[NoobNox]

I saw this being discussed in another thread, but the main topic was gas mileage and I didn't want to derail it any further. My question is: How many Nox/Terrain owners have noticed that their vehicles are exceptionally quiet in all conditions except for highway speeds over certain types of pavement? I have the 17" wheels, and the standard Michelin Latitude tires don't seem to be the type to create excessive tire hum...yet they can be loud at times. I wonder if it is because there is so little other noise (wind/engine etc..) that it makes the tire hum seem louder than it really is...or did GM just skimp on wheel well insulation for some reason. If the underside of the wheel wells are accessible, it seems that we could cure this with some strips of Dymat material (used to quiet computer cases) or something similar along with some adhesive. What do you guys think?

 

[Roesterman]

I have michelins on my 18" rims and have not noticed excessive noise at higher speeds. Does this happen for you on all types of road surface? I notice noise when I drive on grooved concrete but that is because of the ribbed road surface.
I hate nuisance noises ...a seatbelt rhythmically tapping the booster seat drives me crazy!

 

[RIT333]

What do you guys think?

I think Dynamat on the inside of the wheels wells sounds like a great idea. If you do it, how about documenting it with pictures, and a nice write-up. Personally, I don't notice enough noise to make it worth my time. My comparison car was a Pontiac Vibe, and this sounds like a morgue, compared to the Vibe.

 

[djmodifyd]

I have noticed it too. I have 18" wheels. On the interstate it is pretty loud sometimes, other times quiet. Depends on the road surface. I also think it's the tires themselves.

 

[bballr4567]

As with all tires, its greatly influenced by the road type. Our Michelins are insanely loud on the concrete roads in our town yet on a smooth road its quiet.

Majority of the time they are quiet. Quietest OEM tire Ive ever had on a car. Our Malibu had Goodyear RSAs and they were absolutely the worst tire ever.

 

[NoobNox]

I have michelins on my 18" rims and have not noticed excessive noise at higher speeds. Does this happen for you on all types of road surface? I notice noise when I drive on grooved concrete but that is because of the ribbed road surface.
I hate nuisance noises ...a seatbelt rhythmically tapping the booster seat drives me crazy!

No, not every type of road surface. On a smooth blacktop road they're pretty quiet...but then again so is a Jeep Wrangler with off-road tires. It just seems they have an annoying "roar" or hum on certain types of roads...moreso than other cars I've had that weren't as quiet overall as the Nox is. I'm thinking it could be more noticeable because there is a lack of wind/drivetrain noise to mask it..

 

[RSchleder]

We find the Terrain generally very quiet. That being said, there are certain road surfaces that are noisy to say the least. It's the road IMHO and not the tires. We have a stretch of interstate close to our home that is loud to drive when in a Honda CR-V, a Dodge Ram 1500 pickup, our Terrain and especially our C5 Corvette with "305" width tires on the rear. Installing sound deading would, of course, help quiet even bad roads so it's not a bad thing to do if this situation bothers/irritates you.

 

[Mrmidnite2]

In the EDMUNDS road test of the TERRAIN, they suggested going with the smaller wheels, ie 17 inch rims....otherwise you should expect "Road harshness"....

I have the 17 inch rims with Michelin Latitude Touring tires..the vehicle is very quiet, and no complaints from me on how it handles either!!

quote from EDMUNDS DRIVING IMPRESSIONS (bottom of the article )............However, we'd suggest sticking with the smallest possible wheels, as the larger ones increase impact harshness. Handling capabilities are nothing special, but most drivers should be satisfied by the vehicle's all-around competence.

Source: http://www.edmunds.com/gmc/terrain/2010/review.html

 

[NoobNox]

In the EDMUNDS road test of the TERRAIN, they suggested going with the smaller wheels, ie 17 inch rims....otherwise you should expect "Road harshness"....

I have the 17 inch rims with Michelin Latitude Touring tires..the vehicle is very quiet, and no complaints from me on how it handles either!!

quote from EDMUNDS DRIVING IMPRESSIONS (bottom of the article )............However, we'd suggest sticking with the smallest possible wheels, as the larger ones increase impact harshness. Handling capabilities are nothing special, but most drivers should be satisfied by the vehicle's all-around competence.

Source: http://www.edmunds.com/gmc/terrain/2010/review.html

Yeah, they're talking about ride quality in that article..not sound. These things don't have a plush ride by any means..but I think that is a fair tradeoff to not have any wallowing or dragging doorhandles around corners.

 

[buickx]

I noticed the tire noise in my 2011 terrain....it's like the tire is caught in a grove in the pavement..but it's gone in a few feet...