steering firmness in C4's

[Bigdreams65]

I'm looking at buying a C4 and have been driving several from a dealer her in PA. I have noticed that everyone sears different. The one I really like is soft and my second Choice (an older one) is real tight. Can anyone tell me what they shoudl feel like? I don't want to get something that will need major work in the suspension if I can avoid it.

Thanks

 

[c4cruiser]

What years are you looking at?? Earlier C4's with the Z51 performance suspension had steering racks with a quicker ratio and that makes the steering seem faster (and therefore a bit harder to turn) than cars with the base suspension. Later C4's with the Z07 suspension will be the same way.

Cars with the performance suspension (and the resulting quicker steering) will take fewer turns of the steering wheel from lock to lock than base suspension cars.
The rack and pinion system will wear after some years of use and feel much softer, but it is usually accomanied by noises and a sort of initial difficulty in turning. We call it "morning sickness"

 

[Bigdreams65]

Thanks... Specifically I am looking at later C4's 94-96. The one I looked at had the base suspension at it just seamed loose... I drove a 93 with the sport suspension and even on the tour setting it was much tighter... Thanks for the reply and hopefully I can drive a few more base suspension c$'s and get it strighted out...

One more note... none of the cars I drove had any noises I could here... It may just me an alignment thing...

 

[rwd]

AFAIK, the steering is unchanged on the models you're considering and have driven. They're all 16 to 1. Assuming the alignment's ok, tires and tire pressures can make a major difference in the way the car responds and feels. That's the most likely culprit.

No quick steers in the '90's, iirc, and the lock to lock turn difference was minimal- maybe 1/4-3/8 turn or so.