Automotive

Looking for quiet car

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  • Oct 18th, 2012 12:06 am
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Deal Addict
Jan 13, 2007
4831 posts
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Looking for quiet car

I may have to buy/lease a new car in the near future. My main criterion now (after price) for a car is quietness. I am tired of road and wind noise at highway speeds, especially on 407. I know that the quietest cars are expensive but I am looking to something under or around $30K. So I narrowed down to Altima and Camry. Can you comment how quiet are they? Any other suggestion?
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Member
Nov 3, 2005
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Between Altima/Camry, the Camry should be significantly quieter. Nissan's were never known to be quiet nor as reliable as Toyotas.... If you're willing to venture into Domestic makes, Almost every domestic model is quieter/more solid on the highway compared to their import peers. But again, they're not as reliable. Have fun shopping!!
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May 8, 2005
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arm2000 wrote: I may have to buy/lease a new car in the near future. My main criterion now (after price) for a car is quietness. I am tired of road and wind noise at highway speeds, especially on 407. I know that the quietest cars are expensive but I am looking to something under or around $30K. So I narrowed down to Altima and Camry. Can you comment how quiet are they? Any other suggestion?

If " quiet " is a big issue for you, for $30K, I'd take it one up from a Camry and get a used Lexus ES350.
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Deal Fanatic
Dec 3, 2007
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Calgary
The accord is pretty quiet too. Also, you will want the bigger V6 engine instead of the I4.
Deal Addict
Jan 13, 2007
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phil17 wrote: Between Altima/Camry, the Camry should be significantly quieter. Nissan's were never known to be quiet nor as reliable as Toyotas.... If you're willing to venture into Domestic makes, Almost every domestic model is quieter/more solid on the highway compared to their import peers. But again, they're not as reliable. Have fun shopping!!

Well, according to CR for Altima: "The cabin is one of the quietest among family sedans". Also, when tested Camry they say the latest model lost some of the quietness it used to have. What domestic cars are you talking about?
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Jan 13, 2007
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poedua wrote: If " quiet " is a big issue for you, for $30K, I'd take it one up from a Camry and get a used Lexus ES350.

I am thinking of that but I'd like to look for a new car first. Also used car means no lease.
Deal Addict
Jan 13, 2007
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mucat wrote: The accord is pretty quiet too. Also, you will want the bigger V6 engine instead of the I4.

Accord is not quiet. Maybe at low speeds. Bigger or small engine I don't think it makes too much difference. I found that the engine noise is not that important compared with road and wind noise.
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Dec 3, 2007
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Calgary
arm2000 wrote: Accord is not quiet. Maybe at low speeds. Bigger or small engine I don't think it makes too much difference. I found that the engine noise is not that important compared with road and wind noise.

I had the 03 Accord V6 and it was quiet. With bigger engine, the engine will not have to work as hard, so it will be quieter.
But yes, road and wind noises are more important on highway.

The easier thing for OP to do is testdrive all of them.
Deal Addict
Jan 13, 2007
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booblehead wrote: B u i c k !!

Buicks are sensibly more expensive than Altima/Camry, actually only Regal and the new Verano are in my price range. And the Regal has the same mark (4) for noise as Altime/Camry so I don't know if it's really worth the price difference. But maybe someone could comment about this from his experience.
Deal Guru
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Sep 3, 2003
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Toronto
I think tires matter more. Invest in better tires as the factory offerings are typically not good in any respect.

The Michelin Primacy MXV4 comes to mind, among others.
Deal with it.
Deal Addict
Jan 13, 2007
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KorruptioN wrote: I think tires matter more. Invest in better tires as the factory offerings are typically not good in any respect.

The Michelin Primacy MXV4 comes to mind, among others.

Could be, but when choosing tires I am generally looking for other things (brake distance, seasonality ...). A less noisy tire is not necessarily a better tire. Also, not all tires fit any car, for example I couldn't find Michelin Primacy Alpine for my car.
Member
Sep 8, 2009
374 posts
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Ottawa
an altima owner's opinion: camry should be quieter. Otherwise a great car, my altima has had a few issues with wind noise from the door. Also, you mentioned highway speeds so it might not matter but the CVT at low speeds and cold mornings is quite noisy (think diesel but not as bad).
Deal Fanatic
Sep 5, 2002
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Camry V6 is very quiet for a regular car. I sometimes drive one and when I honked the horn I can hardly hear it from inside. So its pretty quiet.

I have an Accord too, its much louder.

The Lexus cars are quieter even still, you cant even tell if the car is running when you are inside...you can get a nice used ES for 30,000 no problem.
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Dec 2, 2002
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Driving on the concrete portions of the 407 are brutal in terms of noise that resonates into the cabin no matter what car you have. As with the other posters look for a used Lexus or Cadillac, if your looking into buying new the Camry or Accord are pretty good.

Tire choice is also very important the Michelin MXV4 Primacy or Bridgestone Turanza EL400.
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Sep 3, 2003
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Kenneth wrote: Tire choice is also very important the Michelin MXV4 Primacy or Bridgestone Turanza EL400.

The Turanza EL400s are terrible tires.
Deal with it.
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Dec 11, 2011
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SCARBOROUGH
get a maybach. at 120kmh, u can even hear your hair grow.
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May 6, 2010
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camry
Buick
Mercedes, even cheap A-B class
Lexus
some volvos

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