fotodad

Okay, I know I'm going to catch a lot of heat by saying this, but here goes. I love my Chrome Touring Z. And yes, I know it's a sports car. And yes, I took it for a test drive before I bought it. But I am having a real hard time getting use to the extremely stiff ride! I drive about 40 highway miles a day. The highways in Wisconsin aren't the best but they're not that bad. When I get home from work on some days, I feel like someone hit me in the back of my neck with a bat for 30 minutes due to the bouncing around in the car. I was told by Tirerack that getting Michelin Pilot A/C tires will make a huge, night-and-day difference in the comfort of the ride. Is this true? Or has anyone put on an all-season tire and improved the ride? I understand the tires on the car are meant for performance. But I'm not planning to drive on a race track ever with this car (though it would be fun). I just want to go to work, the video store, and home without having to make a chiropractic appointment every week. Please offer suggestions as to how I can soften the ride. Thanks for any advise/thoughts.

Michael

Pedal Pusher

Many of us are concerened about the rough ride. We are calling Nissan at 1-800-647-7261 and letting them know our feelings. Tires can make a SMALL difference. It is probably the shocks. Good luck.

fotodad

Thanks for your reply. I'm going to call them today, just as soon as they open. After speaking with them, did you get an acceptable response or the run-around? I called them about how terrible and DANGEROUS the factory Bridgestone tires are in even the smallest amount of snow. Their response basically: We understand and agree with your points, but tough...we're not going to do anything about it.

While I love this car and feel it is both technically and mechanically beautiful (the beauty of the design goes without saying), I am quite upset with Nissan over their choice of tires for this car. Performance tires should have been an option.

Have you done anything to improve the ride comfort?

Thanks! Michael

Audito350Z

iTrader: (1)

The Bridgestone RE040 is a performance tire. Going to another performance tire, like the Michelin Pilot Sport or Pirelli PZero Rosso might improve grip, but will not improve the ride. Likewise, an all-season tire will also not improve the ride, only your traction in rain and snow.

Like you mentioned in your post.... you know you bought a sports car. If you don't like the ride, I would suggest shopping for a GT car... BMW M3 being the top choice in that category.

If you are serious about changing tires to smooth out the ride, then you should consider going with a wheel that is 1" smaller than what you have now, and going with a tire that has a taller sidewall.

You mention you have the Touring model, so I am guessing you have 18" wheels. Shop for a set of 17" OEM wheels with the taller tires. Or, if you have 17s now, then find some aftermarket 16" wheels and put a 65-series tire on them. You will have a lot more tire sidewall to absorb bumps and road abnormalities.


The OEM 18" tires are 225/45-18 and 245/45-18. I think the OEM 17" tires are 225/55-17 and 245/55-17. Already you can see that the asprect ration (sidewall height) is taller in the 17" tires. A likely 16" tire might be 225/65-15 and 245/65-16.


Hope that helps.


PeteH

Audito350Z

iTrader: (1)

Calling Nissan to tell them what, "We bought a sports car, but we want it to ride like a Toyota Camry."???? Do you think purchasers of Porsches complain that their Boxster or Twin Turbo rides so rough that it's making their Starbuck's Grande Lattes spill in the cupholder???

Like I suggested to Fotodad in the post above... if you don't like the ride, go buy a grand touring style car. Some suggestions include BMW M3, BMW 330ci, Mustang GT/Cobra, F-body GM (Camaro or Firebird), Aston Martin, Jaguar XK8.... you get the idea.


PeteH

Audito350Z

iTrader: (1)

Ummm... just to comment on this: Nissan and Bridgeston never made the claim that the RE040 is remotely capable of operating in the snow. It's a high performance summer tire only.

To quote the 350Z owner's manual, Section 5-24 "Cold Weather Driving/Tire Equipment":
"Summer tires are of a tread design to provide superior performance on dry pavement. However, the performance of these tires will be substantially reduced in snowy and icy conditions. If you operate your vehicle on snowy or icy roads, NISSA recommends the use of MUD & SNOW or ALL SEASON tires on all four wheels. Please consult your NISSAN dealer for the tire type, size, speed rating and availabliity information."


PeteH

fdao

Audito350Z,

It's not the "rough" ride that many of us are concerned about. It's the "porpoising" or bouncy ride that is unbecoming of a Z. Porsche has a taut ride, but not bouncy ride, like the Z. I think you misunderstood the "rough" ride description. I also believe it's the shock not matching with the springs. The NISMO suspension appears to take care of the bounce, as well as other types of coilovers on the market at present time.

djkern

wow....you really get a kick out of the "starbucks grande lattees". i would have to think that you are an avid visitor of starbucks!! haha....you posted the same comment in fotodad's last thread. yet again....had to come in with an attitude. man, can't you at least go about it in a mature way?

fotodad

Well said, Frank. I am not as well versed in automobile terms as I should be. Please explain what a "NISMO suspension" is and what an approximate cost might be to purchase and install.

Michael (fotodad)

Audito350Z

iTrader: (1)

Michael...

NISMO is the short version of Nissan Motorsports. It's the performance and racing division of Nissan Corporation. Most of the performance parts they use to race with are available for sale in the aftermarket.... albeit a less race-tuned version of some of the parts.

http://164.46.112.185/NissanParts/FairladyZ33/Sus.htm
This link should take you to the NISMO S-tune suspension description (if not, try www.nismo.com). Depending on what you decide to buy, you can get a matched spring/shock package, or the same with swaybars.

