Ask Honest John

Honest John Ask Honest John » My FIAT 500 1.4 Sport has a very harsh ride - any ideas?
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks

My FIAT 500 1.4 Sport has a very harsh ride - any ideas?

My recently acquired 59 plate FIAT 500 1.4 Dualogic Sport has a very harsh ride. I assume this is because it has 195/45 tyres on 16inch wheels. If I replace these will it be worth while or are they all harsh? I had to get this model as used automatics are like hen's teeth but my wife can only drive automatics after her hip replacement.

Asked on 29 July 2012 by OLRFC

Answered by Honest John
This will have the original stiffly sprung rear suspension, like mine. The 195/45 R16s make it worse. It's better on 185/55 R15s and better still on 175/65 R14s. To soften it properly you would need to replace the entire rear suspension with 2010MY springs and a new transverse beam with anti roll bar incorporated. I haven't bothered.

From choosing the right tyre to what to do when it goes wrong - we have the answers.

Tyre News And Advice
Similar questions
I am planning on replacing all four shock absorbers on my Audi A3. Is there anything else I should get done along with the shocks which will improve the ride quality as currently over speed humps and pot...
I have an Audi A1 1.6 TDI Sport which is well built, lively and economical. The only downside is the firm suspension which is not suited to the poor quality of my local roads. Is it possible to modify...
I'm looking to purchase a new BMW 440i. Please can you add some clarity to the wildly opposing views on the benefits, or not, of Adaptive M Sport suspension (£515)? All road tests in magazines say it's...
Related models
Stylish and full of character. Really affordable to buy. Low running costs.