Equinox Noise Cancelling Speakers = mpg +1

[DifferentPointofView]

Or just loads and loads of heavy Dynamat

What's funny is the Caliber is supposed to have a noisy engine, but I never hear that thing while I'm driving it, it's only noisy from the outside. And it's not that loud of an engine either, it's just noisy.

Now the AMC Straight 6 in my Jeep... I don't know how I'd not hear that beside more speaker volume. I like it's noise though. It's pleasing at highway speeds.

[hummingbird]

Huh... We are a bunch of masochists who take the likes of Wayne for an ideal -- Use cold-pack jacket instead of AC, roll the windows up tight to avoid drag, maybe half-die of heat/humidity but save those 2 mpg... Why would we spend that electrical load taken by the active noise canceller? (the expenses are another question, for sure!)

[DifferentPointofView]

Well, the thing is, people are suckers for these kind of things. If its new and also helps, people will buy it. And it's also for bragging rights.

"My car has sensors that actively cancel out engine noise for a quieter cabin, and the best part is I get even better gas mileage!"

Most dodge vehicles now have A/C plugins for things like hair dryers, curling irons, things that don't have 12 volt adapters, and I must admit, I think that it is very useful. Yes, more electrical load, but most GP drivers won't even notice their 1mpg difference if their comfortable or have cool amenities. Heck, the Caliber we have has a beverage cooler in the glove compartment to keep your soda's cool on long trips. Do I use it? only on long trips, but on long trips, most people have saved up more than enough money for gas and extra things, and won't care to much at all about the 1 or 2mpg loss.

[Allch Chcar]

It's +0.1 mpg. And it's just for the idle speed.

Thank the last poster of comments on that page for the source.
"The noise-cancellation system also allowed engineers to drop the idle speed of the I-4, which yielded about 0.1-mpg-better fuel economy."

It's could be a warranty issue, people who hear the noise might assume something is wrong and take the vehicle in claiming the engine is damaged. But even that's far fetched.

[shovel]

Originally Posted by DifferentPointofView

Heck, the Caliber we have has a beverage cooler in the glove compartment to keep your soda's cool on long trips. .

heh... yeah SODAS... after spending a week in Florida (leaving today) I'm pretty sure most of this state's drivers are drinking some kind of frosty cold beverage all right

I think a lot of what's in cars today is only there because mfrs feel they have to "improve" their cars every year in order to convince buyers to buy... it's a struggle to figure out what new device they can power (frankly I hate power seats, HATE THEM! ) and when they run out of things to add unnecessary power to they'll figure out new things to add to cars that they can subsequently power, rather than just giving us a good quality car that JustFkingWorks® for a price worth paying.

On the topic of engine noise, I think noisy engines might be a better fuel saver than quiet ones. Why? Because neither myself nor my girlfriend can stand to drive her Acura at the speed limit, it's too smooth and quiet and the speedometer reads to 160mph so when you're traveling 55mph the needle's over around 9:30 (clock position). My S10 with its noisy 90 degree v6 on polyurethane engine mounts is bumpety and crude to drive and we're both content to drive it 55mph, even though it'll handle 90+ easily enough. It *feels* faster when you're going legal/prudent/economical speeds.

[DifferentPointofView]

I too hate power seats.

Power windows.. ehh. I'd rather have crank, as they are more reliable, but crank windows are a B*tch to roll down when you want the other windows rolled (like the back ones while your driving!!!) so I like power windows... so long as they will work.

[hummingbird]

Originally Posted by Allch Chcar

It's +0.1 mpg. And it's just for the idle speed.

Then certainly this is big hoopla about (well, almost) nothing!

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by Allch Chcar

It's +0.1 mpg. And it's just for the idle speed.

My interpretation: .1 of the 1 mpg may be from the idle speed reduction.

But the noise cancellation is also applied to counter frequencies caused by lower RPM torque converter lockup while underway, so a total of 1 mpg seems plausible.

From ABG:

and by lowering the speeds at which the torque converter locks up.

I can't find the official Chevrolet source to confirm, but the majority of references to the system quote the "1 mpg" change.

[CobraBall]

If only someone would invent an "Obnoxious Subwoofer Canceling System".

[shovel]

Originally Posted by CobraBall

If only someone would invent an "Obnoxious Subwoofer Canceling System".

I don't know about in your neighborhood, but in California and Arizona pretty much every city has noise ordinances and generally weeks go by between times I hear someone blasting their car stereo. It does me no harm.

What I do hear constantly is harleys with straight pipes, and they're WAY WAY louder than most car stereos. Sure, loud pipes save lives... but they don't have to be THAT loud.

The way I see it, everyone does something that annoys others. I don't like to smell flatulence, but people do it, and that's OK. I don't like to hear harleys, but people ride them and that's OK. I don't like to drive behind a slowass, but people do it, and that's OK.

Freedom for anyone means freedom for everyone and as long as they're not doing you tangible, physical harm or interrupting your food supply or your own freedom, we should all simply accept that we have to let others have their fun too. If NOBODY stepped on anyone's toes once in a while that would mean we all were locked in a cage, because at some point every single one of us annoys someone else with something we're doing, or something we're causing.