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      06-15-2021, 03:58 PM   #1
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Is M Drive Professional worth $900?

I've submitted my build for the G80 xDrive but didn't include this option. Just found out the 10-step drift control is only via this add-on. I could care less about the drift analyzer, but not sure whether the 10-step drift control is worth the $900. Do you guys think this is a necessary option to have?
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      06-15-2021, 04:28 PM   #2
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Today I confirmed my AWD build without this option but I guess I'll watch this thread to see if someone changes my mind.
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      06-15-2021, 04:36 PM   #3
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I have this option on my 6MT. The drift analyzer is whatever, I have used it maybe once. The laptimer is useful, but honestly I think a standalone app like TrackAddict works better and has more features. The traction control thing I have not even tried yet - in what environment do you get lots of opportunity to play with this rather than simply toggling between traction, mdm, and traction off?
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      06-15-2021, 05:05 PM   #4
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This is from the technical documentation. I don't think anyone on the board here has fully tested it out to prove if the $900 is fully justified. I optioned just for the hell of it because who doesn't love having the most amount of control/adjustability of their vehicle as possible.

The G80/G82 receives the so-called M traction control in the optional equipment M Drive Professional (SA 1MB).
The following conditions must be satisfied in order to be able to use the M traction control:
• DSC OFF
• 2WD activated for the M all-wheel drive
The M traction control is a traction controller, which allows the customer in the rear-wheel drive to learn the oversteering in steps. The customer can permit an automated defined slip at the rear wheels in 10 adjustable steps.
In order to adjust the M traction control to the different ambient conditions, the M traction control with the coefficient of friction assessor detects the following conditions during the journey by means of various slip factors:
• Tire type (summer tires, winter tires, track tires, etc.)
• Tire condition (tire thread, etc.)
• Road surface (tar, gravel, concrete, etc.)
• Weather conditions (wet, dry, snow, ice, etc.)
In the lower levels of the M traction control the slip controller is wide open, this means that a large slip is permitted at the drive wheels.
In the upper levels the slip controller is largely closed and permits almost no slip at the drive wheels. The M traction control acts as a traction aid here.
The following examples should serve as a guide for the levels:
• Level 10, the highest level. Acts as a traction aid in this range, protects the rear tires and if necessary brings them to the appropriate temperature.
• Level 9, offers the best traction on race tracks, e.g. the Nürburgring.
• Level 7, the M traction control acts as a traction aid from level 7 upwards.
• Level 6, the slip controller is always wide open from level 6 downwards.
• Level 0, here the slip controller is completely open, the maximum slip at the drive wheels is permitted, without any intervention from the slip controller.
This means that with an optimally set slip controller the customer can concentrate on the necessary steering movements during the oversteer at the steering wheel without also having to control the drive torque at the same time. The customer can therefore cautiously approach the complete oversteer of the vehicle slowly in steps and learn this with help of the M traction control. In conjunction with the M Drift Analyzer, the customer can have his progress or learning success evaluated and shared with like- minded individuals. Further information about the M Drift Analyzer can be found in the chapter "M Drift Analyzer".
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      06-15-2021, 07:16 PM   #5
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If you arent going to the track, I dont really see any use for it. You can powerslide on the street in MDM or DSC-OFF just fine if you so desire.
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      06-15-2021, 07:54 PM   #6
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I think you'd have to be a serious / pro? driver to be able to get the benefit out of this. Maybe on track you decide that you need more or less slip in particular corners or weather conditions but I find it hard to envisage a situation that I would use this and I have it AND I have a lot of track miles under my belt, albeit a few years ago now

