Ride Quality M3LR

[bungle_78]

Looking for others opinions on ride quality.

I have a M3LR on standard wheels. I’ve dropped tire pressure to 39 PSI already but the ride is still harsh, I feel every bump and undulation in the road surface at the moment. It feels like there is little to no damping taking place in the car at all. Even on the motorway it feels a bit skittish.

Appreciate ride is subjective but what are others experiences of ride quality like? Want to know if it’s just me or if I need to do some further investigation and make sure there are no actual suspension issues.

 

[m3gt2]

I have the Performance but have put 18s on it now instead of the standard 20s and while it's not as smooth as the A8 it replaced I wasn't expecting it to match it. I do however think it's very acceptable for the type of vehicle. I have however read that the lowered suspension on the Performance does actually give a better/more comfortable ride than the SR/LR but I haven't been in either to directly compare.

 

[Keeper]

Can't comment on the M3LR but the ride quality in my car is superb! I was anticipating a much harsher ride with the 20" wheels but in fact these, presumably together with the lowered suspension, makes it one of the most comfortable cars that I have owned.

 

[phil4]

I'm the same as Keeper. I've come from a mk7.5 Golf R, which I left in Comfort and had 18" wheels. Despite its bigger 20" wheels my M3P feels softer, but also not overly floaty etc... I'd say its an improvement, and dispels one of my worries at getting bigger wheels.

 

[LongRanger]

have been really impressed with LR/18’s ride quality so far. Tyres set at 40psi cold.

it’s all very subjective but we have very rough roads locally and have done a very familiar 200+ mile drive back on collection day, it all felt pretty impressive to me.

Is the car very recently new ? I remember from years ago someone with a new Audi finding the suspension transport chocks still in their springs after 150 miles and complaining of no suspension compliance. Don’t know if this is a method used by Tesla.

Apart from that, what car did you change from to give us a sense of comparison ?

 

[Adopado]

Looking for others opinions on ride quality.

I have a M3LR on standard wheels. I’ve dropped tire pressure to 39 PSI already but the ride is still harsh, I feel every bump and undulation in the road surface at the moment. It feels like there is little to no damping taking place in the car at all. Even on the motorway it feels a bit skittish.

Appreciate ride is subjective but what are others experiences of ride quality like? Want to know if it’s just me or if I need to do some further investigation and make sure there are no actual suspension issues.

That's not a common description we read about the LR on standard wheels (I presume that means 18inch Aeros). My SR+ has the same wheels and feels a good compromise between sport and comfort (and I run them at 42psi as per the book). Maybe you could hook up with another local owner just compare cars? As you say it's subjective but at least it would put your mind at rest about whether there's a suspension issue that needs to be corrected. (On a technical note it's unlikely to be a lack of damping as that normally results in an unnatural bounciness rather than harsh and bumpy ... I would say what you describe sounds like a car that's over damped if anything!)

 

[LongRanger]

Also to double-check, your car has the Michelin PS4 T0 tyres ?

 

[boater291]

Love the ride comfort in my M3LR 18" - though coming from a Mini Cooper S where you really do feel every little bump perhaps it's not surprising it feels very comfortable.

 

[Jason71]

I came from a series of Octavia VRS's to an M3LR I find it a little soft for my taste but the comfort is excellent by comparison.

 

[Jason71]

Love the ride comfort in my M3LR 18" - though coming from a Mini Cooper S where you really do feel every little bump perhaps it's not surprising it feels very comfortable.

a go cart has better bump absoption than my old mini cooper on the standard run flats

 

[boater291]

a go cart has better bump absoption than my old mini cooper on the standard run flats

definitely!

 

[Dangerous Fish]

@bungle_78 What car did you drive before?

 

[bungle_78]

@bungle_78 What car did you drive before?

I came from an X3 but had a 328, M135 and Scirocco before and the ride is significantly worse than any of those. Still live in the same are so same roads.

