Ok, so today I was driving around with my girlfriend in a late model lexus GS300. It's a great car and all, but doesnt have as much road feel as my 5, but still has a fair amount *compared to* other lexus models.

I noticed that on a perfectly smooth road, the car seems to be gliding... What makes this feeling? Is it because the car has a smoother suspension? If so, I dont understand because the roads that it feels like this on appear to be near perfect. Any way to get my car to be like that on a road so smooth without losing any road feel?

Thanks for the opinions!

Any way to get my car to be like that on a road so smooth without losing any road feel?

no.

:mad:

I dont understand why people are getting upset and having attitudes. Its fine for a car to have multiple qualities or for a person to have a liking from another automobile maker. Yes, I love my BMW but there are some qualities that would be nice if they were in my car too.

All im asking is what makes the car feel like that? Its not a smooth car, but even on a garage floor, my car (and any other bmw I have driven) does not feel like that. I dont understand why.. is it the bearings? what is it? I think on a totally smooth surface (like a garage floor, etc) the car should feel this way.

ugh.

Any way to get my car to be like that on a road so smooth without losing any road feel?There's a million things you can do to make a car ride 'smoother' - but you're asking for mutually exclusive things. You can't have a car ride 'like glass' and not lose a feeling of connectedness with the road.
How do you do it? In general: reduce unsprung weight, wider tire sidewalls, lower tire pressure, softer, lower speed rated tires, less camber, caster, and toe, softer shocks, thinner swaybars, more flexible suspension bushings, lighter springs/more suspension travel... You'll find, though, that BMW goes to significant effort to NOT do some of the above. When there's a tradeoff to be made between 'handling' and 'comfort' - they will err on the 'handling' side - less so as you move up the model line. Lexus typically takes the opposite stance.


Personally, I get sick to my stomach when I ride in some Lexi and other 'all comfort, no sport' cars (old MB S-classes, for example). If I can't feel the car move, but can see moving surroundings out the windows, I get queasy. The 'like glass' feeling is a completely undesirable trait to me and, I imagine, most people on this board.

I Think i am being misunderstood a bit here.

I Love the road feel, and dont particularly like the floaty feeling myself. The lexus gs300 has more road feel than the other lexus models (excluding the IS). But no matter what, I wouldnt trade the way they drive even though my car is 14 years old.

I just like that feeling when the lexus rolls out of smooth smooth surfaces such as a garage floor or brand new parking lot. Its just such a smooth rolling feeling. I just dont see what makes that, shocks springs, bushing, etc... but doesnt all that comfort the bumps of the road?

Don't forget that tires make a huge diff. in the ride of a car.

Don't forget that tires make a huge diff. in the ride of a car.

Yep, tires make a huge difference. Also... make sure they are properly balanced... both regular balance AND road force balance. On my 4runner, there would always be this heavy and annoying vibration at around 70mph on the highway. Balancing and alignment wouldn't help. So i had them do a roadforce balance "correctly". Meaning they actually break down the tire. After they were able to work the variation down to below 10lbs on all wheels. My 4runner rode like it was on glass even at 80mph. I LOVED IT! Give ita shot!