Too Bumpy

[OrphenOSX]

I feel most of the road and bumps when i drive, compared to other cars, my ride is really bumpy and annoying at times on some roads. I have a saturn ion 2004 . 16000 miles. How can i get a smoother ride?

[jignha]

What other cars are you driving?

[Gerry Proctor]

Check your tire pressure. If the car is lightly loaded, go to the lowest cold pressure or up to 5psi less.

If the car is an Ion 3, it has a slightly tighter suspension and shorter tire sidewalls(aspect ratio). You can alleviate some of the ride discomfort by going to a shorter rim and use a tire with a taller aspect ratio.

[Pete93SL1M]

How many miles on your ION? Revised bushings were used from 05 on IIRC. I would not recommend taking air out of the tires unless they were already overfilled for safety reasons. (remember the Explorer? Tire failures were due to overheating which was partially blamed on underinflation- dealers were recommending taking some air out becuase of the crummy ride- sound familiar?) Have you recently replaced the tires with different brand? Not all tires ride the same due to different rubber compounds. If all else fails, take it to your retailer and have a tech ride along to see if he/she notices any unusual harshness. They drive different ION cars all day long so a 2nd opinion in person may help more than our internet speculation.

[plato]

Originally Posted by Gerry Proctor

Check your tire pressure. If the car is lightly loaded, go to the lowest cold pressure or up to 5psi less.

If the car is an Ion 3, it has a slightly tighter suspension and shorter tire sidewalls(aspect ratio). You can alleviate some of the ride discomfort by going to a shorter rim and use a tire with a taller aspect ratio.

That is going to negatively affect your MPG in a considerable manner.

[06_Ion2]

if the car was heavier it wouldnt be as bouncy also.. maybe go to a smaller rim bigger sidewalls?

[Nismo]

I've also noticed my 06' is pretty bouncy. Mainly in the rear. Basically bounces around like you'd feel in a pickup truck. It's a combination of having not enough weight back there and not having a strut/spring suspension setup like most cars.

[davidsky]

Buy a different car.

[Silver07Ion]

Originally Posted by davidsky

Buy a different car.

I've also noticed my 06' is pretty bouncy. Mainly in the rear. Basically bounces around like you'd feel in a pickup truck. It's a combination of having not enough weight back there and not having a strut/spring suspension setup like most cars.

Put a really heavy stereo in the trunk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and lol at davidsky

[davidsky]

My ION is not bumpy at all. If anything it's the smoothest riding compact I've ever driven. It might be because I have the 14 in wheels.

[NOLA-Vue]

Originally Posted by OrphenOSX

I feel most of the road and bumps when i drive, compared to other cars, my ride is really bumpy and annoying at times on some roads. I have a saturn ion 2004 . 16000 miles. How can i get a smoother ride?

I have an 04' ION-3 (25K miles), and I think that I know what you mean about the ride. The OEM tires that came on it are the Firestone Firehawk in size 205/55/16. First off, the 2004 ION-3 does have a stiffer "performance" suspension than the ION-1 or 2. Standard OEM equipment on the ION-3 was 16" wheels. Most tire web sites describe the Firehawk tire as a "Performance" tire which usually means a pretty stiff sidewall compared to other classes of tires.

My OEM Firehawks are very stiff--with absolutely little or no sidewall flex. Of the cars I've driven over the years, I think the ION-3 is the best overall handling car I've ever owned. I experience very little body or tire roll, but it does ride like an ox cart in that every crack or small bump in the road is transmitted to the body of the car and I can feel it! With little doubt, I blame the stiff sidewall of these performance tires for that particular ride feature, but credit the same tires for the good performance type handling. In a way, I can't wait for these OEM tires to wear out, and when they do, I'm thinking of trying an H-rated touring tire or maybe a set of H-rated Goodyear Comfort Tread tires to improve the ride. I would offer the suggestion that if you have an ION-3 with OEM Firestone Firehawks, that you blame the tires and not the car for the ride. If my basic assumptions are correct, to get a smoother ride you will have to find a tire with a more flexible sidewall than a performance tire generally offers.