944pilot86

I have a 2000 Carrera 4 w/ 106k. My guess is the shocks are original but with multiple prior owners I don't know for sure. Car has the 18" turbo twists with newer Pilot Supersports.

Love the car but the ride quality comes close to ruining the experience. Our roads are not great. Every crack in the road, freeway expansion joint, etc, just feels like it's amplified 10x inside the car. The impacts at the rear are twice as violent as felt in the front and really the worst of it. It's so hard to enjoy the car when it's THUMP THUMP THUMP as you hit a crack in the road every 20 feet, or you're always scanning for the next road defect to brace for.

I'd like to overhaul the suspension and try to make the ride as soft as possible since it's my summer daily driver. Don't want to lower the ride height, want to keep the turbo twists wheels, keeping it as stock as possible is the goal. So what are the best shocks for optimal ride quality? Should I also replace all the front & rear bushings and bump stops at the same time? Anything else?

Thanks!

wildbilly32

Just to start the conversation: What tire pressures are you running? How are your engine mounts?(check for unequal sag or low hanging tailpipes) Are you sure the suspension is stock?

dporto

Bilstein B4 with stock springs (i.e. - stock suspension). I have a feeling your top-mounts are shot and probably a few other rubber bushings as well. It's never going to ride like a Cadillac (nor should it) but bumps shouldn't be jarring either. Good luck getting it back to it's semi-compliant self...

ttt123

I bought my car with 120k on it and it was 10x better after I redid the above mentioned. Elephant racing control arm bushings(few different options for stiffness) eps front and rear trailing arms, power flex front and rear sway bar bushings and then some after market coil-overs.

Made a huge difference.

944pilot86

1. Stock pressures but I'll low this afternoon to soften things up.
2. Slight tailpipe sag and vibration and idle that clears up with revs (same effect as my 944 needing mounts). I suspect my mounts are tired.
3. Ride height looks stock but I have not put eyes on to verify. Car is still new to me.

cds72911

Stock suspension is as soft a ride as you are going to get. Soft springs, lots of squishy rubber bushings. As far as I know, the aftermarket is focused on improving performance, not making your ride more plush.

dporto

^^^ Correct... Although "soft" is not a word I'd use, even for the stock suspension. It's a sports car - as I stated in my first post, it's never going to be a luxury feel and it's not supposed to be. This being said, the stock suspension is anything but "jarring". It's tight but not hard...

wildbilly32

#1: I run 34f and 40r in my 4S which helps
#2: Renewed my engine mounts which removed a lot of rear end clunk

I also had a rear "dog bone" that was worn out. I haven't addressed the struts/shocks yet but it's probably time for me as near 14 years. My car is still stiff but not punishing and I'm an old guy!

Prelude Guy

I think your best bet will be to pick up a set of 17" wheels with all season tires.

cds72911

I'm not sure they'd fit with the C4S/turbo brakes.

tekkie

i have to disagree with that, my car had 28k miles on it and it drives softer now with the pss10’s than it did stock, of course thats on the low settings and when i track it i stiffen it up

i absolutely hated the stock feel it was was to rough