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I don't own a Civic yet, but I test drove one today (2012 EX). Loved the ride, but I hated the road noise, especially when driving on cement. It's like the whole car resonated.

Has anyone had experience as to whether or not different tires can appreciably help this? If so, what brand/model of tire?

Thanks in advance.

 
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yeah the oem tires are garbage. go on tirerack.com and select your car and oem tire size, then look thru the reviews. its not so much brand as it is type of tire (soft compound, tread blocks, etc).

 
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I looked at the 12 Lx and did not notice any road noise problem. The good news is you might get 25k out of the OEM tires so it is not a big loss to swap them out. What was the out the door price on the EX? Any idea if honda will offer more incentives on the civic? Gas prices are falling, so that might mean more cash for buyers!

 
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A Newbie here.
My 2011 GX has 22,000 miles
It came wit?lh Dunlop's

I had road noise issues since day one.
I had Dynamat installed on the floor and front door panels.
It didn't seem to make a difference.

I read one post that said Pirelli's help.
Any other suggestions?

What about a suspension upgrade?

Thanks
I'm

 
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michelin defender is pretty quiet.

 
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Thanks.
It's one of those thing where you pick one and hope for the best.

The Defender has a very high mileage rating,90,000 miles, is there any correlation between this and noise? Thinking out loud, would a tire with a lower rating, say 45,000 miles, be a softer rubber, therefore quieter?

An online tire calculator show 195/65-R15 is the correct size for a 2011 Civic.
Did you go to a larger wheel and a tire with a larger section width?

I'm also lookin a Eibach suspension components. The stock stuff is like a brick.

 
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Right before I sold my Impala SS I put a set of Kumho Ecsta 4X's on it, quieted the car way down. But then the set of Goodyears I had on it were pretty well worn out. You're right though, pick one and hope for the best... YMMV.

 
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the noise mostly comes down to tread pattern. i have very soft altimax hp tires but they are a bit louder than the michelins. i mainly got them for better ride quality, altho with the weather getting cold it still sucks lol. dont lower your car if you want a smooth ride.

 
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Yup. Don't lower the car.
I spoke with a specialty suspension alignment shop I used for my FJ Cruiser.
"Clark's House of Suspension" Lake Forest, CA

Anyway, Clark said don't touch the suspension. "You can't make an apple out of an orange" He could have sold me anything but he's a direct, no b.s. guy.

So, tread pattern make a lot of sense.

I really appreciate your / everyone's input.

I'll focus my research on tread pattern, rubber compound and info in the forum then get new set of skins in a couple thousand miles.

 
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check tirerack.com tire reviews too, usually they are pretty accurate.

 
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Today I purchased the Yokohama YK580

Since I went for 205/55 R16 I needed wheels.
I lost 1/2" in section height but gained 1/2" in section width.

I selected the Momo WIN2 in silver. They looked the least obtrusive and were $95.

I am very happy with the ride, performance, and I believe that the car is significantly quieter. Not sure if that's psychosomatic. Nonetheless I think it is and I guess that's what matters most. Other than paying $1.90 a gallon for fuel.

 
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looks good, usually a larger rim will cause more noise and a rougher ride. but with a good tire it is less noticable. cornering should be better as well.

 
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Yokohama is a really great brand, I got them on my CRV.
All terrains and they're quieter than stock tires.

 
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I was really debating that one.... 16" vs 15". Even with a lower profile than 65's (1/2") they handle bumps better than the OEM 15" Dunlop 5000's
You just don't know until they are on the vehicle.

Because I am driving a vehicle with a 220 mile range in So Cal, I wasn't concerned about the all terrain aspect, but most tires for the Civic are all terrains.

I read up on Yokohama and was impressed. The 580's are a newer design that has the noisy tread rain style on the inside and the road trad on the outside. Thereby reducing noise. Per the salesman ..... Ya right.

Ive always been a Michelin / Goodyear guy, but I love the handling of this tire and I swear they are quieter on smooth asphalt. Concrete depends on the finish. Scored parallel they are pretty good. Scored across, about the same.

Time will tell on how they wear.

I recommend this tire.

 
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Finished product

 
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^
I think what you meant was all season tires.

I have Yokohama Geolanders, which are all terrain tires (allowing offroading)
I've had my Yokohama's for 20,000 miles, and the wear is actually pretty impressive, with mostly pavement driving.

Please let us know how your tires fare after a bit of driving

 
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Will do.

On another topic..... As a new guy, it seems I'm unable to start a thread.
So I'll post this important note here...

Spoke to Clean Energy today. They are giving away a $3,000 CNG fuel card with the purchase of a new 2012 Civic GX. In So. Cal.

Hope to post this in the General Area soon.

BTW: I have the literacy level of a 3rd grader.

 
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tires look great

 
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Goodyear Assurance comfort tread...made an amazing difference. Shocking really! Third set of tires ive put on my exl now at just over 100K which I purchased new. Road noise was my biggest issue with this car...it's not Lexus quiet but feels like a different car.

 
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I'm at 80K and about to buy a new set of tires. Yep the road noise drives me a little nuts and every little bump. Thanks for the info.