3200 quality of ride

bossemaserati

bossemaserati

Junior Member
Messages
160
hello everyone

i wanted too ask everyone (especially 3200 and 3200 AC owners) how they find the suspension and chassis set up on their cars:
my recent experience (especially driving on roads in and around London with a million potholes and speed bumps) is that the car shakes heavily every time it hits the slightest uneven road surface. never mind putting the car into sport mode, which stiffens the suspension even more i believe.

as a result i am driving at 20 mph in most roads which is no fun at all. getting grief from a lot of SUV drivers etc...

now, of course, i have to consider that my car is an assetto corsa, with the 15mm lower suspension it was never going to be a rolls kind of ride, but i just wanted to find out if i am the only one with this experience given the state our roads are in.

bosse
 
alfatwo

alfatwo

Member
Messages
5,517
The AC is lots harder ride wise than the normal 3200 due to the heavier spring rate's..plus the stiffer front anti roll bar is not to everyones taste..

I find the standard 3200GT suspension a little too soft at times.. but it's intended purpose as a very comfortable high speed GT is hard to beat!

Dave
 
allandwf

allandwf

Member
Messages
10,987
Mine, ( It's an AC,) is normally ok, roads around me are not too bad, but as you say does tend to crash on the bad surfaces. It really hates the expansion joints on bridges, I notice it most then, probably because it's repetative. I get used to it, but would become tiresome on a daily basis.
 
safrane

safrane

Member
Messages
16,830
I moved from two 4200 to a GS which similarly has a harder suspension set up than the standard car and skinny tyres...and the ride on less than smooth tarmac is horrid.

like you the suburban drive it a slow one esp with h the small bone shaker speed humps.I have a Mercedes rental this week for work and it taks pot holes etc with ease, no crashing into the hole just a muted ' thop'. Ok the GS would cane it in a track but sadly thats not my commute.

Oh and a drive from St Katherine Docks to Bristol in rush hour cost £16 in petrol...petrol not the devils fuel!!!
 
conaero

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,626
Check the lower wishbones balljoints and if they have been done, get the alignment done. Its best to get it done by an indie as they Weill have all the shims to do it properly.
 
highlander

highlander

Member
Messages
5,218
Overall I still rate the ride of the 32 as one of the most balanced and comfortable I've experienced in this type of car.
 
Ewan

Ewan

Member
Messages
6,806
I always found the ride on my 3200's as too ******* the straights and too soft on the bends. Ideally I want soft on the straights (for comfortable commuting/touring), but stiff in the bends (for more spirited driving). It always surprised how Maserati got this so wrong on this model.
 
Rex B

Rex B

Member
Messages
657
When new road tests commented on how firm the 3200 was and the AC springs are firmer and the roads worse than they were 12 years ago. For peace of mind I would get the suspension checked over as not only can bushes wear but components can also seize. I recently had both rear AR bar drop links changed because they had seized and could not be moved and the car seemed to iron out bumped better after. I know cars often feel better after a service but lack of use can create problems.

Rex B
Manual 3200
 
Ian3200

Ian3200

Member
Messages
845
Mine is smooth and fine, and performs well on the track, so stiff enough and not harsh in town over the average pot hole
 
Contigo

Contigo

Sponsor
Messages
18,376
Need to get mine tracked again after fitting new Goodyears as it tram lines and pulls at the slightest of rut on the road. It's really noticeable at the moment.
 
StuartW

StuartW

Member
Messages
9,314
Yes, as may have said before once the 4 wheel alignment is done, it should be much better. Remember that the settings for an AC are different to that of the standard 3200. I posted them on here some time ago and it made a real difference.
 
StuartW

StuartW

Member
Messages
9,314
I wouldn't like to say as the set up on the AC differs by the ARB and the lower & stiffer springs. I don't know enough about suspension GEO to say but I'm sure someone will come along and have an opinion on it?
 
Phil H

Phil H

Member
Messages
4,153
Horses for courses; the AC was not designed for town use, and rough roads/potholes will never be its best friend.

PH
 
Almichie

Almichie

Junior Member
Messages
799
Set up matters more about the usage than the type of spring/ARB fitted. Tracking is going to be the same AC or not, I would have thought. Camber and caster will be different; that'll differ giving slightly different handling characteristics.

I would say that it is likely not the setup Phil but the fact that you have new tyres. I get through a set every 9-11k in the daily and it takes a couple of days for the tread to mould back to the Geo setup. Give it a few hundred miles before you do anything.
 
davy83

davy83

Member
Messages
2,821
I would definitely have a look for seized ball joints and drop links, and I would consider getting the shocks refurbed. I had my shocks done and replaced droplinks and over a few years replaced all the ball joints, and suspension bushes (some with the ball joint/wishbones) and before i had the shocks done certainly the ride over drains and so on was harsh, and the car is just delightful at the moment. I also got my corner weights balanced up, and full geometry so it could have been any of this or a combination of it all. However I guess i was trying to say that the difference in ride between the suspension with a number of issues and sorted is night and day.
 
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