Most comfortable tires and shocks/struts?

[Audio]

Doesn't look any lower than mine.

 

[Sluh]

Installed rigid collars, can feel the ride improvement.

While there, I took off and manually checked rear shocks. Not a perfect test, but by hands compression and extension were smooth, with even resistance and there was still some gas charge. I can not justify replacing them yet. 99k highway miles.

Will install Pirelli P7 plus today and see if the ride will get smoother and quieter.

 

[Sluh]

Pirelli P7 A/S Plus greatly improved the ride comfort. By the time I got to replacing tires, firestones I got the car with started making growling noise once warmed up. It was so loud and confusing, I started doubting wheel bearing or rear differential. But the noise was not affected by the load or side force, speed only. Now it's gone. Genny now is fairly comfortable for a luxury on bumps and potholes, much quieter over highway joints and rough pavement.

Just drove my wife's 06 sonata LX with the same exact tires and genny is way quieter in terms of pavement noise, but still harder on the bumps and holes. But installed rigid collars noticeably improved this feel from the original ride.

Still haven't done the alignment because I was rearended few days ago while sitting in the end of a traffic light line. Luckily it was a local one lane road with 35mph limit. So alignment will have to wait till my bumper fixed.

 

[Gunkk]

I'm a huge fan of Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires. Had them on my '09 and they were fantastic. The wet grip is unbelievable and almost no hydroplaning down here in FL with our 2+ inch/hr rains. Wet cornering is like dry, which you won't believe until you experience it. Wife's Solara has Pzero's and they're very grippy in the wet as well.

I am not so much of a fan of the MXM4 in the wet. They are squishy comfy and quiet enough. Dry grip is fine, but WAY TOO LOOSE in the back in the wet and they hydroplane way too much even with >6/32nds. Had a couple pucker factor moments while taking a favorably banked on-ramp at 40 mph, and that should not happen.

 

[williakz]

The PSS are "summer" (warm weather) tires , right? You're not even supposed to run them at 55 deg F or below. With those tires on a luxe sedan (your '09), surely you've had ample experience with them on nippy nights. How's the grip in Feb in the 40s or are you too far south for that kind of nonsense?

 

[Gunkk]

Yes the PSS is a summer tire. They're fine down into the 40s (daily low on a cold Jan-Feb week around here) for the street. I doubt you'd notice a difference unless you were on a track until well under 40F and the tires were cold.

I'm in Sarasota, where there is none of that wintery nonsense and everything is sticky all the time

 

[williakz]

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. The wife and I are looking at your neck of the woods for resettling away from it all: Venice, Nokomis, Casey Key, etc. Nice area.

 

[enVmyIX]

Get a tire with the highest sidewall ratio that will fit on the car, the higher the better.

 

[Sluh]

And this ratio is...?

 

[Mark_888]

And this ratio is...?

Probably a 50 series tire for the 18" wheels, such as 235/50-18. You could get a 225/55-18, but might be a little too narrow for the V8, but barely OK for the V6.

The other key, as I am sure has already been mentioned, is the tire model itself (not the brand). Some models are specifically designed for a softer and more comfortable ride.

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[xiaphin]

Gents, take a look at the pictures please and tell me if you think it sits lower that new stock. I wonder if my springs are bad. Thanks!
https://goo.gl/photos/CaA3Jcx6th4wZAcSA

Can't tell by looking at the pictures. Take a measurement from the ground to fender lip. If someone else has same wheel package as you they can easily compare.