The Rattle That Wasn't

September 25, 2010

I recently started hearing a small rattle when driving over bumps in the road, It sounded like it was coming from the nearside. Mindful of some (negative) comments in the US about dashboard rattles I figured I would just have to get used to it. :!Removed!:

I commented on the rattle to my wife, whereupon she said, "I can hear it too, but it's coming from your side!"

After a little conversation to and fro, as you do in pantomime style:

"Oh yes it is."

"Oh no it isn't..."

Eventually I engaged my brain rather than my assertiveness and realised that the noise must be coming from the centre of the car. So I started looking for things that might be rattling there. The undershelf was empty and there didn't seem to be anything on the dash... so what on earth...?

Then I remembered the sunglasses pouch just above the rearview mirror. I opened it up, my wife took out the sunglasses which I had put in a few days ago and "Hey presto!" rattle gone! :rolleyes:

The glasses are back in, folded more carefully, and all is right once more with the quiet world inside (and outside) the Prius! :thumbsup:

Shared in the hope that somebody else benefits from my stupidity! :blush:

R04drunner1

September 25, 2010

That reminds me of that old VW Golf ad, here is a youtube link...

September 25, 2010

That reminds me of that old VW Golf ad, here is a youtube link...

And that reminds me that VW think hybrid drivers are !Removed!...... :unsure:

September 25, 2010

And that reminds me that VW think hybrid drivers are !Removed!......

The funniest thing about that ad is thinking that anyone would buy a diesel because "it sounds good"! :o That is one of the major reasons why I bought a hybrid, because I was fed up with diesel rattle especially when idling in traffic.

Also the implication that a record-breaking figure (56 mpg) could reasonably be expected of normal use, yeah like we get 70 mpg from our Prius'...??? [Cue flames! :lol: ]

R04drunner1

September 25, 2010

And that reminds me that VW think hybrid drivers are !Removed!......

The funniest thing about that ad is thinking that anyone would buy a diesel because "it sounds good"! :o That is one of the major reasons why I bought a hybrid, because I was fed up with diesel rattle especially when idling in traffic.
Also the implication that a record-breaking figure (56 mpg) could reasonably be expected of normal use, yeah like we get 70 mpg from our Prius'...??? [Cue flames! ]
R04drunner1

Agreed, if you want to have a diesel that sounds good, then you'll need at least six cylinders. My previous car was a BMW 525D touring, whenever I exploited it I'd have the audio system off, because the sound it made was fantastic. The smoothness and refinement of it reminded me of my very first car, a Triumph 2000TC mk1 which also had a straight six engine, so was very similar in character.

The noise produced by a four cylinder diesel is just total boredom, and it really doesn't matter which manufacturer it's from, they all just sound the same. Refinement levels have generally improved over the years, but they'll just never emit a noise which evokes the passion which can be achieved, for example (in combination with the exhaust note) from a sporty four cylinder petrol.

There might just be one exception, the four cylinder BMW 2.0 diesel unit, the latest versions of which use balancer shafts for superb smoothness and refinement, now pump out over 180 bhp, and as diesels go, they don't sound too bad,