I put Monroe sensatracs on the rear of my 1998 S70. Seem to be a bit firmer than the OEM shocks which had 100k miles on them. Overall, very satisfied with them at a price of $90/pair--much less than Boge or Bilstein. As for the harshness, there is nothing you can do about that short of removing the anti-sway bar(if you have one) and going to a smoother(and lower speed rated tire) like Michelin X One or Yoko Avid touring. The ride significantly improved, especially over rough roads,at a slight expense in handling--more body roll.