I'll have to try it out and see what it's all about at some point but who knows when that will be, certainly not on the road
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      06-15-2021, 09:06 PM   #7
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I really wish my car had it, I was called by BMWNA with questions on how I felt about the car and any issues I had. I told them to PLEASE add this as an option in connecteddrive or as a retrofit option at the dealer.
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      06-15-2021, 10:30 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by moproblems View Post
I really wish my car had it, I was called by BMWNA with questions on how I felt about the car and any issues I had. I told them to PLEASE add this as an option in connecteddrive or as a retrofit option at the dealer.
Interesting. What do you think you would get out of it?
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      06-16-2021, 12:24 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by barryc365 View Post
Interesting. What do you think you would get out of it?
There are times during autocross I would absolutely love the ability to adjust the tcs a little more. MDM cuts wheel slip a little much, I would love to use 6 or 5 to allow a little more slide especially around hairpins. Also the full laptimer setup especially in the cluster would be great for track days and such.
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      06-16-2021, 06:29 AM   #10
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If you're getting M xDrive and want to have any kind of TC in RWD mode, you need this package. RWD guys don't have this issue.
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      06-16-2021, 06:49 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by moproblems View Post
I really wish my car had it, I was called by BMWNA with questions on how I felt about the car and any issues I had. I told them to PLEASE add this as an option in connecteddrive or as a retrofit option at the dealer.
What was there response to your request, because I agree, I wasn't even able to get in installed at the VPC
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      06-16-2021, 07:00 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mirob View Post
If you're getting M xDrive and want to have any kind of TC in RWD mode, you need this package. RWD guys don't have this issue.
Great point
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      06-16-2021, 07:05 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mirob View Post
If you're getting M xDrive and want to have any kind of TC in RWD mode, you need this package. RWD guys don't have this issue.
Agree!
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      06-16-2021, 08:10 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by barryc365 View Post
I think you'd have to be a serious / pro? driver to be able to get the benefit out of this. Maybe on track you decide that you need more or less slip in particular corners or weather conditions but I find it hard to envisage a situation that I would use this and I have it AND I have a lot of track miles under my belt, albeit a few years ago now

I'll have to try it out and see what it's all about at some point but who knows when that will be, certainly not on the road
Agree that M drive pro is only useful if you're going to take your car to the track on occasion. Aside from the 10 step traction control (i.e. even if you're not all that serious or don't want to mess with traction control at the track), it's nice to have your best in projected lap times in the HUD as you're trying to improve the craft.
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      06-16-2021, 08:12 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by unfoundnemo View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by barryc365 View Post
I think you'd have to be a serious / pro? driver to be able to get the benefit out of this. Maybe on track you decide that you need more or less slip in particular corners or weather conditions but I find it hard to envisage a situation that I would use this and I have it AND I have a lot of track miles under my belt, albeit a few years ago now

I'll have to try it out and see what it's all about at some point but who knows when that will be, certainly not on the road
Agree that M drive pro is only useful if you're going to take your car to the track on occasion. Aside from the 10 step traction control (i.e. even if you're not all that serious or don't want to mess with traction control at the track), it's nice to have your best in projected lap times in the HUD as you're trying to improve the craft.
Yes, I like the HUD aspect but was more thinking about the 10 stage traction but i guess you can't have one without the other
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      06-16-2021, 08:23 AM   #16
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Many responses are related to RWD cars but OP (& I) are trying to figure out if this is even more important to spec on an AWD car.

I expect to mostly drive my G80 M xDrive in 4WD or 4WD Sport (or whatever they call the rear-bias AWD mode). I may do an occasional track day but I'm not into autocross or drifts & donuts. I may switch to RWD when I want to let the tail loose and have some safe fun on a twisty road or if I'm doing a u-turn at that one traffic light close to our home in the middle of the night I can see how having variable traction control support in RWD mode can be beneficial, but I'm not sure I "need" it or even use it enough to actually learn the different settings
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      06-16-2021, 09:21 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by M3AWD View Post
Many responses are related to RWD cars but OP (& I) are trying to figure out if this is even more important to spec on an AWD car.

I expect to mostly drive my G80 M xDrive in 4WD or 4WD Sport (or whatever they call the rear-bias AWD mode). I may do an occasional track day but I'm not into autocross or drifts & donuts. I may switch to RWD when I want to let the tail loose and have some safe fun on a twisty road or if I'm doing a u-turn at that one traffic light close to our home in the middle of the night I can see how having variable traction control support in RWD mode can be beneficial, but I'm not sure I "need" it or even use it enough to actually learn the different settings
You can afford track days and potentially totaling your car but you are concerned about $900 on a lap timer and traction control manipulation? Lol

I got it because I'd rather have something than regret not having it, having an integrated lap timer and being able to dial in the traction to increase lap times is worth $900. What difference does it make if the car is $96,000 vs $96,900
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      06-16-2021, 10:26 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nkr15 View Post
You can afford track days and potentially totaling your car but you are concerned about $900 on a lap timer and traction control manipulation? Lol

