What is standard ride height for a 182 (FF)

[Rawhide]

Hi - I've recently bought a 182 with both cup packs. I've had a couple of Clios before (Trophy & 182) but this is my first standard 182. The car does not ride great, but I'm more used to Bilstein B12s or Sachs so not a fair comparison.

I had a quick look under the car and there are some black springs on the rear. They looked in better condition than the rest of the underside so I'm wondering if they are lowering springs?

My aim is to get a comfortable OEM like ride as the road near me are terrible with potholes, which is one of the reason I bought the car as my other car has 20" which cost a fortune to repair.

What would be the expected ride height for a standard car? either from the floor or from the tyre/centre of the wheel?

 

[Mr Underhill]

Never actually measured it up, to be honest, but this is mine on factory CUP springs and dampers, with 16" Turninis and 205/45/16 Michelin PS3 tyres. All stock bushes - pretty much factory specification.

When properly set up with everything standard and in good condition, they are incredibly comfortable - almost to the point of being boring to drive. However, as soon as you start lowering them, changing bushes, adding camber, or making other modifications, the dynamics suffer. Even tyre choice plays a significant role in how they handle.

With today's rough roads, these cars are particularly sensitive. Tramlining becomes a major issue when suspension or steering components are worn, especially when running budget or track-focused tyres like the Yokohama AD08R or Nankang NS2R. Many of these cars have been modified in one way or another, so their owners simply adapt to the way they drive. But the difference between a factory-spec car and one that has been tampered with is night and day.

195/45/16 Michelin PS3s are also great for reducing tramlining if some of the components aren't at their best.

 

[Rawhide]

Thanks - I drove it home yesterday, its on winter tyres (though I have Turinis with sticky rubber to fit). The tracking is out and I felt nervous overtaking on B roads. Completely different to my old 182 which had new top mounts and Bilstein B12s. My old car still had a firm ride, but it was compliant, and not knocked off line by poor road surfaces.

Boring OEM ride is what I'm aiming for so will inspect the suspension.