SAAB 9-3 Convertible/ Honda CRV - coil springs (again:)

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Sun 16 Jan 2011 17:50
SAAB 9-3 Convertible/ Honda CRV - coil springs (again:) - TTToommy

Honest has often mentioned coil springs and how poor they are - apart from those fitted to those cars made in the Far East - Japan, korea etc

Does anyone including Honest know about Japanese brands made in the UK ( particularly interested in a CRV)

I'm also a great worrier as I'm looking at a saab aero convertible as a middle aged crisis car (looking at a 2005 aero as a newer one is expensive and falls into the £400+ car tax area) - as I'm a worrier I have read LOADS of stuff about broken springs either as a rattle or the driver knows its happening just after starting off - does it EVER happen at say 80mph (german autobahn ofcourse) causing the tyre to shred and cause a REAL brown trousers moment ?

I'd probably get new springs every 2 years after reading all the stuff on the electric interweb IF I followed my heart and got the car of my dreams

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Sun 16 Jan 2011 18:13
SAAB 9-3 Convertible/ Honda CRV - coil springs (again:) - tdc

Don`t mean to worry you but can happen with new springs but usually the rougher the road the more likely it is to happen,not on the nice smooth "autobahn"

If it`s done high mileage you could have all four replaced for peace-of-mind,any reputable suspension manufacturer will do.Most springs I`ve replaced have broken near the top,only saw one tyre damaged from spring failure when in the trade.You are more likely to come a cropper from the myriad of other reasons for tyre blow-out.Did I read somewhere that 100 people in the UK every year are killed after losing control of their vehicles following a rear blow-out?

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Sun 16 Jan 2011 18:53
SAAB 9-3 Convertible/ Honda CRV - coil springs (again:) - unthrottled
100 people? I doubt it. A tyre blowout shouldn't lead to an inevitable loss of control. Since tyre blowout is more likely at sustained high speed in which case you'd hope that the vehicle was travelling in a straight line...

Spring and suspension damage has become increasingly common. The trend for (heavy) diesel engines, combined with potmarked British roads are partially to blame. Consumers' childish preference for inappropriate, oversized wheels and low profile tyres exacerbate the problem. You don't tend to see many 17" 'rims' on small hatchback sized cars in car building countries...
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