Keep it or get something else? Noisy commuter car

Keep it or get something else? Noisy commuter car

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Discussion

Ghost91

Original Poster:

2,964 posts

109 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
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Due to a recent shift in priorities and an up coming house purchase, I've got rid of two cars in the interest of being sensible for a bit.. Until I have more parking anyway!

I've still got my Swift Sport, I kept it with the intention of my mrs using it and me getting something else but that's a no go for various reasons now. It's a 57 plate so the one with the 5 speed box and screaming engine at motorway speed. It's also very noisy in the cabin. I love the car though, it's excellent fun to chuck around. The thing is though after a 10 hour night shift its not exactly relaxing on the way home.

Is there any point in me trying to sound proof it a bit in any way that I can? It strikes me as a bit of a ball-ache and probably won't be much improvement but I could be wrong?

Or I could try and get something else instead. I don't want to lose the hooligan fun that it has too much but perhaps something a bit more civilised for commuting would be good. Any suggestions here? Don't want to spend too much more than the swift cost me, I'd say 3k would be ideal.

How would the Mini Cooper S suit? I'm thinking with a supercharger/turbo it might be a bit less high revving...


TwistingMyMelon

6,385 posts

204 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
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Hmmm with a copper you'd swap the noise for a jarring ride!

Buy some ear plugs and fit sound proofing under bonnet!

Or buy a Citroen!


luckystrike

536 posts

180 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
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I'm finding my EP3 Civic Type R pretty good on the fun/commutability scale - it's been on some 4+ hour trips and it's not particularly jarring or tiring given what it is. It revs fairly high on the motorway but it's not a particularly intrusive noise and the radio is capable of hiding wind/road noise.

Annoyingly I'm in a similar position as you regards house purchase and sharing cars with the OH so it's likely to be going soon, meaning I'll be commuting in the MX5 which is significantly more tiring.

Hudson

1,857 posts

186 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
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Is your commute actually decent? Just thinking if it's 6 miles of motorway traffic jams like mine then surely some auto-barge would suit.

Maybe invest in some dynamat sound proofing before shopping around if you really like the Swift.

Ghost91

Original Poster:

2,964 posts

109 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
quotequote all
TwistingMyMelon said:
Hmmm with a copper you'd swap the noise for a jarring ride!

Buy some ear plugs and fit sound proofing under bonnet!

Or buy a Citroen!
Hmm I can't imagine a jarring ride would make it more bearable then...

If I can't find a suitable alternative I might just do that, headphones in probably as the stereo can hardly be heard on the motorway unless up very high!

Steve_F

860 posts

193 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
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After a 10 hour night shift is a noisy car not a great feature? A silent barge with a comfy ride could see you having a kip before you get home!

Ghost91

Original Poster:

2,964 posts

109 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
quotequote all
luckystrike said:
I'm finding my EP3 Civic Type R pretty good on the fun/commutability scale - it's been on some 4+ hour trips and it's not particularly jarring or tiring given what it is. It revs fairly high on the motorway but it's not a particularly intrusive noise and the radio is capable of hiding wind/road noise.

Annoyingly I'm in a similar position as you regards house purchase and sharing cars with the OH so it's likely to be going soon, meaning I'll be commuting in the MX5 which is significantly more tiring.
Thanks for the suggestion, I do like these but having been in my mates one from northants down to Devon last year I don't think it's much of an improvement on the noise front. I know that's not the point of these cars, but still...


0llie

3,006 posts

195 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
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My R53 turns 4k rpm at about 100mph. It's louder than standard with the Milltek exhaust, but it's not intolerable.

Ghost91

Original Poster:

2,964 posts

109 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
quotequote all
Hudson said:
Is your commute actually decent? Just thinking if it's 6 miles of motorway traffic jams like mine then surely some auto-barge would suit.

Maybe invest in some dynamat sound proofing before shopping around if you really like the Swift.
It's 30 miles, some A road, some DC, or if I go another way, all m1 with a few twisties.

I know what you mean, an auto barge would probably be the best bet for the commute but I've enjoyed having something to blast around a bit when the mood takes, that's all.

I might have to concede that Ill have to give that up until I get more driveway space.

I'll have a look at the sound proofing as a strong option because changing cars is a hassle and as I say the swift is brilliant, but not all of the time.

