superangrypenguin

I've been thinking of buying a new S class mainly because I want a quieter cabin

I was recently driven in a 2013 S class and a 2015 S class (vacation/limo), and was surprised to see that on BOTH S classes, the noise levels both averaged 69db on my phone, which is almost identical to my 2012 C class.

I just thought I'd share that tidbit. I'm no gambler, but if I did gamble, I would have gambled that this result is close to impossible. But sure enough!

95Sinned420

ezshift5

Well hombre,

I have a C-class and you've just made my day - er week!

all the best from our port coast (Navy)


ez

superangrypenguin

So couple of pieces of info here.

1) The main culprit of noise for both vehicles was tire noise. I suspect because both cars (someone correct me if I'm wrong about the older S class) runs on RFTs. I know for sure the newer S class/present model runs on RFTs.
2) Test environments: You bring up a good point. These were from two different cars driven by two different people on two different countries. However, both sound testings were taken at approximately 120km/hr on highways. So yes, lots of uncontrolled variables here

However, the point of this test was that I wanted to know if a S class is drastically quieter than a C class. I was SURE of it, and it turns out, no, it wasn't. While a phone is not an accurate measuring instrument of sound, the point of the test was to use the same phone, and the same app, to measure three different cars and to see if there was a drastic difference.

Well, there wasn't. It wasn't even a drastic difference, but we're talking about maybe 1db here. That surprised me. That said my C class does NOT run on stock tires. It's currently on Primacy Alpin PA3 tires (very quiet), and are winter tires (softer compound). When it gets warm again I will be doing another test on my C class. I know those tires are louder (Primacy MXM4s), but they are still much quieter than the stock shi*** contis.

W204Motorsports

I added 100 lbs of second skin sound deadening in my c300, i never tried measuring the dbs but it is hard to here the outside world with the windows closed, at least in summer, these cars are very sensitve to the type of tires you put on. I remember when I first got it, it had some cheap chinese tires making all sorts of noise but I didn't know that at first, so I added sound deadening, under the carpet and trunk, it helped. Then I got new tires and all the noises went away.. Knowing it was all noise from the tires, I added more sound deadening the every wheel well and now in winter, if I close my windows, you cant even hear my studded tires in the cabin and they are loud studded tires, from the out side at least.

Now im sure an s class has more sound deadening, maybe it is similar because the c class is more compact, never the less, for the w204 c class, mercedes didn't put enough sound deadening in the front wheel wells, under the headliner( no sound deadening other then the headliner, very thin can feel) ,the top of the truck ( More of an issue for the sound system quality) and lastly under the rear seats, I remember seeing a cls without its back seats and it had a layer extra of deadener then my w204 c class, other then that they are pretty well insulated cars.