I was considering buying a Civic. However after going for a test drive on a new 2009 sedan, the road vibration was too much to take. I am wondering if there is anything that can be done about it. It's not mechanical-- not alignment or balance issue-- since I know what those feel like. This is simply road vibration, subtle but my head felt like it was going numb and it was a relief to stop the test drive. It's a hard ride.

You can see the vibration when you look in the rear view mirror-- the road is shaking. This is shaking your body and cannot be good.

Help --I really want to get this car!

 

Im not to sure about the 2009 honda Civic. But my 2000 civic has a very smooth ride. Unless u are on a bad road.

 

It was not the road-- I was driving on a major hwy and it was happening. I drove the same hwy home in my car which is softer ride and there was no issue. I was wondering if softer tires could help, but it would be a gamble to go that route.

 

Were the wheels stock? What model Civic was it?

 

yes they were stock-- dunlop tires-- dx-g auto

 

hmm, idk then. strange.

What kind of car are you used to driving? Can you further describe the road vibration? Is it constant, or do you mean that you can feel all of the little bumps in the road?

 

I used to feel that becasuse the gumballs that fall off the trees in the road would some times get stuck in the tread, so the wheels might be misweighted or one of the tires migh not have had a flat surface.

 

Does the dealer have another '09 there? (They should be getting scarce, and there may be a reason that one has gone unsold). Try a different Civic and see if it is a problem with that particular car.

 

I have a feeling i am just particularly sensitive to the vibrations since I think I tested another Civic a few years ago and had same problem. I will try another for a test drive but I suspect it is just that it is a hard ride (for me).

I drive an Elantra now and it is softer but it is not a case of being used to it-- the civic vibrations really had an an adverse effect-- I actually got a headache.

Actually I got the same head numbing sensation when I drove my Elantra on a patch of hwy that they were resurfacing-- you know, when they scrape off the ashphalt and there is that roughened surface before they repave.

I was thinking maybe a gel seat or is there a way to change suspension.
But I was just wondering if anyone else had ever heard of this issue.

 

You can change suspension parts but there won't be any parts available that offer a softer ride than stock. Aftermarket suspension parts are mostly for doing the opposite, making the suspension stiffer.