# I Know Exxies have a Stiff Ride, But Jeez!!!



## molly (Oct 31, 2014)

So, I know there have been posts about suspensions and shocks, etc., but I don't know if I should try and change anything on LSB 2.0 or not.... It is a stiff ride. And, since we travel very frequently on rough gravel roads (including some nasty washboard, where I try to go no more than 30-40 km to save my teeth from falling out)...we really notice the stiff suspension. AFAIK, there are no leaks anywhere, and in the maintenance records, I could find no mention of any shocks or struts being replaced, although some records are missing. We may be selling our rental property this summer and if so, we are seriously thinking of upgrading our ride so to spend likely hundreds to replace any suspension components may not be the best use of our money. How does one know if anything needs fixing? From what I have read, the X-Trail is known for a stiff ride but this seems stiffer than our last one. I know some of you have other vehicles...Subarus, Mitsubishis, etc. Anyone else frequent rougher roads, and if so, how comfy is your SUV?


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## X-hale (Apr 17, 2017)

The best way to know if the struts are done is to look at each one to see if they are leaking. They degrade over time but in my experience suspensions get softer with age not stiffer.
Don't change the struts if you are selling it soon. It would likely cost close to $1000 installed for all four.


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## molly (Oct 31, 2014)

X-hale said:


> The best way to know if the struts are done is to look at each one to see if they are leaking. They degrade over time but in my experience suspensions get softer with age not stiffer.
> Don't change the struts if you are selling it soon. It would likely cost close to $1000 installed for all four.


Ya, I always thought you would feel more bouncy going over bumps....


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

You would. Leaked-out shocks let the springs push the car up and down with nothing to damp them, so you'll generally get a feeling that's more like "driving at sea". The only time a bad shock will cause roughness is if the piston jams mechanically, but that happens _very_ rarely and will usually cause other symptoms like self-steering over bumps.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

molly said:


> Ya, I always thought you would feel more bouncy going over bumps....


or you can do what i did and just replace the front struts. The fronts were well worn . My mechanic showed me my old ones once he removed them . We inspected the rear struts and saw they were leaking and probably time to replace, but we concluded the front suspension is working hard under the weight of the engine and everything else...that was the priority. REar struts are fine for now. 

For a 2006 suv, my ride is good enough for me. I was never expecting a cushy, Lexus ride . My Xtrail sits a tiny bit taller now and i can feel the difference between driving the softly sprung 04 Matrix and my stiffer Xtrail.But at least when i drive my suv it gives me a sense of driving a more beastly truck/suv and not a toyota avalon with tires filled with vanilla pudding . 
Speaking of tires, i have a more stiffer and higher ride then stock because over 2 years ago i had installed the Cooper AT-3 light truck tires. Looks more aggressive and i can drive over a dead moose with no worries.
Have you considered maybe in your case, you just need new tires? Something All season and made for a more cushy-comfy street/highway ride?








Soft riding tires
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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

X-hale said:


> Don't change the struts if you are selling it soon. It would likely cost close to $1000 installed for all four.





tonyvancity said:


> or you can do what i did and just replace the front struts. The fronts were well worn .


I gotta side with X-hale on that, Tony. If there's even a chance she'll be selling it soon, there's no point in spending bucks on anything non-essential.


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## molly (Oct 31, 2014)

I have Michelin Ice winters on right now, and they will stay on till May, haha. It also came with some Pirellis for the other seasons. If we did end up keeping it longer, both sets of tires would need updating. This one has 17 inch wheels which I have read can contribute somewhat to ride quality... I sure don't feel like dropping close to a thousand bucks if we may not keep it, and even if we did, it is a bit spendy!! BTW, Tony, why are you driving over dead moose??


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

VStar650CL said:


> I gotta side with X-hale on that, Tony. If there's even a chance she'll be selling it soon, there's no point in spending bucks on anything non-essential.


oh i agree....IF she selling soon. But if not, maybe a set of good condition used All season tires might soften up the ride. 
-If not, sell the Xtrail and buy something such as a 4 door wagon. A used 2012 subaru impreza wagon might be an idea. All depends what kind of cash she has to spend. 2012 Subaru Impreza Review, Ratings, Specs, Prices, and Photos


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

molly said:


> I have Michelin Ice winters on right now, and they will stay on till May, haha. It also came with some Pirellis for the other seasons. If we did end up keeping it longer, both sets of tires would need updating. This one has 17 inch wheels which I have read can contribute somewhat to ride quality... I sure don't feel like dropping close to a thousand bucks if we may not keep it, and even if we did, it is a bit spendy!! BTW, Tony, why are you driving over dead moose??


BTW, Tony, why are you driving over dead moose??  ...well, the live moose are just too fast and run like hell . With the dead mooses i do not need to brake or swerve. And as you probably know, Vancouver streets are full of moose , canada geese and Bigfoots roaming around, not ever using the crosswalk or signals. ( shhhh...we have americans on this forum reading these comments. Let's not shatter the canadian stereotype illusions for them ...😏) 













9


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

tonyvancity said:


> oh i agree....IF she selling soon. But if not, maybe a set of good condition used All season tires might soften up the ride.