Ghost91

Original Poster:

2,964 posts

109 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
quotequote all
Steve_F said:
After a 10 hour night shift is a noisy car not a great feature? A silent barge with a comfy ride could see you having a kip before you get home!
It would of been useful when I first started nights, I really struggled on the drive home. It's fine now though, been doing it a while and I struggle sleeping in the morning if anything

Ghost91

Original Poster:

2,964 posts

109 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
quotequote all
0llie said:
My R53 turns 4k rpm at about 100mph. It's louder than standard with the Milltek exhaust, but it's not intolerable.
That's encouraging, I don't tend to go that fast, but the swift is at 3800 at 70 (IIRC) so that's a vast improvement.

Is the ride quality as bad as they say? I'm guessing the run flats affect this?

luckystrike

536 posts

180 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
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Ghost91 said:
Thanks for the suggestion, I do like these but having been in my mates one from northants down to Devon last year I don't think it's much of an improvement on the noise front. I know that's not the point of these cars, but still...
No problem - having never been in a swift sport I wasn't really sure what to reference, sorry.

Would something like an octavia VRS or Lean Cupra R be a bit better? Not necessarily the last word dynamically but quick enough and a fair bit more refined.

vtecyo

2,122 posts

128 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
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Just get a GS300 and keep your sanity, and 2k in the bank. In Sport spec they're just about fun enough, and still very very comfortable.

lostkiwi

4,584 posts

123 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
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Man up! My daily 40 mile each way daily commute is in a Smart Roadster and has been for three years. Your Suzuki will be positively barge like in comparison!

Ghost91

Original Poster:

2,964 posts

109 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
quotequote all
I'm not ruling out the auto wafter option, I just thought I'd see if there were any decent alternatives I hadn't thought of. I'm certainly not against getting something cheaper and older either. The octavias are okay, It does seem hard to find them in decent condition though.

My other half can't drive other cars on her insurance and it's too much to put her on the Swift as a named driver, a disgusting amount actually! Otherwise I could put up with the swift a couple of days a week and take the comfy Swedish estate the other half of the time to make it more bearable.

Other thoughts have Included a Megane but they're ugly as sin, maybe an ST170. I'd like to keep some sense of fun if I can but if not I'll stay put with the swift (to the detriment of my bleeding ears) or go for something barge like.

Edited by Ghost91 on Wednesday 25th November 15:24

Ghost91

Original Poster:

2,964 posts

109 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
quotequote all
lostkiwi said:
Man up! My daily 40 mile each way daily commute is in a Smart Roadster and has been for three years. Your Suzuki will be positively barge like in comparison!
laugh cracking little cars! Maybe I am a bit of a wuss on this one but the noise on longer journeys really does bother me. It's been okay until now as the swift was just a run about but now it's in daily duty it's getting right on my nerves and everything I love about it on a B road blast is making me dislike owning it altogether!

Kleinfeld

45 posts

100 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
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Earplugs!

You can still hear everything, just much more pleasant. I sometimes use them for noisy stretches of the motorway as my tyres are making an awful racket sometimes.

Crusoe

4,068 posts

230 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
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or just go a bit slower on the noisier sections, save some fuel, drop the road and engine noise and probably only add a minute or two to your journey.

Bradley1500

766 posts

145 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
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I wouldn’t recommend a Mini Cooper S if you find the Swift too tiring, the Mini won’t be much different.

Over the past few months I’ve used a variety of cars for daily duties including my Civic Type R, Golf VR6 and a Mini Cooper S. I’ve recently bought a BMW 328i E36 – it is leagues ahead of the other cars in terms of refinement and comfort. But it is still fun when you fancy a drive, especially coming off damp roundabouts at the moment.

Might be worth a look – only problem will be finding a decent one.

The101

369 posts

104 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
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3 series is quite a good idea. It's a good all rounder, without being boring like other all rounders (golf GTI)

I would buy one and stick some winter tyres on it, let's face it they're crap in bad weather but as long as you don't drive like a complete mong you'll be fine.

Hard to find in good condition, I saw a nice 323ci posted on one of the threads in here a week or so ago.

I know this is the default pistonheads response at the moment, but you say you have a Swedish estate anyway. What about a Saab 9-3? Both the older generation and the newer generation drive quite nicely but you could get one cheap and chuck on some decent shocks and springs (transforms handling). The power makes them fun and they do handle o.k. Even without messing with the suspension. Just a thought.