Are noisy ICE cars becoming embarrassing?

Are noisy ICE cars becoming embarrassing?

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Discussion

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

255 months

Tuesday 16th April 2019
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seniorwibble said:
I think most on here would agree that the looming retirement of the ICE from mainstream private transport will be a moment of great sadness for those who have enjoyed cars and driving for many years. However all is not lost. The enthusiasts will maintain and keep their pride and joys running and sounding as they should, perhaps there will even be upsides to the inevitable minority status fossil fuel burning vehicles are destined for.
I'm looking forward to mass transport being clean and quiet. Fed up of breathing diesel fumes thanks.

With the majority of cars EV then your weekend fun car wont be a problem and you can drive that old ICE classic..

CDP

7,465 posts

255 months

Tuesday 16th April 2019
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otolith said:
Should it also be an offence to drive a high end luxury car with superb sound insulation, double glazed windows, etc, and a great sound system?

I sometimes drive my Elise with earbuds in. I can still hear more exterior noise than I can in my Merc, and that’s only an old E-class.
I think it depends on the design of the ear buds or headphones as well as the user.

Personally I didn't like it for music but had no issues an intercom in my crash helmet.

SOL111

627 posts

133 months

Tuesday 16th April 2019
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seniorwibble said:
With regard to noise, as already said the manufacturers of EVs may well be missing a trick.

I wonder how long it is before either downloadable sound content for your cars propulsion becomes a thing!
Why would anyone want to ruin the serenity of an EV with fake noise that bears no relation to the drivetrain of the car?

Part of the joy of an EV is precisely that it's silent and makes driving more relaxing.

What next, a fake gear lever and clutch pedal so that I can pretend to drive laugh

AC43

11,502 posts

209 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
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Hairymonster said:
A couple of motorcycle-related noises - both from triples.

When in my teens, a nearby pub was visited most nights by a gentleman by the name of 'Big Sim' who rode a Kawasaki KH500 with expansion pipes on it. That two-stroke triple popped and farted on tickover when he started it, then we'd all listen out for the exit. Out of the carpark, up the road, get to the tee junction, cross when safe, then open her up. By Christ that thing sounded like the world was ending. I loved it and would hang out of the bedroom window listening to the bike making its way home. That thing hitting the powerband with the expansion pipes was just amazing.

Some decades later, I had a Triumph 900 Trophy - see pic. Even on the standard pipes, this four-stroke triple sounded incredible when accelerating through the revs. Above about 6000 rpm up to the red line, there's something intoxicating about a triple cylinder engine revving it's heart out. Always my favourite engine on a bike.

Two of the best sounding engines ever.

kathk

21 posts

63 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
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Nothing better than pure V12 noise. I also dislike the "electric performance car" articles and all the "Tesla vs Lamborghini" comparisons. They are nothing alike.
Tesla is not a super car. "Oh wow a Tesla, listen to that sound. I just think I just creamed my pants" said no one ever biggrin

Take a look at the SQ7, now that's how you fake engine noise.

Mr Tidy

22,469 posts

128 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
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I was lucky enough to own a KH500 with Allspeed spannies for a few years - it sounded fantastic!

Plus it had an alloy swinging arm, twin front discs and Marzocchi piggy-back rear shocks - why on earth did I part with it?


XMified

676 posts

73 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
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SOL111 said:
Why would anyone want to ruin the serenity of an EV with fake noise that bears no relation to the drivetrain of the car?
In this safety-conscious world, my conjecture is external noise for pedestrians. These noises will then become bespoke for a particular manufacturer/model/individual.

SOL111

627 posts

133 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
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XMified said:
In this safety-conscious world, my conjecture is external noise for pedestrians. These noises will then become bespoke for a particular manufacturer/model/individual.
My car already has active safety, that will stop my car if a headphone wearing, phone obsessive pedestrian decides that Facebook is preferable to personal safety.

Also I try to stay alert to reading the road and movements of potential hazards.

Pointless gimmick imo.

hairykrishna

13,185 posts

204 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
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apm142001 said:
Admittedly, a silly choice of opponent for the Golf driver, but come off it PH - half the reason a lot of us like cars is because of the noise they make, if it's a good one. Again, Golf R perhaps not the best example, but a pre-turbo straight-six from BMW, a 12 from Ferrari, or any number of V8s have far more character than a fast milk-float.
Isn't that the point though? 95% of cars sound boring and/or annoying. I love the sound of a big V8 or a screaming V12 but given the choice between the noise of a turbo 4 cylinder, with pops and farts mapped in by marketing committee, or silence I'll choose silence every time.

Kuji

785 posts

123 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
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Every days is a school day.

I thought ICE stood for big Stereos and bass Speakers etc.. - In Car Entertainment.

^^ When did that change?

