Hi,
I have a 2015 corolla. Around 70K miles on the corolla LE. The roads where I live are bad and bumpy. The ride has become very un-comfortable for me and family. I am looking to buy a new car for my family which has good ride quality and suspension. My budget is 35K. Right now, looking for a new car.
These are my options.
Any other cars which you think I should look at?
Any of those are good, you might also look at a Forester if you can find one in your budget, and if you need AWD. But you’ll need to test drive each of them on your roads to see which one you like.
Test drive them all on your bumpy road. The suspension designs of all of them are similar to your Corolla. The tuning and tires makes the difference as well as your preferences. Your good ride might not be my good ride.
Good luck.
One more thing - you say the ride has become bad and bumpy. Maybe you just need new shocks/struts, and/or maybe your tires are worn.
Here’s a novel idea. Why not take your Corolla, which is an excellent car btw, to a suspension shop, and have the shocks, struts, and other suspension components inspected and replaced if worn? For a popular model, such as the Corolla, there are upgraded versions available, which offer vastly improved ride quality and handling. This should cost a lot less than buying a different vehicle, and avoid a lot of risk and hassle too.
Thats a very good idea. I will follow up on that. I got my tire replaced in September. Tires are good. I will get shocks/struts checked. I have visited Toyota service center multiple times and every time the say they are good. I am myself not that aware about cars. I will look for a centre outside of that.
How many miles are on your Corolla??
Looked at a Lexus LS where seller put geolander suv tires on it. He lives on bumpy roads. It’s low priced but I don’t feel like spending more on different tires.
I have around 70K miles on Corolla.
70k miles are plenty enough to wear out your shocks/struts driving over bumpy roads.
Of the brands offered by rockauto, I’d prefer KYB, they have the shocks and struts, and also ones with pre-mounted springs that would really simplify the job.
I understand your concern. My gf has similar vintage Corolla as yours. I’ve always thought my 92 Corolla has a better ride. The 92 maybe doesn’t corner as briskly as hers, but my ride is definitely softer. When your shop says the suspension checks out ok, they are probably basing that on the standard push test, which makes sure it isn’t too bouncy. But you want a softer ride, not just passing the standard bounce test. Good comments above to seek out ideas for which strut-brands would produce a softer rides. I’ve never gone down that path b/c my Corolla already has a soft ride, so can’t speak from experience. But it seems pretty likely just changing out the struts on your existing Corolla might be all you have to do. One idea, surf over to Summit Racing’s website, type in “Corolla struts”, see what makes they offer. Some of them will be rated and have buyer reviews , worth reading what the buyers think about that make/model’s ride quality.
Folks who’ve tested the sort of shocks available for my truck say an air-shock produces a nice soft ride. A strut is a sort of combination spring/shock/control-arm. Maybe there are aftermarket struts using an air-shock available for your Corolla, don’t know.
Your Corolla OEM tires size is/was 155/80r13 (probably running a 175/70r13 now), and your gf’s Corolla if about the same year as OP’s OEM size is either 195/65r15, 205/55r16 or 215/45r17, any of those on your vehicle will make your 92 Corolla have a much stiffer ride due to the sidewall aspect ratio…
175/70r13 now IIRC. Corolla been parked for 4 years, so tire wear hasn’t been much of a problem. No dispute about side-to-height ratio, but my corolla’s ride is softer rather than stiffer. Must not be tire-related so much, some other difference.
That was my point, your 70 series tire will be a much softer ride then much lower (65,55,45) series tire… Generally a lower profile tire is stiffer then a higher profile tire, so if you put your gf’s wheels/tires on your Corolla (different bolt pattern so they will not fit, but if they did fit) your Corolla would no longer retain the same ride softness as it now does…
But that does bring up a good point, if the OP’s Corolla is the Corolla S with the 215/45r17 then it will ride much harsher then the 15" or 16" option… So that needs to be considered also…
I had the predecessor of the CX-5, a CX-7, and it was quite comfortable, even with its 19 inch rims
I missed one point. My car is Corolla LE. My front tires are Firestone FT 140. P 205/55R16 89H M+S
Rear tires are coopertires 205/55. Pictures attached.
Have you checked that the tire air pressure is set to the sticker-specified amount first thing in the morning?
Yes. I check the pressure once a month. I read the sticker pasted next to my door.
IT says
Front P 205/55R16 220l kPA, 32 PSI
Rear P 205/55R16 220l kPA, 32 PSI
I keep it at 32 PSI.
Poster @davesmopar point is that the “55” part of your tire’s spec is what is make the ride a little too harsh. A higher number would provide a softer ride. Not suggesting you do that, b/c the car’s designers only tested the stability for certain tire and wheel specs. Does your owner’s manual say you can use a higher number than 55 in the tire spec? If so, doing that might require a switch from 16 to 15 inch wheels.
The fact that this car’s ride has deteriorated while using the same size tires tells me something’s worn in the suspension, such as shocks/struts, rather than the stock tire size causing the problem.
