Increase comfort level

[Goldenvodka]

Need some valuable inputs from the experts here.

 I am currently driving a 12 years old Suzuki Swift Sport ZC31S.

I must say the driving experience has been great along these years. My entire family is small sized hence space is not an issue and personally I like to drive small cars.

Until the recent years after my first child was born. I start to feel the car has 0 level of comfort. Suspension is horrible, can feel every bump on the road. 

Wind/road noise seems fine. Suspension is really dam rough

I tried doing the following things to "soften the suspension"

1) Swap aftermarket suspension back to stock. A good condition item

2) Tyres downsized to 15" 195/60/15

I am not looking for comfort levels of the standards of luxury cars but looking forward to enhance the comfort of my ride to the likes of maybe a old altis/latio/elantra?

If the following can be fulfilled with any aftermarket solution, any opinion is much welcomed!

1) Tone down the acceleration and braking power. Every time when I apply gas/brakes my family members will make noise they "surge forward/backwards"

2) A softer and more comfortable suspension as compared to stock.

3) If I change Tyres to 185/60/15 will it improve on anything?

By the way my entire vehicle is stock for these years

Sorry if this post is weird in anyway. I am just looking for a more comfortable ride for my family without the need to buying a new car.

[Toeknee_33]

Try comfort oriented tyres with soft sidewalls for a start. Check if the suspension bushes were previously changed to stiffer ones, and if so, you might want to change them back to stock.

Last resort is to change suspension to the Swift 1.5L, but that would something quite extraordinary...

Even doing that will not bring the ride comfort to the level of an Altis/Elantra as the Swift is a small car with a short wheelbase.

[Watwheels]

LoL...where to begin? Because your car is more than 10yo I dunno what kinda service history to even give comments. After 10 years things bolted together have come loose for sure.

Unfortunately every little bit counts. Even engine mounts can give you the  "surge forward/backwards" feel that you mentioned.

Things like suspension bushing, lower arms....it's just too many to mention. A lot of drivers dont even know their car have a problem related to suspension. So how to give advise? Like I said, where to begin? If you had changed your struts or dampers and still feel that your car is giving you a hard ride means a more thorough look is needed.

 

Edited February 19, 2021 by Watwheels

[Karoon]

The new swift looks nice. Just saying.

[Goldenvodka]

The entire set of suspension has been changed back to stock. Few years back when I took the car it was on non stock suspension.

I have enquired with my regular workshop before. They mentioned the car is designed to be this way. 

[Contipro]

  On 2/19/2021 at 11:06 AM, Goldenvodka said:

The entire set of suspension has been changed back to stock. Few years back when I took the car it was on non stock suspension.

I have enquired with my regular workshop before. They mentioned the car is designed to be this way. 

Expand  

their are about right on this point. 

May be is time to change car.

Propose Hyundai Avante, best segment car here.

 

[Confusedboi]

As toeknee_33 has mentioned, try changing to comfort tyres with thicker sidewalls  that should be quieter than performance  tyres and less bumpy since there is more “tyre” to cushion impacts. Eg Michelin primacy 4, https://www.sgcarmart.com/products/listing.php?CAT=4&SCAT=Comfort+Tyre

[Thaiyotakamli]

Change tyre with thicker profile. Check health of suspension. If after change tyre still find it stiff consider get toyota

[Mkl22]

  On 2/19/2021 at 11:06 AM, Goldenvodka said:

The entire set of suspension has been changed back to stock. Few years back when I took the car it was on non stock suspension.

I have enquired with my regular workshop before. They mentioned the car is designed to be this way. 

Expand  

The stock Monroe rear suspension is rather stiff with strong rebound. You can try changing the rear shocks only to the standard swift ones. Will be much better. Not too expensive too. 

no 185/60/15 won’t make much of a diff. What brand 195/60/15 are you using? 
 

for point 1, nothing much can be done except to be more careful when accelerating and braking. Be gentle. 

[Kangadrool]

A new Peugeot 3008 would be better. LOL

[Volvobrick]

  On 2/19/2021 at 11:17 AM, Confusedboi said:

As toeknee_33 has mentioned, try changing to comfort tyres with thicker sidewalls  that should be quieter than performance  tyres and less bumpy since there is more “tyre” to cushion impacts. Eg Michelin primacy 4, https://www.sgcarmart.com/products/listing.php?CAT=4&SCAT=Comfort+Tyre

Expand  

Yeah. Try GY EfficientGrip Performance 2. I am on these. Very quiet and comfortable with very soft sidewalls. Enough grip for day to day too. Cheapest fix. 

Edited February 19, 2021 by Volvobrick

[Ct3833]

  On 2/19/2021 at 10:17 AM, Goldenvodka said:

Need some valuable inputs from the experts here.

 I am currently driving a 12 years old Suzuki Swift Sport ZC31S.

I must say the driving experience has been great along these years. My entire family is small sized hence space is not an issue and personally I like to drive small cars.

Until the recent years after my first child was born. I start to feel the car has 0 level of comfort. Suspension is horrible, can feel every bump on the road. 

Wind/road noise seems fine. Suspension is really dam rough

I tried doing the following things to "soften the suspension"

1) Swap aftermarket suspension back to stock. A good condition item

2) Tyres downsized to 15" 195/60/15

I am not looking for comfort levels of the standards of luxury cars but looking forward to enhance the comfort of my ride to the likes of maybe a old altis/latio/elantra?

If the following can be fulfilled with any aftermarket solution, any opinion is much welcomed!

1) Tone down the acceleration and braking power. Every time when I apply gas/brakes my family members will make noise they "surge forward/backwards"

2) A softer and more comfortable suspension as compared to stock.

3) If I change Tyres to 185/60/15 will it improve on anything?

By the way my entire vehicle is stock for these years

Sorry if this post is weird in anyway. I am just looking for a more comfortable ride for my family without the need to buying a new car.

Expand  

The suspension of a small car can never beat the suspension of its larger counter part, it is mean to be stiffer in case you have to carry a few more adults.  Your model is a sports model , the shocks are shorter and stiffer by nature, by changing to original shocks which are still the shorter and stiffer  version would not help improve comfort level. 

By replacing tyre  from 195 to 185 wont give you notociable comfort improvement as well . Drive om or change car, dont waste your time and money trying to improve the impossible .

[ER-3682]

Change to Vitara Suspension,with alot of travel....but handling sucks.

[Mkl22]

We all forgot to ask him what tire pressures. Maybe it was too high. 
the fix is free. 
trying luck.... 😀

[Goldenvodka]

Thanks for all the comments

I am currently using Nexen Tyres

https://www.sgcarmart.com/products/overview.php?ID=12859

seems that it’s already a comfort tyre

[yellowshaun]

From what I understand, TS main issue is the powerful acceleration and braking power (lateral movement). So far most of the advice has been about the vertical movement on suspension and tyres =D

Got people tune car for more power right, can tune for less power? =D

[Atonchia]

Make sure the baby seat is comfortable and secure to the passenger side. 

And rear-ward facing until your kid reach the recommend weight of the car seat then change to forward facing. 

[Comage]

Does sound like to me that you need a brake job (dismantle the brake calipers, pins and rubber boots to re-grease) - that could help with the harsh braking problem. 

 

I suggested this because I had brake calipers that were all seized up - when I tried to brake the rotors would screech like mad and the braking was not smooth at all.