Judson
Veteran Member
Folks -
I'm paying a local shop (Stitch Headz here in Cheyenne) to install the soundproofing materials I bought from sounddeaningshowdown.com about two years ago.
Since there's been a lot of talk back and forth in various threads about this, and interest from other members in going down this path, I figured a new thread would be appropriate.
To my knowledge, no one around here has measured decibels before and after. Oddly, general google searches on the 'net has come up with little hard information about just how much soundproofing can help.
Right now at 80 mph on I-25 going south from Cheyenne on somewhat quiet pavement in my MKIV Jetta, decibels are at 80. With the radio on loud enough to hear it, decibels are 83. (It is impossible at this level to use a hands-free phone setup. It is way way too loud.)
A modern Toyota Corolla is a 72 decibels. This is using the very unscientific measure of a decibel meter on my iphone.
So, the question is, why am I going down this road? After all, it's a diesel, not a Lexus hybrid, right?
Well, it's this or sell my car down the road and buy something quieter. And quiet costs money, especially if I want a diesel. Take a used A3 diesel if one can find one, or a Mercedes, or a Touareg, or a newer A6 diesel, and etc. A 2013 diesel of one of these is going to start in the mid $30ks. Mid 40s is more like it. I'm not really interested in spending this kind of money.
So, I'm spending about $2.5k on doing the soundproofing (and having a stereo upgrade while I'm at it). If I can get the decibels down to something reasonable - say 72 - then I'll keep my MKIV long term, which will save me a nice chunk of cash, and make driving my car much more pleasurable as well. If not, then in a couple of years I'm looking at selling her and getting something quieter.
Savannah should be out of the shop by the end of the week.
Jud.
PS I'll list the specs of the stereo install at the end of the week as well.
PPS Some caveats: yes I know there are other things I can do to quiet the car - lower gearing, hood liner, different wheels and tires, etc. If I can get the decibels down now, then all of these things will be done over time to further quiet down the car.
I'm paying a local shop (Stitch Headz here in Cheyenne) to install the soundproofing materials I bought from sounddeaningshowdown.com about two years ago.
Since there's been a lot of talk back and forth in various threads about this, and interest from other members in going down this path, I figured a new thread would be appropriate.
To my knowledge, no one around here has measured decibels before and after. Oddly, general google searches on the 'net has come up with little hard information about just how much soundproofing can help.
Right now at 80 mph on I-25 going south from Cheyenne on somewhat quiet pavement in my MKIV Jetta, decibels are at 80. With the radio on loud enough to hear it, decibels are 83. (It is impossible at this level to use a hands-free phone setup. It is way way too loud.)
A modern Toyota Corolla is a 72 decibels. This is using the very unscientific measure of a decibel meter on my iphone.
So, the question is, why am I going down this road? After all, it's a diesel, not a Lexus hybrid, right?
Well, it's this or sell my car down the road and buy something quieter. And quiet costs money, especially if I want a diesel. Take a used A3 diesel if one can find one, or a Mercedes, or a Touareg, or a newer A6 diesel, and etc. A 2013 diesel of one of these is going to start in the mid $30ks. Mid 40s is more like it. I'm not really interested in spending this kind of money.
So, I'm spending about $2.5k on doing the soundproofing (and having a stereo upgrade while I'm at it). If I can get the decibels down to something reasonable - say 72 - then I'll keep my MKIV long term, which will save me a nice chunk of cash, and make driving my car much more pleasurable as well. If not, then in a couple of years I'm looking at selling her and getting something quieter.
Savannah should be out of the shop by the end of the week.
Jud.
PS I'll list the specs of the stereo install at the end of the week as well.
PPS Some caveats: yes I know there are other things I can do to quiet the car - lower gearing, hood liner, different wheels and tires, etc. If I can get the decibels down now, then all of these things will be done over time to further quiet down the car.
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