Why can I almost "taste" the road?
 

Guys,

I noticed when driving, I can feel every single hole, bump, rocks of gravel, change in pavement, etc. I have never driven a car where I can "feel" the road so much I can almost taste it...

Is this normal?

The ride is smooth, so I dont think there is an issue...but again, I am far from being a mechanic...

After DD driving a 99 Camaro Z28 for 3 years, my new X feel like driving on clouds, lol, but that's just me.

hi i would ask if you have had car inspected for the problem? i would check shocks and check tire pressures also check for play in rear lower control arms for play. also sway bar bushings. good luck

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as stated, check the obvious suspension parts first such as springs, shocks etc and tyre pressures for sure.
What would help is if you can tell us if you have the SE or Sports setup?
Other than that have you checked that the previous owner hasn't either lowered the car and or put bigger rims on with lower profile tyres??
These will certainly account for the poor ride you describe....In an X type you should be cosseted when driving.....even my 2.5 Sport was a very comfortable ride!

Please get back to us with more info.....

Mayor, I'll be interested to see where this thread leads. I can completely relate to what you're describing. I have a 2005 3.0 with factory 17 Cayman wheels.

It's the weirdest thing. On city streets, the ride is really comfortable and smooth, and the handling is great. At highway speeds, it's not exactly like the ride becomes terrible or even "harsh" - it's just that as you described, it feels like I can suddenly "taste" every granule on the road surface. It's kind of like the tires are "noisy".

My shocks seems fine (car has 36,000 miles on it now, so way too early for premature failure), I've checked my tire pressures, and I don't see any obvious signs of wear on the suspension parts. I'd written it off as just being the way the X-Type rides at highway speed, or a function that the OEM tires (Continental Touring) being noisy.

I too have this problem. But mine is more city driving, although i live in Michigan. LOL. Actually need a truck. But just basic street wear makes my jag sound like its fallin apart sometimes.

Matt - your description is perfect..."the tires are noisy"...it almost sounds like I am driving on the Rims...

The ride is smooth, and comfortable, but if the road surface changes, or I hit any kind of bump or hole, it sounds like my rims are driving over a curb for that moment...

I have an 02, 3.0L, not the Sports Edition, 16" standard allow rims, no alterations were done to the suspension, to the rims or to the tires, tire pressure is 2 to 3 lbs below MAX rated on the tire...

Here is a picture of my Jag that shows the rims:

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/p...9-29154638.jpg

When you say the pressure is 2-3 pounds under the max ON the tire, do you mean the rating on teh sidewall of the tire or do you mean the recommended pressures that are on the driver's side door post? If you are filling your tires based on that maximum sidewall rating on the tire that would explain why the car rides too harsh. That number is the maximum the tire can handle and is way higher than what it should be. Will adversely affect the wear of the tuire as well and could be dangerous running the pressures that high. If you meant the recommended pressures from on the door post, then it would be something else.

Alfadude - great question.

I have always read the sidewall of the tire for its MAX pressure, and then made sure the pressure was about 5 lbs less than MAX...

Is that wrong? I have never read the tire pressure from the inside door panel... :icon_doh:

Looks like I need to be educated on Tire Pressure...can anyone tell me what the exact tire pressure should be for a 2002, 3.0, with 16" rims?

YES!! What you are doing is not correct. Not sure what brand/kind of tire you have on there, but you are running way WAY too high of pressure. I am not sure what is recommended for the 16" size (I have 18s), but just look at that diagram on the door post and it will tell you what they should be. For mine it's 40lbs. front and 35 rear that is recommended. 16" will be different.

Do you remember what pressure you filled them to last time you put air in?

Where in the door is this label? I saw two labels. One showed when the car was built, how many passengers and the VIN #. The other was a vertical sticker of the VIN #.

Anyway - My tire pressures were as follows:

FRONTS: 35 lbs

REAR: 30 lbs

Good? Bad? Ok?

Thanks!

Looks fine, I've got a sport with 18s so it has a harsh ride, I know comparitively speaking my winters are 16 and it's like floating on a cloud.

But the X has stiffer suspension just because it's AWD. What did you drive before?

Im coming from driving an Audi A6...which had some tight suspension, but didnt make a sound when hitting bumps or when road surfaces changed.

It almost sounds like I dont have enough air in my tires and Im banging the rims...

Not sure what the recommended pressure is for the 16" wheels, but that doesn't sound extremely low. I'm sure someone else on here would know what it is supposed to be

The sticker on my car is on the driver's side post, just below the latch. I've enclosed a picture of it. Not sure if it's always been located there through the model years. Or maybe your car has been painted there at one time and it was never replaced.

From the sound of your issue it doesn't sound like it's tire pressure as much as something in the suspension. You should not have that harsh of a ride on stock tires of that size. Mine have a 40 aspect ratio and I have the sport model and although the ride is somewhat firm it is far from being jarring in any way and we don't have the best roads here in Wisconsin.

You can come down the road an hour or two and take my TVR for a spin. That'll solve your road tasting in the X for quite some time.:icon_wink:

I don't feel as much in the X as most other cars I've driven but as with most low profile tires you do have a very wide change in performance I've found. How many miles, age of the car etc. Could have a bad strut mount or possibly a cracked spring somewhere. If getting up there in age or miles maybe the struts or shocks are having issue as well.

As was described about road surface is very applicable. I have a newly paved concrete that the tires on the R make about 5dB louder noise on then the rest of the roads I typically drive on. Almost sounds like I have a flat tire.

Your air pressure sounds close btw for 16s