Cars that seem to softly bounce on their suspension for ages after even a minor bump on the road?

[destrekor]

I'm not all that auto-mechanically inclined, let's just start with that.

In regards to the thread title: What causes that? I've always assumed it is some purposefully-altered suspension system that is super soft in the interior and that's because it is broadening the short-duration bumps into long-duration low swells. I've mentally timed a few vehicles I've come across on the highway, where even a minor unevenness has prompted these vehicles to rock up and down and side to side for 15-30 seconds. Now meanwhile the vehicle maintains a straight line and driver seems to remain in control, but that could be a driver compensating for known issues.

I mean, I understand soft suspension and even air bags on whips, I've seen enough of that in my little world, but this always seems a tad excessive, recklessly so IMHO.

 

[sandorski]

Bad Shocks or Old School Hydraulics.

 

[Greenman]

Some fellows pull the shocks out just to get that effect. Though it's most often as sandorski said, bad shocks.

 

[destrekor]

I'm glad that the seasoned opinion suspects it is a mechanical issue as opposed to it being more likely on purpose. When I see vehicles like that, I actually get a bit scared, perhaps even more so knowing that this is a mechanical problem that the driver/owner is completely ignoring, or maybe they don't even know.

And here I am in a car that I feel is quite well planted to the road ('07 Mazda3, GT trim, aka top end base model, below the Mazdaspeed3/Mazda3 MPS) and after a series of vehicles before that just pale in comparison to the handling this car has, I can't go back. And even those vehicles were fairly stiff in comparison to a lot of soft-footed vehicles - I just cannot imagine driving, on purpose, with a vehicle in which I most assuredly cannot feel the road beneath me. Vehicles with bad shocks like that, yikes, I'd be unnerved driving one. And absolutely terrified to be on the road near one.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

I'm glad that the seasoned opinion suspects it is a mechanical issue as opposed to it being more likely on purpose. When I see vehicles like that, I actually get a bit scared, perhaps even more so knowing that this is a mechanical problem that the driver/owner is completely ignoring, or maybe they don't even know.

And here I am in a car that I feel is quite well planted to the road ('07 Mazda3, GT trim, aka top end base model, below the Mazdaspeed3/Mazda3 MPS) and after a series of vehicles before that just pale in comparison to the handling this car has, I can't go back. And even those vehicles were fairly stiff in comparison to a lot of soft-footed vehicles - I just cannot imagine driving, on purpose, with a vehicle in which I most assuredly cannot feel the road beneath me. Vehicles with bad shocks like that, yikes, I'd be unnerved driving one. And absolutely terrified to be on the road near one.

Eh, people are lazy/think it's not worth the cost.

My dad still drives his 06 Civic with 250k miles on it with the stock springs+shocks that are completely worn out.

 

[NutBucket]

I would argue most people aren't aware that shocks are a wear item.

 

[nakedfrog]

The front shocks were toast in my '82 Mercedes 240D when I got it, that was one of the first things I replaced. It was not enjoyable going over the bumps and having the front end kinda drift around for a while.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

I would argue most people aren't aware that shocks are a wear item.

People notice sudden rapid failures - shocks and suspensions wear out so gradually that you just get used to however they are and don't notice - most people only drive their DD, or if they have a spouse's car or third vehicle it's so different from their DD that it's not a useful point of comparison.

At least until the squeaks and klunking starts.

 

[rstrohkirch]

I assumed it was always money not ignorance. If you see some 90s van driving down the road oscillating for 10 seconds after every bump...I have to believe the driver knows it's happening. They just don't want to fix it. No different then people owning something like a mid 90s Buick with the rear shocks blown and the ass end barely hanging off the ground.

 

[Torn Mind]

Bad shocks or struts, which in turn, if they are not replaced, shortens the life of other related parts of the suspension, such as stabilizer bar linkages. Uneven tire
wear or strange wear patterns are also symptoms.

My mom's Toyota Matrix was dowrnight terrible ridewise around 90k, and by replacing the front and rear struts, the ride is like new and it feels safer to drive.

 

[desy]

I watched a Van going down the HW like that last week and I'm thinking how is that even comfortable to drive at all? FWIW push down on the end of your car it should bounce up and down about once any more than that go get it fixed!