Rattles/Squeaks in the BRZ?

[cammyfive]

After all of the rave reviews from the 'pros' and forum members here alike I have added a BRZ to the short list of cars I'm going to look at near the end of summer (I'm currently driving a Hyundai Veloster and will sell private party to break even then). I'm excited about the spirit this engine has and most of all the RWD handling. I'm curious about any sort of squeaks or rattles in the new BRZ over broken pavement or any other structural rigidity issues with the car...can anyone comment on this?

[blu_]

I don't have any rattles at all yet. over rougher roads the suspension is stiff, but there is no crashing, banging, or rattling.... yet.

[cammyfive]

Thanks! I assumed the structural rigidity of the car would be rather high considering it's intended handling prowess. Also, the lack of a sunroof, while really my only sore spot with the car, obviously helps it maintain a tight structure. How about normal road and engine noise in the car while commuting?

[blu_]

Its not loud at all while cruising, just at WOT above ~4k RPM. Then the intake tube gets loud, but I kind of like it for a 2L 4 banger. That said some people really don't like the sound boxer engines make, so what engine noise there is could sound like total crap to someone else and drive them nuts.

Road noise is also not bad at all IMO. I find the car to be nice to drive. I put 250 miles on it in 2 days and didn't feel sore or exhausted.

It is small. That's something I am going to hopefully get used to in a DD. Finding places for things like key cards, drink bottles, aux cords can get troubling.

[cammyfive]

Good info! I don't mind some (pleasant) noise when I'm really giving it the spurs but I'd like a 'tame' car when I'm commuting or road tripping. My Veloster has a few annoying rattles and it just turned over 8 months old and 17K miles. Yeah, yeah...I know the Veloster isn't really in the same class but it does annoy me so I want to make sure that my next car is focused on rattle free operation.

[Turbowned]

This is a very good question to ask! Those noises drive me INSANE. I was daily driving my Toyota MR2 for the past year or so, and the creaks, squeaks, and rattles became too much to bear! I know the car is 26 years old and has 200k miles on it, but I've literally taken every interior panel out of the car and added additional foam and felt insulation to prevent these noises, and the car STILL MAKES THEM!!! Can't stand it. Not to mention I went to work selling Audis this past year, and they are DEAD SILENT inside, which I love. The S4 I'm leasing is like a dream, just needs a little more aggressive exhaust tone and it'll be perfect. I just don't want the Subaru to feel like a used car after 6 months if it starts creaking or rattling.

[cammyfive]

^Agreed. I actually worked for Hyundai is sales for a number of years and started at the Infiniti dealership this past year. Nice to meet a fellow car guy.

[blu_]

A few small things I am starting to notice.

There is a small "clunk" from the drive shaft/rear diff when shifting into first after coming to a stop. Pretty sure this is just the synchros working and is normal.

Very very small rattle coming from the back seat. Possibly the rear seat belts, or I didn't close the fold down back seats all the way yesterday. Can only hear it when the HVAC and radio is off. Its tiny, but is the first potential rattle.

The engine from the outside sounds odd for a boxer. It almost makes a pulsating squeaking noise, like a pulley is making sound, but I cant locate it. Prolly already broke it, from my hard break in

edit: 350ish miles btw. Just for a reference I already had found about 10 issues with my Legacy at this point. I have problems....

[wu_dot_com]

nothing yet. about 500 miles into the break in

[mattles]

over 1000 miles of dailying this car, I can report that the only thing on it that is loud is the transmission/driveline. I cant pinpoint it, but as mentioned when shifting down into first it will thunk/clatter on occasion. The transmissions makes wonderful snick noises, clack noises, etc. To me this is perfection, but maybe I am weird.

I come from a life of owning mostly Miatas, so maybe Im used to a noisy transmission, the upside of which is that you truly always know what the trans is doing. Another miata comparison, the FRS doesnt bump/rattle/squeak like the miatas do, god damn now that was annoying.

[blu_]

Nice. Yeah the clunk sound was something I wasn't used to, but some people with Miatas and S2000's I know said it was normal. I also like transmission noises. I went out of my way to make the driveline as loud as possible on my STI.

The family of mice living in my engine, might drive me nuts though. Will need an exhaust to drown out their chatting. To be fair though you cant hear it unless outside the car.

[Scooby]

Originally Posted by Turbowned

Not to mention I went to work selling Audis this past year, and they are DEAD SILENT inside, which I love.

That silence is seriously addictive isn't it?

[Turbowned]

Yup!!! I get in people's trade-ins and wonder how they live with all the little noises they make. I'm like a dog when it comes to that stuff - super sensitive hearing!

[OrbitalEllipses]

Originally Posted by Turbowned

Yup!!! I get in people's trade-ins and wonder how they live with all the little noises they make. I'm like a dog when it comes to that stuff - super sensitive hearing!

My WRX had a few odd rattles, but one or two that really bothered me. Ex-gf's old Saturn, the whole thing rattled and I have no idea how she lived with it. I understand silence, I get it. My parents both have cushy Lexus vehicles that are quiet, but to me it's just awkward. A faux silence, like living in the suburbs.

Most rattles can be covered up with an exhaust, it's just those rattles that ONLY happen at a certain harmonic frequency that annoy me.