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Driving a C300 loaner with acoustic glass and base audio
My 2015 C300 Sport is in for some routine service, and I was given a 2016 C300 Sport as a loaner. The 2016 has acoustic glass and the base audio system, whereas my 2015 has the standard glass and the Burmester audio system. My 2015 does not have a wind noise problem.
This is the first time I've been able to spend some time in any W205 with either the acoustic glass or the base audio, so I was glad to have the chance to make a comparison.
The base audio, I must admit, really doesn't belong in this car. On the positive side, it is distortion free and has adequate volume. Unfortunately, there is almost no bass or mid-tone. It really pales in comparison to the Burmester, which is just much punchier with a decent sound stage in the car. I spent some time with the system, and never was able to get it to the point where it actually sounded any better than a minimalist car audio system. Not impressed at all. For all its faults, the Burmester is a far better audio system and, IMHO, well worth the extra money if you have no intention of having a custom sound system installed.
The acoustic glass was interesting. Given I have no wind noise issue with my own C300, the loaner sounded just about the same as my own car. Interior noise levels were not any different, and the slight outside wind noise at high speed and/or in crosswinds could still be heard at low levels. My conclusion here is that if you don't have a wind noise issue, the acoustic glass will not offer any significant improvement in the interior noise levels. The loaner does have the acoustic glass, and it's very obvious when you see it. This was a bit of a disappointment.
So, for me anyway, I am glad I have the Burmester in my car, and I am not missing anything by not having the acoustic glass in a car without the wind noise problem.
I agree, base audio is a complete joke (meanwhile I thought the base audio in my mom's ML350 was a joke with 8 speakers and no sub but its worlds better compared to the C) and I also don't have the wind noise problem. Thanks for reporting back I was curious if the new glass would actually make a difference if you didn't have substantial noise already.
Driving locally and on highways at up to about 75 mph, neither I nor my wife can hear the slightest difference in noise levels. I expected the acoustic glass to make a significant difference, but it's not there at all.
Interesting update. Before getting the loaner, I had asked the dealer about upgrading to acoustic glass. They just called to tell me the service advisor approved the request and it's being installed. Now I'll have had the same car with and without acoustic glass for a comparison. After my experience with the loaner, I'm not expecting much.
Are they chargin you for the upgrade? How much is it? I am not sure about the glass on my C300 (2015) but I do think I suffer from wind noise (it doesnt feel quiet for sure, for a luxury brand).
Are they chargin you for the upgrade? How much is it? I am nozt sure about the glass on my C300 (2015) but I do think I suffer from wind noise (it doesnt feel quiet for sure, for a luxury brand).
Thanks!
It's being done under warranty at no cost to me. If you complain about wind noise to your dealer, you may get acoustic glass under warranty.
Thanks for the window info Stan, I look forward to when you get the acoustic glass installed.
Here's an interesting unrelated noise story...I recently had the black plastic roof strip "doors" replaced on my new C450 because all four door portions were all sun bleached. They were like this when I bought the car, and I had them order the parts when I took delivery...two months later the parts finally came in.
After they replaced them (under warranty of course), I had thought just those little door portions were replaced, but no, the whole black strips from bottom of the front wind shield to the top of the rear glass were replaced...wow!
Now as I was driving my car home from the dealership, I noticed right off the bat wind noise coming from the driver's side that I had not noticed before in my C450...as if one of the windows were opened slightly...and it was VERY noticeable. The dealership had also on this same visit replaced the door handle LEDs on all four doors (two went purple), so I thought maybe the door cards weren't snapped on all the way or something. So as I was sizing up the rear driver's side door to see if I could find anything obvious, I noticed the rear portion of the driver's roof strip they had just replaced was sticking up in back. All I did was push it back down and felt a "click" like it snapped in properly, then when I went out later that night to a friends house, the wind noise was gone completely...and pushing that black roof strip back in place was the only thing I did.
I wonder if some of this "wind noise" could be coming from the roof strips not being installed properly.
Thanks for the window info Stan, I look forward to when you get the acoustic glass installed.
Here's an interesting unrelated noise story...I recently had the black plastic roof strip "doors" replaced on my new C450 because all four door portions were all sun bleached. They were like this when I bought the car, and I had them order the parts when I took delivery...two months later the parts finally came in.
After they replaced them (under warranty of course), I had thought just those little door portions were replaced, but no, the whole black strips from bottom of the front wind shield to the top of the rear glass were replaced...wow!
Now as I was driving my car home from the dealership, I noticed right off the bat wind noise coming from the driver's side that I had not noticed before in my C450...as if one of the windows were opened slightly...and it was VERY noticeable. The dealership had also on this same visit replaced the door handle LEDs on all four doors (two went purple), so I thought maybe the door cards weren't snapped on all the way or something. So as I was sizing up the rear driver's side door to see if I could find anything obvious, I noticed the rear portion of the driver's roof strip they had just replaced was sticking up in back. All I did was push it back down and felt a "click" like it snapped in properly, then when I went out later that night to a friends house, the wind noise was gone completely...and pushing that black roof strip back in place was the only thing I did.
I wonder if some of this "wind noise" could be coming from the roof strips not being installed properly.
That's really interesting. I think there are likely several things on this car that can cause wind noise; the door seals, the glass itself, the side mirrors, and the window seals. This is the first I've heard of those roof rails being a potential problem, but in your case they obviously were. I wonder how many complaints might be solved by checking the fit of those rails and reseating them if needed.
Thanks for posting this ... it may help others with the same problem.
09-09-2016, 09:18 AM