350Z on the Wolds

44 posts

80 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
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seniorwibble said:
And whilst I too smile and shake my head at the "youff" in a typically underpowered family hatchback that has had the misfortune to be "tuned" by its adolescent owner. I would rather think of these individuals as misguided and uneducated, but embryonic car enthusiasts all the same.
All whilst that same "youff" look on those fortunate in life or longer in years having their 8+ cylinder cars which either get sat in a garage hidden from view accompanied by the silent soundtrack, or driven around at a 10th of what the machine is built for. This "yoouff" thinking what a complete waste whilst they enjoy driving their underpowered hatchbacks (which are often more powerful then assumed) at 8/10ths every single day. You tell me which are misguided and uneducated, but embryonic car enthusiasts all the same....

xjay1337

15,966 posts

119 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
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nickfrog said:
RemyMartin81D said:
Proof of the configuration don't make a good sound per se. That don't sound great for a 6 cylinder.
I think It massively helps when you're past a cold idle...
The N55 sounds as good as a N52 IME.
That is very true, once it's warmed the cats up it sounds smooth as anything IMO!

Just funny to get people irate biggrin

anonymous-user

55 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
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I was at the Autosport show a couple of years back in the motorsport arena bit. Anyone that has been knows how very loud it is with hot rods, autograssers etc all blasting round. Then a Tesla race car came and was doing a few power slides and burn outs and it was so quiet. It may be the future, but for old gits like me, it's just not right.

Guvernator

13,170 posts

166 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
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SOL111 said:
My car already has active safety, that will stop my car if a headphone wearing, phone obsessive pedestrian decides that Facebook is preferable to personal safety.

Also I try to stay alert to reading the road and movements of potential hazards.

Pointless gimmick imo.
This is of course the ultimate goal but I don't think the safety systems are quite good enough yet and all it will take is a few incidents where it doesn't work properly and someone gets killed before the nimby's are up in the arms and the Government steps in with legislation. I too would prefer silent EV's as I think it will make the urban environment a much nicer place to be but in the meantime, if legislation dictates it has to make a noise, I'd prefer the sound of a softly whirring EV rather than beeping everywhere which would soon drive you nuts.

XMified

676 posts

73 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
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Guvernator said:
SOL111 said:
the aforementioned
My car already has active safety, that will stop my car if a headphone wearing, phone obsessive pedestrian decides that Facebook is preferable to personal safety.

Also I try to stay alert to reading the road and movements of potential hazards.

Pointless gimmick imo.
This is of course the ultimate goal but I don't think the safety systems are quite good enough yet and all it will take is a few incidents where it doesn't work properly and someone gets killed before the nimby's are up in the arms and the Government steps in with legislation. I too would prefer silent EV's as I think it will make the urban environment a much nicer place to be but in the meantime, if legislation dictates it has to make a noise, I'd prefer the sound of a softly whirring EV rather than beeping everywhere which would soon drive you nuts.
Fair point SOL111 but never underestimate fashion, bling status, and the continuation of "my car sounds the mutt's"-type of thinking currently being practiced by the aforementioned " first gear down a small crowded street" people- albeit refracted through a new, synthetic prism.

Maybe a bit like what happened when instruments ceased to become just acoustic, and became electrified...(although I hasten to add, not in a qualitative sense).


Totally agree about the beeping. Kill me now. biglaugh

Leon R

3,214 posts

97 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
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Kuji said:
Every days is a school day.

I thought ICE stood for big Stereos and bass Speakers etc.. - In Car Entertainment.

^^ When did that change?
I was just thinking this the other day, what will be really interesting is when EV's becomes the norm people will obviously start upgrading the in car entertainment.

Then we will have an EV with ICE!

irocfan

40,580 posts

191 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
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Guvernator said:
This is of course the ultimate goal but I don't think the safety systems are quite good enough yet and all it will take is a few incidents where it doesn't work properly and someone gets killed before the nimby's are up in the arms and the Government steps in with legislation. I too would prefer silent EV's as I think it will make the urban environment a much nicer place to be but in the meantime, if legislation dictates it has to make a noise, I'd prefer the sound of a softly whirring EV rather than beeping everywhere which would soon drive you nuts.
EVs will have to be regulated to produce noise. Can you imagine the (rightful) furore when blind person is knocked over because he couldn't hear the approaching car (or because blind people aren't cute enough a handful of school-kids)

xjay1337

15,966 posts

119 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
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irocfan said:
or because blind people aren't cute enough
Wow that's very hurtful... biggrin

anonymous-user

55 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
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Motor sounds that annoyed me today: chainsaw, propellor planes, drill, drones, washing machine.....


kambites

67,606 posts

222 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
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It's been years since loud cars have been anything other than embarrasing, IMO, the modern trend for carefully orchestrated pops and bangs being particularly cringeworthy.

In a funny sort of way, a car which has to be loud in order to be fast can be a wonderful thing. A car which is loud purely because people associate speed with loudness is a bit pathetic.

Edited by kambites on Wednesday 17th April 17:58