What's the most 'soothing' car you've had..?
Discussion
wsn03 said:
Any top level Passat - it is a proper Grandad car - cosy slippers, cardigan, comfy armchair, peace and quiet.
It is the most boringly comfortable reassuringly competent place to be on 4 wheels bar none - it is the most competent all rounder ever made. I am a convert. I get what the cult like fuss amongst other owners is all about.
Work switched to Passats for the company cars (I opted out years ago). Everyone seems entirely happy with them - there's a sense of great contentment among the company car drivers. When it was Avensises there was a fair bit of grumbling; when it was Mondeos there was constant wailing and gnashing of teeth (I exaggerate slightly, but only slightly). Our sales & marketing director somehow persuaded the MD to let him have an A4 when renewal time came around and hasn't stopped moaning about it since - he keeps trying to swap with a project manager who has a Passat.It is the most boringly comfortable reassuringly competent place to be on 4 wheels bar none - it is the most competent all rounder ever made. I am a convert. I get what the cult like fuss amongst other owners is all about.
I've only been a passenger in them, but on a certain level the Passats are absolute perfection. They're nice to be in, the ride is good (lovely plump sidewalls probably help), they go perfectly well, they're understated so you can park anywhere and just not worry, but they're quite smart looking nevertheless.
parabolica said:
I have a V60 D4 and it ticks almost all the boxes but the engine is a bit gruff and noisy. My vote would go to my old ‘04 645Ci; amazingly smooth and compliant suspension and noise only really came into the cabin if you put your foot down. Remarkably serene driving it around town.
I'll give you that one, if driven in an un-volvo fashion, but I find it near silent if driven sensibly.Inspectorclueso said:
Arnie Cunningham said:
I like that fact that many of the responses are for older, high mileage stuff.
Yes, that was one of my thoughts, which makes me think maybe the modern trend to be harsh, big wheeled 'dynamic' is ironically just what most people don't actually need given modern motoring but are persuaded that they 'want' these characteristics....I like the reference to old a few old Lexus on here. Given the general consensus on reliability I may well investigate particularly as a car to take the hit through next winter.
vikingaero said:
Nissan Note Mark 1,1.6 Tekna Automatic.
You wot?!
That's right. My sisters car. Just the right size and not a bloated supermini. Relatively well built and equipped for a RenNis. The slightly elevated driving position, soft suspension and autobox make it an antidote to the real world.
Glad someone else gets it too You wot?!
That's right. My sisters car. Just the right size and not a bloated supermini. Relatively well built and equipped for a RenNis. The slightly elevated driving position, soft suspension and autobox make it an antidote to the real world.
Without a shadow of a doubt a Lexus LS400 i ran for 2 years, making the very typical and a bit cliched swap from an imported WRX STI.
The thing was magnificent, and was sad to see it go when it was P/X'd for the again obvious next move of a Megane R26.
Favourite party trick after showing the passenger the various gismos was to say "and wait till you hear how silent the engine is"... before telling them it had been on the whole time. Made me chuckle anyway.
Don't think since i've been into a car that just redefined for me what a genre can be. I thought i knew comfy cars: i ran an LS400, and then i realised i had no idea comfy soothing car really was.
The thing was magnificent, and was sad to see it go when it was P/X'd for the again obvious next move of a Megane R26.
Favourite party trick after showing the passenger the various gismos was to say "and wait till you hear how silent the engine is"... before telling them it had been on the whole time. Made me chuckle anyway.
Don't think since i've been into a car that just redefined for me what a genre can be. I thought i knew comfy cars: i ran an LS400, and then i realised i had no idea comfy soothing car really was.
Just sold our W222 S63 to get another newer one, test drove all the other so called luxury cars this last 4 weeks and the only thing that betters it was a rolls royce, latest Bentley was the biggest dissapoitment.
The ‘designo’ seats in the AMG are just incredible, theres a dissection video on YT of them which is very interesting, the magic ride system is bizzare when going over speed humps, it retracts the dampers to absorb the rise and feels like the bump isnt there.
Tested the latest S class to, even more refined but a little to remote for me, maybe the amg version will better this.
The ‘designo’ seats in the AMG are just incredible, theres a dissection video on YT of them which is very interesting, the magic ride system is bizzare when going over speed humps, it retracts the dampers to absorb the rise and feels like the bump isnt there.
Tested the latest S class to, even more refined but a little to remote for me, maybe the amg version will better this.
Limpet said:
2001 Volvo S60 T5.
I remember the exact journey that made me fall completely in love with it. I'd had to fly to Amsterdam for work at short notice. I caught the red-eye out of Heathrow in the morning (6:35 departure which meant a 4 AM alarm), spent most of the day in a bad tempered meeting, and then flew home that evening, landing back at Heathrow around 9 pm. I was tired, in a foul mood, and really not feeling much in the way of merriment or goodwill to anyone.
