I inherited a 2004 G35 Coupe with sport suspension 110,000 miles. Getting a lot of clunks going over small bumps, and feels a bit jumpy. Prior owner put on Barrum tires, which are a second line of Continental 18 inch wheels. Tires have maybe 2000 miles on them.
To me it feels a bit harsh, could be the tires? Anyway I am considering new struts and shocks and find the OEM struts are discontinued. I have used KYB's before and found those to be firmer than stock and not as compliant.

Any ideas on how to smooth out the ride?
Thanks

 

"Jumpy" as in "pogo-ing" would be the shocks/struts. Clunking is most likely worn out bushings and/or ball joints. If none of that has been replaced before or replaced with cheap components, you should look into refreshing everything. I just put the KYB Excel-G's on my coupe this summer and I don't think they ride that different from the stock shocks/struts. If I had to do it again though I would have went with the Tein EnduraPro's, though I would assume those would be even stiffer. There are definitely better shocks/struts out there (Koni, Bilstein) but they cost even more and probably won't give you what you're looking for.

 

KYB excel G is a great substitute. Great shocks.

 

Yeah those KYB are great for a basic replacement shock/strut. If you want an upgrade but don't want the hassle of going with coilovers and finding the right spring rates then the Bilstein B8 are your best bet.

Firstly though you might call around to a local reputable alignment shop (i.e. not Firestone, not the dealership, find someone who specializes in alignment for sports cars) and pay them for a diagnostic to make sure everything on your suspension is actually in good condition. There's a LOT of moving parts on these particular multi-link suspensions, these are NOT a basic Macpherson strut-style suspension like you would find on a disposable commuter car. I wouldn't be surprised if you have a bunch of worn out bushings that are actually causing the poor ride quality.