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merlot	Hello All! I am new to the forum and actually joined because I have been actively looking to purchase a Prowler in the not to distant future. I have spent numerous hours on the net looking and have found a handful of cars that seem to fit perfectly. I decided to search the net for some reviews to get some opinions about the car. All of the major reviews that I read were actually not very kind to the Prowler, especially citing it as having a terrible ride quality? I went back and searched the net further to see if there were any cars in my area and the closest that I could find was 2 1/2 hours one way. Right now it is tough for me to get away so that will not work yet. While searching the net I saw this site and decided to join to get your opinions since you all have lots of hands on experience with the car. I am not interested in a garage queen, I am wanting the car to drive and enjoy so ride quality is a concern. Are any model years preferred more than others? Any input, advice, or incite that you could share would be much appreciated!
catfish	the 01s and 02s have a softer ride.you can also change to nonrunflats,but you will also lose the great handling of this car.buy one and enjoy the car for what it is. ------------------ This message has been edited by catfish on 01-25-2010 at 08:51 PM
blackcat	Jan, I beleive they upgraded/improved the suspension on the 00's as well.
ed monahan	It is not a Cadillac or a Lincoln Town Car. It is a sports car. I changed to non run flats and I think it improved the handling. Opinions will vary.
tangled up in BLUE	quote: Originally posted by blackcat: Jan, I beleive they upgraded/improved the suspension on the 00's as well. ...correct, changes were made for the 2000 model year ...they don't ride like a Caddy, they ride like a Hot Rod...but they are a load of fun and you will quickly adjust to the harsh ride
SirReal	Welcome to the POA! The reviews you read in print are never equal to the rave reviews you hear on the street. The smile on your face when you drive one out weighs any ride quality. I have a 2002 with 40,000 miles and I can tell you my face hurts more from smiling then my butt does from what the naysayers say aout the ride. Go for IT!
Hot Prowl	Like everyone said, your not buying a Cadillac, your buying a modern Hot Rod roadster. The ride (to me) is not as bad as some of the reviews make it seem. You just have to keep in mind the type of car your looking at. For 90% of the people that own these, it's a weekend have some fun and turn a lot of heads car.
idive	The ride is a little stiffer than most cars but it's well worth it and you'll get use to it in no time. The seats are comfortable enough. It's certainly not the bone jarring ride the reviews would have you think. Most of them have never driven a Prowler. Hopefully we have a member nearer to you that you can take a ride with that will chime in here. With a few minor changes here and there, most are all the same. Pick the color and/or year you prefer and go for it. If you want the history of changes per year, check out the Prowler story on the main page. http://www.prowleronline.com/story.php Welcome to the POA! Ask all the questions you want and check out the search feature in the top right corner of each page.
JeraneW	Yes the ride is firm, partly because of runflats. Drive any old hot rod and you will find the same. Most imporant here is that you will meet the "greatest" and most helpful people that you will not find anywhere else.
CJ	I don't think the ride is bad at all. The 97's and 99's are a little harder ride, but no different than driving an old hot rod. I have a 99 and two 02's. I don't notice that much difference.....and I don't care anyway!! I love my Prowlers.......there's nothing like them. The media writers don't know what they're talking about...never have!! Buy one....you won't be sorry! ------------------ CJ - The One and Only 1999 Black - PPROWLR 2002 Deep Candy Red - CJPROWLN 2002 Black California Kid Prowler - CAL KID The Prowler makes you smile. Why? Because it's focused. It has a plot, a reason for being, a passion. It evokes the hot rod. It evokes the American Dream. This car is the human psyche.
merlot	Thanks for all of the info guys! I had a feeling that the reviews might be overblown. I have a '61 vette, and a C6 vette that don't ride like a caddy either but I love driving both of them as well. The C6 rides very good but it's no mushy luxomobile. I had the intention of heading over to Baton Rouge and taking a test drive in the one that is available there. After hearing what you have to say and seeing how much enthusiasm this site generates for the Prowlers I figured they must be as cool to drive as they are to look at.
idive	I forgot to mention, too, that the surface roads, typically worse roads, are a rougher ride. Once you get up on the highway it smooths out more.
