Need to Improve the Ride

[Opposite Lock]

Driving a Boxster in Hong Kong is a pain in the rear. If the traffic isn't crawling, there are major roadworks around every bend (five on the 7km stretch I drive on every day!).

On 18" GT3 wheels, the Boxster has a hard time coping with all the bumps, ruts, potholes and manhole covers. It takes all the enjoyment out of driving,

Even if it means sacrificing handling and/or roadholding, I need to get a softer ride.

Would switching to 17" wheels and higher profile tires help any?

Are there any suspension kits that would help?

Any and all ideas welcome. TIA.

Ed

[jhandy]

17 or 16 wheels would help a little, you could always switch to standard US boxster springs and US struts. It would be expensive to buy new, but i bet you could trade someone your ROW struts and springs for US standard shocks and springs for free. That would increase ride hight by an inch or so and be softer. Still compared to a sedan it will be stiff.

[Boxtaboy]

17in wheels will help a little, but not much. I use 18in wheels in the warm months here and 17in in the winter with snow tires, and although the 17in wheels/tire combo is a bit softer, it's not a dramatic difference because the suspension is still a sport oriented ride. If you want comfort, you should get a Benz for your daily commute.

[RandallNeighbour]

Ed, the car's just not designed for bad roads and gridlock traffic. There's not much you can do to improve the ride to make it really comfortable.

I've been to HK many, many times (both the island and the Kowloon side) and while there I saw a number of high-end exotics (Porsches, Ferraris, Maseratis, etc.) and wondered why on earth they'd be using those cars as daily drivers!

Buy a Lexus as your DD and leave the Porsche in the garage for very early morning drives in the twisties I found in your part of the world

[BYprodriver]

First thing to do is check your tires air pressure. Factory spec is 29psi front & 36psi rear. I would drop to 28psi front & 32psi rear this alone will make a noticable difference. Changing to smaller wheels & tires will make a big improvement in ride comfort & the car will feel more nimble handling wise. I consider my S funner to drive with 17" than 18". Consult with Tire Rack to find a tire with soft ride & minimum width wheels for softer ride. You can obtain a Major improvement in ride comfort thru changing tires &/or wheels. Don't forget air pressure is key as well.

[Opposite Lock]

Thanks for the replies.

Randall, it never ceases to surprise me as well. There are very few places in HK where you can let rip in those cars. I live in Shek O, Island South, and the Shek O road is a fantastic drive. But there are roadworks almost every kilometre! I'd buy a more suitable DD if it made sense, but I don't have a garage. The only parking here is the beach car park and it's a no-no to have two cars parked there.

BYprodriver, I've tried lowering the tire pressures and it seemed to help. But I don't want to go too much below the recommended pressures. Do you how low I can safely set them?

Cheers,

Ed