Bring back ride quality!!

[Major Fallout]

I miss my old P38 Range Rover.

Pot holes, speed bumps, small anamals and children. It would just glide on.

Also the most reliable car I have ever had.

[soad]

MC Bodge said:

No, just an ignoramus.

Nice new word, I'm pinching that.

[Dracoro]

egor110 said:

Dracoro said:

You seem to have stepped onto a car enthusiasts site here, I'm not sure where you were intending to post from but thought I'd best let you know so you can return to wherever it was you got lost from

And your point is? there are forums on here for heavy plant machinery, cooking and good books people have read.

Where's that whoosh parrot when you need it

[Ozzie Osmond]

The "big wheels and sports suspension" nonsense is coming home to roost big time.

Also, people forget there are big ride quality differences between different brands/specifications of tyre. Talk to a proper tyre specialist and they'll tell you where to find what you want, but don't expect it to be cheap! Cheaper then buying a new car though...

[AnotherClarkey]

soad said:

MC Bodge said:

No, just an ignoramus.

Nice new word, I'm pinching that.

'Ignoranus' is better - that way they are both stupid and an ahole.....

[twazzock]

StevieB said:

trouble is, for track days, you need low roll rates, low profile tyres and massive grip and rigidy above all else. Hence all manufacturers are chasing lap times, rather than something that is comfortable on british back roads.

That's what I don't get though. Most people would sneer or internally laugh if you mentioned that you were into track days or quick driving; they're not interested in the dynamic abilities of a car yet go for the suspension/wheel setup that's deemed 'sporty' anyway. Why bother if you're just going to commute to work in it? Why is 'sporty' (big wheels, low, hard ride) perceived as 'better' or more desirable than small wheels and fat tyres?

I realise it's an image thing but really don't get the link.

[stain]

One of the best chassis I have owned belongs to a Mk1 Focus 1.6 LX. It has that rare ability to be both firm and supple at the same time. 80s and 90s mercs also rode well with the 124 a particular star. Helped by big squishy seats too.

[Guibo]

chris116 said:

My last car was a 330i coupe which had the 19" wheels, M sport suspension, 30 profile rear tyres and 42 psi rear tyre pressure.
My current car is a 125i coupe which has the 18" wheels, M sport suspension, 35 profile rear tyres and 36 psi tyre pressure. Yet it has a much worse ride than the 330, really suprised me.

Could be the shorter wheelbase contributing to pitching motions over choppy surfaces. Many of the 125/128i/123d tests I've read say the lower-spec cars can feel better over challenging pavement than the 135i.


Wow, I think I've heard it all in the past couple of days. If you're content with having fun in a 200hp/1200kg car, you're not a real man. If you can appreciate the quality of a good ride, you're old or not a car enthusiast. Here's an interesting article from TopGear's Paul Horrell. Yes, he's no spring chicken, but before we blast him as an old geezer, ask if what he says makes sense.

[H100S]

kazman said:

Agree strongly with the OP on this one. So what performance cars are out there that don't make you wince when going over sunken drain covers / pot holes etc? I always hear the Elise's ride is excellent for such a focused car. What else handles well without being crashy?

Io agree with the OP, the elise comment is true. hey are not a magic carpet but you expect very stiff but they are not. The low weight of the the car and fairly sensible tyres mean that the ell damped suspension does not need to be too hard.

Big wheels and tyres do ruin ride quality. I also think modern suspension bushes are also very stiff.

I had a go in a Jaguar XF a couple of years ago and thought it had the best combination of ride and handling i have found in any car. The V6 diesel was also very nice too.

[MC Bodge]

twazzock said:

That's what I don't get though. Most people would sneer or internally laugh if you mentioned that you were into track days or quick driving. They're not interested in the dynamic abilities of a car yet go for the suspension/wheel setup that's deemed 'sporty' anyway

Indeed, many's the time I've asked a colleague or client about how their flash/fast car (some very nice ones) goes/handles and got blank looks or some sort of story about how they don't really drive it like that. Rest assured, my non-flash(because I'm not bothered what people think as I pass!) cars and bikes are driven like that...

twazzock said:

Why bother if you're just going to commute to work in it? Why is 'sporty' (big wheels, low, hard ride) perceived as 'better' or more desirable than small wheels and fat tyres?

