Noise in MX5

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Coronis
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Mar 18, 2017 10:20 pm
Location: Montana

Noise in MX5

Post by Coronis »

Hi All,

First time Miata owner as of last week (new '17 MX5 soft top), and first post on this forum.

I love the car, fits my 6'1" frame well, sheer pleasure to drive, but the noise with the top up is quite exhausting, especially on older concrete highways. My impression from searching the forum on this topic is that most of the noise comes from below, not from the top, and I would like to dampen it to a tolerable level for longer trips. I'm not sure how much is the tires and how much is the car. Stock tires are Potenza S001.

Any suggestions for sound dampening? How is it done in normal sedans...under carriage/wheel wells? Under carpet? Inside the body?

Thanks for any ideas!
Brian
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Location: San Diego CA
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Re: Noise in MX5

Post by Brian »

We have not done it, but there are write-ups on Miata.net forum about adding sound proofing.

But before you do anything on that, my suggestion is drive it more. You get accustomed to the sound level pretty quick, your brain will just be far less sensitive to it in a 1000 miles and you will be too happy having a blast tossing around your new Roadster to remember to care about the noise that comes with such a light little open platform.
Brian Goodwin
Good-Win Racing
www.good-win-racing.com
BillK336
Posts: 54
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2015 1:31 am

Re: Noise in MX5

Post by BillK336 »

Have you checked tire pressures? Dealers are nortoroius for neglecting delivery prep.
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DanielS172
Posts: 58
Joined: Mon Jul 25, 2016 7:09 pm

Re: Noise in MX5

Post by DanielS172 »

I added ~15 lbs of sound deadening in my NC. I have a removable hardtop that rarely comes off, so for me it was a must. I just removed the seats, peeled back the carpet and laid it down on the floor, over the transmission tunnel, behind the plastic that covers the bulkhead, and whatever I had left over I stuck behind the door panels. It cut down on noise and heat significantly, without adding much weight.

Overall it was a fun little project me and my wife worked on, and made the car much more livable.

Cheers,

-Dan
2014 Club | OEM hardtop | GWR HH mid, FM muffler | ZetaCRD | Wilwood LBBK | Blackbird Fabworx GT3 roll bar | TRMotorsports FF10s
Coronis
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Mar 18, 2017 10:20 pm
Location: Montana

Re: Noise in MX5

Post by Coronis »

Thanks everyone,

The noise is really only unbearable on concrete surfaces, so much so that the bluetooth phone function becomes unworkable because of the competing road noise. Once I got out of the Seattle area and hit the newer asphalt surfaces it was much, much better.

Bill, I picked up the car in Seattle and drove home to MT, where I live at 5000ft, so the pressure is good. I'll bet it was lower when I started, though. :D

Dan, that's a good tip. That's really all I want to do is make it more livable.

And Brian...thanks for all you do! It's really great for a first time owner like me to find your site. 8)

-Jeff
Vivikos2
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon May 29, 2017 12:39 am

Re: Noise in MX5

Post by Vivikos2 »

You'd better to check tire pressures :wink:
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