You too can turn down your cabin noise in your regular car and feel like you are travelling in a Rolls Royce! How? Here are a few ways to do so.
Wind noise
Wind noise is quite high at high speeds. This is due to the less aerodynamic design of a vehicle. Boxy cars, like SUVs, especially face the problem of high wind noise. Wind noise can be reduced in two ways.
Adding a sound deadening material ensures that less amount of noise filters into the cabin. There are such materials available from Dynamat that can be added to the doors, floor, roof lining and the firewall. It reduces the wind noise by a great deal. Affordable cars tend to have poor sealants on the doors that let the air come inside the cabin. One can install weather-stripping seals to the car’s door frames to ensure that minimal amount of air enters the cabin.
Road noise
Road noise can be deafening in a few cars at high speeds. Road noise is caused by either the road surface or the type of tyre. It can be dealt in three different ways. One of the easiest ways is to shift to softer compound tyres with a thicker sidewall. A set of softer compound tyres are more expensive than the regular ones and last for a lesser number of kilometres too.
Road noise can also be reduced with the installation of Dynamat products. Applying sound deadening material to the doors, firewall, bonnet’s underside, floor and roof lining reduce sounds dramatically. Dampmat is another such carpeting solution that is more affordable compared to Dynamat products.
Another way of reducing the road noise is to install rubberized underbody coating. There are many aftermarket car shops like 3M who can install good quality underbody rubber coating. It reduces road noise significantly.
Engine noise
Petrol cars are not very loud at regular operating speeds. But at higher RPMs, the engines can become quite noisy. Diesel engines make a lot of clatter. Usually, poorly maintained engines can become noisier over time. It is extremely important to ensure that the engine is in top-notch condition to ensure that it operates smoothly, without any noise. Synthetic engine oils are also known to make the engine smoother and reduce engine noise and vibration. Also, components in the transmission and parts like engine mounts become old over time and stop working properly. Get the parts checked by a mechanic who can asses the situation properly and replace the required parts.
Exhaust noise
Exhaust systems in newer cars are very quiet in compliance with emission norms. However, over time, the exhaust muffler can develop holes due to rust that may increase the exhaust sound. Also, a few enthusiasts replace exhausts with high-performance ones or free-flow systems that increases the sound significantly. It is advisable to replace such aftermarket exhausts with the stock ones for maximum quietness. If the exhaust has developed holes, one should go in for system changes to get the desired results.