My ride quality is getting worse all the time. I am starting to feel every bump in the road. My compression rod bushings are making noise so I suspect these need replacing. Would the bushings cause my ride to fall off or the shocks responsible? The car does not have any excessive bounce/sway indicating shocks are worn out. My car has 99,000 on it and I am not hard on the suspension. You could say I pretty much baby it...lol. My tires are Bridgestone Serenity and are not even 1/2 worn so I know this isn't the problem.

 

I forgot to add, I don't have a sport or aftermarket suspension. My sedan is stock.

 

I can tell you once I had the compression rods replaced my car was noticably tighter and going over bumps results in much more of a thud like you would expect instead of a rattle..

 

if your shocks/struts are original, you should replace them.

 

I also have some problems with ride quality. I feel every crack on the road and sometimes here a thud sound coming from the passenger side. Will ask my mechanic about the shocks maybe thats my problem. My gear box is also rattling when I hit them cracks which is annoying.

 

The OEM shocks are wear and tear items and they only have a 40K-60K shelf life. Additionally, colder weather, worn tires, and summer rated tires can be attribute to a rough ride. If you've got larger than stock rims, the ride will be diminished as well due to shorter tire sidewalls.

 

My car is stock and tires are in excellent shape.

 

As shocks wear, they loose their ability to dampen the spring movement which leads to a harsher ride. You're car has nearly 100K miles. It needs new shocks.

 

its possible that your shocks are just going out

the compression rods (if bad) make a significant difference in the handling and overall suspension feel

 

how much does it cost to replace shocks?

 

if you hear thuds, specifically in the front, then it means your suspension arm is hitting the top of your ride when you go over a bump. most likely like everyone said your shocks need replacement.

it depends on what you replace it with and what the mechanics in your area charge for labor. I'm afraid to ask, when was the last time you had an alignment?

 

I thought a failing shock absorber would contribute to a more bouncy ride and/or leaks not result in the dampeners being tighter.

 

Maybe on a car with super soft springs like a Buick, but not on a G, even one with the non-sport package. The springs are pretty stiff and when you hit a bump, that undampened recoil will across as harsh and aburpt.

 

My guess is that either your struts are about gone and you need a new set or it's you and you are more sensitive to things that were always there.

 

No its worse trust me. The compression rod bushings have been talking to me for a little while but the ride has gotten much worse. A buddy of mine yesterday even noticed it.