Cabin noise issue

[Nickanator8]

Hey guys! It's been two years since I last posted, and I still don't own a 986, but I did just go on a test drive with my partner and it seems like a 986 could be a car in my future, yay!

On Saturday we test drove a 1999 Boxster and both my partner and I really enjoyed the car. However, there are a few concerns I need to address before I get the green light to go ahead and pull the trigger.

The first issue was noise. On the first half of the test drive we got started on the highway with the top down and it was, obviously, a very loud experience. This was to be expected, but on the second half of the drive we put the top up and unfortunately it did not muffle the noise quite as much as we would have liked. However, I believe that the car we tested was equipped with an aftermarket exhaust because the exhaust tip was something I had not seen in my hours of 986 research. You can find the listing for the car I drove HERE and see if you agree that the exhaust tips are aftermarket.

Anyway, we used a decibel measurer app on our phone while the top was up and got a reading of about 60ish DBs. I'm curious if that is normal/typical or if the car we drove did in fact have a louder exhaust and we should go try another vehicle. I am also curious if 986.2 is quieter, as well as how the hard top effects the noise levels.

The reason why noise is an issue is the idea of a convertible seems to have resonated with my partner and she likes the idea in theory as a fun, special occasion car, but she is a far more practical person than I am and needs the sports car to have at least some utility behind it.

Here are the "needs" she laid out for me that any "fun" car must fulfill.

1) The car must be a convertible. I'm still going to have her try out some hard top sports cars but I think we both like the idea of a fun, summer roadster more than a hardtop sports car.
2) The car must be able to carry two, full size backpacking bags. The 986 frunk seems like more than enough space for two backpacks so this issue can be crossed off the list.
3) The car must be able to carry two mountain bikes. I've found a guy who sells a trailer hitch adapter for the Boxster so I am confident that this is also not an issue at this time.
4) The car must be enjoyable to be in for longer trips. This is where the noise issue comes in. If we are going to go on a multi-hundred mile road trip in the boxster it needs to be a quiet enough ride on the highway to make that travel time enjoyable. If I can find a way to solve this issue, and ideally while preserving the convertible nature of the car, then all I need to do at that point is prove the issue can be resolved and find the right car.

So, ultimately the question is this: what, if anything, can I do to reduce the cabin noise while the top is up in a 986 boxster? If I can get highway, top up, cabin noise down to 50-55DB I think I will finally be able to join the boxster brotherhood!

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Nickanator8

Hey guys! It's been two years since I last posted, and I still don't own a 986, but I did just go on a test drive with my partner and it seems like a 986 could be a car in my future, yay!

On Saturday we test drove a 1999 Boxster and both my partner and I really enjoyed the car. However, there are a few concerns I need to address before I get the green light to go ahead and pull the trigger.

The first issue was noise. On the first half of the test drive we got started on the highway with the top down and it was, obviously, a very loud experience. This was to be expected, but on the second half of the drive we put the top up and unfortunately it did not muffle the noise quite as much as we would have liked. However, I believe that the car we tested was equipped with an aftermarket exhaust because the exhaust tip was something I had not seen in my hours of 986 research. You can find the listing for the car I drove HERE and see if you agree that the exhaust tips are aftermarket.

Anyway, we used a decibel measurer app on our phone while the top was up and got a reading of about 60ish DBs. I'm curious if that is normal/typical or if the car we drove did in fact have a louder exhaust and we should go try another vehicle. I am also curious if 986.2 is quieter, as well as how the hard top effects the noise levels.

The reason why noise is an issue is the idea of a convertible seems to have resonated with my partner and she likes the idea in theory as a fun, special occasion car, but she is a far more practical person than I am and needs the sports car to have at least some utility behind it.

Here are the "needs" she laid out for me that any "fun" car must fulfill.

1) The car must be a convertible. I'm still going to have her try out some hard top sports cars but I think we both like the idea of a fun, summer roadster more than a hardtop sports car.
2) The car must be able to carry two, full size backpacking bags. The 986 frunk seems like more than enough space for two backpacks so this issue can be crossed off the list.
3) The car must be able to carry two mountain bikes. I've found a guy who sells a trailer hitch adapter for the Boxster so I am confident that this is also not an issue at this time.
4) The car must be enjoyable to be in for longer trips. This is where the noise issue comes in. If we are going to go on a multi-hundred mile road trip in the boxster it needs to be a quiet enough ride on the highway to make that travel time enjoyable. If I can find a way to solve this issue, and ideally while preserving the convertible nature of the car, then all I need to do at that point is prove the issue can be resolved and find the right car.

