I've had my Rapid 1.6 TDI for 16 days and have decided that I must do something about the appalling ride quality.  After 8 years with my 1.9 Octavia Mk2 I'd forgotten how unpleasant a car that crashes and bangs into every pot hole or road defect can be.  I've already started paying far too much attention to the crap road surfaces than is good for safety.  My wife in particular after much groaning at each crash and bang has now said she is getting sick of it.

 

Why the hell do I never seem to insist on a good 20-30mile all surface road test ?

I wonder why two  from the showroom came on the test run?  Is it better fully laden?  Could need a bag of cement or a kerbstone in the boot.

 

My wheels are alloy Carme with Dunlop Sport  185/60 R15 84H.

 

I am "allowed" to have 195/55  85H  OR 215/40  R17 87H  OR  215/45  R16  86H

 

I take it the 195/55 would fit my wheel but the other two ,215/40 and 215/45 would need a wheel change.I guess..   But I bet I'm wrong about that.

 

Please does anyone have a recommendation for a more comfortable tyre brand or different tyre size. I can't wait to get Michelins on, but don't know how to ring the changes. Another trick would be running on well under inflated tyres around town.

This is Plan A.   Plan B will be a change of car pretty soon.

If you choose bigger wheels it will almost certainly get worse.

 

Check the dealer has removed the transport block things from the suspension?

Good points..

 

The front springs have clear coils right up to the top with I assume the shock absorber in the middle.

 

The rears are short black tubes with things that look like orange ridged vibrators coming out of them.  Not that know what the hell a ridged vibrator would look like if I fell over one of course, obviously.

I can understand blocking the movement of coils for transport--it is the same process for repairing broken springs I recall from many moons ago.  I don't know how they block travel in the rear suspension however.

 

So ,damn, the transport blocks have not been left in i think.  Would it not be almost undriveable rather than just very uncomfortable?

 

Thanks for your reply.

The orange things will be the dust guards/bump stops which cover the exposed rod of the damper.

Fit the highest profile tyre/smallest wheel combination possible and then avoid eco/low rolling resistance tyres (they have stiffer sidewalls). Trouble is you already have 60 section tyres which I imagine are about the deepest for that car and so it sounds as though the chassis is not suitably sorted for UK roads. Swap it for a Citigo, if they drive as well as my wife's VW UP it will smother bumps.

Your tyres are of a size you shouldn't be having issues, so sounds like suspension blocks have been left in or another issue with suspension.

Check the tire pressure at your current tires. Inflate them at 33 or 34 psi. Check tire pressure regulary. If this doesnt make the ride more comfortable for you, i m afraid the car doesnt live up to your expectations as far as comfort ride is concerned. Consider selling it and buy a more comfortable car, ie a Citroen.

Hope all goes well for u.

Your car already has the highest sidewall tyre size/profile approved for the Rapid (in the UK). The other sizes you mention would only make it worse, so as others have suggested might be worth getting the dealer to check it out, or get a drive in another Rapid of the same spec to compare.

 

 

TP

Yeah don't go near anything bigger as the 17in setup is horrendous, ruins the car

I would say try different tyres. Dunlop sp sports are generally very poor for comfort and transmit a lot of road noise into the cabin. See if you could borrow a set from a different car with continental tyres for example

Are the pressures correct to the sticker in the filler cap?

Thank you all for your help.

Now for a stupid admission.  After a life time of motoring I've just realized I have no idea how bouncy a car should be.

 

I've just pushed down with almost all my weight on the front corners of the car-avoiding denting the wing or bonnet  which I think would be dead easy---and it sinks by maybe half an inch.

 

I sat on the boot lip near each rear light with all of my 16 stone and the car sank about 1 inch and a bit.

 

Really scientific this aint it.  How far do you think it should bounce or sink?

 

I can't believe I have no idea..  If it still has the blocks in will it do any harm for a day or two? apart from my back and marriage obviously.

Suspension blocks should be easy to spot as they have grips to help pull them out and should be red or bright orange.

