Your new cars suspension: How long should it last on our roads?

[Rtech]

This is a subjective question with no exact answer.

We all know that the suspension wear would differ from user to user, depending on certain basic things like:

• - Condition of roads they regularly drive on: Obviously a person who only ever drives his car on a cities best roads will probably never have a problem!
• - Loading of the car: It makes a difference if it is a sole, privately driven car or if its regularly used for large group outings with luggage packed to capacity
• - Driving style: Boy racer taking every corner like it’s the last corner before the finish line compared to a middle aged business man more interested in yapping on his phone than driving.
• - Type/design of suspension: Your basic MM540 with live axles and leaf springs all around has less to go wrong compared to a Skoda Octavia’s multi link rear and Mc.Pherson struts with wishbones on the front.

Basically what I’m asking is what do you as an owner expect out of the suspension on your new car? How long do you think it should last before you begin hearing that dreaded knocking sound of worn bushings or worse, your struts. Look at your own driving style and conditions and put down what you think would be a fair estimate as to suspension life for your current car. It could be maybe 30,000 km’s or 80,000 km’s. Also, did you car deliver to your expectations?

As most manufacturers always tell us that their particular model has “Indianised” suspension, lets see how true this statement of theirs holds.

[ajmat]

My Vtec started getting a bit loose at the 38k mark with bad roads and enthusiastic driving.

[Rayden]

The Zen I owned gave me problems at 30 K (:-D)

[condor]

Sumo SE, abt 3 yrs old, driven on rural roads [some really bad stuff], mostly 60%+ loads - coming up for suspension work at abt 70-75k.

Indica [v1.5]- was running good at 83K, Bangalore running. Used for abt 4 yrs on the rougher side of normal usage by our driver before we sold the car.

[rks]

My Santro has done about 31500 kms now. I used to enjoy throwing the car at the corners in the ghat section of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway at speeds of 80 kmph or even higher. But on one or two very sharp and long curving stretches, when I push the car *really* hard, I hear a knocking sound from my steering area-- I guessed it was coming from the suspension and transmitted through the steering. So I have stopped taking the corners at very high speeds, and I no longer hear that knocking sound. Plan to get the suspension checked at the next service, due at 35000 kms.

[Revvhead]

maaaan i wrote a huge writeup on suspension and my net DC'd while posting., thats a lot of writing down the drain... Im BUGGED

[revharder]

Santro old model started giving suspension related problems at abt 75K on odo (now clocked almost 85K, 10K with the problem!).
till 75K, it was a smooth experience. but dragging it for last few months!

Palio1.6 did 80K too, but still no major problem, despite throwing it for long 5+ years!

also had an indica DLE which we threw after abt 25-26K only! and no need to describe about its experience!

[condor]

Guess I missed RTech's question itself, and instead mentioned what the actual performance of the suspensions have been. I feel the actual suspension system used in the diff vehicles have been used based on the vehicle's characteristics [weight, smoothness reqd] etc .. but EOD, it should last at an avg of 75k for normal usage, atleast 50-55k for aggressive driving and may be aroudn 85-90k if you baby your vehicle ..

[shuvc]

Indica 2000 .. ran 40K without much trouble. However, the workshop I used to frequent did mention that suspension work may be needed within the next 10K. I used to rough it up a bit. Also had bought used @14K kms .. so not sure how it was driven before that.

Roads I travel on - primarily within city .. soso .. not very bad, not very good
Passengers - 95% times max 2
Driving style - generally take corners faster than middle aged people .. but not to the extent of tyres squealing ..

Hoping the Baleno will not need any work on it for the next 5/6 yrs .. i.e. 60 to 70 K kms for me.

[speedsatya]

i keep changing the stabiliser bar rubber bushes and the strut rubber kit every 15k kms ...changed the struts at 35k kms under warranty


changed the left driveshaft at 40 k ...and the lower arms at 50 k kms

[tsk1979]

My indica is nearing 70K without the suspension giving any problems.
Roads driven on range for gaps between the scnery in Rural Karnataka, to 6 lane expressways, to craters in bangalore and twisties in himalays. Though I have suffered countless rim bendings due to craters appearing out of nowhere in bangalore, the suspension has held on with no sagging.
The car has never been subjected to overloading and Runs Tubeless Potenza GIII(185/60) for the last 35k or so.

I am actually surprised that after 38K of bangalore the shock absorbers are holding on so well. The last 30K have been good for the suspension as potholes are rarer in Noida/Delhi, so I guess they will last another 20-25K(touchwood) and hopefully I will be selling her off by then.

[drifter]

'04 Accent CRDi - Rear struts packed up at 60k. Driving style - spirited.

Drifter

[Shan2nu]

City Vtec 01' - 58,800 kms done - no suspension problems yet.
Driving style - sensible (doesn't necessarily mean slow)

Shan2nu

[hellspawn]

In the Zen,the front lower arms were changed at 65k.drive very sensibily making sure taht i slow down when i see any bump or pothole.rubber bushes were changed every 20k.
ford ikon 1.6,front suspension work was done at 60k(that too because i banged the car and the suspension geometry went for a toss).otherwise the car was driven very gently.most of the times it was in the hands of the driver.

[islero]

My dad's Corsa has now covered 30k kilometres, is driven in a very sedate fashion, and has not given the slightest suspension problem whatsoever. The superb ride quality remains the same as it was when the car was new.