Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » Learn me - quiet cars 1 2

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 11:47 a.m. BoxheadTim SuperDork

  This might be an odd one, but bear with me.

  Whenever I'm more than a tad stressed I tend to be sensitive to noise, and noise can trigger a migraine. Which is exactly what happened after I drove the wife's Cherokee to the Bay Area on Friday.

  So given that it looks like the Talon is sold, I might have to buy something a little more quiet than I'd really want to and might have to ignore the sportiness factor.

  So far the list looks something like this:

  • Mercedes W126/W140 S-Class (ie, 80s or 90s)
  • Mercedes W124
  • BMW 5-series (probably E34 or maybe E39)
  • BMW 3-series if it doesn't have a fart can exhaust, which might be a problem...
  • Lexii are most likely out as Ann doesn't like them. Otherwise I'd probably be looking at an LS400

  Anything I'm overlooking? I guess I'd have to look at mid-sized sedans or station wagons up. Oh, and something less boring than a beige Camry would be good, too.

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 12:40 p.m. Derick Freese Dork

  Anything at all with sound deadener applied to the floor pan and doors?

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 12:55 p.m. 93gsxturbo HalfDork

  Crown Vic? Caprice?

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 1:01 p.m. plance1 Dork

  Most cars are ridiculously loud, not way cool bad ass exhaust note loud, just engine rumbling and a ticking like its a tractor loud, the chryslers are the worst, 300's, chargers, just terrible and the road noise is terrible too. Stand in front of any jeep and it sounds like its powered by a briggs and stratton engine.

  You're overlooking the Buick SUV, whatever its called, its built on the same platform as the Chevy Traverse. The thing is supposed to be very quiet. I've been in a few down at the rental place where I work and they seem nice.

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 1:02 p.m. integraguy SuperDork

  I know you said Lexus is NOT being considered, and I hesitate to EVER recommend that purveyor of appliances...Toyota, but supposedly the ES300, 330, 350(?) and it's Camry "sibling" are very quiet. In fact, that seems to be their biggest selling point, as it sure ain't the sporty handling.

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 1:13 p.m. 02Pilot Reader

  Speaking from personal experience, with the right tires an E39 can be pretty quiet. Not Buick or Lexus quiet, but quiet nonetheless. There's a fair bit of sound deadening in there, and the stock exhausts are quite subdued.

  It probably goes without saying, but tires make a big difference in ambient sound levels in almost anything.

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 1:17 p.m. HiTempguy Dork

  That is one of the key issues. TIRE NOISE.

  Buy the highest quality, most expensive tires evar. Road noise will go waaaaaaaay down. For summer driving, this would probably be the Hankook Evo 12 or whatever (supposed to be one of the quietest tires around).

  Rallying; It's like skydiving, except you have to dodge trees on your way down!

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 1:27 p.m. Travis_K SuperDork

  Probably not at all what you are looking for, but my friends wife has a TDI new beetle, and at freeway speeds its actually very quiet inside compared to a lot of cars (no louder than my w126). The quietest car i have ridden in that i can think of was new newer beige buick thing, but I would way rather have a mercedes. lol

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 1:40 p.m. 92CelicaHalfTrac SuperDork

  I think my Cherokee is actually the quietest car inside that i own... so i can't help you much.

  But really... talk her into a lexus. Bank Vault.

  SCAVENGE THE SEA FLOOR FOR NUTRIENTS

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 1:50 p.m. M2Pilot Reader

  New Range Rover

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 6:20 p.m. pigeon Dork

  This is for your health - I'd tell the missus that her preference isn't important as your medical needs, and go buy an LS400.

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 6:24 p.m. TRoglodyte HalfDork

  pigeon wrote: This is for your health - I'd tell the missus that her preference isn't important as your medical needs, and go buy an LS400.

  Nice angle to the argument counselor
• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 6:30 p.m. Gearheadotaku Dork

  this

  HiTempguy wrote: That is one of the key issues. TIRE NOISE. Buy the highest quality, most expensive tires evar. Road noise will go waaaaaaaay down. For summer driving, this would probably be the Hankook Evo 12 or whatever (supposed to be one of the quietest tires around).

  don't know what the quietest tire out there is, but it's gonna be a big factor. Buick Lesabre gets a vote for quiet. 30 mpg on the freeway to boot. Yes, it's beige, grandma beige at that. If this is solely a long trip car, not a "fun" car, maybe it could be livable.

  Old enough to know better, too young too care!

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 6:46 p.m. corytate HalfDork

  michelins are very quiet tires as well.
  the buick rainier is pretty damn quiet as said before.
  avalon
  prius (lol)
  my forte was TOO quiet before i got an exhaust. the 2.0 not the 2.4. you can probably get a 2010 for less than 12k now

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 7:34 p.m. Datsun1500 SuperDork

  My Audi is very quiet, even more quiet than the wife's Lexus. Strangely one of the most quiet cars I have ever driven is a Taurus wagon. The Taurus sedan is OK but the wagon was silent.

  I just noticed I was a Super Dork. What do I win?

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 7:43 p.m. 1988RedT2 Dork

  My wife's A6 was a very quiet car.

  I hear that the Prius is so quiet that blind people can't hear them coming down the street. Try a Prius?

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 7:51 p.m. Teggsan New Reader

  Any car you want + ear plugs.

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 7:53 p.m. Teggsan New Reader

  Prius has tons of road noise at highway speeds as it's comparatively light and has really hard / low rolling resistance tires (stock, anyway).

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 7:53 p.m. Teggsan New Reader

  Wonder if the 50th post makes me something other than a "New Reader."

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 7:53 p.m. Teggsan New Reader

  51st?

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 7:54 p.m. Teggsan New Reader

  Nope.

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 8:42 p.m. amg_rx7 HalfDork

  I have the same problem. My Mini S is pretty quiet. The BMW can sometimes get annoying as the engine is a little boomy/base-ey Mazda 3 was also nice and quiet. The Benzes are definitely nice and quiet and easy to drive comfortably.

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 8:57 p.m. corytate HalfDork

  jag 3.0 awd? havent ever driven one for any appreciable distance, just out of the bay and into the parkng lot.

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 10:46 p.m. Keith SuperDork

  Peltor helicopter headsets and an intercom. During transits on the rally, we could talk quietly like we were sitting in the living room. And that's in a car with no sound deadening and a big noisy V8 and a skid plate bashed up against the exhaust.

  Our E39 is nice and quiet on the highway. Michelin all-seasons of some sort. Expensive ones, I think about that every time I disable the traction control for hoonage purposes.

  Square left in 50 caution ocean!

• 

  Oct. 9, 2011 11:03 p.m. sanman Reader

  Well, if you want calm and quiet, good tires and long wheel base tend to be better. Lincoln Town Car/ Mark VIII? There is a reason that these are used to cart around those in need of some luxury and it is not the gadgets.

  Also, Buick Roadmaster with an LT1. Go with the wood paneled wagon for retro cool.

1 2  

You'll need to log in to post.