How nice can a Miata be inside? (hardtop, dynamat, etc)
 

I've always pulled the interior out of my Miatas.

Curious how much of a difference it makes to add a hardtop and sound deaden everything, is there a big change in wind noise? Does it feel as cramped as it usually does with the convertible top up? Still feel like a tiny tin box because it is?

a ton.

Does anyone have any proven results doing this? I'm curious about DB readings before and after, or just a well placed mic located in the same place while driving down the same road before and after.

My hardtop is a million times quieter than the soft top.







But my soft top leaks like a sieve so it might not be the best example.

I am 6'4" so I don't like the top up if I can help it but I don't find the soft or hard-top much different sound wise. The soft top frame can make noise if it's not lubed and dampened. I don't find either hard or soft top super quiet compared to my daily but when driving in another tin can such as a civic they aren't really far off IMO.

Hardtop is more quiet but not by a lot.

I will have a very solid before and after when I get my car running. I've gone the full monty on sound deadening...everything. Considering how loud the car was before, anything better, is totally worth it.

Do it right though.

Vibration deadening
closed cell foam
These two alone should be a big change

if ballah Mass Loaded Vinyl

Also check out the condition of your undercoating, it couldn't hurt to spritz on some new 3m rubber sound deadening in the wheel wells.

You have video of the before? Audio? dB readings? Need before after data!

I got a hardtop just because I now have frequent 4 hour drives to visit my parents. I got the hardtop on from a member in the middle of one of those drives and the different was very noticeable, but that's just from feel.

However, whenever I'm passenger in my roommates M3 my car feels like a dumptruck right after haha

I know 18psi did all this stuff to his "heavy pig" build, but I'm not sure he has measurable results. He can probably chime in.

The hardtop doesn't seem to create a noticeable difference when you put it on.

It's when you take it back off and use the soft top that you realize "holy CRAP, I can't hear shit because this damned soft top is soo loud."

That's real life.

the hardtop makes a world of difference with stock interior. Too lazy to find a better quality video but here is an example on the NC miata

Yup, that's what I'm worried about. Really want another comfortable car, but I don't want to get a third car, so this is an option I'm considering.

Can't imagine what it'd be like driving with the top up all the time. It's like a little coffin in there the couple times I've had to do it in the last year.

On my NA, the difference between the hardtop and soft top regarding interior noise was night and day difference. The car was much quieter and more livable and I was convinced the hard top really made the car livable on the highway.

Which was true, until I bought a nice NB. Honestly the difference between the tops on that car wasn't nearly as noticeable. For me, it's more of a toss up, the hard top is slightly better, but not enough for me to warrant keeping it on the car all the time. I mean, I own a convertible for a reason.

Just my experience though, but the differences between the two really are dependent on the car itself, IMO.

With a full interior, a factory hardtop is way quieter than the soft top. It's like the difference between a cheap little convertible and a cheap little car that's not a convertible. At least it can be if everything fits tightly.

I feel cramped under a ST, but (with a foamectomy) I feel comfortable under a HT. Again, if everything fits tightly and seals well, then it feels a little more like car that's not a convertible.

I've been slowly piecing together a '94 to be fun but comfortable.
I put sound deadening(peel 'n seal) on the doors, trunk, and floor; and there was a noticeable difference in the overall quietness of the car.

Now I'm working on hunting down every little rattle and squeak in the interior.

I think I did pretty much every single thing discussed here.
The improvement was quite significant, very big difference between my white car and the other NB's I've driven, but I don't have any data or numbers or whatever.

Its still no lexus, but it sure is nice.

There are some really good interior threads on clubroadster, about the only reason I visit there. We should have an interior section so I want have to go there anymore.

I am planning on coating as much of the interior panels with this stuff as I can before I reinstall carpet. Will try to get as much coverage on the interior of the doors and trunk as well.

https://www.parts-express.com/sonic-...-x-40--268-035

Yep, that stuff everywhere for sound reduction, and some dynamat in strategic locations to prevent vibration/tin can sound, and a hard top would probably be the 3 most effective things.

As soon as I get a chance to rip the interior out, I'm doing the tub with this stuff: Under Carpet - Sound Deadening Layer | Design Engineering, Inc.

I've got a dynamat type product on the rear shelf and vertical behind the seats. It wasn't any sort of miracle but it did reduce road noise quite a bit.