370Z is no louder than other compact sports cars?

RiCharlie

Let me add my two cents since this was a major issue for me..
First of all the exhaust noise or quantity has never been an issue. If there is excessive exhaust then there is something wrong and it should be checked.
As far as exhaust noise, the car is actually very quiet

The main issue is road noise. Of course the roads you drive on make a big difference and what is objectionable is a subjective judgement but there is no question the car itself is very loud and even professional reviewers agree. ( see below)
The good news is that the problem can be easily eliminated with through sound dampening that doesnt weigh more than 100 pounds at most....its never going to sound like a Mercedes sedan but it doesnt have to sound like a cement mixer either! Remember that there is nothing wrong with modifying a car to your particular tastes.. lots of people change the music systems for instance..

Its one hell of a car and the absolute hands down best buy for under $100 K the Eclipse or Mustang cant touch the package this car offers for over all performance, comfort and reliability... Not even close!!

Buy it and get the problem taken care of and you will never regret your decision.

And for those that think this road noise is just something that those that never had a real sports car and basically dont know **** about these cars,( yes someone posted that basic sentiment elsewhere) I am posting the following PROFESSIONAL reviews:

Edmunds
Once underway, it's easy to get the most out of the 370's sharp performance. In terms of handling, this latest Z is the best yet, boasting tenacious grip and sharp reflexes. Its ride quality is also more civilized than the previous car's, making the 370Z a better choice for commutes and long drives. Sadly, it has an extraordinary amount of road noise, which could grow tiresome on such journeys.

Car and Driver
Finally—and this is the big one—the sticky Bridgestones double as megaphones. Boom, slap, echo, hiss, the swishing of water, the pinging of pebbles. You name a road-borne sound, and the tires can magnify it. Perhaps it’s the fault of paper-thin wheel-well liners, because neither engine nor driveline NVH find their way as effortlessly to your tympanic membranes. At idle and at wide-open throttle, the 370Z is louder than its forebear. We’d trade a couple of points on the skidpad in return for less racket and a slightly cushier ride.

Grassroots Motorsports
Any negatives? Yeah, sorry. Road noise on some surfaces is nearly unbearable.

Auto Blog
First, while the cabin is well insulated from wind noise, it seriously resonates from tire drone. At speeds above 70 mph, or on any unfriendly pavement, the roar nearly drowns out the audio system.

Cars.com
My Sport Package-equipped tester had more road noise than any car I've tested in recent memory. On anything but perfectly smooth pavement, the tires howl endlessly once you reach 40 or 50 mph

Inside Line
Good grief this car is noisy. I know we keep going on about it, but there's really not much else to dislike about this car - but it's damn near a deal breaker


Consumer Guide Automotive
Wind rush is not noticed, only because the engine and tire noise are so intrusive

now ending on a positive note..

Car Advice
When you stop to consider the 370Z’s price tag then what I’m about to say will begin to make a whole lot more sense: this is the best sports car on the market under $100K.

Montez

Its one of the best in the 30-40k price range, but best under 100K. I can name a few better cars for less than 100k.

DJ-of-E

Haha, for 100K, I'd get the BOSS Mustang just for sheer hilarity. And yes, there are better sports cars...but I wonder if the GTR count as one.

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Hambone1

Yeahhhh, $100k is stretching it. I love my Z, far more than I ever loved my S4, but there's plenty of cars that are superior performance wise if 100k is your price cap

bflosabre91

I'm assuming the noise is from the wheels because the exhaust is too quiet imo. I have the base model with the 18" rims and i think its pretty damn quiet. My 04 celica with 18" rims is 200% louder than the Z is. I can't speak for the sport rims though, which i could imagine being louder..

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kree

I have an 09 sport with the OEM tires. It is very very loud on some stretches of road and fairly quiet on others. It really depends on the surface.

gmr19

I was thinking of cleaning out the rear wheel wells real good and spraying some rubberized undercoating to help with gravel impacts. Anyone think that would be a good solution? I can hear all the little pebbles hit in the rear when you kick up rocks.

imokjack

I installed a NISMO exhaust as original was to quiet. I owned owned an Infiniti G35 sport coupe which had a deeper sound even after the NISMO install. Still not that pleased until I installed Stillen's Gen 3 air intakes. What was great about getting to the tone I liked I was picking up horse power.