C5 2008 too soft? Wife suffering from motion sickness..

[Mattyc1977]

Hello. This is my first post here.

I recently swapped from a alfa gt to a 2008 plate c5 2.0hdi VTR+. It's 5 years old and done 48k miles. Full service history but not citroen. I know these cars are opposite ends of the spectrum but family changes required a dramatic change! Anyway, I love the c5 BUT my wife hates the ride. She says it feels like a boat and suffers bad motion sickness when driving it or in the passenger seat. I sort of know what she means but it doesn't bother me, I think it's really comfy! Anyway, is this normal? I have a 3m warranty with garage so if anything needs doing or replacing that makes it so soft, I need it looking at soon. There is lots of info about the top spec c5 with hydro+ suspension but I don't have this. Is mine faulty or is this how they drive? As mentioned above, it doesn't really bother me but does the wife, I do know what she means when she describes it like a boat sort of movement...

Thanks in advance....

[Peter.N.]

That's usually what people buy hydropnumatics for, the softer the ride the better as far as I am concerned but I know not everyone likes it. I am assuming that it is hydropnumatic and doesn't have springs in which case it should be possible to fit some harder spheres.

Peter

[Mattyc1977]

That's usually what people buy hydropnumatics for, the softer the ride the better as far as I am concerned but I know not everyone likes it. I am assuming that it is hydropnumatic and doesn't have springs in which case it should be possible to fit some harder spheres.

Peter

I don't have any fancy controls to change ride height or stiffness, so I presume I just have steel springs?

[Hell Razor5543]

If you post up the last 8 digits of your VIN number somebody (not I, sorry) will be able to look it up on the Citroen website and let you know.

[Mattyc1977]

If you post up the last 8 digits of your VIN number somebody (not I, sorry) will be able to look it up on the Citroen website and let you know.

Wow, thanks... 54020927 are the last 8 digits. Would be good to be sure but I'm sure they are just standard or would I not have options to firm up and lower/higher?

[Hell Razor5543]

I have no experience of the C5, but there are people who do, and should be able to help. With the VIN number they will be able to get you the factory spec of your car.

It MIGHT be possible to change the firmness setting (if it has hydro pneumatic suspension), but I am NOT certain of this. I am going on a memory that I read somewhere that there was a way to change the firmness setting, but I cannot swear to this being correct.

[Peter.N.]

On most modern cars with springs the opposite is true, the ride is uncomfortably hard especially if they follow the popular trend of being fitted with bicycle tyres. What is the problem with the ride, is it wallowy or does it pitch/roll?

Peter

[Mattyc1977]

On most modern cars with springs the opposite is true, the ride is uncomfortably hard especially if they follow the popular trend of being fitted with bicycle tyres. What is the problem with the ride, is it wallowy or does it pitch/roll?

Peter

It doesn't really bother me, in fact, I like it. The wife says it feels like a speedboat, when I go round a corner, she keeps grabbing the handle, like she is going to fall out of the car! (Maybe I shouldn't let her in it!)

[Stickyfinger]

Sounds more like the seats are not supportive enough compared to the seats in the AlFafafasparksparkstop, try a couple of cushions as a "test"

I found the cloth seat dreadful in the C5, the leather was better in my old Mk1, so I changed it in the latest C5 for a set from a scrapper, arm rests and electrics as well.

[myglaren]

Sounds more like the seats are not supportive enough compared to the seats in the AlFafafasparksparkstop, try a couple of cushions as a "test"

I found the cloth seat dreadful in the C5, the leather was better in my old Mk1, so I changed it in the latest C5 for a set from a scrapper, arm rests and electrics as well.

That's strange, I changed my cloth seats for leather recently and find them much softer but more supportive, the cloth seats felt more that you were sitting on them while the leather you sit in them. They are far better though.

Matty, if your C5 is hydraulic there will be a couple of buttons in front of the gearstick, three if it is Hydractive 3+, for the suspension control, otherwise it will be a steel sprung car.
My kids drive my car but complain at it being too soft and wallowy. I disagree, should be softer.

When they were little they never got car sick in an hydraulic Citroen but did in conventionally suspended cars

[addo]

Per the VIN, that is a steel sprung car. I'd suggest a new set of dampers may be the ticket. It may be that aftermarket sources for the 407, interchange.

[Mattyc1977]

Thanks for comments guys, sounds like nothing is wrong, just a different/new driving experience.

[KP]

Have you checked your tire pressures? Possibly up them to the heavy load pressures and see if it helps.

If it were me i'd stick my location up and see if a local member could give their opinion or compare it with a same age vehicle at a dealers??

[mooseshaver]

My sister in law get car sick in the back of c5s
I am fine driving unless I try to make progress at night round the Lake District.
If your wife is someone who doesn't get used to sea sickness or is prone to car sickness then you may need to choose between wife and car.

[Mattyc1977]

My tyre pressures are set correctly now but they were a bit low at first but it didn't make a difference. I think I will go to main Citroen dealer at the weekend which is only round the corner and take a different one for a drive. They have a few in.
Can I ask a favour of someone? I noticed on another thread, with the 8 digits from my vin, its possible to get loads of info about my car and what it was fitted with when produced? Can anyone do that for me or how do I do it?