Sound deadening a Caravelle - is it worth it?

[Jordy]

This is one specifically for Caravelle owners! Have you added aftermarket sound deadening to your Velle and did it make much difference? I have a T6.1 Exec and am thinking about upgrading my speaker system so naturally I am considering sound deadening at the same time. I know that VW added some sound deadening to the Velle but I feel that road noise is still an issue, particularly in the second row (it's so bad it sounds like I am driving with a door open!). Looking for some advice on whether it's worth the investment and also areas where I should be specifically targeting for some extra sound deadening.

 

[archersam]

I did my Shuttle 6.1 and they are to all intents and purposes identical once the trims are removed and I believe sound deadening is likely to be minimal also in Velles especially as they scrimped everywhere else on all modesl 6.1.

I am sure it has made a difference. I have done doors with dodo mat and door cards with foam, and the rear quarters and floor and rear cards including stuffing with recycled insulation (in the rear only).

Still got sliding doors to do and tailgate but like fronts wont use insulation in case of water ingress from leaking things. Didnt do them at the time as am upgrading to antrhracite all round and was waiting for a good second hand set to turn up. Thankfully a nice member on here had a set.

I run my Shuttle empty other than for 5 seats although do have a Rhino load mat and IF I put some things or blankets etc near wheel arches then it reduces noise / resonance so my next step might be to take off wheel arch liners outside and sound deaden from there.

 

[DXX]

Have a Search with ‘sound deadening’.
Scuttle.
Overhead behind cab head liner.
Front door skins and door cards.
Wheel arch liners.
…….you can keep going but those area will make the biggest improvements.

 

[archersam]

Have a Search with ‘sound deadening’.
Scuttle.
Overhead behind cab head liner.
Front door skins and door cards.
Wheel arch liners.
…….you can keep going but those area will make the biggest improvements.

"Overhead behind cab head liner".

Hadn't thought about this one and had forgotten about scuttle!

 

[DXX]

"Overhead behind cab head liner".

Hadn't thought about this one and had forgotten about scuttle!

I’ve got my Kombi campervan to the point where I can barely hear the engine. Totally different drive to the stock Kombi.
VW can’t be arsed with sound deadening and insulation as it can’t be done with a robot and isn’t a feature that will sell a vehicle.

 

[archersam]

I’ve got my Kombi campervan to the point where I can barely hear the engine. Totally different drive to the stock Kombi.
VW can’t be arsed with sound deadening and insulation as it can’t be done with a robot and isn’t a feature that will sell a vehicle.

Yeh my Shuttle is pretty quiet as standard other than road noise mainly from the rear wheels

 

[roadtripper]

it's so bad it sounds like I am driving with a door open

I have the same spec and 100% agree, I'm driving MrsRT mad by always asking if the doors are fine. It's particularly noticeable in roadworks and rain where the sound is reflected off a hard surface near the lower half of the door.

By brother in law now has the same spec but late T6 and that doesn't seem as noisy so I'd agree with @archersam "scrimp* comment too.

I've also possibly made it slightly worse by ensuring there as a gap in the outer seal on the bottom to stop water collection in the roller pocket there.

I'm considering if it annoys me enough to attempt to remove the trims (and blinds) and so far it hasn't because it's still in original warranty. It's a shame as elsewhere it does seem reasonably sound deadened.

 

[archersam]

I have the same spec and 100% agree, I'm driving MrsRT mad by always asking if the doors are fine. It's particularly noticeable in roadworks and rain where the sound is reflected off a hard surface near the lower half of the door.

By brother in law now has the same spec but late T6 and that doesn't seem as noisy so I'd agree with @archersam "scrimp* comment too.

I've also possibly made it slightly worse by ensuring there as a gap in the outer seal on the bottom to stop water collection in the roller pocket there.

I'm considering if it annoys me enough to attempt to remove the trims (and blinds) and so far it hasn't because it's still in original warranty. It's a shame as elsewhere it does seem reasonably sound deadened.

"It's particularly noticeable in roadworks and rain where the sound is reflected off a hard surface near the lower half of the door".

So I get this particularly in Europe when right against the concrete barriers and it is because the NS door isnt well adjusted and you can feel a breeze come through as well all the time.

Unfortunately when the door is "well adjusted and quiet" it means it needs to be SLAMMED so hard to close that I have to get out and close it from the outside. Downside of not having soft close doors and thats an upgrade I have condisdered to overcome it.

Zero issues with the drivers one.

I did find a small piece of masking tape on the door so it has clearly been repaired sometime during VW's ownership as it was being used onthe MK site to the best of my knowledge.

 

[roadtripper]

Oddly I've noticed that my doors are quite different, the top of the door card and blind arrangement is very different on each side and I've no idea why.

Mine is power opening and power latching so I think it's quite tight but I've never tested because, as yet, MrsRT hasn't driven it and I can't be in two places at once (apparently the issue is "you're too bloody precious about your shiny van to risk it" - umm...)

 

[archersam]

Oddly I've noticed that my doors are quite different, the top of the door card and blind arrangement is very different on each side and I've no idea why.

Mine is power opening and power latching so I think it's quite tight but I've never tested because, as yet, MrsRT hasn't driven it and I can't be in two places at once (apparently the issue is "you're too bloody precious about your shiny van to risk it" - umm...)

That will be because one side is set like a slider with a solid insert that stays on the door and the other fixed with a plastic piece that comes off with the doorcar EVEN if they are both fixed windows. I also have no idea why as I am changing my grey shuttle cards fixed window for black ones and thought someone had sold me the wrong ones as part of the passenger side is "missing". Its just the way its designed.

 

[roadtripper]

Well at least I now know how they are physically different if I do take them off, I did wonder about left Vs right hand drive but I assumed that there are sufficient twin sliders in all regions for that not to be the reason.

 

[archersam]

Well at least I now know how they are physically different if I do take them off, I did wonder about left Vs right hand drive but I assumed that there are sufficient twin sliders in all regions for that not to be the reason.

ah thats a good point. MOST UK Shuttles (european Velles) only come with one slider as standard (I was looking to buy one and keep in Slovakia) It is only the UK market that is always 2 sliders. I also don't think all European multivans come with twin sliders either as standard (was also looking at them to buy) so that could be the explanation as it is the European drivers side that has the weird trim piece attached to the door when the trim is removed.

 

[roadtripper]

But I assume the non UK Multivans (so UK Caravelles) are twin as standard?

VW made a confusing mess of naming. Having different names in different territories is fine, but not when the same name is used for a different model elsewhere sigh

 

[archersam]

But I assume the non UK Multivans (so UK Caravelles) are twin as standard?

VW made a confusing mess of naming. Having different names in different territories is fine, but not when the same name is used for a different model elsewhere sigh

I had assumed that too however nope there are lots of them that are single slider only on the passenger side (our drivers side). I think twin must be an option etc or maybe only on higher spec models as a quick sanity check on Slovak/Czech marketplace shows several with single and all the doubles seem to be the fancier two tone factory paintjobs.

I found a cracking buy and then realised it was a single slider as I had wanted to use it in UK instead of a UK vehicle