BeWare	There is a product called The Wonder Bar made by Larry Lord that I have heard will improve the ride quality. I don't have one and have no been in a Prowler with one installed. We have a 99 and I told my wife that I would install one on our car. She said the ride doesn't bother her and so there was no need. We have spent up to 13 hours in a single day in the Prowler driving from GA to Utah. We did over 5K miles in three weeks on that trip. There were only a few extremely rough roads during that trip where the stiff ride was an issue.
diamondwymond	there was a guy up here in the nw corner of mississippi (right out of memphis) tryn to sell his Mulholland, best i remember less than 15,ooo miles. Isnt ocean springs north of Jackson?
bjprowler	For years, we've heard it said that the later models have a softer ride.....Other than the front shocks on some (my '99 has Koni's) what exactly changed?... BTW....I think most Prowler owners would agree that the ride and feel of the car is part of the excitement of driving it....Personally, I wouldn't change a thing
idive	They changed the Koni shocks to the Dynamic shocks for a softer ride, but the Dynamics leaked so they went back to Konis. I recall the rear sat a little higher or lower (can't remember which) in the later years. I don't know if that was a shock change too or not.
condor	The wonder-bar softens the front a bit. I had on my silver a set of aldan eagle front shock installed for a wile. This coil overs where easy to adjust,even the spring (rate) was easy to change. On my burned orange, the next step in front-suspention will be a air ride system. ..
PURRFECT	Welcome, Merlot to the POA. Your topic is identical to my situation last year. I was doing same "looking around at Prowlers to buy last Summer, when I found this AWESOME POA group of fantastic people giving sound advice. Well guess what: The POA helped me make my dream become reality: I bought an 01 Mullholland in August. The bottom line is now the same advice I saw to someone else last year "Go for it" You only live once! If you want excitement in your life, and with great people who live for the moment and enjoy life to the Max, then stop thinking and just go for it! Its lots of fun to drive, and also to attend local car-shows. The ride was "stiff" but I soon got used to it. The ride is just as the POA say: A Sports car, that makes noise (love that Exhaust) and is a car you must avoid speed-bumps and pot-holes. Mine originally had a vibration problem that was corrected after replacing suspension bushings and re-balancing of the wheels. Make sure the one you buy has done this under warranty, or the seller is willing to do so. Don't get hung up on the problems the car has, because all cars and makes have problems sooner or later, and I am continually impressed by the professional advice (with solutions) the POA provides us before we experience them, and to be sure: The FUN of driving the POA too. The POA is awesome! The Prowler is awesome! So Go for it ... (unless you don't like to Smile when you drive). ------------------
BeWare	quote: Originally posted by idive: I recall the rear sat a little higher or lower (can't remember which) in the later years. I don't know if that was a shock change too or not. The rear of 97 and 99's rides slightly lower. I am also not sure if that is do to the shocks or not.
Hairarchitect	once you own your Prowler ... you may want to sell the Vette...lol This is the most spectacular unusual car you will ever own . The Ride!!.... You mean The Smile rather Good luck on your search and choose your color well as we all know that Yellow is not slow
Gary Donovan	[QUOTE]Originally posted by ed monahan: [B]It is not a Cadillac or a Lincoln Town Car. It is a sports car. I changed to non run flats and I think it improved the handling. Opinions will vary. Ed, Which tires did you go with? Gary
ed monahan	The front on the newer ones are about 1/2 inch or so higher than the 97 and 99s.
SHOW CAR	quote: Originally posted by merlot: I am not interested in a garage queen, I am wanting the car to drive and enjoy so ride quality is a concern. Are any model years preferred more than others?[/B] Yes, as some others have mentioned in regard to ride quality, I suggest focusing on model years 2000 and newer. Production changes related to improved ride quality were one of the things that persuaded me to purchase a new 2000 Prowler ten years ago, rather than a 1999. When you first log onto this site, you'll see at the left of your screen several links. In the fifth link down, a link titled "Prowler Story," one of the commentaries that may be of particular interest to you states: "There are a few key [2000] model year changes to the Prowler. The suspension shocks & springs are changed to a new design for smoother ride. Low friction ball joints were added to the upper lateral links on the rear suspension. The run flat tires (20" rear and 17" front) are redesigned with a softer side wall for smoother ride...." Separately, when you later have the opportunity to take one, a test drive likely will be far less biased than any comments here, on Prowler On-Line, presuming how "you'll get used to the ride." More specifically, despite your ownership of a C6 Corvette, I think it's possible you won't get used to the Prowler's ride (which I still find more stiff and more rattly than with the Covettes I've owned). However, you may well find something else about the Prowler which overwhelms its negative qualities, just as I did --- the rolling-on-the-floor, sheer silliness and FUN of it!
condor	Hey, its not the low ride comfort of the Prowler ! Its that our streets that get worser every year !!!!! ..