[FieldingMellish]

I have tried reading older threads, but am still a little confused regarding the various steering systems available in 330i models.

My car, a 57 plate 320D, with Efficient Dynamics, has the new all-electric steering which feels very light.

As I understand it, the 330i originally had the traditional hydraulic steering, plus servotronic as standard. Then some time (2009?) BMW removed servotronic from the standard spec, so customers ordering new cars would have to add servotronic as an extra. So, when teh Efficient Dynamics changes were rolled out, did these affect the steering in 330i models?

If I but a 57 plate 330i, which steering setup is it likely to have? Will it have the hydraulic steering, plus servotronic? Or will it potentially have all-electric steering? Presumably there is no chance of it having hydraulic steering, *without* servotronic, because the removal of servotronic from standard spec happened after 2007?

[rogerxp]

You thought about getting out more .

As you can tell, sorry, I can't help but I've now got a headache.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by FieldingMellish

As I understand it, the 330i originally had the traditional hydraulic steering, plus servotronic as standard. Then some time (2009?) BMW removed servotronic from the standard spec, so customers ordering new cars would have to add servotronic as an extra. So, when teh Efficient Dynamics changes were rolled out, did these affect the steering in 330i models?

If I but a 57 plate 330i, which steering setup is it likely to have? Will it have the hydraulic steering, plus servotronic? Or will it potentially have all-electric steering? Presumably there is no chance of it having hydraulic steering, *without* servotronic, because the removal of servotronic from standard spec happened after 2007?

Don't forget some were specced with active steering.

From what I understand (also looked at RealOEM) the move to the N53 engine brought in the EPS steering, with servotronic. So a 2007 with the N52N engine will have hydraulic power steering. Active steering models are hydraulic, even from 8/2008 with the N53 engine.

HighlandPete

[xenon]

Hydraulic w/o servotronic

[AlanQS]

From September '07, and efficient dynamics all models of 3 series except the 335 had EPS with servotronic.

From March '09 all models with EPS had servotronic deleted from the standard fitment list and became optional.

I don't know if the 330 originally had hydraulic steering prior to September '07 build date.

[ALF_E90]

I'm pretty sure the 330 was hydraulic until it became "efficient dynamics" in Sept 2007. Mine is an Oct 07 build and is electric.

As with telling the difference between the N52 and N53 engines just check the V5 - the CO2 is much lower for the ED models (179 g/km for my touring auto!).

The electric steering lock on mine has malfunctioned a few times and the steering is the weakest area of the car dynamically - worse than some heavily criticised hydraulic setups (such as those in my A4 and 156GTA) IMHO.

But heh, it saves polar bears.

[FieldingMellish]

Ok, so if it's not an Efficient Dynamics car, then it will have the N52 engine and hydraulic steering with servo. If it is an Efficient Dynamics car, then it will have the N53 engine and electric steering with servo.

My car is an ED 320D, definitely with electric steering. Does my car also have servotronic? If so will a post-ED 330i, with electric steering and servo, feel just the same as my 320d, steering wise?

[xenon]

I can't see why you'd have electric AND servotronic as it's kind of mutually exclusive. Whatever, there is no doubt that the electric is over-assisted shite. It would have been so easy to do it properly - being electrically driven it would have been very easy to vary the assistance according to the status of the car, e.g. lots at low speed but none at higher speeds. But it's all over-assisted - some say it's heavy so Christ knows what they're used to driving.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by xenon

I can't see why you'd have electric AND servotronic as it's kind of mutually exclusive.

But isn't the idea of EPS, that servotronic (or variable assistance) is easy to achieve.

BMW certainly sold the original ED models with "EPS with servotronic" as standard. (335i & 335d excluded).

Steering weighting, that is another issue. EPS or hydraulic, the same feel should be attainable, if the manufacturers want it. I'm sure many customers wanted lighter steering.

HighlandPete

[xenon]

That's what I mean - should be variable to start with.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by xenon

That's what I mean - should be variable to start with.

Agree, so can't see why 'servotronic' would be removed as standard specification and sold back to folks as an extra. Unless.... many reported they didn't like the variable part, and BMW gave the option for basic EPS and the 'upgraded' option.

HighlandPete