I dont know if any of you have noticed (maybe it's the tires) but the TL has a very very bumpy ride. I dont think its vibrations because its only bumpy on certain types of pavement and VERY smooth other times. I had a toyota Avalon before so the ride felt like i was floating, but sometimes in the TL i get this feeling like i'm driving over these small lil bumps on the freeway. Personally i think its the road, but just in case you guys know of something else.

However, i realize the car is suppose to be a sports sedan and the ride reminds me of my friends 330Ci.

 

it definetly is the road, most of the time, my TL is so smooth, and others comment as so when they ride in the car

 

It's pretty bad up here in the SF East Bay Area due to the crappy roads that we have. Potholes EVERYWHERE.

 

i came from a aftermarket sports suspension which was hell on my rear end. the TL is nice and soft. its more sporty than my dad's camry and handles nicely for a 4 door sedan. i drove my bmw this weekend for a bit and the handling is far superior but its really harsh.

 

I think it is the tires (EL-42's) , my 2002 TL-S rode light years smoother and handles as good if not better

 

Somebody make me feel good. Take delivery w/ in a week
Just want a comfortable smooth ride where I wont drop coffee all over myself if I hit a slight bump

shouldn't be THAT hard riding as described

Where are u people that took road trips, chime in

entry luxury sedan, luxury is a key word there!

damn I am nervous again
gonna cancel my TL order

 

hahahaha... dont cancel... if u didnt get navi, change ur order to a navi model... the ride isn't bad... i think the suspension is more sports tuned than luxury oriented. It aint no LS430 or S500 where it has a large wheel gap and cushions every bump. The springs are very stiff and i'm sure it'll get lose after a bit more driving. I only have 400 Miles.

Oh by the way. i live in LA so the roads are shit, Mostly 405 and 10 freeways.

and how often do u guys get your car cleaned?

 

I always say I am gonna cancel, I wont (waited long enough, just want it)
got nav, check my signature, must have nav
U think LA has bad roads, pshhhhhh, come to Boston!

 

According to page 2,568 of the owner's manual....

I think the ride is outstanding. It is a little more sensitive to rougher surfaces, but nothing that will be more than a slight roughness. I can still take the supermarket speed bumps like I did on my 96TL. I do notice when the road surface changes, but nothing to worry about.

Also, I think most of it is due to my crappy EL42's. I am going to get them Hunter force balanced next week and see if that helps. The Acura service rep came out to my house and drove my car, then I drove his and his was smooth as glass on the same roads that mine felt a little jiggly, so I told him when my car rides like his I will be satisfied.

And the silence is deafening. Highway speeds, any speed, virtually no wind noise. We can listen to the ELS sound system at normal volumes.

Don't cancel. Besides, if you did, you might leave this forum and I would miss your scintillating repartee and informative comments.

 

moreace, you are worried about ride quality when you are going to slap 18's on? the ride is soft and you will not spill your coffee. but larger rims = less rubber and less rubber = less protection (in more ways than one). so if you put 18's on you will probably lose a little ride quality for looks.

 

Ron I better find that quote in the manual, I will looks when I get it
I really don't wanna have to upgrade my tires, lack of $$

Caball, but the 18s look SOOOOOOOOOOO good on the Anthracite. It is actually the Anthracite that makes everythign else look good, but still

 

My car has 650 miles now. It has a total of 7 hours of hwy trip driving. I love it. The ride is somewhat firm, but my passengers always comment on how smooth it is. You won't be disappointed. I would not get 18" wheels if you want a comfy ride.

Antracite/Quartz/Auto/Nav

 

Anthony, I am sorry, but it must be said.... KICK ASS COLOR COMBO!

 

Check your tire pressure.

 

You can not compare an Avalon (cloud/marshmellow) ride to a TL. I usually look at it this way, Toyota ride is luxury and somewhat isolated, Nissan tends to be more sports oriented and Honada seems to lean toward the Nissan side of the middle ground. The TL probably pushes clsoer to the sports ride of a Nissan. I do find that the TL does tramit more road feel (and with it road irregularities) than my Infiniti I-35 did, but it also seems to be a bit more stable footed.

 

Do not assume that your dealer will deliver the car with proper tire pressure. I received my car a week ago Friday, the ride was pure hell. I initially attributed that to the fact that I owned a 2000 RL previously. WRONG. The tire pressure was close to 40 PSI. After reducing the pressure to 32 PSI, no more vibration on the highway, much better ride.

I have also read complaints about noise from the passenger side. I also had that. Cause: passenger seatbelt buckle knocking against the B pillar. Repositioned buckle, problem solved.

GREAT CAR!

 

While it is true that the ride will be not quite as smooth as your Avalon, we should not be feeling constant bumping action. You might be noticing the vibrations that others including myself have experienced. Check your tire pressure as an earlier post stated, as well as check the manufacturer date on your tires. You just got it, so they should be the reformulated batch but one never knows for sure. If the bump sensation continues bring it up to your service advisor. My new tires are on order. The new ones will probably just be a bandaid to the problem until I spring for better tires. Talk with you soon on IM.
Bruce

 

I think the TL has an interesting suspension tuning that has both good and some not-so-good characteristics. I have the 6MT with the bigger sway bars and the summer tires. With these tires the car corners like on rails and yet rides fairly smooth on good roads. However, I noticed that expansion strips and rough roads seem to be noisier and rougher than I would expect. Also on rough and uneven pavement the shocks are not up to the task - sometimes causing strange bouncing and bottoming situations. IMHO I think what Acura did was to put in tight springs and good sway bars with soft shocks. This way they could get a ride that would be smooth on good roads and yet still corner well. This, however, causes some unusual ride and handling conditions when the road gets uneven or rough. This tuning sort of magnifies bad roads while making the car extra smooth with good cornering on good roads. My 2 cents.

Can't wait to get some good shocks on this baby.

 

You will get used to this stiff-like feeling after thousands of miles driving. Also, your suspension will be softened.

I only felt bumpy in the first three months.

 

Lakeman, suspension tuning is all about compromise if not downright witchcraft at times. Many feel BMW has the art down to a science with their ability to get a car to ride and handle well. However, you always give up one for the other. I once read an article somewhere that said a stiff unibody structure, a la 2004 TL, allows engineers to soften the ride while retaining good handling as there is less body flex to mess up the suspension's geometry. It's the reason why so many people add strut tower bars to their cars. Supposedly, cars that flex more need a stiffer suspension for the car to feel and stay "planted". I, for one, am willing to put stiffer struts in my car for handling but will leave the springs stock for ride purposes...once my TL gets delivered

dsc888