I got it because I'd rather have something than regret not having it, having an integrated lap timer and being able to dial in the traction to increase lap times is worth $900. What difference does it make if the car is $96,000 vs $96,900
It's not about "affording" for me -- if it's something I don't benefit from then I won't get it. I said I may do an occasional track day but even then I think I'd run the car in 4WD Sport mode. If I were to do even 2-3 track days per year I would definitely spec it as I'll have time to learn it and benefit from it.
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      06-16-2021, 11:00 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mirob View Post
If you're getting M xDrive and want to have any kind of TC in RWD mode, you need this package. RWD guys don't have this issue.
That's a good point.

Quote:
Originally Posted by unfoundnemo View Post
Agree that M drive pro is only useful if you're going to take your car to the track on occasion. Aside from the 10 step traction control (i.e. even if you're not all that serious or don't want to mess with traction control at the track), it's nice to have your best in projected lap times in the HUD as you're trying to improve the craft.
I agree, I'll probably only use the M drive pro when I'm on a track. And as much as I want to be on a track, there's just none around where I am to go to. I still have not taken my F82 M4 around the track the last 5 years I've had it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by M3AWD View Post
Many responses are related to RWD cars but OP (& I) are trying to figure out if this is even more important to spec on an AWD car.

I expect to mostly drive my G80 M xDrive in 4WD or 4WD Sport (or whatever they call the rear-bias AWD mode). I may do an occasional track day but I'm not into autocross or drifts & donuts. I may switch to RWD when I want to let the tail loose and have some safe fun on a twisty road or if I'm doing a u-turn at that one traffic light close to our home in the middle of the night I can see how having variable traction control support in RWD mode can be beneficial, but I'm not sure I "need" it or even use it enough to actually learn the different settings
I'm expecting to drive my G80 xDrive mostly in AWD mode as well, even if I go on a track. I can imagine the only time I will drive in 2WD would be a time that I want DSC completely off, as I now occasionally turn off to do some power slides on the street. I would only use the M Drive pro in a specific occasion on the track to practice drifting, but I don't think I'm good enough of a driver to drift like the way they do on the youtube videos
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      06-16-2021, 11:40 AM   #20
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The car I bought from stock didn't have it. Wouldn't have ordered it anyway, as no intention of tracking the car. Did enough of that back in SCCA days. The lap timer is on my car, I noticed, without it. Would rather have had the setup in my Corvette--0-whatever timer.
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      06-16-2021, 12:32 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nkr15 View Post
You can afford track days and potentially totaling your car but you are concerned about $900 on a lap timer and traction control manipulation? Lol

I got it because I'd rather have something than regret not having it, having an integrated lap timer and being able to dial in the traction to increase lap times is worth $900. What difference does it make if the car is $96,000 vs $96,900
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      06-16-2021, 12:49 PM   #22
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I mentioned this in another thread, and in addition to it already being discussed this seems much more relevant to have some control on the xdrive in 2wd mode, I view it this way:

Personally I'm looking forward to a bit more control over how much the car intervenes when I'm driving for "fun"

In previous M cars, it was either "everything off", "sorta on" and "no power for you". Depending on the roads and weather conditions this could be a good or bad thing. Take tail of the dragon for example; slow speeds tight corners, uphill hairpins, etc. Now imagine it's 50 degrees and raining and I'm on cup 2's. I couldn't really find a happy blend of intervention vs yaw control with the modes on my F87. I'm not drifting, I just want to be able to control where and how much the car is pointed with a little bit of throttle, and not have systems intervene too much if the car rotates. There were a few examples in the Smokey mountains that day where the intervention systems actually became a hinderance.

In the G80, I really like the idea of much more levels of control. My M traction mode at Autobahn is going to be different than my M traction mode at BIR. Same with the desired intervention on Tail in the rain vs Wisconsin back roads when it's 90 degrees out vs flat out in Nebrask — er, Mexico.

I could care less about the drift analyzer but this level of tweaking offered by 10 different levels, easily adjusted and even assigned to buttons on my steering wheel gets me very excited. I'm already spending over $80K on this car, what's an extra $900 at that point?

With all the tech on this car, it's a small price to have even something else to tinker with.
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