Ok guys,

Ever since I had the fit it seems to me that when driving on the highway, the interior of the car gets pretty noisy. Not like malfunction noise but just noisy. I sometime have a hard time talking on my bluetooth cause of the noise.

I have a manual and usually i am driving 75mph on the freeway.

My friend said that the main cause are the tires. will bigger tires alleviate this problem? i know only two companies make our stock size (dunlop and bridgestone)...and i really don't want to go back to stock size if it is indeed the tires that are making the road noise.

if i were to go a bigger size, what size should i go up to? will one size bigger make a difference?


and if i do change the size of the tires will my:

1. mpg decrease dramatically?
2. speedo be off by more than 5mph?
3. become much more bumpy on ride quality?


Thanks.

 

I had the same concern with my stock Bridgestones. So when they wore out at 47k I replaced them with Sumitomo HTR A/S PO1 in size 205/50/16, as Consumer Reports gave them good ratings generally, and rated them ‘Excellent’ in terms of noise. I’ve driven over 1k on them now. They are noticeably quieter, so much so that on smooth asphalt wind noise now drowns out tire noise, although on concrete, while quieter than before, tire noise is still greater than wind noise. My milage is off, but I installed them in December just before it turned cold and snowy in the northeast, and so that’s not necessarily because of the tires. They are much better than the Bridgestones in the rain, but about the same in the snow, maybe slightly worse. Handling is slightly less go-kart with the Sumitomos--when I first installed them I tended to understeer and then oversteer to compensate, although I’m more used to them now, and so don’t notice as much as I did before. Odometer remains accurate with this size tire. Ride comfort seems the same.

Others have tried the Continental Extreme Contacts in this size and seem happy with them (and I think someone reported that they’re quieter than the Bridgestones), so you might look into those as well.

 

Tire noise as well as engine noise are the culprits.

I put a set of Cooper Tourings on my daughters 07 Yaris and just spent a week with it at turnpike speeds and I could defiantly hear a difference from my FIT.

The stock Duns are a hard tire, there are better choices, however, MPG will most likely be slightly effected.
It's not so much the size as the tread with/composition that will make a difference.
The Cooper is a well rated long wearing very good all season tire. I'll be putting a set on my FIT eventually.

When looking do like Eugene did and be sure to check rated noise level as well as tread wear numbers.

 

A number of years ago, I installed a bunch of sound dampening material on a Pontiac Sunfire. It made a big difference for highway noise. It eliminated most of the higher-pitched noise associated with wind resistance and passing traffic, so that the remaining noise was a dull, low-pitched hum that was far less intrusive.

Sunfire Audio Fun

However, I would probably not do it again, because it added about 100lbs to the weight of the car. It's possible though that a much smaller and more strategic installation could make a substantial difference without so much weight. I went pretty crazy putting the stuff on every surface I could get to, but if you just focused on a few key areas, maybe it would help.

 

Different tires do help if you choose quiet replacements. Sounds-wise, size isn't as important as which brand/model chosen. I got the Sumitomos as well and have been happy. My Fit is still louder on the highway than most non-subcompact cars, though.

I've done some sound-deadening in the hatch area which made a noticeable difference. The doors and floor are next.

Here's a good thread to read...

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-...lots-pics.html

I think to save money and also weight, Honda used very little sound deadening material in the Fit, the carpet is extremely thin, etc. To me, 50-75 pounds of sound deadening, low the car, will make a dramatic difference in noise for very little noticeable sacrifice in performance due to the extra weight.

 

not a tire type guy...so what is the next size up from the stock dunlops?

 

205/50/16 is the ticket: same diameter (no speedo error), lots more choices, and a little wider (looks better, handles better, brakes better, more wheel protection from curb scuffs, etc). The only downside is you'll likely lose a tiny bit of gas mileage but tire choice and/or pressure can minimize or erase that difference.