niravmd

I just bought a 2005 acura TSX with 21,250 miles on it from a private party.

the ride is incredibly bouncy. its smooth, no rattles, no braking issues and no noticable pulling to either side.
My previous ride is a 99 Honda Accord V6 coupe with the stiff sportier suspension. I was expecting similar on the TSX but i'm being bounced around like thick shake. I think if I drive over 1 hr I might get motion sickness!

what do I need to do?

knthornt

My guess would be something wrong with the suspension... blow shocks? I believe the test is to push down on the hood or trunk of your car and if the car doesn't return to a neutral position after on bounce (meaning down, up stop) then there is potentially something wrong with the suspension. I will leave it to the experts on this site to confirm or deny my statement, but that is just my

niravmd

don't think the shocks are blow (especially at 21k miles). my accord still has the original shocks at 99k miles!

plus its not a rough ride - just really bumpy. (like i'm sitting on a horse without a saddle and being tossed around)

PACman

A stock tsx shouldn't be that bouncy as the OP describes it. Sounds like a blown shock(s). But it sounds like you enjoy a firm suspension. This could be a reason to mod the suspension.

jlukja

Take a look underneath and see if you bought a TSX with modified suspension. Tell us what the numbers written on the shock absorbers are. Or ask the private party you bought it from if it was modified (and if it was modified ask them if they kept the OEM suspension).

niravmd

thanks for the replies.
I'll take it to the dealer to check it out.

vidgamer

Well, I don't think the rest of us think the TSX has a "bouncy" ride, so something must be going on! A possibility might be that the original owner had aftermarket springs, wore down the stock shocks, but put the stock springs back .... just a possibility, but who knows?

niravmd

is it possible to wear down the shocks on a car thats only has 21,000 miles on it?

Reach

If they had changed out the springs, definitely.

PWPTSX

it must be the shock

niravmd

right you are sir!

a brief search on wikipedia led me to this revelation

"...Without shock absorbers, the vehicle would have a bouncing ride,.."

here's the link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shock_absorber

any idea how much it would cost to replace? i'm going to a dealer this
weekend but just wondering what to expect.

PACman

niravmd, just ask forum members who have "upgraded" their suspension if they'd be willing to sell you their stock shocks. Plenty of folks around here have coilovers, aftermarket shocks and springs. Perhaps someone on here would be willing to sell you their stock shocks. I'd be willing to sell you my stock shocks, but I'll be putting them back on when I let the car go.

niravmd

good idea. thanks.

jlukja

I read "bouncy" but I understood "too harsh".

niravmd

maybe i should've explained it better!

niravmd

ok, i took it into the dealers.

they drove it and hoisted it up on the rack but everything looked ok. The mechanic told me i probably wasn't used to the double-wishbone suspension but he said everything was ok.

I still think its a bit too bouncy but until I drive someone else's car I won't know.

atleast I got the headlight recall taken care of and a free carwash!

thanks everyone!

jlukja

fixed