For what you are trying to do, skip the swaybars and just look into the springs/shocks. Or, even see if you can buy just the shocks.... not sure how well matched they are to the springs already on the Z, however.

Don't know the cost of the springs/shocks, but $800-$1k is about what to expect. The dealer can install (and possible warranty) the items for whatever the going shop-rate might be.

Hope that helps.

PeteH


Hey djkern... look at that, I was helpful and not one mention of any Starbuck's product.

ZZtopp

iTrader: (1)

As a performance tire, the Bridgestone REO40 sucks. I can break the rear end free at any time with only moderate burst of acceleration. Their grip, or lack of, is not only unforgiveable...it's dangerous.

Audito350Z

iTrader: (1)

ummmm... stop turning off the VDC!

Also... no matter what tire you have on the back (save for a drag radial) it will come loose when you apply throttle. Go ask the Viper guys how long their Michelin Pilot Sports last and how easily they break loose. Same for M3 guys with Pilot Sports, 996 guys with Continental Sport Contact. It's the nature of a RWD car.

I kept the RE040 on the Z when I went to the track a few weekends ago. The tire performed beyond my expectations for a street tire. My fastest lap on the 2.9 mile, 15-turn Texas World Speedway was 2:08.44 at an average speed of 81 mph. Trust me... the RE040 is a performance tire.

PeteH

Boomer

I have a Touring 5AT and I changed the 040s for Michelin Pilot Sport A/Ss at 1600 miles and much of the harshness went away. Remember, I have 225/50/17s fr and 235/50/17s rr. These are stock sizes on the Base, Enthusiast and Touring 5AT. The tires got rid of most of the harshness, but did not cure the bounce. The bounce is a result of insufficient rebound/compression control on the shocks, I believe. What angers me is Nissan put a set of the worst summer tires on todays market, look them up on Tire Rack, and did not offer an all season tire as an option.

Sports cars are stiff, its an unwritten law, but stiff AND bouncy is not a characteristic of any properly suspended sports car. So, I am out $1K for new tires and at least $6-800 on new shocks to FIX a sports car suspension which was supposed to be correct from the factory. Maybe others think nothing of dropping a couple of thousand on new tires and suspensions immediately after receiving the car, but I am not. I expect a complete car when I drop $35K, not a rolling testbed for modifications which come out of my pocket.

BTW, I preordered the car in 2/12/03 w/o ever seeing it, sitting in it or test driving it. And, I do expect Nissan to correct the suspension, not me. I bought a complete car and I do not have one YET, IMO. I ate the price of new tires, I do not expect to correct the bouncy suspension out of my own pocket and I don't give a rat's *** what anyone else thinks of the matter. My Z rides like my live axle, stiffly sprung, flabby shocked 1982 Mustang; I bought an independently sprung and shocked sports car which should have a very firm ride, not one from a harsh or bouncy relic from 25 years ago.

Boomer-my 1965 Triumph TR4 w/lever shocks and a live axle rode better than the Z. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY THREAD ABOUT THESE FLAWS, THERE ARE DOZENS OF OWNERS WHO BELIEVE THE WAY I DO. DO A SEARCH IF YOU WANT PROOF.

ZZtopp

iTrader: (1)

I never turn off the VDC. I drove a friend's Z with S03's, and there is a world of difference. These tires just plain suck.

fotodad

Boomer,

Thank you for not just supporting a point I've been trying to make for quite a few posts now, but also for offering some CONSTRUCTIVE thoughts on possible present and future SOLUTIONS. Sounds like we have identical cars. I also own a Touring 5AT with the identical stock tires and sizes. Okay, let's say I also eat the cost of new tires to replace these worthless pieces of round rubber, how do you propose approaching almighty Nissan with the suspension problems? Please let me know your progress. Thanks!

Michael

Todd@ProDyno

I have to say the tire has a lot to do with the ride. I've driven approx 5 Z's to date, bringing them back and forth to the dealer after I installed new wheels on them. Then yesterday I had the pleasure of driving another. That one was simply a tire change. Same size, but we put on the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S and it made a pretty significant difference. Don;t hate Nissan too much for choosing the Bridgestone. Tire companies give bids to the vehicle manufacturer in attempt of being their OE tire. bridgestone simply came with a great bid to help keep costs down on the Z. Unfortunately looks like most of you are going to pay to get a better tire anyway. This particular Bridgestone certainly leaves a lot to be desired. The Michelin didnt solve the problem altogether...but made it feel more like it should (rather than the bat to the neck as described above). The ride was still firm, as any Sports car should be. But it wsnt an intrusive, unpleasurable ride like it was previously. Even an upgrade to 18" tires and wheels produced a better ride than the stock rollers.

Beyond that, JimH from the board has stated that his Eibach kit has done wonders for his ride quality. And don't worry...shocks won't be far behind.

Apexi350z

iTrader: (3)

anyone knows if Koni or Tokico is coming out with their adjustable shocks for our 350Z? That would solve the problem...

Boomer

Koni told me shocks for the Z would be out in summer or early fall.