Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Ohlins coilover vs. MPP Comfort Coilover comparison

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
Very nice write up regarding the Ohlins. I'm not sure what year the loaner S was but it was the older design, possibly 2017? The loaner S was comfortable. It's my Comfort MPP that feels more bumpy and harsh.
You just might have unrealistic expectations of comfort in the context of coilovers. Have you bought coilovers on other cars before this? I've owned many different brands thru the years on different cars. And the KW's were the first decent low cost coil, period.
 
Very nice write up regarding the Ohlins. I'm not sure what year the loaner S was but it was the older design, possibly 2017? The loaner S was comfortable. It's my Comfort MPP that feels more bumpy and harsh.
2017-ish Model S were very soft in my experience, plus that air suspension smoothness. I can't imagine any Model 3, especially lowered, being able to compete for sheer smoothness in casual driving. Plus the possible tire difference - if the S was on 245/45 vs your 235/35, that alone explains a good chunk of the difference when it comes to a railroad crossing.

I'll bet your Model 3 handles better and is much more fun to drive though. :)

Edit: If you're feeling like your coilovers are harsher than they should be, I would start with testing a stock M3P as a basis, if it's been a while since yours was stock. And also see if you can meet up with anyone nearby who has aftermarket coilovers too, either the same kit or a competing one, as another reference point.

Last but not least, if you care about ride quality (or efficiency or reliability or tire cost or...) then ditch the 20" wheels. Go 18" for best street practicality, or 19" for a balance of looks and practicality (also 19" is best if you want a really wide fitment). The 20s are just for looks, the Uberturbines look great IMO, but they're bad in all other ways (even for performance - too heavy).
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: bpon89
One more thing...sound can make a big difference in how people perceive harshness. Model 3 really doesn't filter impact noise or tire noise very well (even 2021+ still don't). Model S are better in that regard. The air springs play a part in this! Louder impact noise can make a ride quality seem harsher than it actually is.

And impacts are louder in my M3P than a stock one. I replaced two kinds of rubber bushings with solid metal spherical bearings (4x top hats, 2x FLCA), I added metal inserts into gaps in a 3rd kind of bushing (2x compression rod), and the summer tires I was running were a bit louder than the stock PZ4 too (except without the PZ4's obnoxious squealing in hard driving). The result isn't bad by any means, but back-to-back with a stock M3P impacts are a bit louder in mine, as one might expect from those changes.

(No regrets at all on any of the upgrades, the car handles like a dream and rides perfectly fine - but your priorities may vary!)
 
@bpon89 Last last thing, I promise...

I kind of forgot this thread is in Model Y forum not Model 3. (After 1st reply I just followed the notification link.)

When I test drove a 2021 MYLR the ride stood out as unusually busy and bad for a modern car. Stock-for-stock it was the worst ride of any S3XY Tesla I've experienced. Stock Model 3 suspension had a hint of the same busyness but the issue was much worse on the Y, whereas it didn't bother me on the 3.

I haven't experienced a Y on aftermarket suspension yet, nor have I experienced any of the newer Y suspension revisions from 2022. I don't know how much of the Y's bad ride quality can be improved by better dampers. I can't imagine any suspension kit giving the Y the ride quality of a 2017 Model S though. Very very different cars. Stock for stock I do prefer the Model S to be honest (even though typically I care more about handling than ride).
 
Our MPP coilovers were always designed with the intent that the user also wanted to lower their Model Y. Somewhere along the way, a large percentage of our sales started coming because customers realized our suspension kit actually rides better than the OEM suspension, despite the lowered ride height!

We're a performance-focused company first and foremost, and while I agree the Model Y ride quality isn't up to the standard it should be, the dampers and springs are only a part of the system that make up the ride quality you experience.

Proof of that is that we had to work MUCH harder on our Model Y suspension kit to get the ride quality close to the Model 3. There are many factors, but no doubt the Model Y ride is significantly more jarring from the factory than the 3.