Would also say that if I break hard there is no downward movement at the front of the car stays perfectly flat. Under hard braking I’d expect some downward movement at the front.

 

[bungle_78]

have been really impressed with LR/18’s ride quality so far. Tyres set at 40psi cold.

it’s all very subjective but we have very rough roads locally and have done a very familiar 200+ mile drive back on collection day, it all felt pretty impressive to me.

Is the car very recently new ? I remember from years ago someone with a new Audi finding the suspension transport chocks still in their springs after 150 miles and complaining of no suspension compliance. Don’t know if this is a method used by Tesla.

Apart from that, what car did you change from to give us a sense of comparison ?

It’s three weeks old and I’ve done 1000 miles. First noticed it on a long motorway drive but it’s noticeable on all roads.

 

[Glan gluaisne]

I have a Model 3 LR, on 19" wheels, and, TBH, don't find the ride at all hard. I've been used to driving cars with a soft ride, had various models of Prius for 13 years, but the car immediately before the Model 3 was a BMW i3, and that definitely does give a bumpy ride, at times you could be forgiven for thinking it had no compliance at all in the suspension. Roads around here are pretty dire, we're out in the sticks and the lanes don't seem to get much in the way of repairs or resurfacing.

The lack of dive on braking is a good thing, and is designed in, with anti-dive geometry in the suspension to help keep the car level during braking. Apart from improved handling and comfort, anti-dive also helps to reduce rear to front weight transfer under heavy braking, making the car safer, by allowing the rear brakes to do a bit more work.

 

[Dangerous Fish]

It’s three weeks old and I’ve done 1000 miles. First noticed it on a long motorway drive but it’s noticeable on all roads.

I'd give it a bit longer if I were you. There have been reports that it gets better after some 'driving in'.
The Model 3 suffers from what I'd call 'crashiness' over pot holes and bumps, but TBH that can be said of a lot of sporty saloons these days. I had a BMW 335i before my LR and that was much worse. I had to replace BMW's factory suspension with Bilsteins and it stopped that harshness.

If you jumped from an X3 or 328 into a Model 3 you will notice a difference and you might think it's 'worse' but once you drive it a bit more you may realise that it's actually pretty good in most situations and certainly handles better.

Give it a few more '000 miles and see how you feel then. Otherwise, you'd have to look at aftermarket coilovers to make a significant improvement.

 

[VT_EE]

I came from an X3 but had a 328, M135 and Scirocco before and the ride is significantly worse than any of those. Still live in the same are so same roads.

Would also say that if I break hard there is no downward movement at the front of the car stays perfectly flat. Under hard braking I’d expect some downward movement at the front.

You’ll have to dig, but there has been mention in the past on TMC of the SC forgetting to remove some sort of shipping devices that secure the suspension. Perhaps you still have them on the car. That would explain the lack of suspension travel.

 

[Dougall1248]

I have M3LR. I have had BMW X3 and my wife has had a mini Cooper diesel with run flat tires (nothing but trouble from start to finish).
If your ride is harsher than the X3 then you definitely have a problem. The mini was great for removing dental fillings.

 

[tomorrowman]

went from e-class (wallow wallow but soft and cossetting) to M3LR. Agreed on some of the slightly ropey A roads you do feel more i.e. it does not absorb as much as the E-Class does for example, but it's ability to grip and stay flat is astonishing it's very point and dart unlike the Mercedes which you did not so much drive, as make suggestions

 

[bungle_78]

You’ll have to dig, but there has been mention in the past on TMC of the SC forgetting to remove some sort of shipping devices that secure the suspension. Perhaps you still have them on the car. That would explain the lack of suspension travel.

Thanks. I’ve had a quick look but can’t see anything obvious. Waiting for a trolley Jack and some lifting pucks so I can get a wheel off and have a proper look.

In a totally non scientific test pushing the back down (boot lip) generates almost no movement whereas I can get more out of the pushing the front down (frunk lip) I’m not what you would call small so can put a fair bit of force down!