road noise
05-09-2018, 06:17 PM
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road noise
I just got back from a 1600 mile round trip from Florida to Virginia in my 2018 Targa 4S MT. The car drove great, was VERY comfortable (18 way seats), and got a little over 30mpg. The one "issue" but not totally surprising was the ROAD NOISE. I had the car in "normal" mode but the noise level was deafening.... it seemed to be a combination of tire/road noise and exhaust/engine noise. I was running 75 mph (2100 RPM) in 7th gear. I LOVE this car...95% of my driving is "in town" so discovering that this really isn't an ideal "road car" is no big deal. In the future I will take our BMW 650i on road trips and leave the Targa for "cruising".
05-09-2018, 06:50 PM
#2
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You left out the most important part. What tires do you have and how many miles on them. If Pirellis, that explains it.
Last edited by shammerman; 05-09-2018 at 06:51 PM. Reason: Typo
05-09-2018, 06:55 PM
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Originally Posted by shammerman
If Pirellis, that explains it.
05-09-2018, 07:16 PM
#4
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I just got back from a 1600 mile round trip from Florida to Virginia in my 2018 Targa 4S MT. The car drove great, was VERY comfortable (18 way seats), and got a little over 30mpg. The one "issue" but not totally surprising was the ROAD NOISE. I had the car in "normal" mode but the noise level was deafening.... it seemed to be a combination of tire/road noise and exhaust/engine noise. I was running 75 mph (2100 RPM) in 7th gear. I LOVE this car...95% of my driving is "in town" so discovering that this really isn't an ideal "road car" is no big deal. In the future I will take our BMW 650i on road trips and leave the Targa for "cruising".
I used 19 inch Porsche wheels and winter tires this past winter and the noise level was reduced significantly and the ride quality was better. So switching to 19 inch wheels and 295 section tires in the rear ( as long as you don’t have RAS or PCCBs) will help with road noise. Will cost about 5.5k though if you go with Porsche wheels.
The 911 is a strange beast. It is not quite comfortable enough (noise wise) to be a GT car and not nimble enough to be a pure sports car like the Boxster or Cayman.
Last edited by AnandN; 05-09-2018 at 08:16 PM.
05-09-2018, 07:49 PM
#5
05-09-2018, 08:27 PM
#6
Burning Brakes
This surprises me. One of the first observations myself and my buddy had when going on a very long test drive was how quiet the .2 tire noise was. I actually commented that maybe they had added insulation to appeal to a wider buyer base. Of course the sounds of stones hitting the exhaust is gone but out on the highway that didn't come into play.
I wonder if FL roads are different than where I live. How many miles are on the tires. Maybe mine will get louder in 10k miles or so.
I wonder if FL roads are different than where I live. How many miles are on the tires. Maybe mine will get louder in 10k miles or so.
05-09-2018, 08:41 PM
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I only had 2200 miles on the P's when I left...... now have 4000. I found the road noise (which I feel is a COMBINATION of tire, road, & engine noise) to be substantial ...... I will not take this car on a "road trip" again. BTW I drove up I-75 & I-95 in Florida and then I-95 thru GA, SC, NC & VA. I will switch to Michelins at some point but I fear that they will only make a slight difference.
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05-09-2018, 09:13 PM
#8
I have a 2017 C2S and I find the noise level to be less than my 2015 z51 c7. Very acceptable to me since it’s easier to carry on a conversation and listen to the radio. Even with the sound deadening materials I added to the Corvette the Porsche is quieter. Happy camper here!
05-09-2018, 09:20 PM
#9
Burning Brakes
I have a 2017 C2S and I find the noise level to be less than my 2015 z51 c7. Very acceptable to me since it’s easier to carry on a conversation and listen to the radio. Even with the sound deadening materials I added to the Corvette the Porsche is quieter. Happy camper here!
My solution is Bose noise reduction headphones, at least for the worst roads. And you can still hear emergency vehicles or other non-regular sounds.
05-09-2018, 09:39 PM
#10
I agree. Noise level is a relative topic as is level of expectation. I bought the Porsche knowing it would have more road noise than my Yukon Denali and hoping it would be even better insulated than my C7. Since my expectation was met on both levels I am quite happy. I believe many people buy both Corvettes and 911’s to only complain about the road noise since they have never had a capable sports car before, and their comparison is to a 4 door sedan or SUV. I don’t know of many high performance sports cars that are constructed with abundant levels of noise insulation. If performance, road isolation and comfort are important BMW builds some nice M cars as Mercedes has AMG. You only have to read and take a test drive to know what to reasonably expect in the car you may have your eye on. It’s really not rocket science. Granted types of road surface is a major factor in any car when it comes to road noise. I have seen a thousand of these same debates on the C7 forum and appears to be no different here. But aren’t we all fortunate!
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05-09-2018, 10:34 PM
#13
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Just like we have a button for PSE to turn on exhaust noise on or off, wouldn't it be nice to have an ambient noise button, where the audio system could counteract the road noise, just like noise cancelling headphones do? That should be a very simple implementation since the car already has microphones (2) and plenty of speakers.
In any case, the T is supposed to be even noisier, but I found that going 75 MPH on a decent road, and on 7th gear with PSE off was quiet enough to have a civilized phone conversation without annoying the caller.
Now, if you are driving on rough patches of concrete.... OMG, better call later!
In any case, the T is supposed to be even noisier, but I found that going 75 MPH on a decent road, and on 7th gear with PSE off was quiet enough to have a civilized phone conversation without annoying the caller.
Now, if you are driving on rough patches of concrete.... OMG, better call later!
05-09-2018, 10:55 PM
#14
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I don’t appreciate your comment and referring to me as a parrot. I have been a Porsche owner since 1999 and have had three Porsches over the years. I recently changed my P Zeros to Michelin PS4’s and the difference in road noise is significant. So dear Archimedes, please do not talk down and call names to your fellow board members, let’s keep the conversation and share of opinions respectful.
Last edited by shammerman; 05-09-2018 at 10:56 PM. Reason: Typo
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05-09-2018, 10:57 PM
#15
Pzeros are no noisier than the Michelin’s. It’s just something that gets repeated over and over like it’s gospel. Gets old, particularly when it’s not true.