Can the ride quality be improved with better tyres

[fotobright]

I bought a Peugeot 207SW 1.6hdi a few months ago but i’m finding the cars ride at lower speeds too hard. I’ve been used to Citroens, which have softer suspension but i’m stuck with this 207 for the time being so i'm just looking for ways to imporove it.

Under 35mph i’m feeling every bump in the road and that can’t be right. The cars done 126k and doesn’t look like its been lowered. The tyres are correct for the vehicle. The tyre pressure is recommended as 2.4bar and I recently reduced that to 2.2bar all round and that is defiantly improving the ride but at the expense of fuel consumption. The front tyres are new-ish but they look cheap.

I’m wondering if I bought better tyres they might be able to dampen the micro vibrations, which are currently making the lower speed driving so unpleasant? Could be something completely different though..

Any thoughts welcome

[doctle]

Driving with under-inflated tyres isn't a great idea. I have a 207 and to be honest the ride is as rough as a bears bottom

[Sloppysod]

What's the tyre wall regidious value? , A softer wall will help give a softer ride.
Not sure the tyres you have but, for my car I can get either 97 or 101 tyres, the lower the value the softer.
But too soft and they won't support the vehicle weight especially when going around corners, typical result is the outer edges going bald.

[Michel]

I've had 2 207s and the ride is total balls. Not a huge amount can be done.

[white exec]

Michelin Energy Saver+ are known to offer a supple ride, and are good at mopping up a harsh surface.
What size/profile/make etc are you on at the moment?

[fotobright]

Michelin Energy Saver+ are known to offer a supple ride, and are good at mopping up a harsh surface.
What size/profile/make etc are you on at the moment?

The cars got 195 55 r16 , one is a Continental and the others no idea.

[fotobright]

Driving with under-inflated tyres isn't a great idea. I have a 207 and to be honest the ride is as rough as a bears bottom

I totaly agree I shouldnt be running the tyres underinflated, just tried for a few days and i'll reinflate to normal.
Makes you wonder why the Peugeot development team would sign off on a car with such poor ride quality?

[fotobright]

What's the tyre wall regidious value? , A softer wall will help give a softer ride.
Not sure the tyres you have but, for my car I can get either 97 or 101 tyres, the lower the value the softer.
But too soft and they won't support the vehicle weight especially when going around corners, typical result is the outer edges going bald.

Is softness indicated by the load index number on the tyre, 87,91 etc?

[Stickyfinger]

No reason you cannot fit smaller wheels with a larger profile.

[akindsoul]

At 126k there is a good chance you are on original dampers. Replacing them with new Bilstein B4s for example would make a huge difference.

[mickthemaverick]

No reason you cannot fit smaller wheels with a larger profile.

That certainly is an option, 15" wheels with 195x65x15 tyres like uniroyal rain tyres, which are still available, will help smooth out the rough road noise and vibration but it won't help with bigger bumps and ruts etc. Also as time goes by 15" wheels are becoming less popular and tyres will get more difficult to source cheaply. As you came from a C5 to the 207 I doubt you will ever get the ride close to what you are hoping for but good luck anyway

[fotobright]

No reason you cannot fit smaller wheels with a larger profile.

That certainly is an option, 15" wheels with 195x65x15 tyres like uniroyal rain tyres, which are still available, will help smooth out the rough road noise and vibration but it won't help with bigger bumps and ruts etc. Also as time goes by 15" wheels are becoming less popular and tyres will get more difficult to source cheaply. As you came from a C5 to the 207 I doubt you will ever get the ride close to what you are hoping for but good luck anyway

Agreed, i'm just not going to be able to the get anywhere near the hydroactiv suspension. What i've realised about hydroactiv is that it just makes driving so effortless and a pleasure, in contrast to normal which is just so much more work!

Yes totally putting 15s on with larger profile would do the trick. The trick would be to find a whole set for a bargain price which would do me till I move the car on. Unfortunately I cant do that till I replace the gear linkage cable, which of course only come with the selector and box!

[fotobright]

At 126k there is a good chance you are on original dampers. Replacing them with new Bilstein B4s for example would make a huge difference.

I'll look into this but have to replace the gear linkage cables before I descide whether i'm going to keep the car or not. Getting severe hydroactiv withdrawl symptoms. Actually the 207 is not wholly pish but the idea of driving long distances in it does not appeal.

[doctle]

It's a small cheap car mine has 15" tyres on it and it's not great. However it's easy run and thanks to the guys on this site all repairs so far have been done cheaply by me. What's wrong with your gear cables? Mine is hard to change down over 30 mph however I discovered that blipping the throttle helps

[mickthemaverick]

It's a small cheap car mine has 15 tyres on it and it's not great. However it's easy run and thanks to the guys on this site all repairs so far have been done cheaply by me. What's wrong with your gear cables? Mine is hard to change down over 30 mph however I discovered that blipping the throttle helps

Can't help wondering where you put 15 tyres?