What is electric steering.
 

Consumer Reports liked the Z4 but said it lacked the agility of the Boxster
or Honda 2000 because of the electric steering.

What is it? Can something be done to counteract the reduced agility (i.e.
front strut tower braces?).

What is electric steering.
 

"grinder" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> Consumer Reports liked the Z4 but said it lacked the agility of the
> Boxster or Honda 2000 because of the electric steering.
>
> What is it? Can something be done to counteract the reduced agility (i.e.
> front strut tower braces?).
>
The steering assist is electric rather than hydraulic. My experience was
that it took 200 miles or so to get used to it and then it became no big
deal. IIRC, the Z4 has a longer wheelbase than the Boxster & Honda which
can certainly affect perceived "agility". Have you driven all 3?

Personally, I find Consumer Reports useful for rating appliances but less so
for sports cars.

Tom K.

What is electric steering.
 

"Tom K." wrote
> Personally, I find Consumer Reports useful for rating appliances but less
> so for sports cars.

Exactly. They treat cars like appliances, too. They'll give high scores to
something that reliably takes you from A to B and doesn't require expensive
maintenance.

Pete

What is electric steering.
 

In article >,
Pete > wrote:
> > Personally, I find Consumer Reports useful for rating appliances but
> > less so for sports cars.

> Exactly. They treat cars like appliances, too. They'll give high
> scores to something that reliably takes you from A to B and doesn't
> require expensive maintenance.

But in this case are complaining about steering feel?

--
*The statement above is false

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

What is electric steering.
 

On Fri, 02 Mar 2007 15:35:46 GMT, "grinder" >
wrote:

>Consumer Reports liked the Z4 but said it lacked the agility of the Boxster
>or Honda 2000 because of the electric steering.
>
>What is it? Can something be done to counteract the reduced agility (i.e.
>front strut tower braces?).
>

This is one of the problems with car reviews - the reviewers seldom
drive a car long enough to get used to anything different than their
typical experience. After years of driving a Z4, I'd say that what
most reviewers are articulating, poorly, is not a problem with feel,
but a problem with steering ratio - you've got to turn the Z4 wheel
more from lock-to-lock.
epbrown
--
How can you know where I'm at if you haven't been where I been?
Can you see where I'm coming from? "How I Could Just Kill A Man" Cypress Hill

What is electric steering.
 

"Pete" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Tom K." wrote
>> Personally, I find Consumer Reports useful for rating appliances but less
>> so for sports cars.
>
> Exactly. They treat cars like appliances, too. They'll give high scores
> to something that reliably takes you from A to B and doesn't require
> expensive maintenance.
>
> Pete
>

And your point is?
>

What is electric steering.
 

"Tom K." > wrote in message
. ..
>
> "grinder" > wrote in message
> ink.net...
>> Consumer Reports liked the Z4 but said it lacked the agility of the
>> Boxster or Honda 2000 because of the electric steering.
>>
>> What is it? Can something be done to counteract the reduced agility
>> (i.e. front strut tower braces?).
>>
> The steering assist is electric rather than hydraulic. My experience was
> that it took 200 miles or so to get used to it and then it became no big
> deal. IIRC, the Z4 has a longer wheelbase than the Boxster & Honda which
> can certainly affect perceived "agility". Have you driven all 3?

Just the Boxster and I own a Z4. I can't fit in the 2000 - I have to
literally crawl out of it. I like my Z and will probably like it even
more when I get rid of the ride flat tires. The Boxster was nice also but
maintenance costs were a concern and I have always been very pleased with
BMW.

As for Consumer Reports, where I don't accept everything they say as gospel,
they have pointed me in the right direction in the past.

What is electric steering.
 

"grinder" wrote
> And your point is?

The same as Tom K's - CR is hardly an authority on cars, especially the
sporty ones.

Pete

What is electric steering.
 

"grinder" > wrote in message
nk.net...
>
> "Tom K." > wrote in message
> . ..
>>
>> "grinder" > wrote in message
>> ink.net...
>>> Consumer Reports liked the Z4 but said it lacked the agility of the
>>> Boxster or Honda 2000 because of the electric steering.
>>>
>>> What is it? Can something be done to counteract the reduced agility
>>> (i.e. front strut tower braces?).
>>>
>> The steering assist is electric rather than hydraulic. My experience was
>> that it took 200 miles or so to get used to it and then it became no big
>> deal. IIRC, the Z4 has a longer wheelbase than the Boxster & Honda which
>> can certainly affect perceived "agility". Have you driven all 3?
>
> Just the Boxster and I own a Z4. I can't fit in the 2000 - I have to
> literally crawl out of it. I like my Z and will probably like it even
> more when I get rid of the ride flat tires. The Boxster was nice also
> but maintenance costs were a concern and I have always been very pleased
> with BMW.
>
> As for Consumer Reports, where I don't accept everything they say as
> gospel, they have pointed me in the right direction in the past.
>
They pointed me in several directions. Nearly all of them have been the
wrong ones.
Jim

What is electric steering.
 

"grinder" > wrote in message
nk.net...
>
>
> Just the Boxster and I own a Z4. I can't fit in the 2000 - I have to
> literally crawl out of it. I like my Z and will probably like it even
> more when I get rid of the ride flat tires. The Boxster was nice also
> but maintenance costs were a concern and I have always been very pleased
> with BMW.
>

As I've always felt the Boxster was a bit pricey compared to the Z4, I
haven't test driven one. So how would you compare the steering feel between
the two?

I know my Z4's electric assist feels somewhat different from the steering in
my E46 sedan - not better or worse, just a bit different.

Tom K.