I see they make 16" rims for the Exxie, a little less rim and a little more sidewall will definitely soften the ride.
.


tonyvancity said:


> ( shhhh...we have americans on this forum reading these comments. Let's not shatter the canadian stereotype illusions for them ...😏)


In the immortal words of Tommy Lee Jones, "We here at the FBI have no Canadian stereotype illusions that we're aware of."


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## molly (Oct 31, 2014)

tonyvancity said:


> BTW, Tony, why are you driving over dead moose??  ...well, the live moose are just too fast and run like hell . With the dead mooses i do not need to brake or swerve. And as you probably know, Vancouver streets are full of moose , canada geese and Bigfoots roaming around, not ever using the crosswalk or signals. ( shhhh...we have americans on this forum reading these comments. Let's not shatter the canadian stereotype illusions for them ...😏)
> 
> Yes, I heard Vancouver is getting really bad for that..... must be coming over from Alberta along with our doctors trying to get away from our health care fiasco. Plus there is more green grass to nibble on...
> 
> ...


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## molly (Oct 31, 2014)

VStar650CL said:


> I see they make 16" rims for the Exxie, a little less rim and a little more sidewall will definitely soften the ride.
> .


It is the Bona Vista edition and 17 inch rims are part of that package. I had 16 inch ones on the SE model.


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## molly (Oct 31, 2014)

tonyvancity said:


> oh i agree....IF she selling soon. But if not, maybe a set of good condition used All season tires might soften up the ride.
> -If not, sell the Xtrail and buy something such as a 4 door wagon. A used 2012 subaru impreza wagon might be an idea. All depends what kind of cash she has to spend. 2012 Subaru Impreza Review, Ratings, Specs, Prices, and Photos


We are quite keen on trying out a Subaru but it has to be one of their SUVs...I am not a wagon chick.


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

tonyvancity said:


> the live moose are just too fast and run like hell . With the dead mooses i do not need to brake or swerve.


Wife is from Maine, I can vouch for that. What I want to know is why a herd of them wouldn't be meese.  



molly said:


> It is the Bona Vista edition and 17 inch rims are part of that package. I had 16 inch ones on the SE model.


X-hale can correct me if I'm wrong, but that's usually cosmetic, the lug pattern should be the same. Swapping to 16's should be a bolt-up.


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## X-hale (Apr 17, 2017)

You are correct.
Both our BMW and Mercedes have 20 inch wheels in summer. To make matters worse the BMW has runflats (for now). The BMW has 18 inch for winter and the MB has 17 inch. The roads are so terrible around here I almost hate to put the summers on. The ride is soooo much smoother with the higher sidewalls.


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## otomodo (May 23, 2008)

Before i replaced the rear shocks, i was annoying the wife with this song. That's how bad it was .


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

otomodo said:


> Before i replaced the rear shocks, i was annoying the wife with this song. That's how bad it was .


That would annoy even the Annoyer in Chief. Holy crap!


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

otomodo said:


> Before i replaced the rear shocks, i was annoying the wife with this song. That's how bad it was .


well you should make it up to her and play something far more soothing and calming. Wait till she falls asleep in the passenger seat and play....The Ace of Spades- Motorhead. 

i swear this is my Husky's theme song everytime i leash him up for a walk. ...hyper little whacko. I see why we get along so fine.
Maybe i should rename him Lenny. 🤪


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

tonyvancity said:


> well you should make it up to her and play something far more soothing and calming. Wait till she falls asleep in the passenger seat and play


I see a little silhouetto of a man,
Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango?
Thunderbolt and lightning very very frightening me...

Oh, sorry. Me and "soothing" have a little different idea.


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## otomodo (May 23, 2008)

Me singing "bateau sur l'eau" was to remind her the feeling of driving the exxy with the rear shocks shot. 
As far as hard music,she s well served with five finger death punch and lamb of god.

Yes molly you should trade yours 17" for a 16", better comfort on forest roads.

post scriptum i ll probably trade my xtrail for a 6mt 2021 crosstrek and keeping my 16" if i can't find a 2018,2019 or 2020 pure red sport 6mt.


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## molly (Oct 31, 2014)

Well, I will definitely consider swapping the 17s for 16s, definitely if we keep the vehicle for any length of time and possibly earlier as I could sell the two sets I have. I'll scope out Kijiji for fun. Too bad as the 17 inch aluminum rims are quite nice! Will anything be impacted by downsizing the rim? Speedometer/odometer, brakes, rubbing?


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

molly said:


> Will anything be impacted by downsizing the rim? Speedometer/odometer, brakes, rubbing?