I threw my bag in the boot of the Volvo, hung my jacket up and got behind the wheel. Started the engine, and felt myself instantly starting to calm down. Comfy seats, the feeling of absolute solidity, the soft green glow of the instruments, and that lovely mellow, smooth 5 cylinder engine note. Out onto the now quiet M25, and it struck me what a great sense of wellbeing the car imparted. The effortless grunt from the super smooth, but tuneful engine, the seats that are still to this day my benchmark for comfort, the stereo system that to this day is still my benchmark for a factory fit setup. It was a quick car, but it was tremendously relaxing to drive, supremely comfortable and refined, and beautifully built. And absolutely everything just worked, even at 150,000 miles
I don't think I've ever had another car that I looked forward to driving as much, but for reasons that had nothing whatsoever to do with actually driving. Lovely old thing. Was forced to sell it in the end when my mileage increased and the weekly fuel bill passed £100. Also Mrs. Limpet hated it with a passion.
This is exactly why my S60T5 was the longest I ever kept a car (10 years), I miss it so much.I remember the exact journey that made me fall completely in love with it. I'd had to fly to Amsterdam for work at short notice. I caught the red-eye out of Heathrow in the morning (6:35 departure which meant a 4 AM alarm), spent most of the day in a bad tempered meeting, and then flew home that evening, landing back at Heathrow around 9 pm. I was tired, in a foul mood, and really not feeling much in the way of merriment or goodwill to anyone.
I threw my bag in the boot of the Volvo, hung my jacket up and got behind the wheel. Started the engine, and felt myself instantly starting to calm down. Comfy seats, the feeling of absolute solidity, the soft green glow of the instruments, and that lovely mellow, smooth 5 cylinder engine note. Out onto the now quiet M25, and it struck me what a great sense of wellbeing the car imparted. The effortless grunt from the super smooth, but tuneful engine, the seats that are still to this day my benchmark for comfort, the stereo system that to this day is still my benchmark for a factory fit setup. It was a quick car, but it was tremendously relaxing to drive, supremely comfortable and refined, and beautifully built. And absolutely everything just worked, even at 150,000 miles
I don't think I've ever had another car that I looked forward to driving as much, but for reasons that had nothing whatsoever to do with actually driving. Lovely old thing. Was forced to sell it in the end when my mileage increased and the weekly fuel bill passed £100. Also Mrs. Limpet hated it with a passion.
cidered77 said:
Without a shadow of a doubt a Lexus LS400 i ran for 2 years, making the very typical and a bit cliched swap from an imported WRX STI.
The thing was magnificent, and was sad to see it go when it was P/X'd for the again obvious next move of a Megane R26.
Favourite party trick after showing the passenger the various gismos was to say "and wait till you hear how silent the engine is"... before telling them it had been on the whole time. Made me chuckle anyway.
Don't think since i've been into a car that just redefined for me what a genre can be. I thought i knew comfy cars: i ran an LS400, and then i realised i had no idea comfy soothing car really was.
I did the exact same engine trick!!The thing was magnificent, and was sad to see it go when it was P/X'd for the again obvious next move of a Megane R26.
Favourite party trick after showing the passenger the various gismos was to say "and wait till you hear how silent the engine is"... before telling them it had been on the whole time. Made me chuckle anyway.
Don't think since i've been into a car that just redefined for me what a genre can be. I thought i knew comfy cars: i ran an LS400, and then i realised i had no idea comfy soothing car really was.
Currently have a 2010 Ford Galaxy which i am using as a posh van.
Long wheelbase, 16 inch wheels with higher profile tyres and soft(ish) suspension makes for a soothing ride- certainly compared to my Z4C with 18's and modified suspension!
Years ago, i had a 1995 SL500 on 16 inch wheels and 55 profile tyres. That was lovely as well.
Long wheelbase, 16 inch wheels with higher profile tyres and soft(ish) suspension makes for a soothing ride- certainly compared to my Z4C with 18's and modified suspension!
Years ago, i had a 1995 SL500 on 16 inch wheels and 55 profile tyres. That was lovely as well.
Dave Hedgehog said:
Tesla Peformance
quiet, relaxing and randy pobst (he tuned the suspension for Tesla) has shown you can have decent handling and ride on 20" rims without resorting to the german norm of using steel rods for struts ...
add the self driving and the result was i got out of a 270 mile round trip as fresh as if i had driven 10 miles rather than suffering from exhaustion (im old and in poor health)
Yes my M3 LR easily eclipses anything I've had before if you want to sit back and relax. Best reference points would be a BMW 6 series or Jag XF.quiet, relaxing and randy pobst (he tuned the suspension for Tesla) has shown you can have decent handling and ride on 20" rims without resorting to the german norm of using steel rods for struts ...
add the self driving and the result was i got out of a 270 mile round trip as fresh as if i had driven 10 miles rather than suffering from exhaustion (im old and in poor health)
comfiest car I ever had war an e28 735sei bmw, it had a really insulated, magic carpet ride, but it could still blast down the b roads. it was comfier and better handling than the e32s and e38s i had after.
metric tyres were a b
d to get though, and it lost a bit of comfort when I put 18s on it.
metric tyres were a b
d to get though, and it lost a bit of comfort when I put 18s on it. 
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