Harsh Ride: Such a shame
- Thread starter speed12
- Start date
haharyanwhite19
Member
Coming from an fn2 type r the z4 is like driving on a cloud 
I had eibach springs on my civic which helped alot but it was still alot crashier than the z4, for me its just right.
I had eibach springs on my civic which helped alot but it was still alot crashier than the z4, for me its just right.I love how mine handles and rides now. Stranded it pulled wallowed and crashed. I have spax rsx springs and shocks on mine now and its night and day even with the 19" wheels. The only thing i would complain about is when driving over a rough surface where the top layer of chippings are coming off the roads. There is lots of vibration but that's probably down to the Polly bushes. I have also got an ///M front anti roll bar and that tightened things up nicely on turn in.
I run 18" wheels with F1 Asymmetric 2 Goodyear tyres and sport suspension and I generally find my car gets annoying on rougher roads.
In summer when the sun is high, the roads dry, then you can see ahead better and plan a nice route around the bumps/lumps in the road, and also feel more interested in putting the effort in to drive at a good pace and enjoy it all.
But in winter when it's likely wet and dark it's really tough to place the car around the dips/bumps/potholes, so you just slow down instead, and even then it can feel rough. In these conditions it's just generally a bit pants and I just start to find the car aggravating to drive on many roads due to the likelihood of unseen bumps and holes etc.
I think the Z4 is ok, but it's ride is probably it's worst characteristic. Iirc at the time Evo magazine ran a 3.0i with sport suspension on their fleet and came to the same conclusion. Ultimately ruined by being too stiff for no apparent benefit.
I can live with it but it could be better imo!
In summer when the sun is high, the roads dry, then you can see ahead better and plan a nice route around the bumps/lumps in the road, and also feel more interested in putting the effort in to drive at a good pace and enjoy it all.
But in winter when it's likely wet and dark it's really tough to place the car around the dips/bumps/potholes, so you just slow down instead, and even then it can feel rough. In these conditions it's just generally a bit pants and I just start to find the car aggravating to drive on many roads due to the likelihood of unseen bumps and holes etc.
I think the Z4 is ok, but it's ride is probably it's worst characteristic. Iirc at the time Evo magazine ran a 3.0i with sport suspension on their fleet and came to the same conclusion. Ultimately ruined by being too stiff for no apparent benefit.
I can live with it but it could be better imo!
Its the reason I sold my e85, I couldn't live with the ride, it wasn't just hard, it was also bouncy sick making at times. Far too hard for road use. I then switched into the e89 with adaptive suspension so I knew I could have it hard (ooer) when I needed but also comfy for rough roads. Its still a bit harsh at times in the e89 but miles better on comfort mode over the e85. I can still make everything rattle like hell but putting it into sport+ mode.
I wish I'd had a talk with myself before I sold it because the car was immaculate and I let it go far too cheaply because I was fed up with it. Don't get me wrong I love the e89 but the e85 would still have suited me if I'd have spent on making it a bit more comfortable. As it was, I spent way way more to get into another car.
I'd suggest considering, if you like and want to keep the car, looking at adjustable dampers, non run flat tyres or smaller wheels.
Fond memories...
I wish I'd had a talk with myself before I sold it because the car was immaculate and I let it go far too cheaply because I was fed up with it. Don't get me wrong I love the e89 but the e85 would still have suited me if I'd have spent on making it a bit more comfortable. As it was, I spent way way more to get into another car.
I'd suggest considering, if you like and want to keep the car, looking at adjustable dampers, non run flat tyres or smaller wheels.
Fond memories...
sumpcracker
Member
I wish I found this before buying an E85 last weekend.
I will be selling asap, mostly due to the terrible ride.
I will probably buy a Z3m as my previous 2.8 had none of the z4 faults.
I will be selling asap, mostly due to the terrible ride.
I will probably buy a Z3m as my previous 2.8 had none of the z4 faults.
I had a 3.0 E85 for 5 years and 90k miles and I didn't think the ride was that hard at all. Firm, but bone-shaking? Nope. I suppose some people have different thresholds of what is/isn't comfortable to me though.
I changed the runflats to normal tyres and it improved quite a lot... then I got sick of broken springs and swapped them for Eibachs and it killed the ride completely, small holes in the road would rattle your teeth and big ones would make such a clunk that it made you cringe. On good roads the ride was out of this world though, never felt such control in a car before, even in damp conditions.
I think the Z4 was made for good roads, and alas those days are long gone, certainly in this part of the country
I think the Z4 was made for good roads, and alas those days are long gone, certainly in this part of the country
Big part of me selling up was because the ride was to harsh, cats eyes were like speed bumps and every time you hit a pot hole it felt like the something would break. Tram lining was annoying also, especially when braking at traffic lights and the inner lane on the motorway.
Binned the run flats and it rides soooo much better. Honestly couldn't believe the difference.
An expensive thing just to try but if you get chance to drive a set back to back then you'll see that it's worth it.
An expensive thing just to try but if you get chance to drive a set back to back then you'll see that it's worth it.
The ride rates are really very stiff on the 3.0i with sport suspension.
I'm not sure dampers would fix it.
Really it just needs a full re-think for UK roads.
Suspension doesn't have to be stiff to be good. It can be quite soft and still really nice, and very sporty.
Dave
I'm not sure dampers would fix it.
Really it just needs a full re-think for UK roads.
Suspension doesn't have to be stiff to be good. It can be quite soft and still really nice, and very sporty.
Dave
I recently changed from run flats and although I haven't had the chance to drive a distance on no RF's it was pretty obvious on the drive home it had made a massive difference. Hard suspension + run flats just don't mix well.
Having said that moving from my old car which was fully braced and on coilovers the BM doesn't seem that bad even on RFT's
Having said that moving from my old car which was fully braced and on coilovers the BM doesn't seem that bad even on RFT's
I had an impreza on eibachs and the ride was jarring at lower speed on country lanes, so you'd slow down and it was the same poor ride, but lasted longer
Then I was late once and hammered it down the same road and the suspension just worked. Fully controlled and compliant, it kept the wheels on the road and covered ground in relative comfort in less than a third of the time.
I'm guessing that the problem lies with the fact that according to your Sig, you're getting 40 mpg out of it.
Then I was late once and hammered it down the same road and the suspension just worked. Fully controlled and compliant, it kept the wheels on the road and covered ground in relative comfort in less than a third of the time.
I'm guessing that the problem lies with the fact that according to your Sig, you're getting 40 mpg out of it.