What I'm saying is that we are open to slightly softer springs, if the ride height can be higher so that the vehicle has acceptable travel before engaging the bump stops. But, when we start straying too far away from a "sporty" yet refined driving vehicle we're starting to get outside of our expertise and our passion. We don't particularly want to make cars that ride like a 90's Lexus (although they are SUPER comfortable and silent, impressively so!)

My honest feeling is that the somewhat harsh OEM ride quality is significantly affected by other components than just the dampers and the springs. The reason I feel this way is that the ride quality on smooth bumps is actually very good, even on very large bumps. If there are smooth ramps into and out of the bump - the ride is impressively supple. The problem is when there are sharp edges on the bumps, such as potholes and cracks in the road.

These kinds of impacts are absorbed not just by the dampers, but by the geometry of the suspension and the stiffness of the suspension link bushings (and of course, the tires). Without having done a complete study it's hard to say with any certainty, but my feeling is that this geometry is causing a lot of the harshness as a larger proportion of the impact is going into the relatively stiff bushings, rather than being directed into the damper.

Add to that the low mass of Tesla vehicles in general, the glass roof, and the open rear cabin (where the rear suspension is not isolated by a rear deck lid), and you have a lot of noise, which as mentioned above, translates into a perceived rougher ride. My experience is that if you drive your Y with loud music, it feels like the ride is smoother. This is because our brains interpret sound as roughness (which is likely why NVH is all categorized together - noise, vibration, harshness).

This post is more about education about the platform than it is a real answer to your question, so I apologize for that. But yes, we can look at a "soft spring kit" as a separate product option, but my feeling is that you'll lose more in the feeling of the car than you'll gain in ride quality, due to the points above!
 
There's a fundamental limit to what any damper can do.
Not to say improvements are not possible, but the wheelbase of the MY is a limiting factor, especially in regards to the 'slap' you describe.

I'd suggest taking a demo ride in a premium vehicle with a similar wheelbase. Say, a Porsche Cayenne. Almost exact same wheelbase.
Then you may have a more informed opinion.

I've taken an hour-long demo ride with local TMC poster "gadgetfreaky" who has installed the Ohlins / Redwood kit.
It does very well isolating the quick jumps of sewer caps, rough pavement, etc., even railroad track crossovers somewhat.
It even does well on a section of the 405 highway in West LA that made me think my MYLR had a flat tire - the concrete pavement sections create the perfect harmonic. But that's not a "slap" like you describe, it's a significant, constant vibration.
Ohh would have been great to see how the section of laurel canyon from studio city (or whatever that area is called) to Hollywood That road is a patchwork of construction styles spanning the decades & also fast fixes By the various cities on each side of the hill. heck no car feels good on that long section 🤣.
That being said, I’m generally ok with my 2022 performance model y running on 21” wheels with tires inflated to recommend psi mentioned on driver’s door. Family is ok with the ride and noise level too except on the occasional horrid street like the section of laurel canyon. We do not encounter such streets often.
Perhaps when my car goes out of warranty I might update to Redwood or MPP. Fairly soon I’ll get either 19” or 18” wheels for road tripping as I’d rather use my 21” for around town driving.
 
Last edited:
How often you need to rebuild Ohlins?
According to Ohlins' documentation, my suspension specialist who installed it, and the internet, I should get them inspected every 2 years or so. This doesn't mean they'd need to be rebuilt or have any work done to keep them in top shape, but it seems like since I'm not tracking them and putting about 7,500-12,000 miles/yr on them, a rebuild would be expected in about 5 years or so.
 
803DC54B-2036-40C2-93BF-155F5BF1C1EE.jpeg

This post detracts from the main question at hand but may be another option: the ride comfort on my 21 MYP was significantly improved by downsizing from the 21s to 19 inch wheels and running some fat tires: 275/45/19. Just another option I guess.