Really uncomfortable ride quality

[GrahamDevizes]

Hi all, great to find this website and I'm hoping that someone can help.

I have a 67 plate Mercedes C220d supplied by my employer which is leased from a local Mercedes dealer. Since day one ( when the car was brand new and had just eight miles on the clock) the car seems to have suffered from an appalling ride quality. Every minor bump on the road causes the suspension to judder, every little bump travels up through the driver's seat, if I hit a manhole cover then the back wheels dance across the road and it is without a doubt, the most uncomfortable car I've ever driven and I've had everything over the past 25 years, Ford, Vauxhall, Renault, Peugeot, Nissan, Saab, etc, etc.

I took the car into the dealership where it came from a few months ago, they checked the car over and pronounced " there's nothing wrong with it". The approximately 20 year old receptionist even suggested that as the car has its tyres inflated to 42 psi, then that was probably the cause of the awful ride. The technicians said "it's the way the car has been set up" but we have several other 220d's in the fleet, of which I've driven most, and none are as uncomfortable as mine. Similarly, some of the other Mercedes drivers at the company have driven mine and said how uncomfortable it was.

Have any other owners had a similar issue? For the first time in my life I have sciatica and a bad back which I have only had since collecting this car. It truly is so uncomfortable.

 

[Trickythemerc]

42 psi might be a tad too high 33 psi all round works for me, but the b@stard still keeps breaking springs for fun.

 

[Rory]

What make and model of tyres are on it?

 

[markjay]

1. I would say that you should try driving the car with the tyre pressures set to the lowest figure within the recommended range (as per the sticker in the fule filler flap).

2. I found that Bridgestone tyres are often the cause of a harsh ride - not sure what you have on your car though.

3. If the tyres have ultra-low profiles (typical of 18"-19"-20"-21"wheels) then this will cause the ride to be more harsh.

4. Another thing that can cause harsh ride is if the tyres are run-flats - in which case they will have a stiffened hardened sidewall causing a harsh ride.

 

[GrahamDevizes]

Thanks for the replies. The car has Continental Conti Sport Contact 5 tyres all around, 225/50R/17 94W. The 42 psi tyre pressure is as per the sticker inside the fuel cap. I have no idea I'm afraid whether the tyres are run flats or not. The car doesn't carry a spare, just an inflation kit in the boot.

 

[Bellow]

Thanks for the replies. The car has Continental Conti Sport Contact 5 tyres all around, 225/50R/17 94W. The 42 psi tyre pressure is as per the sticker inside the fuel cap. I have no idea I'm afraid whether the tyres are run flats or not. The car doesn't carry a spare, just an inflation kit in the boot.

Going slightly leftfield..... could that be a requirement of homologation ie, the tyre pressures at which the emissions and fuel consumption tests were conducted and although the expectation is to run in the real world at lower pressures, the legal requirement is to recommend the 'as tested' values?

In any case, as suggested by others - try lower pressures. In my experience, too high pressures make the ride harsh and adhesion 'skippy' - especially in the wet.

 

[Scooby_Doo]

Mine's on 19's and set at 34 psi and find the ride OK, I've got a set of 18's that I use over the winter set to 36psi and they really soften the ride. I can't understand why you're having so much trouble on 17's.

 

[grober]

Have you got conventional or air suspension?

 

[Deleted member 6183]

My beemer had the tyres set at 46 when I bought it and the ride was terrible, they are now at 32 and the ride is terr slight;y better.

As it's a company car I guess that the only thing that you have immediate control over is tyre pressures so give it a go, when renewal comes around ask for a E class as the ride is a decent step up.

 

[Deletedmember130310]

i found the same when I borrowed / test drove a "19" plate c220d on Continental EcoContact 6 225/45/18 - I have no idea what suspension that had, although the service manager thought it has "sports suspension", whatever that is...

 

[GrahamDevizes]

Thanks all for your suggestions, I'll try lowering the tyre pressure and see if that makes a difference.

 

[DSM10000]

Thanks for the replies. The car has Continental Conti Sport Contact 5 tyres all around, 225/50R/17 94W. The 42 psi tyre pressure is as per the sticker inside the fuel cap. I have no idea I'm afraid whether the tyres are run flats or not. The car doesn't carry a spare, just an inflation kit in the boot.

No spare tyre indicates run flat tyres fitted , also, are you sure that the 42 psi figure is for normal load carrying and not full passenger load with luggage?

Lower the pressures as suggested and see what improvement if any this brings.

 

[whitenemesis]

No spare tyre indicates run flat tyres fitted

My car has no spare, just an inflation kit/tyre gel.
It doesn't have run-flats...

 

[ToeKnee]

My car has no spare, just an inflation kit/tyre gel.
It doesn't have run-flats...

Ditto...

 

[Deleted member 6183]

No spare tyre indicates run flat tyres fitted , also, are you sure that the 42 psi figure is for normal load carrying and not full passenger load with luggage?

Lower the pressures as suggested and see what improvement if any this brings.

Not these days, modern cars tend to have a can of goo and an inflater.

 

[liamt]

Not these days, modern cars tend to have a can of goo and an inflater.

If you have an inflator/can of goo, the car had normal tyres from factory. If you don't the car was fitted with run flats from the factory. I had the inflator/goo on my A Class but not on my current C Class which has run flats. I believe Mercedes don't supply spare tyres at all now, It is either the inflator kit with goo or nothing.

 

[markjay]

As far as I know...

Almost all new cars that don't have run-flats come with an inflator kit these days (no more spare wheels of any kind).

Car that have run-flat tyres have neither a spare wheel nor an inflatore kit - nothing at all.

So if I am correct... then it seems that the OP's car is in the first category.

 

[grober]

I suspect that many newer cars now run around on over-inflated tyres. This may be to achieve certain type approval/emissions figures under test by reducing rolling resistance rather than for speed/ load bearing characteristics?

 

[whitenemesis]

There's a minimum pressure, related to axle weight (usually stated on the fuel flap) and a maximum design pressure, moulded on the sidewall. Anywhere in between is just a compromise between wear, comfort and handling.

 

[Jockcl500]

I would think the info should be on the sidewall RF = Runflat just like XL = Reinforced