On Sun, 30 May 2004, Andrew Grebneff wrote:

> Unfortunately US-market cars have soft suspensions, which reduces
> primary safety considerably, even to the extent of making cars
> downright dangerous

There are reasons for that, though.  In the U.S. we have a phenomenon
called "frost heave" that probably isn't common in Australia. ;)
Basically, on many of our freeways every expansion joint is like a little
speed bump.  If you plan to drive one of these roads at 70 mph, you either
buy a car with a soft suspension, or your kidneys turn into jelly.  Cars
with tight sports-car suspensions are extremely tiring to drive on rough
roads, and their low-profile tires do nothing to protect their soft alloy
wheels from big potholes.

David Brodbeck, N8SRE
'86 Volvo 240DL wagon
'82 VW Vanagon Westfalia Diesel