Did you ever sit at a signal in Mumbai, Delhi or Bengaluru and feel like you are inside a marching band of sorts? Indians know all about the chaos that is Indian traffic, with bumper-to-bumper traffic, aggressive overtaking, and the use of honking as the second language of Indian roads. Add to that potholes, monsoon waterlogging, and dust-laden flyovers, and you have a recipe for a less-than-ideal driving environment in terms of noise inside your vehicle.
The good news is that there's something that you can do about it. By adding the right car sound insulation in India, you can ensure your car cabin is nice and quiet, without having to empty your wallet in the process. This article will help you identify why your car cabin sounds like it does, and give you an insight into what steps you can take to improve it.
Why Does the Car Cabin Sound Like This?
A lot of cars have various sources of noise that contribute to the overall 'louder than necessary' feel of your cabin. In most cases, these sources are magnified by the special circumstances of Indian driving.
Horn Traffic & Crowded Traffic
Indian traffic, especially in metro cities, is notorious for its honking. This, combined with the general idling and proximity of vehicles in traffic jams, adds to a lot of noise in the cabin, even in well-specified cars.
Rough Roads & Potholes
Uneven roads, speed breakers, and potholes cause vibrations that make their way into the cabin through the floors and wheel arches. This is a particular annoyance for cars driven mostly on roads with these features, as opposed to highways.
Loud Tires
Many Indian car owners, especially those who own SUVs or Crossovers, tend to go for off-road or 'rugged' sets of tyres. While these may look cool, they are generally much louder than standard or touring tyres. Something to consider is that the recommended pressure for most sets of tyres is around 32 PSI, and going over this can amplify road noise.
Factory Sound Insulation
Due to cost cutting, many cars have minimally insulated cabins, especially on the doors, under the cabin and on the floor. This is done to cut down on weight and costs, but ends up compromising on cabin insulation, especially on the lower registers of the car.
The Most Effective Points of Sound Insulation
When it comes to adding sound insulation, there are certain points of a car that are worth investing time and money into, while others offer diminishing returns.
Doors - Easiest Fix
The car doors are perhaps the easiest place to start with. They are mostly hollow metal panels that resonate and amplify sound from the stereos in your car, as well as being a source of vibration that can rattle other objects in the car. You need not cover the entire surface area of the door - a coverage of 60-70% of the entire outer metal surface of the door is sufficient to notice a difference in vibration levels and overall sound isolation in the cabin. A good starting point if you are on a budget constraint.
Floor - For Highways and Rough Roads
If you mostly drive on highways, or on roads that have a reputation for being rough (read: most of India), then the floor is the next best thing to invest in. Pay special attention to the areas around the footwell, the central tunnel, and the rear seats. It is especially effective on older cars and budget sedans, which tend to have less sound insulation on the floor than modern cars.
A lot of people would not consider the floor mats to be a part of sound insulation, but they actually play an important role in it. It is an added layer of material between the cabin and the floor of the car, and helps to cushion vibrations that would otherwise make their way into the cabin. It should be noted that a floor mat cannot substitute for proper sound deadening, but a good set of mats can make a noticeable difference. One of the easiest ways to improve the sound-deadening properties of your car without having to go all out and change your car's suspension and chassis is by getting some good floor mats. A must-buy for anyone looking to upgrade the cabin insulation of their car.
Wheel Wells - For Tires and Gravel Noise
The wheel wells are great places to apply sound deadening, especially if you drive aggressively on rough roads and gravel paths. They help to absorb the sound of the tyres, as well as the noise made by gravel getting thrown around in the wheel well.
Roof - Mostly for Wind Noise
Cars with larger, flatter roof sections (typically SUVs and MPVs) tend to suffer from resonance from wind noise at high speeds. This can be helped by adding sound insulation to the roof lining. It also helps to reduce the 'drumming' effect caused by rain on the roof during the monsoon season.
Under the Hood/ Trunk - Situational Fixes
Adding sound-deadening material under the hood helps to reduce engine noise, but it depends on the car you own - older cars and those with more resonant engines benefit from it more than modern cars. Similarly, trunk sound deadening helps to keep noise from the trunk area from echoing into the cabin, but it's only situational - hatchbacks and commercial vehicles benefit more from it than sedans, due to the separation of the trunk area from the cabin in the latter.
Some Things to Remember
- Surface preparation is extremely important. Make sure that the area you are applying the sound-deadening material to is clean and free of grease or oil.
- Coverage is more important than trying to get 100% surface coverage. Going for 60-70% coverage of a panel is usually adequate.
- There is no magic material that does everything. There are materials for sound deadening, vibration isolation and thermal insulation. Using a combination of the three in the areas mentioned previously will go a long way in improving your car cabin's noise levels.
- Tyres and pressure matter. Getting a good set of touring tyres, in conjunction with using the recommended pressure for them, will provide better noise insulation than you may be used to.
Make Your Ride Quieter with Neodrift
Looking to start your journey towards a quieter cabin but short on both time and money? Upgrading your set of floor mats is a great first step. Neodrift's 7D floor mats not only help to protect your car's floor from mud, dust and water, but also act as a layer of sound insulation due to the dense composition of the mats. The mats also have a water-resistant layer, which is extremely useful for the Indian climate. Combined with good sound insulation on your doors and floor, you can have a quiet cabin that sounds straight out of a luxury saloon, with minimal investment.
The Final Word
You need not sound-deaden your entire car to notice a considerable improvement in its cabin noise levels. If you are on a budget, consider starting with the doors and wheel wells. They are the most effective places to start if you are looking to insulate your car cabin. If you mostly drive on highways, adding the floor is a good next step. Add to that the right set of tyres, correct pressure, and some other minor upgrades, and you will find that your car's cabin is much more isolated from unwanted noise.
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