So, ultimately the question is this: what, if anything, can I do to reduce the cabin noise while the top is up in a 986 boxster? If I can get highway, top up, cabin noise down to 50-55DB I think I will finally be able to join the boxster brotherhood!

Congratulations, you have just experienced the dreaded "drone" of an aftermarket exhaust system, a common feature of about 95% of aftermarket systems. The best way to get away from this is simple: Install a factory system.

[Stl-986]

In the center of the car, near the shifter is piece of electrical equipment that will have some dials & buttons. turn the dial that is on the left to the right some, this will cancel out the "noise"

Seriously though. the tips could be just tips and not an after market exhaust.

You wont ever notice a 5db difference. It's a convertible, it isn't made to be quiet. It's also a Porsche it's made to be driven and enjoyed not worried about 5db. There are too many factors that can make a different in ANY car for noise...tires, road quality, wind, rain, passing cars, rpm, etc.

If you think it's load now....put a couple bikes on a rack on the back of the car and then see how loud it is, worse with the top down.

Need to decide....do you want a sports car, a convertible sports car, something that can haul your gear & bikes or something quiet. Words quiet & convertible just dont go together. Quiet Porsche Convertible......will never go together.

[Nickanator8]

If it was just me making the decision, I'd buy the Boxster and not worry about most of the issues mentioned. Unfortunately, it's not a decision I get to make in a vacuum.

Also, the difference between 50 and 60 db is quite substantial because of how decibels are measured. Bigger numbers are exponentially louder than smaller numbers. I'm not saying 5 db will make a world of difference, but just hoping to shed some light on the reasoning behind why I said what I said.

[Starter986]

Earplugs. ****************ing earplugs.

The end.

Buy Car.

[blue62]

[QUOTE=Stl-986;646874]In the center of the car, near the shifter is piece of electrical equipment that will have some dials & buttons. turn the dial that is on the left to the right some, this will cancel out the "noise"

Seriously though. the tips could be just tips and not an after market exhaust.

You wont ever notice a 5db difference. It's a convertible, it isn't made to be quiet. It's also a Porsche it's made to be driven and enjoyed not worried about 5db. There are too many factors that can make a different in ANY car for noise...tires, road quality, wind, rain, passing cars, rpm, etc.

If you think it's load now....put a couple bikes on a rack on the back of the car and then see how loud it is, worse with the top down.

Need to decide....do you want a sports car, a convertible sports car, something that can haul your gear & bikes or something quiet. Words quiet & convertible just dont go together. Quiet Porsche Convertible......will never go together.[/QU

[elav]

It seems like you are trying to make the Boxster something it isn't. Adding a trailer hitch and hanging 2 bikes off the back is going to take a lot away from the experience (and increase noise). The Boxster is more about twisty roads, down shifting and high revs. I clearly don't know you and not trying to steer you away from owning a Boxster but have you looked at the Lexus SC300 convertible?

[Stl-986]

My point is if you want something quieter getting any convertible and putting a pair of bikes on the back isn't going to work. No convertible is ever going to be as quiet as a sedan...or even a coupe. 03 & 04 are quieter then previous years but not by all that much with the top up.

I very much undrestanding measuring db's and I know for a fact that what 1 person is sensitive to another person might not be. 5-10 or even 20db's is not that much and it isn't something most can even hear. If we were talking about 160db vs 200db...then we can have a conversation, but 5-20db....you can't tell. https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/what_noises_cause_hearing_loss.html#:~:text=Sound% 20is%20measured%20in%20decibels,immediate%20harm%2 0to%20your%20ears.

Honestly if that is a sticking point with your partner...sounds like it's just an excuse.

[ike84]

I agree with elav, the boxster isn't quiet (even with factory exhaust) with top up or down and youay be looking at the wrong car altogether if comfort/luxury is high on the priority list. (Not that the 986 doesn't have comfort and luxury, but you get my point hopefully)


I would look at the Infiniti or Lexus convertibles. These are different beasts - heavier and more cushy, with a more "refined" experience to them.


There are certainly ways to make a boxster more quiet btw - factory exhaust, UDP, loads of sound proofing in the cabin and rear trunk will go a long way. It will never be a quiet car though.

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