Comfort and Quiet My Ride
October 18, 2015 1:10 PM Subscribe
Fancy cars are quiet inside, and comfortable. My 2006 Civic is neither. Help me improve it. Insulate it from road noise, better (higher?) seats... all ideas welcome. Pricing and tutorial links appreciated.
Best answer: Sound Deadener Showdown has guides for installing sound dampening materials in various areas of the car. Their 2006 Civic package costs about $640.
posted by bradf at 2:19 PM on October 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by bradf at 2:19 PM on October 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
Tires are noise-rated. The first time I got new tires for my used 2000 Accord it got way quieter. Coughs be a good starting point especially if you're close to new-tire time.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 2:43 PM on October 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 2:43 PM on October 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
Best answer: This is a terrible idea. A 2006 Civic is a very cheaply made car and engineered to be light and tinny, essentially. It will far outweigh any value in the car to modify it to even make a token difference. This is a total waste of time and money. Quantify the money you intended to spend on this. Spend it on a more luxurious car. You will never, ever get a Civic to ride as nicely as a (for example) 2008 Lexus. Or 2006 Crown Victoria (you said ride, not handle, right?).
However, another component of your ride is the weight of the car, which is hard to change and will affect your gas mileage besides.
This is nonsensical. The weight of the car is only relevant when considered relative to the springs and damping (shocks) in the car. You can revalve/replace shocks and change springs to replicate the basic elements of ride of a much heavier car without too much difficulty. A lot of money, but not much difficulty - maybe $600-1000 at least for a 2006 Civic. However suspension design itself (and bushing material and longitudinal compliance) is a massive factor in ride quality that would need serious levels of re-engineering to make any difference at all in a Civic. It's an utter waste of time.
Save your money. Road test other cars and just buy one that rides like what you want. Because no way no how are you making a Civic ride like even a semi-luxury car.
posted by Brockles at 7:35 PM on October 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
However, another component of your ride is the weight of the car, which is hard to change and will affect your gas mileage besides.
This is nonsensical. The weight of the car is only relevant when considered relative to the springs and damping (shocks) in the car. You can revalve/replace shocks and change springs to replicate the basic elements of ride of a much heavier car without too much difficulty. A lot of money, but not much difficulty - maybe $600-1000 at least for a 2006 Civic. However suspension design itself (and bushing material and longitudinal compliance) is a massive factor in ride quality that would need serious levels of re-engineering to make any difference at all in a Civic. It's an utter waste of time.
Save your money. Road test other cars and just buy one that rides like what you want. Because no way no how are you making a Civic ride like even a semi-luxury car.
posted by Brockles at 7:35 PM on October 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
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posted by rhizome at 2:05 PM on October 18, 2015 [1 favorite]