Not as long as you keep the rolling diameter of the tires equal to the '17's you have now. The idea is to have the same rolling diameter but with more sidewall and less rim, which means a higher tire profile. Most tire shops have a conversion table and/or software to help out with that. Changing the rolling diameter larger or smaller won't hurt anything as long as the size is the same at all 4 wheels and nothing rubs, but it will affect the speedometer/odometer reading.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

my '06 Xtrail came with the stock size ( for the trim level) 16'' tires . I bought it used in 2015 and by 2018-19 or so, i had installed the AT3 Coopers . They are also 16''s ....*215/65R16 Tire Size* . ..i think my old all seasons were 215/60/R16s. So i went slightly higher profile.
- I do not know if i dropped much in mpg but i can say by the seat of the pants, my ride became a bit more firmer and a tiny bit more higher up riding. Probably took a small mpg drop .But to be honest, i'm very content with my tire choice. They are rated very good in the rain, good dry pavement/stopping distances, good in the snow/gravel/mud.I like the daily commute with these tires.
-So sometimes , all things considered, taking a small mpg drop is not the end of the world if you are getting full confidence in a better tire upgrade and your daily commute is not a rough riding torture fest.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

I sold my X trail with 16'' Xtrail rims and tires I found on Kijiji, as I wanted to keep my 17'' tires both summers and winter that were only a year or two years old. The 16'' with 215 65 16 was smoother on rough roads. I found the rims on Kijiji for $100. So keep an eye out.
I can state that the Forester is better on bad road surfaces and dirt roads. I looked on Kijiji in Calgary quickly and ouch for prices. A couple of 2011models like I bought are asking 15K and 16K. There is a 2010 for 5500 but it needs a windshield replacement and probably a timing belt change in short order. A desirable 2013 is 18,500 with roughly 100K. It's no help to you Molly, but it makes me happy about the deal I was able to get. Good luck in your search.


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## molly (Oct 31, 2014)

Holy crap, Quad...I just looked at 2011 Subaru Outbacks in Quebec on Kijiji...WTH?? I saw a lovely white one for only $7500!! Why are vehicle prices so low out there? I told the Hublet we should buy one and have it shipped out here! Although, not sure how much shipping is... Sad.


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## X-hale (Apr 17, 2017)

Around $2000 to ship. Quebec cars have been abused by a substance called salt and by Quebec drivers.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

This reminds me to go to the car wash today and clean the undercarriage! Especially as it should go over freezing in the next couple of days.
Molly the cheapest prices I see are in the Toronto area, and I am pretty sure salt is used there but probably not with the same frequency.
I would have thought you could ship a car for less than 2K, but I have zero experience with it and have never looked into it.
As for 7500 for a 2011-- the crooks. I paid 3500 almost a year and a half ago for a used top-of-the-line Limited in a private sale. Mind you I had to replace the tires ( I kept my X trail ones), one cv axle, and the radiator. Also changed all fluids, filters, spark plugs, O2 sensors, and cleaned MAP, MAF, EGR, and Throttle body, brake pads and rotors and added a battery warmer and new head unit. I have spent about $1600 on it all told since acquisition. It's running great and better than when I got it with 248,000KM on it. Now at 264,000. I actually bought rear struts and new front control arms for it as I found them on sale and figure I will eventually want them, but there is no rush to install them as they are still fine. It burns some oil, but that is pretty common for all Subarus under certain driving conditions. It just means you have to check it every couple of weeks and be prepared to top off. I will say that it's a good, capable, and safe vehicle that handles bad road conditions really well. I am quite happy with it. Not a single creak in the cabin and no problems with the sunroof.


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## molly (Oct 31, 2014)

So much for shipping, haha. IIRC, I saw a 2008 Forester at a local Subaru dealer last year for 8-9K, with very low kms in mint shape. The odd "deal" may be out there...first we have to sell our house, and failing that, upgrade LSB 2.0 for more comfort!


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

molly said:


> So much for shipping, haha. IIRC, I saw a 2008 Forester at a local Subaru dealer last year for 8-9K, with very low kms in mint shape. The odd "deal" may be out there...first we have to sell our house, and failing that, upgrade LSB 2.0 for more comfort!


cheer up, you could be trying to buy a used Subaru Forester in BC and pay thru the nose ....lol.....check out this car website, Molly. 
- Used Subaru Forester vehicles for sale - Second hand Subaru vehicles on Auto123 | Auto123


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## molly (Oct 31, 2014)

Well, it looks like selling the Exxie won't happen for some time (unless we win the lotto)... our hoped for sale of the house to the tenants fell through but we agreed to let them stay on and try again in 8 months or a year. Didn't feel right to sell it out from under them when rentals are virtually non-existent in this town! Sigh. Anyway, I think I will start looking for some 16 inch wheels and tires, then sell the two sets of 17 wheels and tires I have. I assume 215-65-16 is best? OR... could I go to a 215-65-17 and keep my rims? 🤔


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## X-hale (Apr 17, 2017)

215-65-17 would be be 3% bigger which is the recommended limit. I wouldn't bother selling your 17's to buy 16's. The difference in ride quality would not be worth the trouble and expense.


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## Weroydie (Feb 22, 2021)

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