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Car Forum / Volkswagen / Water Cooled Volkswagen Cars / February 2008

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new Passat suspension

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Geoff Hammond - 21 Feb 2008 06:29 GMT
I recently bought a new Passat (the 2.0 litre petrol) to replace my previous
(2002) Passat. It's all good, with one serious exception: the ride is harsh
and choppy, even over good suburban roads. The contrast to the previous
model, which was nicely compliant and handled smoothly,is enormous. The new
one feels underdamped, or as if the tires had been madly over-inflated: is
it just my car, or is it a 'feature' of the new Passat?

Regards

Geoff Hammond
Joseph Meehan - 21 Feb 2008 15:00 GMT
It would not hurt to check the tyre pressure.  It would not be the first
time they forgot to check it.

   Did you get the really big rims with skinny tyres (Gangster Look)?  If
so that is likely the problem.

Signature

Joseph Meehan

Dia 's Muire duit

> I recently bought a new Passat (the 2.0 litre petrol) to replace my
> previous (2002) Passat. It's all good, with one serious exception: the
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> Geoff Hammond
Geoff Hammond - 24 Feb 2008 02:43 GMT
It's not the tire pressures. The tires themselves are standard -- German
Contintentals, 235/45 on 17" rims.

Geoff

>    It would not hurt to check the tyre pressure.  It would not be the
> first time they forgot to check it.
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>>
>> Geoff Hammond
Joseph Meehan - 24 Feb 2008 15:07 GMT
In the US Passat it appears 16 or 18 inch wheels are standard, depending
on the specific model.  17" wheels will produce a harsher ride than the 16"

   I have a NB 16" OEM wheels.  I have fitted it with 15" rims for my
winter tyres and it has a much smoother ride with the 15" wheels.  The
Outside diameter is the same on both.  I have driven in one with 17" wheels
on it and it was right uncomfortable IMO.  It may have had the suspension
modified however so I can't truly judge.  I suspect that at least part of
your problem is the 17" wheels.

Signature

Joseph Meehan

Dia 's Muire duit

> It's not the tire pressures. The tires themselves are standard -- German
> Contintentals, 235/45 on 17" rims.
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>>>
>>> Geoff Hammond
Jim Behning - 24 Feb 2008 15:34 GMT
Tires are part of the suspension of a car. Or shock absorbers of a
car. 35 series tires offer virtually no suspension. Change those rims
and tires out to a 65 series tire and the car will feel much
different. Every few years some car magazine will do hot laps around a
race course to see what tire and wheel combinations work best with a
specific car on a road course. The 45 series seems to be more for
style than actual great high speed handling. It sure is not in your
pocketbook's best interest. Potholes like eating up low profile tires
and rims.

Under dampened to me would be a mushy shock without a lot of road
feel. Mushy to me is felt when the suspension changes a lot when in
transitions. Either hard braking, evasive maneuvers or bumpy roads.
Over dampened would be harsh with lots of road feel. I would bet if
you put some 65 profile tires and wheels on the car it would not be
nearly as harsh of a ride. I would bet the old Passat did not have 45
profile as that was not quite as in vogue as it is now.

>It's not the tire pressures. The tires themselves are standard -- German
>Contintentals, 235/45 on 17" rims.
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>>>
>>> Geoff Hammond
Joseph Gliebe - 21 Feb 2008 16:42 GMT
My wife's new Passat (2.0T) has 18" wheels with very low profile Perelli
tires, it rides harder than our last, it also has the sport package, which
makes it worse.....

Joe
>I recently bought a new Passat (the 2.0 litre petrol) to replace my
>previous (2002) Passat. It's all good, with one serious exception: the ride
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> Geoff Hammond
pfjw@aol.com - 22 Feb 2008 01:19 GMT
> My wife's new Passat (2.0T) has 18" wheels with very low profile Perelli
> tires, it rides harder than our last, it also has the sport package, which
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
> - Show quoted text -

VW - Passat - Sport Package... yeah, right!

Mpfffff... No matter how it is sliced and diced, a Passat will not be
a Porsche. Which means that when a family sedan gets a wannabe craving
to be "sports car", it ain't nohow gonna happen. Either it will be a
sedan with poor pretentions to sportiness, or a wretched, bulky, badly
riding sports car - neither being optimum.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA
Joseph Gliebe - 24 Feb 2008 13:46 GMT
Maybe if you drive it fast enough in reverse it will feel like a porsche!!!
lol

On Feb 21, 11:42 am, "Joseph Gliebe" <jcarr...@bellsouth.ner> wrote:
> My wife's new Passat (2.0T) has 18" wheels with very low profile Perelli
> tires, it rides harder than our last, it also has the sport package, which
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>
> - Show quoted text -

VW - Passat - Sport Package... yeah, right!

Mpfffff... No matter how it is sliced and diced, a Passat will not be
a Porsche. Which means that when a family sedan gets a wannabe craving
to be "sports car", it ain't nohow gonna happen. Either it will be a
sedan with poor pretentions to sportiness, or a wretched, bulky, badly
riding sports car - neither being optimum.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA
 
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