Worst riding car you've had/been in?
Discussion
I suspect that the reason so many buses have poor ride is at least partially attributable to really crap post impact damping of body vibration modes.
Here is a quick story from a colleague of mine...
He was asked to make his car ride as smoothly as a base VW Golf. It didn't, so he had some work to do. On impacts the Golf was rated by a number of evaluators as having much better comfort. So he measured the VW Golf and the car he was working on. What was interesting was that the measurements showed that the Golf was actually more initially abrupt on the impact than his car, but the body oscillations on the Golf decayed to nothing super quick, while the body on his car rang like a big, stupid, uncomfortable bell.
Next time you are on a bus, watch and feel what happens when the bus hits impacts, like drain-hole covers. Is it the impact itself or the ridiculously long and high amplitude vibrations that happen afterwards that bothers you? Try resting your head on the side window, it gives a really clean signal of what is going on.
Here is a quick story from a colleague of mine...
He was asked to make his car ride as smoothly as a base VW Golf. It didn't, so he had some work to do. On impacts the Golf was rated by a number of evaluators as having much better comfort. So he measured the VW Golf and the car he was working on. What was interesting was that the measurements showed that the Golf was actually more initially abrupt on the impact than his car, but the body oscillations on the Golf decayed to nothing super quick, while the body on his car rang like a big, stupid, uncomfortable bell.
Next time you are on a bus, watch and feel what happens when the bus hits impacts, like drain-hole covers. Is it the impact itself or the ridiculously long and high amplitude vibrations that happen afterwards that bothers you? Try resting your head on the side window, it gives a really clean signal of what is going on.
daytona111r said:
Another vote for Audi A3 S-line on 18s. Worst handling/ride balance ever.
Still don’t understand why numpties like oversized wheels so much, they don’t even look good.
Audi badge...big wheels...rubber-band tyres....soft touch interiors and chocolate build quality...anyone mentioned PCP yet?Still don’t understand why numpties like oversized wheels so much, they don’t even look good.
MC Bodge said:
CDP said:
My current A4 (SE spec) isn't great, especially considering how badly it handles. Nor was my wife's TT, she commented on how smoothly my Talbot Express camper rode the bumps....
There seems to be a theme with Audis.
It doesn't appear to bother many people, though. You all buy them!There seems to be a theme with Audis.
I wanted a four seat convertible to carry a child - at least it's not an SUV. In other respects than ride an excellent car. Now up to 174,000 miles and wearing them well.
Oddly, my experience with a number of Audis are that the best-riding ones tend to be the S and RS models. The SEs are OK and the S-Line tends to be the most uncomfortable.
They're a lot better though than they were. I've had a couple of B9 A4 S-Lines and they're a world away from the B6/B7 where the S-Line suspension was evidently made from granite.
My nomination for the worst-riding car I've ever driven has to be a previous-generation Touareg R-Line. In an attempt to quell body roll when cornering, the suspension was made so stiff that it tended to skip and bounce over even minor road ripples - especially unnerving when going around a fast bend. I originally thought mine was broken so I tried a colleagues and it was exactly the same.
They're a lot better though than they were. I've had a couple of B9 A4 S-Lines and they're a world away from the B6/B7 where the S-Line suspension was evidently made from granite.
My nomination for the worst-riding car I've ever driven has to be a previous-generation Touareg R-Line. In an attempt to quell body roll when cornering, the suspension was made so stiff that it tended to skip and bounce over even minor road ripples - especially unnerving when going around a fast bend. I originally thought mine was broken so I tried a colleagues and it was exactly the same.
JimSuperSix said:
daytona111r said:
Another vote for Audi A3 S-line on 18s. Worst handling/ride balance ever.
Still don’t understand why numpties like oversized wheels so much, they don’t even look good.
Audi badge...big wheels...rubber-band tyres....soft touch interiors and chocolate build quality...anyone mentioned PCP yet?Still don’t understand why numpties like oversized wheels so much, they don’t even look good.
ddom said:
Ford Explorer (Eddie B edition) - not sure if it was that particular car or how they made them all but dangerous at 55 mph and a corner. Really horrible things
I had a 99 XLT from new in California and gunned it around every desert in the western US. Supremely comfortable ride on the highway or un-paved tracks. However, they did have a habit of turning turtle and waving their wheels in the air if anyone tried to drive them like a sports car, so dangerous in that senseJonstar said:
iMZee said:
Mégane rs250 with the cup pack. Never been in a car with springs so stiff, the dampening was actually pretty good and it could round off like 2mm of the bump before it breaks yours back.
This! The fn2 is an s class in comparison.Monster44 said:
Jonstar said:
iMZee said:
Mégane rs250 with the cup pack. Never been in a car with springs so stiff, the dampening was actually pretty good and it could round off like 2mm of the bump before it breaks yours back.
This! The fn2 is an s class in comparison.tommy1973s said:
Our 2005 Audi A6 on S-Line "suspension" and 19" rims. Pure concrete. I'd say women have lost their virginity in such cars, merely by d-r-i-v-i-n-g it. Jiggle. Otherwise a great car, but we has to fit SE suspension and 17" rims, or I'd have copied Elvis and shot it.
Haha.What is amusing is that a few people over the years have proudly told me that they have an A3/4/6, "...S-Line". Is it like the Emperor's New Clothes?
legless said:
Oddly, my experience with a number of Audis are that the best-riding ones tend to be the S and RS models. The SEs are OK and the S-Line tends to be the most uncomfortable.
A friend had a TT V6 with the magnetic fluid variable damper option (no idea what it's called) and that seemed to ride quite well. Shame it had serious engine issues on a fairly new low mileage car. I think Audi contributed 4 grand as a goodwill towards the repair, it was off the road for months. Conversely the TVR it replaced had been utterly reliable....dudleybloke said:
An Impreza with badly setup adjustable suspension that was set way, way too hard. It was actually painful to ride in and every minor bump in the road felt like hitting a kerb at full speed.
I have a WRX from 2004 with factory S tandard suspension. It’s just as near perfect compromise as far as I’m concerned. Not soft and rolly ( corners pretty flat) but not crash and bone jarring even on 18in wheels.Certainly the best I’ve had.
Also have a Mini Countryman which has a very harsh ride.
Cliffe60 said:
I have a WRX from 2004 with factory S tandard suspension. It’s just as near perfect compromise as far as I’m concerned. Not soft and rolly ( corners pretty flat) but not crash and bone jarring even on 18in wheels.
Certainly the best I’ve had.
My classic Turbos were on 16/17's with factory suspension and despite being a little soft, they rode absolutely spot on. The geometry could've been improved but the suspension was just so spot on for road use. On 17's I could keep a big enough tyre on it that it didn't crash over bumps. Certainly the best I’ve had.
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