T350 Suspension

[Nagra]

....I have only test driven one T350 so far but is the suspension meant to be crashy and hard?

The reason I ask is because I come from a background of driving a 2007 Golf GTi and a Renault Sport Clio 172 and the suspension on both of those cars were limo-like in comparrison.

I guess my main question is can the ride on a T350 be improved with new shocks and springs?

Has anyone with the Nitrons or Gaz golds upgrades (or any others) noticed an improvement?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

[Zippee]

The suspension is 'sports car' like. Not always hard and crashy but in way way limo like either. Your comparing a true balls out sports car to a hot version of an everyday hatch.

[Nagra]

Hey Zippee, thanks for your reply.

I know the car is going to feel different from a hot hatch as like you say, it's a balls out supercar but I didnt expect the ride to be so jarring.

I have driven supercars in the past (F360, Audi R8 etc) and the suspension in those did a pretty good job of soaking up the major bumps in the road but at the same time keeping me in touch with what was going on but the one I drove felt odd.

My immediate thought when I drove the car was the shocks needed replacing (it was a 36k miler on original shocks if that helps)

I just want to know if the ride can be improved or not.

Thanks
Kul

[Lensey]

I know its an easy answer but test drive another to compare it with?

[Targarama]

Mine was never particularly hard. They can be a bit crashy though. We have a 2006 Golf GTi and the suspension is much more sophisticated than the TVR's - you're not going to match the Golf's ride in a TVR. I recently owned a BMW Z4 with runflats and while the suspension was quite soft (BMW called it Sport suspension!), I found the ride on the BMW much worse than my old T350.

It may well be the model you test drove needs a few things replacing on the suspension. Do remember that bushes, shocks, springs are all reasonably priced on TVRs - unlike some of the competitors.

[Zippee]

I agree with Lensey. The standard shocks on a 350 are OK at best but shouldn't be really crashy and jarring, mine certainly isn't - though as I mentioned above it also can't really be described as the last word in comfort either. But it's no worse than a 360 I've driven in the past.
36k on the original shocks as well is also probably a factor, see if you can find one with aftermarket shocks on such as Gaz or Nitrons (or even better Ohlins) to compare. One thing I have found with TVRs is that very rarely will you get 2 cars that drive the same so try as many as possible before committing.

Edited by Zippee on Friday 21st August 13:54

[Nagra]

Thanks guys. I think I will try and drive another one or two as soon as I can.

It's interesing what Zippee said, are Ohlins the best upgrade? If so, why?

[smithyl23]

You also have to remember that the t350/tamoras run very low profile tyres up front, this accounts for alot of their harshness, not as much tyre + air to absorb the bumps. I'd imagine a sagaris is much better even with only a slightly larger front tyre profile. It's gonna be interesting to see the difference on ride quality when i finally get round to putting some toyo 888's on, which will be 225/40/18's up front.

[SP6 Animal]

smithyl23 said:

You also have to remember that the t350/tamoras run very low profile tyres up front, this accounts for alot of their harshness, not as much tyre + air to absorb the bumps. I'd imagine a sagaris is much better even with only a slightly larger front tyre profile. It's gonna be interesting to see the difference on ride quality when i finally get round to putting some toyo 888's on, which will be 225/40/18's up front.

Won't they rub the wheel arch on full travel?