SHE SAYS...

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31652, 11 April 1968, Page 9

SHE SAYS...

Many drivers are oblivious of the level of noise when driving their car. Excessive noise or vibration, however, can be exhausting on long trips and can also cause car sickness.

If you have never travelled in a quieter car than your own, you will obviously have little basis for comparison. If yOu do ride in a quiet vehicle and then return to your own, you. may find the difference very striking. Some ear noises develop gradually during the life of the vehicle, and for this reason can pass unnoticed for a long time. An example might be a holed muffler or exhaust system—the noise is almost imperceptible at first, but gradually the level rises. Once the faulty part is replaced the lower noise level is very obvious, and one may wonder how the fault went unnoticed for so long. But where “normal” car noise is concerned, having a vehicle undersealed can help a great deal. Placing thick felt under the carpets, on the floor of the boot and glueing it under the bonnet ; lid can lead to a dramatic lowering

of noise levels, and any noise abatement campaign should include a check for missing rubber bungs in the bulkhead between the engine and the passenger space, and the wrapping in sacking or cloth of all loose tools in the boot.

Minor rattles can often be cured by tightening the screws and by wedging pieces of foam plastic in appropriate places.

In many cars one of the worst sources of noise are the rubber seals around the doors and swivelling windows. The piercing whistle of wind past an ill-fitting seal can be most annoying, but unless you have a husband or friend who really knows what he is doing the replacement of rubber seals is usually best left to a panelbeater.