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Hi I was wondering if anyone can answer my question. What makes some cars ride smoother then others? Is it the tires ? The type of engine? The size of the car?
My small compact 4 door sedan broke down recently it overheated and I have just rented a mid sized car . I noticed that while this rental car is much larger it also has a much smoother ride. It glides smoothly over bumps in the road that made my little car bounce. What is the difference in the cars that makes one so much smoother than the other?
I do not even think age has much to do with it. I know the rental is a new car but I believe there must be older cars that give a smooth ride too. Can anyone tell me which makes and models are known for a smooth ride and handling? Do they all cost a lot ? Or can you find one more reasonable?
Compact cars are typically budget oriented cars and thus have lesser suspensions and thinner tires, add the weight and the stance of the car and you have much of the difference.
The seats too may be of not so great springs, and the transmission may be clunky (although the worst automatic transmission I ever encountered was in a jaguar...
Smoothest ride I've ever had was in the Toyota Sienna. I hate minivans, they just aren't as practical as lore would have you believe, but they are safe, decently powerful, and ride like an easy chair.
Compact cars are typically budget oriented cars and thus have lesser suspensions and thinner tires, add the weight and the stance of the car and you have much of the difference.
The seats too may be of not so great springs, and the transmission may be clunky (although the worst automatic transmission I ever encountered was in a jaguar...
Is it possible to improve and upgrade the suspension on a car ? The idea that a seat makes an difference is interesting I never would have thought of that. And Jaguars are expensive cars so I guess price is not necessarily a factor in ride smoothness. How much of a difference does weight really make?
Simple answer, VanguardIsle . . . Weight and Wheelbase.
There are definitely more "technical" reasons behind a smooth plush ride such as suspension tuning, shock absorbers and tires, however, the two "W's" are right up there at the top.
Smoothest ride I've ever had was in the Toyota Sienna. I hate minivans, they just aren't as practical as lore would have you believe, but they are safe, decently powerful, and ride like an easy chair.
My family had a mini van years ago. I like how much room it had to haul things ( and for our dogs ) but I didnt like being up high. I do not really remember if the ride was smooth or not. Does how low or high up from the ground you are in a car make a difference in how smooth the ride is? Mini vans tend to be gas hogs too. Can you combine a smooth ride and good gas mileage in a car or do you have to choose between them?
It's all suspension (speaking a motorcycle mechanic who specialized in suspension). And specifically the spring rate (deals with the weight of the vehicle), compression damping (deals with how fast the spring compresses when you hit different types of bumps) and rebound compression (deals with how fast the spring pushes the suspension out again).
Most car shucks/struts are Very low tech when compared to what's available but I also don't think most people would want to spend ~$5k on suspension. Simply due to the style (emulsion), where a gas ~ nitrogen usually ~ and oil are in one enclosed chamber, and the damping is controlled by the oil being forced through small holes. When the oil warms up, or gets old/thins out, it goes through those holes more quickly and the damping vanishes. Same thing happens when the shock does a LOT of work (think washboard road), but that's because the gas and oil turns into an emulsion as Well as heating up.
Most people let their suspension just go forever without changing it and the ride quality simply degrades. Or if they do change, they buy the cheapest replacement on the market... you see an improvement (new oil vs old), but it's like adding a splash of water to an empty glass... sure, there's more, but it's FAR less than what's possible. Again, money is the key factor.
Still, I wish the dang things were serviceable. A simple oil refresh (costs $20 for a motorcycle shock, takes 5~10 minutes) would allow for near infinite use, and that beats the snot out of ~$400 every 5~6 years or so. Then again, I don't think most people keep vehicles as long as I do...
[edit] Argh, so much mis-information. Weight has nothing to do with "smoothness", the spring rate will bring all vehicle weights to a "neutral" point. Similarly, wheelbase means nothing when talking about "smoothness"... actually both can be Very detrimental when the oil in the shocks wear out. A higher center of gravity (van, suv, truck vs car) will cause the suspension to work more, and if you add weight up high then it has to work Even more, but it's still all controlled by the suspension.
And tires are part of the suspension, so a low-profile tires is "stiffer", less sidewall to flex. A taller tire (like found on trucks and SUVs) will have MUCH more flex and give.
Simple answer, VanguardIsle . . . Weight and Wheelbase.
There are definitely more "technical" reasons behind a smooth plush ride such as suspension tuning, shock absorbers and tires, however, the two "W's" are right up there at the top.
What exactly is wheelbase? Do you mean the width of the car? I guess you are also saying that the heavier weight cars are smoother? Those lightweight expensive sports cars must be very bumpy? I guess a heavier weight makes the car bounce less?
It's all suspension (speaking a motorcycle mechanic who specialized in suspension). And specifically the spring rate (deals with the weight of the vehicle), compression damping (deals with how fast the spring compresses when you hit different types of bumps) and rebound compression (deals with how fast the spring pushes the suspension out again).
Most car shucks/struts are Very low tech when compared to what's available but I also don't think most people would want to spend ~$5k on suspension. Simply due to the style (emulsion), where a gas ~ nitrogen usually ~ and oil are in one enclosed chamber, and the damping is controlled by the oil being forced through small holes. When the oil warms up, or gets old/thins out, it goes through those holes more quickly and the damping vanishes. Same thing happens when the shock does a LOT of work (think washboard road), but that's because the gas and oil turns into an emulsion as Well as heating up.
Most people let their suspension just go forever without changing it and the ride quality simply degrades. Or if they do change, they buy the cheapest replacement on the market... you see an improvement (new oil vs old), but it's like adding a splash of water to an empty glass... sure, there's more, but it's FAR less than what's possible. Again, money is the key factor.
Still, I wish the dang things were serviceable. A simple oil refresh (costs $20 for a motorcycle shock, takes 5~10 minutes) would allow for near infinite use, and that beats the snot out of ~$400 every 5~6 years or so. Then again, I don't think most people keep vehicles as long as I do...
It sounds like changing the oil makes a difference? Which types of oil are best for a smooth ride and should oil be changed more often than is generally recommended? How do you improve and upgrade the suspension on a car without spending too much? How often should a suspension be changed?
What exactly is wheelbase? Do you mean the width of the car? I guess you are also saying that the heavier weight cars are smoother? Those lightweight expensive sports cars must be very bumpy? I guess a heavier weight makes the car bounce less?
Wheelbase is the distance between the center of the front axle and the center of the rear axle. In general, a longer vehicle will have a longer wheelbase. One exception is those extended vans where all of the extra length is added to the rear end.
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