Friendly Car Guide for Tinnitus Sufferers

Hello,

I would like to ask which cars have worked well and have not affected your tinnitus.

There are noise decibel guidelines inside the cabin but I firmly believe that what really counts is the accoustics of the cabin and vibration. I believe also probably a vig quantity of somatic tinnitus sufferers have some trouble with some cars.

Volkswagen Polo
As it is small, accoustics are not good
I don't recommend It

 

Hello All!!

I have been driving a Volkswagen Vento these days: http://www.carnews.com.mx/volkswagen-vento-entre-los-tres-autos-mas-vendidos-en-mexico/

It has been quite friendly for my T, no spike at all.

What cars have you used and have been T friendly? VW Vento seems a good option (not the VW Polo).

 

I'd go with a luxury car. They are usually designed to be quieter. I have an older Infiniti with a powerful engine that is amazingly quiet because the sound is dampened so well. You can buy a nice used Lexus for pretty cheap on craigslist.

 

Thank you @TuneOut what middle class could also work well in terms of good sound engineering in the cabin ?

I believe small cars are not that good for the ears! Thank you for the second hand recommendations

 

I drive a 2002 Dodge Ram Pickup with a Cummins Turbo Diesel. If you live in the US and have a UPS truck come to your house it's the same engine as the UPS Truck. I don't recommend it for people who suffer from T. I've been driving with NRR 30 headphones for the last 4 weeks. I don't know if I'm going to keep the truck or trade it in for a quieter gasser down the line. The Dodge was my dream through my 20's and I got one in my 30's when the opportunity came. Now I'm in my 40's and since T everything has changed.

 

My wife has a 2010 CRV. Very quiet ride I give it a thumbs up for people with T.

 

2017 Nissan Maxima Platinum has been pretty good.

 

A big body Euro or Japanese luxury car is your best bet for a quiet buy... You can pick up a used ls460 for not much money. Here's something that most people don't know though; tire type and size makes a huge difference in road noise. Low profile tires are loud, especially when they're performance oriented. Larger tires on smaller rims is a good way to get a quieter ride out of any vehicle, and will make a luxury car REALLY quiet. They aren't, however, conducive to good handling, I have low pro summer tires mounted on factory sport wheels on both my 7 and 3 series, it's a trade off, but I like a tight, responsive ride.

 

Hello all!!! Is there any medium or cheaper car than has worked well for you in terms of T? Regardind accoustics and vibration?

 

Has anyone have any experiences with an electric car? I heard they are very quiet.

 

What's your price range?

 

2016 Chevy Silverado.... if you want a truck, it is very quiet for a truck.

 

Around 35,000 USD at much. What about subarus ? I have read somewhere they seem very good option noise and vibration wise

 

AMV check out the CRV's. It's really quiet for me and can be had for your price range.

 

For that price range one could scoop up a really nice low mileage BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Lexus etc. with an extended factory warranty. I'm a firm believer in buying used, let the first buyer eat up the depreciation, and end up with a really nice vehicle that you wouldn't be able to afford brand new.

An accord would honestly be a better choice as far as Honda's go ... Faster, better handling, better gas mileage, and quieter. You pay a big price for the higher seating position as far a crossovers are concerned. I've never understand why so many people are willing to make that compromise just to sit higher up. If you need extra space, a wagon does the job a lot better.

 

Chevy Bolt, all electric, may be something to consider.

 

Mazda CX3...Not. Alarms for every occasion. Put it in reverse? There's a shrieking alarm to let you know you did. Reversing? Bit of scrub behind and to the left? More HF beeping, just so you know. Road noise that puts your ear right next to the driving wheels...Don't even consider.

 

When people get older it gets harder to get in and out of a low car. When people get to a certain age it's not all about speed or having a status car. The CRV has a lot more trunk space as opposed to an Accord and you don't have to reach down and into it. Parts for a car like a Honda can be had at a much more reasonable price than a BMW along with more techs who can work on them.

The CRV is a nice and quiet car depending what you need. The driver seat can get a little uncomfortable on longer drives. I would check that out if you decide to look at one. When I get in the CRV it's easy to drive with great visibility and a tight turning radius and quiet.

