Standard Noise level

Anyone done a sound level test in there series 3? Interested to know what a standard one is like.

Did one in mine the other week (with some carpet fitted) and it maxed out at 98 db going at 30mph

(in comparison dad's td5 110 was at 96)

Apart from pretty fecking loud, I'm not sure, I think I'll try one of those mobile phone apps and report back tomorrow evening if I remenber!

Loud enough that it leaves my ears ringing after an hours drive...

I'm going to be a tw@t here but I used to do noise measurements for a living and you can't really look at peak dB levels to compare. You need to get the average over a period of time called the Leq. See if you can get an app to calculate that for you and do a one minute drive under normal conditions with phone in same position in the cab. This will give a real world comparison of what a driver would experience in terms of sound pressure level over time and therefore how annoying it is!
The noise monitors we used to use cost about £5k each! Nice bits of kit!

It was justt an app on my dads phone so dunno how accuarate that is I think the average was something between 70 and 80 over about 20 minutes if i remember right (the thingy does tell you)

My swb was measured at 85dBA Leq but it's pretty rattly with no sound damping at all. That's about the point where you need ear protection if you're driving for any period of time!

You need to use the same phone for both measurements as they're not calibrated too...

85 is pretty loud. I must say mine got a load better when I changed the rear diff for one with no whine. I couldnt believe the difference. A recon box as well makes a big difference

Just taken the truck cab off my series 3 petrol and couldn't believe how smooth and quiet it is in convertible mode! Like a Bentley now

86db according to an app pretty much constant on the move......but then it reckons me opening a packet of biscuits is 68db so I suspect tis codswallop

Trouble with measuring noise is that decibels are based on a logarithmic scale so every increase of 3dB is actually equal to a doubling in actual volume so 68dB (opening packet of biscuits) is actually 64 times quieter than 86dB (riding in a Series Land Rover) and 89db would be twice as loud as 86dB (or 128 times louder than opening a packet of biscuits)

Innzy said:

Just taken the truck cab off my series 3 petrol and couldn't believe how smooth and quiet it is in convertible mode! Like a Bentley now

Click to expand...

And looks great too!

I did a db test on my tdi 88, was very high, amazingly open the sliding drivers window and the level dropped by approx 5db, quite some difference.
Basically its just a noisy tin box and opening the windows stops the sound bouncing around so much
Always makes me appreciate how refined my 90 tdi is!

I'll always remember having to choose at 50mph between overdrive out = max engine noise or overdrive in = max gearbox noise. Easier and quieter to stick to 45mph!