Depending on the model they could be just below the wheel line, clearly visible in the gap between wheel and arch, or up at the top.

I'll try and find the thread with pictures of what they look like

See

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/f48/transport-blocks-front-suspension-80435.html

Can you upload a picture of the whole suspension by turning the wheel so others can check for you?

Gadgetman thanks.

 

There is nothing red or orange in the front coils.   The rear does have the orange tube thing with annular rings round it but it does not look like it  is removable.

 

I imagine the front suspension has to be firm--FIRM !!!-to handle the weight of the engine hanging off the front as it were.  I've just got the front to bounce up and down by more than simply pushing down on it.  But not by as much as I thought it would.

 

Over the next two days it has to travel 600 miles.  So if it don't like it it can damn well lump it.  I've got 4 years warranty so I may need it.  Can anyone comment on what harm it could do ?

 

I think it is just a harsh crashy car compared to my Octavia which was 5  cwt heavier and altogether stronger and more solid..

 

I can get it to a VW place on Tuesday and let them look.  Then I may dust off Plan B  and get a Ceed SW.

PS     Gadgetman---sending photos.   I have not got the faintest idea how to do that.   Sorry

You can attach pics when you post.

 

Just make them under 1mb each

Or use something like photobucket or imageshack and copy the link to the image.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4

Is it correct that the transport packing pieces raise the car a couple of inches so it sort of sits up?  Mine is dead level.  I've had another look but can't see anything in the sunshine.  I'll wait till it is dark and I can see better..

 

Can any damage be done driving with them in?  Apart from shaking the windscreen out of course?

I thought just stopped the car moving around as much. If they opened up the springs they would be a bugger to remove.

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Sorry I do not have a solution but I certainly do empathise...!

 

I bought a new Fabia vRS about 18 mths ago & realised almost immediately that the ride quality was so shocking that it had to go...it lasted 5 mths (..& yes I did have a test drive although it was the hatch..?)

 

The moral for me is test drives are more than essential.

 

Good luck with this .....

There seems to be a split in opinion on the Rapid's ride quality on the forum with J400UK, hopeimright (and Whatcar!) hating it but I think myself, Adlav and Bossfox all being ok with it? I will say that out of all the cars I have owned it is the one with the stiffest ride but I don't find it too harsh. I would have no problem buying another one with the 17in wheel option. Or maybe the roads are smoother down here than "upcountry"?

Happy with ride in mine on 17's - mut be lovely on 60 profile tyres!!

I think you are going a bit far - it's probably nothing and you are just worrying about it - heck tyre pressures aren't too high

There seems to be a split in opinion on the Rapid's ride quality on the forum with J400UK, hopeimright (and Whatcar!) hating it but I think myself, Adlav and Bossfox all being ok with it? I will say that out of all the cars I have owned it is the one with the stiffest ride but I don't find it too harsh. I would have no problem buying another one with the 17in wheel option. Or maybe the roads are smoother down here than "upcountry"?

 

Does seem to be this way. I can only guess its one of these two things:

- There have been murmurings that the general ride and NVH is improved on the slightly newer Rapids, but no date for changeover. It could be its the cars built first which are suffering but the later cars are acceptable 

- Its down to the tyres/ alloys configuration. Dunlop SP Sport tyres and the Camelot wheels appear to be causing the most distress 

 

I can't remember coming across another car which has created such a significant divide in opinion. None of these complaints appear on the Fabia, A1, Polo or Ibiza boards which as we know are mechanically similar so it just doesn't make sense. 

I just think people are expecting too much, the fabia crashes about on 17's a lot more - I should know had a vrs for two years!

Just a thought but all of the other cars in Europe which share this platform (or the main part of it) are smaller supermini cars. The Rapid is designed to take a lot more luggage and work as a family car. Maybe the suspension has been set up to deal with a lot of weight making it more unsettled when only one or two people are in it. Just try driving a an empty van, they bounce and crash along the road and yet load them up and they ride reasonably well.