I agree with AZ on purchasing a car off lease from a dealer. Look for a low milage one with a warranty and save yourself the depreciation. This is coming from what I assume are two guys who like to work on cars. If you have the means to get a new car and will be relying on someone else to maintain it a new car may be worth it.

 

That's understandable, age does play a part in vehicle selection. Honda makes a damn good product, I had an 05 six speed manual accord couple a few years back, built well, fun, and very comfortable. The transverse mounted v6 wasn't the easiest thing to work on (especially with my big ass hands), but other than that it was a great car.

As far as Euros go, some buy for status, others (like myself) buy because we are enthusiasts and appreciate the styling, features, and performance (a sharp handling car will save your butt when time comes to perform an emergency maneuver). I do all my own work, and track my cars frequently, it's something I'm very passionate about. Some parts are indeed expensive, but with a warranty you'd be ok, although regardless of whether or not I have one I'm still doing the work myself. I'm very particular about how things are done, shops like to take shortcuts to save time, I go nice and slow and do everything by the service manual.

Now of course I'm biased... But I will say this; If this will be OP's only car a Honda would probably be a better choice, it will practically never fail you, as long as you keep up with routine maintenance. Definitely can't go wrong driving a Honda.

 

Thank you guys!! Any other suggestion for other cars that have worked well for your T ? Any suggestion is welcome !

 

Hello All!

I am thinking on this car: https://www.autocosmos.com.mx/catalogo/vigente/nissan/kicks

Has anyone drove it ? Any other suggestion of cars which have worked well for your T (not effect on it)?

 

I measured my VW passet and it’s about 68db with the windows closed at 100km an hour.

Using a softer compound tyre and having a higher inflation pressure will reduce cabin noise too.

In reality, most modern new cars that don’t have loud sports exhausts should be well within safe volume levels.

Just remember too, you don’t want your cabin space to be too quiet or it will only make the impact of tinnitus seem worse. Noise is your friend; at safe levels.

 

@Pleasure_Paulie thanks ! I believe vibration also makes an impact , but It is of great help what you say about the tyres. Also knowing vw Passat is a good car for t helps me a lot.

Anyone Who has Drove a Nissan ?

 

Depends a lot on the model. I've been driving a lot of rental cars for work and have been putting together a list. Hertz likes to rent a lot of Nissans. The Sentras aren't that great and the Versas suck. The Maxima's are nice, I really liked the Maxima I drove. That being said, they are all probably quieter than my personal vehicle.

 

Mine is a SEAT Ibiza 1.4 16v petrol and could not be worse... it is the same platform as the VW Polo...

I fitted the underbonnet insulation from the diesels versions, two weeks ago but didnt improve that much, the engine is quieter but everything else is still loud... average 68-70db at 110km/h depending on the road condition could be less or more.

 

DIY: How to Soundproof your Vehicle Under $100

 

@dm222 thanks for your message.

I believe Seat Ibiza is the same as the VW Polo. It's not about the noise but about the accoustics. Every bump and rough road sound gets very amplified, i belive also as they are small cars all the noise stays there. Guys stay away from a VW Polo or a Seat Ibiza !

@Alue thanks for your recommendation.

Any other recommendations of middle price - low price cars that can work well for T?

 

Hello all

I have started to manage well my hyperacusis & tinnitus, but there is one pending issue for me and is driving and cars.

Which cars have worked well for you? I have VW Polo and will change it. It doesn't care I use or not ear muffs, and I'm sure is due to the car vibration and bone conduction. I am thinking in buying a bigger car with bigger tyres, and probably soundproofing it to reduce road vibrations.

Anyway I was curious if any of you have managed well this problem or drive a car that does not give you any problem.

Thank you all !!!

PD: Paradoxically if I don't drive, I don't have any problems, so maybe a factor of stress is also involved.

 

@Amv

I'd like to revise my previous statement. I recently rented a 2018 Nissan Versa that wasn't too bad for an inexpensive compact car. It was actually fairly comfortable. I also drove a Kia Forte that was horrible! I had to drive it on some rough highways and the road noise was very loud, louder than any airplane I've been in! I actually took it in an traded it in for an upgrade the next day. I still don't think I'd buy one, but for inexpensive cars the low end Nissan's aren't bad, I think I'm going to avoid renting Kia's from here on.

 

@Alue

Did you notice any change in your t from driving the Kia?