20" alloys - Ride quality & advice

[id5]

Originally Posted by r-designbob

The roads aren't too bad in my neck of the woods. The thing I hate more than anything is all the "Sleeping Policemen" in them.

And that shows the big difference in where we live, we have one sleeping policeman...just one! I have to drive 15 miles to get to the next one.

[r-designbob]

It takes a long time for them to die and go flat...LOL

[mordred1973]

Oir local road humps are the sort buses fit over, the XC does go between like smaller cars or quite fit round them, but that means they have the right effect I guess

[Dan85]

Hi,

I've joined the forum today having been a guest viewer for a few weeks. I'm looking to order a new company car and with the growing family the XC60 fits the bill. I'd really appreciate your thoughts and experience with your cars.

My ideal combination 'was' SE Lux with Titania wheels but having done a few test drives I'm really confused. I've driven 3 XC60's in the last couple of weeks;

- A SE on 17 inch wheels which I thought felt really 'wallowy'
- A SE on 20 inch wheels which felt very unsettled and bounced over speed bumps and any poorly surfaced road to the point where I felt nervous behind the wheel.
- A R Design with 20 inch wheels which felt by far the smoothest and most composed of the 3.

Is the experience I had of an SE with 20 inch wheels typical as it's more softly sprung or could it be something silly like wrong tyre pressures etc. as its a company car tyre cost and stuff isn't a problem and the Titania wheels look amazing!

Any advice on your experiences with your cars would be much appreciated..

[NigelDay]

Originally Posted by Dan85

Hi,

I've joined the forum today having been a guest viewer for a few weeks. I'm looking to order a new company car and with the growing family the XC60 fits the bill. I'd really appreciate your thoughts and experience with your cars.

My ideal combination 'was' SE Lux with Titania wheels but having done a few test drives I'm really confused. I've driven 3 XC60's in the last couple of weeks;

- A SE on 17 inch wheels which I thought felt really 'wallowy'
- A SE on 20 inch wheels which felt very unsettled and bounced over speed bumps and any poorly surfaced road to the point where I felt nervous behind the wheel.
- A R Design with 20 inch wheels which felt by far the smoothest and most composed of the 3.

Is the experience I had of an SE with 20 inch wheels typical as it's more softly sprung or could it be something silly like wrong tyre pressures etc. as its a company car tyre cost and stuff isn't a problem and the Titania wheels look amazing!

Any advice on your experiences with your cars would be much appreciated..

See http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=234536

[Smiffy2]

Just replied to the other thread on 20" wheels.
I had an XC90 SE lux with 18' wheels for 3 years then dropped down to the XC 60 SE lux with 18" when it came out and had that for 5 years
I now have the R Des SE Lux with 20" wheels and yes they are a bit firmer but the car rides great,looks good and I would not change them.
Reference colour I chose electric silver as I found the dark colour on the previous XC 60 a pain to keep clean and deep swirling hard to get out and did not want to go into detailing.
Summary would be Nigel ( Go for it)

[RoyMacDonald]

I went for an SE Lux with 17" wheels and 4C suspension. Comfort mode has been renamed East Sussex mode and Sport mode, Motorway mode. If I had opted for an R design without 4C which would have been like being permanently in Sport mode I'd have sold it long ago.

[NigelDay]

Originally Posted by RoyMacDonald

I went for an SE Lux with 17" wheels and 4C suspension. Comfort mode has been renamed East Sussex mode and Sport mode, Motorway mode. If I had opted for an R design without 4C which would have been like being permanently in Sport mode I'd have sold it long ago.

I took Roy's advice on 4C before ordering. Very glad I did ! It gives me the best of both (or even three) worlds.