Tyre noise

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mfspen

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One thing I have noticed about my new A3 is that the tyre noise seems excessive, on all but very smooth road surfaces.

Is this normal, or does it depend on the suspension (sport or SE) or make of tyres ?

(The car has the sports suspension, and Dunlop tyres).
 
This apears to be an issue with a few of the newer Audi models. I have a B7 S4 which has a lot more road noise than my S3. Audi driver magazine also commented on this when they tested the S4 and put it down to the harder suspension bushes transmitting more noise. Its possibly the same with the new A3 models.

As usual the suspension is developed for German Autobahns, however on some of the crap road surfaces we have here in the UK its a different matter.
 
Loads of road roar in my A3,so would assume it's normal.

Little/no difference when changing tyres.
 
I have a sport too and Pirelli P zero's on mine and the road noise is more than I expected but you kinda get used to it after a while. Same as the bumpy ride when your not a smooth road!!
 
I have a Mk3 Golf Gti and that seems to suffer from road noise from the rear suspension, and the S3 is much quieter, I put it down to chassis advancement that the S3 was quieter but if newer cars are noisier then obviously not. The M1 between junction 20 and 21a has just been resurfaced with low noise tarmac and this had made a significant difference.
 
I'd agree that the road noise is louder in the A3 than the A4 (I've just got one as a loaner from the garage while my A3 is being sorted out) but the wind noise, the A4 is much much noisier - its gets a little quiter of you switch off the dash vents but its still way noisier
 
Mine was worse with the standard fit Rosso's but has improved with the iftting of the F1's. Personally I just turn the stereo up...

J.
 
Agreed, my factory fitted PS2s were noisier than my F1s but I still find it very noisy. I guess it's a lot to do with the rigid components of the suspension but I think it's a bit lacking in sound proofing as well.
 
mine too,in fact its the first thing that stood out when i took one out for a test drive.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I'd agree that the road noise is louder in the A3 than the A4 (I've just got one as a loaner from the garage while my A3 is being sorted out) but the wind noise, the A4 is much much noisier - its gets a little quiter of you switch off the dash vents but its still way noisier

[/ QUOTE ]

You do get a lot of false wind noise in the A4,thanks to the ventilation.

If you switch the aircon to 'down',so that the dash vents are cut off,the difference is quite remarkable.

The A4 is a far more refined car all round.
If you do notice more windnoise in the A4,it's only because it's not being drowned out by road noise ! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
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You do get a lot of false wind noise in the A4,thanks to the ventilation.

If you switch the aircon to 'down',so that the dash vents are cut off,the difference is quite remarkable.

The A4 is a far more refined car all round.

[/ QUOTE ]
SO much more refined that you need to mess with the air con to cure its faults?
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]


You do get a lot of false wind noise in the A4,thanks to the ventilation.

If you switch the aircon to 'down',so that the dash vents are cut off,the difference is quite remarkable.

The A4 is a far more refined car all round.

[/ QUOTE ]
SO much more refined that you need to mess with the air con to cure its faults?

[/ QUOTE ]

But it's only the fact that the A4 is so quiet that makes you notice the noisy aircon in the first place.

Catch 22 really.

The A3's aircon is also noisy,but you don't notice it so much because of the other noise.

There have been threads on here about it before,and people do notice a difference if you switch to 'feet' setting.
 
No Bowfer - Don't be silly now

The noise coming through the A4's dash is like a whirlwind whereas the A3 is quiet,

even a colleague noticed the difference and he's almost deaf
 
[ QUOTE ]
No Bowfer - Don't be silly now

The noise coming through the A4's dash is like a whirlwind whereas the A3 is quiet,

even a colleague noticed the difference and he's almost deaf

[/ QUOTE ]

I've owned both.Yes,the aircon in the A4 was noisy,but it was the only noise you really noticed.

The aircon in the A3 is also noisy,although possibly not quite as noisy as the A4,but you don't notice it for the awful road noise.

Doesn't matter which way you look at it,Audi have made a mess of it.

Quiet car with noisy aircon,or noisy car with slightly quieter aircon ?

Not a great choice,is it...
 
Agree there but the tyre noise is quiter than my Impreza so I don't really notice, will be able to do a back to back when i get the A3 back hopefully tonight, without creaky steering or seats.............
 