I realise it's an image thing but really don't get the link.

Amongst the people I work with, as well as the typical German saloons with rubber band tyres, a few have German SUVs with even more massive wheels/low profile tyres. As someone who enjoys driving (and riding) it puzzles me why someone would want that combination -the tyres alone cost £100s!
-and my colleague with the ex-MOD Land Rover enjoys ribbing them about how poor they are in snow

I revel in my steel rims and 'non-premium' badge.

Edited by MC Bodge on Saturday 11th February 22:34

[corvus]

Dave Hedgehog said:

so many old people on this forum

get some nice sheep skin lined slippers

Happens to us all one day. You'll find out soon enough

Now where's that cardigan?

[NadiR]

For me, the worst offenders are Audi's. My uncle had a 2009 Audi A4 SE for few months last year, which is supposedly the "comfort" version as opposed to the S Line, and my god the ride was terribly awful. At every bump you went over the car would judder and the ride was also very firm. Also, every other Audi I've been in (A3's and other A4's) had firm rides and terrible ride quality. I can only imagine how bad S Line versions are.

It isn't me just being a grumpy 17 year old, but apart from the (rather nice) 170 TDI engine, and the lovely interior, the car was awful in every other way. When I sat in the front, alongside my uncle, no one apart from my (small) Nan could fit in the back. Although both of us being 6"4 and 6"5 might have something to do with it we never have this problem in any other car.

I for one believe that we should go back to the days for when Audi actually did do something different (Quattro for example), and car makers in general weren't sheep, and yes, BRING BACK RIDE QUALITY!

[vsonix]

Fittster said:

GazzaMogzy said:

Citroen c5

You want ride quality buy a Citroen.

this. Got taken for a ride in one recently over terrible London roads and I was impressed by how smooth it was. Not sure what it would have been like driven briskly but as a car to be whisked around in gracefully, it was lovely.

[FreiWild]

phib said:

Of the same view, now its either the roads getting worse or us getting older, best compromise I could find was an 730d sport on non run flats, the later 7 seems rock solid again

Phib

That's something I really don't get. Why would someone buy a diesel barge that probably is designed for comfortable mile munching and make it more "sporty"? Seems like a waste of money and potential.

[ClaesB]

This is all you need!

[robsco]

Another vote for Citroen, in particular the C6. Simply tremendous ride quality.

[Ozzie Osmond]

FreiWild said:

That's something I really don't get. Why would someone buy a diesel barge that probably is designed for comfortable mile munching and make it more "sporty"? Seems like a waste of money and potential.

^^^^ This. A triumph of marketing over engineering!

But for best comedy value, ladies and gentlemen, we introduce for you ... the Range Rover Sport!

[cptsideways]

robsco said:

Another vote for Citroen, in particular the C6. Simply tremendous ride quality.

I've driven a few of em (thats possibly half the UK reg'd C6's) not quite as good as Citroens of old, it wibbled over bumps. Bring back 2cv ride quality please.

[otolith]

kazman said:

I always hear the Elise's ride is excellent for such a focused car. What else handles well without being crashy?

The Elise's ride feels better than it sounds - it's comfortable, it just sounds crashy. There's a hollow on a local road which, when taken at speed in the 350Z, knocks the wind out of you but it can hardly be felt in the Elise.

The RX-8's ride was excellent, I thought.

Edited by otolith on Sunday 12th February 00:55

[Jaguar steve]

nagsheadwarrior said:

Shocking my Jag XJ8 had a bit of a rubbish,crashy ride but running on XJR alloys with low profile tyres, sod the looks bring back the balloons!

Just what I did with mine.. Ebay'd the 17" wheels and went down to 16" fitted with 60 profile touring tyres. Much better