface, etc. - this of course means that there is no fixed setting to compare with a non-EDC car.
2) Sport mode is limiting them always to a certain specified range of travel which results in a stiffer ride because they are not changing as much - this would relate most closely to a non-EDC car, though I guess only BMW engineers and aftermarket suspension tuners would really know how much (BMW help us here!).
3) Comfort mode (which I agree may be more of a marketing thing) supposedly allows the dampers to have a lot of freedom in their travel, but calls them to attention at certain times (which to me sounds pretty much like the Normal mode) but I'm assuming is a little more lenient.

just my .02...

[J08M3]

Originally Posted by composed

As I understand it :
1) Normal mode means that EDC is doing it's "regular" thing of automatically and constantly adjusting the dampers according to your driving style, cornering, braking, road surface, etc. - this of course means that there is no fixed setting to compare with a non-EDC car.
2) Sport mode is limiting them always to a certain specified range of travel which results in a stiffer ride because they are not changing as much - this would relate most closely to a non-EDC car, though I guess only BMW engineers and aftermarket suspension tuners would really know how much (BMW help us here!).
3) Comfort mode (which I agree may be more of a marketing thing) supposedly allows the dampers to have a lot of freedom in their travel, but calls them to attention at certain times (which to me sounds pretty much like the Normal mode) but I'm assuming is a little more lenient.

just my .02...

This is basically what I was trying to say... I think we both are just explaining it a bit differently. What I was trying to say is exactly how you explained it in point 2 of your description. What is "Sport Mode" is how the non-EDC car is normally. I think BMW makes it a bit confusing with their term "Sport" and "Normal" This terminology makes it easy for someone to assume if you don't have the option "sport" than you must be in "normal" but in fact what you don't have is the option "normal" it's just a play on words by BMW to make it sound more appealing. Hopefully I'm making sense with that explanation.

[composed]

Originally Posted by J08M3

This is basically what I was trying to say... I think we both are just explaining it a bit differently. What I was trying to say is exactly how you explained it in point 2 of your description. What is "Sport Mode" is how the non-EDC car is normally. I think BMW makes it a bit confusing with their term "Sport" and "Normal" This terminology makes it easy for someone to assume if you don't have the option "sport" than you must be in "normal" but in fact what you don't have is the option "normal" it's just a play on words by BMW to make it sound more appealing. Hopefully I'm making sense with that explanation.

Yep, I know J08M3 - was just throwing it out there for others to absorb!

[Ronin13]

Originally Posted by J08M3

This is basically what I was trying to say... I think we both are just explaining it a bit differently. What I was trying to say is exactly how you explained it in point 2 of your description. What is "Sport Mode" is how the non-EDC car is normally. I think BMW makes it a bit confusing with their term "Sport" and "Normal" This terminology makes it easy for someone to assume if you don't have the option "sport" than you must be in "normal" but in fact what you don't have is the option "normal" it's just a play on words by BMW to make it sound more appealing. Hopefully I'm making sense with that explanation.

I would agree that damping in the EDC car in Sport Mode behaves like a non-EDC car does. Basically with the shocks both having fixed compression and rebound rates. However, the Sport Mode fixed rates are higher in the in the EDC car than the fixed rates on the standard dampers. I think that's what you were saying.

It was said earlier, but the key to EDC is the real time dynamic adjustments in Normal Mode. Stiffer isn't always better as what you really want your dampers to be doing is helping to maintain contact patch. Normal Mode has the ability to go softer or stiffer than the fixed rates in Sport Mode as the situation demands.

[composed]

Originally Posted by Ronin13

...what you really want your dampers to be doing is helping to maintain contact patch...

Ronin13 FTW! This is what it's all about! As much as is possible given a particular alignment and geometry spec (like OEM), this is what EDC hopes to accomplish - whether it does or not is a whole other thread!

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by J08M3

This is basically what I was trying to say... I think we both are just explaining it a bit differently. What I was trying to say is exactly how you explained it in point 2 of your description. What is "Sport Mode" is how the non-EDC car is normally. I think BMW makes it a bit confusing with their term "Sport" and "Normal" This terminology makes it easy for someone to assume if you don't have the option "sport" than you must be in "normal" but in fact what you don't have is the option "normal" it's just a play on words by BMW to make it sound more appealing. Hopefully I'm making sense with that explanation.

Actually you do have Normal if you don't have EDC, except no active damper control. It's already been stated, by Ronin13 and me, that the EDC Sport mode is much stiffer than the non-EDC system.