[ QUOTE ]
Agree there but the tyre noise is quiter than my Impreza so I don't really notice, will be able to do a back to back when i get the A3 back hopefully tonight, without creaky steering or seats.............

[/ QUOTE ]

Last time we got a loan A4 Avant,we (the wife and I) couldn't believe how much quieter it was.

Japper also mentioned it when he got a loan A4 two weeks ago.

The wife's new Clio,which the press say is the most refined small car yet,is quieter at motorway speeds than the A3 as well.

Nothing a few quid's worth of sound deadening material wouldn't sort.

Paddy Hopkirk used to sell rolls of the stuff,which you glued on yourself ! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
but the clio has bike tyres, hence low noise /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
but the clio has bike tyres, hence low noise /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Fair point.

Never driven an A3 with skinnier tyres to compare it with the S-line.

Maybe Audi considered the noise levels acceptable on whatever tyres used during development,then never bothered again after that.

Bit daft to assume what's okay on one will be okay on another.

S-line should have better sound insulation as part of the pack ?
 
Just got new tyres - Michelin Premacys - and they are unbelievably quiet and have almost persuaded me to order another A3. Absolutely amazing difference.
 
hi mine make a humming noise on ruff surface is that just the tyres or is it the barrings that is going,
 
I get very lttle if any noise from my tyres, but my A3 is an SE rather than a Sport, hence different suspension and smaller wheels and tyres 205/55R16. The tyres on mine are Dunlop SP Sport 01s.

All the A3s I've owned have had the same size tyres, the previous ones being 8L 1.8T Sports. My current one handles better than 1.8T Sports on the same tyres although the 1.8T had 'sports' suspension. I did test drive an 8P Sport version but found the current 'sport' suspension and 17" wheels and tyres a little too hard for me - must be getting old !
 
I wonder if tyre pressures have an effect too ?

Mine were pumped up to 40psi by the dealer, which may be too high, as it's usually only me and/or 'Er Indoors in the car.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Just got new tyres - Michelin Premacys - and they are unbelievably quiet and have almost persuaded me to order another A3. Absolutely amazing difference.

[/ QUOTE ]

Really - you running 18's?
 
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I get very lttle if any noise from my tyres, but my A3 is an SE rather than a Sport, hence different suspension and smaller wheels and tyres 205/55R16. The tyres on mine are Dunlop SP Sport 01s.....

[/ QUOTE ]

That's interesting. I wonder what the key factor is. Is it the higher profile tyres, or the softer suspension on the SE ?

Would an SE with 17/18" wheels still be quiet ?
 
[ QUOTE ]
hi mine make a humming noise on ruff surface is that just the tyres or is it the barrings that is going,

[/ QUOTE ]

Agree, i've changed to Michelin Premacy's, and although the performance / grip is good the noise level on some surfaces is really hummy as if the wheel bearings on it's way out.

bowfer, yep the A4 S-Line was amazingly refined compared to my A3 even though it was wearing 18's as apposed to my 17's. But then again the damping was in another league to, far better sorted.
 
so you guys think that the humming noise is to do with the tyres and not the barrings, it only nakes that noise on ruff surfaces, i have the 2.0tdi sport on 17 with pierrili tyres
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I get very lttle if any noise from my tyres, but my A3 is an SE rather than a Sport, hence different suspension and smaller wheels and tyres 205/55R16. The tyres on mine are Dunlop SP Sport 01s.....

[/ QUOTE ]

That's interesting. I wonder what the key factor is. Is it the higher profile tyres, or the softer suspension on the SE ?

Would an SE with 17/18" wheels still be quiet ?

[/ QUOTE ]

Mine is an SE on 17's with 225/45 Conti's and there is a lot of noise, assume it must be tyres rather than suspension?
 
Mine is an SE and it was very noisy. Whilst I would expect lower profile tyres to be even noisier, I would also expect them to benefit to the same degree with a change of tyres.
Anyone bothered really should try premacys next time out as they have totally changed my opinion of the car in this respect.
 
Like anything would help A3 when it comes to road noise. Too bad Audi only tests their road noise on German ultra-smooth-surfaces, and not on the very very hard surfaces, say here. I've got the same setting as Dave, and the noise is still horrible. Sure, I can't hear any other noises, but that's not really something to applaud..
 
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