Steering Feel Difference 2014-2015 X1

[gkroegman]

Hello all... I have done a few searches and have so far come up inconclusive. (shocker!)
For the last year, I've driven a beautiful (albeit, basic) 2015 X1. The VIN is WBAVM1C56FV315885. This is important and will come into play.
It was a wonderful car, unlike the dodgy 3 series I traded in.
The steering was perfect. There wasn't much feedback from the road, it was a very floaty ride with steering to match. I was never pushed in either direction by the road.
However -
Come this past weekend, I traded that in for another X1, this time a 2014 xLine (not xDrive - just xLine). The interior is loaded up with all the goodies, unlike my previous model. The VIN of my new X1 is WBAVM1C56EVW55309.
This new one feels like I'm halfway back into my old 3 series. First, the seats are much firmer. Different kind of leather maybe? I remember just sinking into my old seats. These ones are kind of uncomfortable comparatively.
Second and MOST important is the steering. I feel like all of a sudden going down the road that I'm pushed either left or right, and have to correct the car. I've driven with no hands on the wheel (SAFELY! I guess) and she does drive in a perfect straight line with no problem as well. I feel every little bump or imperfection in the road reflected in the steering wheel. Feedback is abundant, way too much.

I compared both cars on the VIN decoder and saw that they both have HYDRO SERVOTRONIC-STEERING. Ok, so the mechanism that they have should be identical? They don't feel like it. Can anyone tell me what I've missed, that would affect this so drastically? It just makes me sick.

Another thing that really sticks in my craw about this new one I'm driving is that like clockwork, I hit 60mph and there's a whistle coming from somewhere. Lord knows where, because I certainly don't. It sounds like it's coming from the sunroof, but I prop it open or open it completely and the whistle is still there (audible over the wind). The noise level doesn't change when the sunroof is closed or anything. Unless the radio is cranked high, you can hear this whistle over literally everything else. I scoped out the outside for a bent seal, a dent in the roof, anything that would cause air to bend in such a vengeful way at 60mph+ that would cause the devils banchees to scream inside my vehicle - found absolutely nothing. I will tell the dealer about it but really don't feel like wasting my entire day while they stomp around and try to figure it out. Does anyone else have the same experience?

I remember on my 2009 3'er that there was a bodyline in the driver side mirror that caused a whistle like that, but found several things on here about what to do to fix it. I ended up putting a small amount of clear rubber between where the two plastic pieces on the mirror came together and never heard a peep out of it again. Airflow issue! I suspect something similar on this but can find ZERO about it.


https://www.bmwdecoder.com/decode/vw55309 -new (ugh!)
https://www.bmwdecoder.com/decode/v315885 -old (yay!)

I'm taking her back to the stealer this weekend because the rear glass sprayer doesn't work, doesn't even sound like it engages a pump. I'm under warranty and maintenance, so it'll be free but how annoying is that?

[White94RX]

You didn't mention the size of the wheel, nor the tires that were on each vehicle.