20" Wheels - excessive road noise

[Driver Dave]

Just wanted to be #1000.

Have to agree with neon the Contisilent's on 20" rims are much quieter no the weather has warmed up.

[Deman77]

Originally Posted by Denedriver

This bit of the road is bad, but the XC90 is very bad on it and worse than the Q7 and RangeRover. I had a real problem with this in my MY16 and complained so much to Volvo that they sent a team twice from Sweden to test the car and make changes to the wheels by fitting Conti Silent on 21 inch wheels. They back to backed with the RangeRover and Q7. It stopped the resonance but still the car was generally too loud.

I gave up and sold the car to buy a Q7. It is better and does not have the horrific resonance on the M25, it also drives in a straight line, which the Volvo never did, does not have slippy slides rear windows, never ending software updates and a rather rough (D5) engine.

Sorry Volvo a poor car either brought to the market too son or not tested properly.

Hi Dene, good to see you are back - I know Q7 is brilliant machine but man she is not pretty. That's probably why you keep checking on your old girlfriend xc90. Our moaning has "helped" Volvo make it into a passable car for road noise. You take big credit. All these people who say it's fine should read this thread from start and say big thanks to you as it was far from fine for a long time.

[Driver Dave]

Originally Posted by Quacker

He's moved on, but not completely it seems and is especially keen on highlighting his own personal experience above that of many of us who have no issues with the car. In my case far less issues than I had with a Q7, which I liked more than the Audi dealers I dealt with.

Quacker I am pleased you have car that you are happy with, there are a number of us who have had, and continue to have, various problems with our cars.

Perhaps if we had kept quiet and put up with sub-standard vehicles some of the changes that have been made by Volvo, eg fitting Contisilent tyres as standard now, may not have happened and you would not have a car you are so pleased with.

I hope you continue to have trouble free experience of your car but please don't criticise those of us who have problems and express our opinions often in the hope we can help others with similar concerns.

[neon]

Originally Posted by Quacker

The Q7 is still built on the same platform today as it was then. A lot of things have changed right enough but quiet is quiet and problems are problems. Speak as you find.
He's moved on, but not completely it seems and is especially keen on highlighting his own personal experience above that of many of us who have no issues with the car. In my case far less issues than I had with a Q7, which I liked more than the Audi dealers I dealt with.

I just knew you would get the 1000th post Quacker.
Sorry have to disagree with you about a car not improving over 10 years, same platform or not I would expect quite a change over 10 years.
Do agree with you about the Audi dealerships though as I have seriously been in the market for a new expensive Audi twice now and both times walked away from the option due to the way the dealership operates. Sat in the new Q7 and had a good play with it but never drove it. So never owned an Audi or BMW.

[Quacker]

Originally Posted by neon

I just knew you would get the 1000th post Quacker.
Sorry have to disagree with you about a car not improving over 10 years, same platform or not I would expect quite a change over 10 years.
Do agree about the Audi dealerships though as I have seriously been in the market for a new Audi twice now and both times walked away from the option due to the way the dealership operates. So never owned an Audi or BMW.

I did? The 1000th? Well well!

I was in a current Q7 not long ago and it is indeed better than mine was in many ways, including power, economy and refinement. They surely have sorted the terrible tyre noise by now, partly I guess by using the same tyre technology as used in the Contisilent, which BMW and JLR also fit on their current models in many cases, so that aspect was not actually developed with just Volvo in mind.
I would also hope that even the second generation Q7 would have sorted the absolutely unacceptable tyre wear rate of the first generation Torsen differential implementation. 10 to 12k miles at best from Pirelli and Continental premium tyres is just plain balmy and would today cost me £1500/year or 9p per mile in tyres alone. That's only £600 approximately less than the fuel.

[desiebear]

Having had a MY16 on standard suspension 20" and now a MY17 with air and 21" wheels with the Pirelli PNCS, there is a significant improvement in terms of noise reduction between the 2. However the biggest improvement in terms of noise and refinement has been fitting 19" wheels.

I was suprised how much the ride and refinement improved when I fitted them, don't get me wrong there is still road noise on rough or poor surfaces but it's a noticeable difference. I did feel the air suspension a little coarse on the b roads I normally drive with the 21's, but with the 19" fitted it floats along like I had hoped it would. Even the wife noticed the improvement so it must be obvious!

[Deman77]

Originally Posted by desiebear

Having had a MY16 on standard suspension 20" and now a MY17 with air and 21" wheels with the Pirelli PNCS, there is a significant improvement in terms of noise reduction between the 2. However the biggest improvement in terms of noise and refinement has been fitting 19" wheels.

I was suprised how much the ride and refinement improved when I fitted them, don't get me wrong there is still road noise on rough or poor surfaces but it's a noticeable difference. I did feel the air suspension a little coarse on the b roads I normally drive with the 21's, but with the 19" fitted it floats along like I had hoped it would. Even the wife noticed the improvement so it must be obvious!

What tyres on 19s?

[desiebear]

Michelin Latitude 3

[Quacker]

Originally Posted by desiebear

Michelin Latitude 3

235/55r19 I think.

[Br0adSw0rd]

Does anyone know if Volvo have changed the tyres or made improvements to the noise level on MY18 cars riding on 20"?