I like everything about my new Elantra Touring car EXCEPT the ride. I didn’t notice the sport suspension when I test drove one; I attribute my lack of awareness of the bumpy ride to the fact that the salesman, who accompanied me was a very large gentleman weighing nearly 300 lbs. The difference is like getting on an empty bus compared to getting on a full bus. The ride is smoother with more weight in the chassis. How can I soften my ride? By buying tires with a larger sidewall to take up the bounce, or put large sacks of cement or some other material in the place of the back seat lower bench. I don’t have a family, so I don’t need the back seat. I have put large cushions on my driver’s seat, but I still need more comfort. I am 64 yrs old and am committed to the car. What would you suggest?
Well, you didn’t tell us the specific model of your Elantra Touring, but I am going to guess that it is an SE model. I am guessing that because the SE comes equipped with either 45-series or 55-series tires, and those ultra low-profile tires will produce very bad ride characteristics. You should also be aware that these ultra-low profile tires are more apt to result in damage to your wheels, and possibly to suspension and steering components as a result of their inability to absorb the impact of potholes.
The other model (GLE??) uses 65-series tires, and they are less likely to produce the rough ride that you report. Which model do you have?
However, first–Have you personally checked the tire pressure with a high-quality gauge?
If not, you could be overlooking part of the problem. The correct inflation pressure is listed on the label on the driver’s door jamb. DO NOT inflate the tires to the maximum pressure listed on the tire’s sidewall!
When cars are shipped from the factory, they frequently have their tires inflated to ~50 psi, sometime an even higher inflation pressure. If a dealership’s vehicle prep people are not diligent about adjusting the pressure to the correct amount, you wind up driving a car with grossly overinflated tires. That exact thing happened to me once, and some people in this forum have reported the exact same mistake on the part of the dealership.
If your tires are inflated correctly, and if you do have either 45-series or 55-series tires, then you can buy new tires with a taller aspect ratio, i.e.–65-series or 70-series. A knowledgeable tire dealer can advise you on the correct tire size in this differing aspect ratio. Also, Capri Racer, our resident tire expert, will likely have a size recommendation for you if you buy tires with a taller aspect ratio.
Well I can’t tell if it’s an SE or not by my paperwork, so I looked at the tires. They are OPTIMO H426, P195/65R15 89T. They are definitely not very tall. If I can get a good price on trade in, I will buy the more “cusiony” tire. I only have 3,500 miles on the tires. I will try and contact your tire expert.
@DavidM123 I have exactly the same problem. The ride on one of freeways nearby is so bumpy that I began to regret buying Elantra touring without much testing.
As for your tires, I guess yours is 65-series and your Touring is GLS (not SE). So, I’m afraid the tire aspect ratio is not to blame.
I just measured the tire pressure (well, not with a high quality pressuare gauge, but it’d not be that far off, I guess) and it’s a little over 30 PSI. So, that cannot be blamed either.
@VDCdriver, can you think of any other possibility? I’m gonna take my car to the dealership, but it’d be nice to get myself familiar with potential causes as much as possible.
Thank you in advance !
Since I would lose too much money selling the car, I’m going to try and find custom shock absorbers, then try adding 3 or 4 hundred lbs to the vehicle via barbell weights on the back seat floorboard; the city ride is the worst. St Louis MO has horrible street quality. Highways that are well paved are a just fine. In fact, it handles nice and tight and cruises very well at 80 mph.