My better half has always complained about the jiggly (uncomfortable) nature of the ride. ( did i just write that???) so I took my 2004 996 C2 Tip (42k miles) to CG for a suspension check this week.
The trip down from Merseyside on that mobile car park called the M6 was frustrating. Things improved from that point. I was met by Chris who after discussing my concerns /needs took the car out for the the road assessment. That was an enlightening experience with Chris explaining what was happening at each stage. The road test showed there were no unexpected noises from the suspension but there was an indication that the geo was not what it should be. The way the car behaved on the bumpy B road section accentuated the behaviour seen on the A road section of the test. Chris also expressed reservations about the brand of tyres fitted - he rates Michelin.
Back on the ramp the checks showed all the suspension parts were in good condition. The only findings were a slight corrosion on one damper piston rod and a minor fluid weep from one of the rear dampers. Chris was not concerned by either of these. What did surprise me was that the front ride height had settled by 20 mm from stock but the rear had only settled by 3 mm.
The geo check showed problems with both both front and read alignments which had contributed to the on road behaviour though Chris did qualify the remarks with a comment that he was unsure how much the tyres may have contributed. We had discussed what i was looking for in terms of the road behaviour. I was in luck - another customer rang to say was delayed and could not make his appointment so Chris offered to go ahead with a full geo and this suited me fine. The job was completed after normal working hours and we went out for the road test. The unacceptable behaviour was no longer there and on the bumpy B road the car ran straight and true without any hands on the wheel. Not a test I would recommend unless you have completed confidence in the setup. Chris then handed the car to me for the completion of the road test. I was well satisfied - the car was so predictable in the corners and felt really planted. I finally left well after normal "office hours". The journey back up the M6 was the opposite of the morning experience - light traffic and the steering nervousness I had be experiencing in the cruise on the trip down was now gone.
Thank you Chris
The trip down from Merseyside on that mobile car park called the M6 was frustrating. Things improved from that point. I was met by Chris who after discussing my concerns /needs took the car out for the the road assessment. That was an enlightening experience with Chris explaining what was happening at each stage. The road test showed there were no unexpected noises from the suspension but there was an indication that the geo was not what it should be. The way the car behaved on the bumpy B road section accentuated the behaviour seen on the A road section of the test. Chris also expressed reservations about the brand of tyres fitted - he rates Michelin.
Back on the ramp the checks showed all the suspension parts were in good condition. The only findings were a slight corrosion on one damper piston rod and a minor fluid weep from one of the rear dampers. Chris was not concerned by either of these. What did surprise me was that the front ride height had settled by 20 mm from stock but the rear had only settled by 3 mm.
The geo check showed problems with both both front and read alignments which had contributed to the on road behaviour though Chris did qualify the remarks with a comment that he was unsure how much the tyres may have contributed. We had discussed what i was looking for in terms of the road behaviour. I was in luck - another customer rang to say was delayed and could not make his appointment so Chris offered to go ahead with a full geo and this suited me fine. The job was completed after normal working hours and we went out for the road test. The unacceptable behaviour was no longer there and on the bumpy B road the car ran straight and true without any hands on the wheel. Not a test I would recommend unless you have completed confidence in the setup. Chris then handed the car to me for the completion of the road test. I was well satisfied - the car was so predictable in the corners and felt really planted. I finally left well after normal "office hours". The journey back up the M6 was the opposite of the morning experience - light traffic and the steering nervousness I had be experiencing in the cruise on the trip down was now gone.
Thank you Chris