My challenge here is that you feel the blade is a small car. It is really a mid sized car. When you measure the wheelbase its on Par with most mid size cars even though being a hatch it doesn't have a long rear overhand. Im leaning more to the Lexus products for you simply because they are in essence Toyota's but more comfortable
aukaguy,
May 12, 12:31am
I suspect a mid size car is not what I'm looking for. My Blade has a wheelbase of 260cm. That compares with a Camry which ~280cm depending on model year. Back in the day I had a Merc W211 E class. That had a wheelbase of ~285cm, about the same as a GS450h, and was a good long distance cruiser.
I think you're right - a Lexus on paper at least is the best option.
richardmayes,
May 12, 1:50am
Just a plain old Falcon.
I had a 1999 AU for several years. At 100km/h it was quiet enough that you could often hear the car in front of you.
aukaguy,
May 12, 2:00am
Not a bad call although not keen on the words "AMG Sport" as it will be tuned for the track and not for NZ roads. A poverty spec E class with the smaller wheels might be an option if such a car exists in NZ.
Another possible is an Accord which I think has already been mentioned so thanks for whoever came up with that idea.
gazzat22,
May 12, 2:36am
I beg to differ .My daughter has 2008 Blade 2.4 as quiet a car as any. A combination of NZ chip seal roads and tyres makes the noise.!
aukaguy,
May 12, 3:55am
My Blade is quiet too on the right road at 50km/h but at higher speeds and a chip seal road, then the noise level is high. Yes the roads and tyres contribute but there are many other factors too including suspension design, aerodynamics etc.
We thought that too, with our Subaru. Changed tires, different vehicle, much quieter.
franc123,
May 12, 4:14am
#39 just out of interest what tyres have you got on your car and how worn are they?
cjohnw,
May 12, 4:21am
Yes, my wife had a 3.5 Blade which we bought a few years ago as a new import. First thing we did was change the tyres and rims. Never had noticeable high levels of road noise. Eventually sold the car to my son-in-law.
blogzy,
May 12, 4:24am
My suggestion would be LS 430 Celsior (Lexus) I'm biased on this as i own one but one argument I have for owning this model, (it is a very quiet, smooth car) is that is is proven a very reliable model. My logic is the extra i spend on fuel (9L/100klm) i save on maintenance. That aside i indulge myself with this car as i find it pleasurable to drive.
clark20,
May 12, 4:47am
A good SV6 commodore will do ya
rovercitroen,
May 12, 5:35am
Jaguar XJ6 or XJ8 mid nineties to mid 2000s. Surprisingly economical too.
kazbanz,
May 12, 7:06am
great minds think alike — post 3
rovercitroen,
May 12, 7:21am
We have had several sets of tyres on wifes Outlander. Some start off quieter and get noisier as they wear. Other sets have started noisy and got quieter as they wear down. The current Hankook Dyna Pro tyres are about 2/3 worn and have been pretty good from new.
toenail,
May 12, 8:25am
Just be careful around all the 2012+ GS450h's that are imported from Singapore into the country. They don't go through reputable auction systems like in Japan nor can you find out their registration and history like with Japanese imports.
I have seen 3x NZ new 2012+ GS450h's snapped up in a day or so. Jap imports are rare (snapped up at very high prices in Jap auctions). The one you listed has been there for a while as it is the base model with no leather.
GS450h (Jap or NZ new) is a rare gem.
framtech,
May 12, 9:27am
Id go with the late Skoda and fit soft compound tires if you don't use the radio / bluetooth. you can also have the shocks changed for softer but higher rebound recovery rates (more of a rallycar setup than the hard standard settings). Lots of options, or just fit a nice seat to what ever and wear earplugs
blueviking,
May 12, 4:55pm
I'll go Volvo S60. Best seats,quiet and a 1.6ltr turbo. Economical, yet 100 to 140 in 20secs for passing. I had my last Singaporean import for 13 yrs, no trouble, so went for another. At least everything on the dash is in english as well as the handbook.
tgray,
May 12, 6:17pm
Your still going to be tired after a 5 hour drive though.
annie17111,
May 12, 6:31pm
just wondering your reasons nfir thinking that? I quite often drive that far in a double cab Isuzu ute and don't feel tired after. Utes aren't known for their comfort either
intrade,
May 12, 6:36pm
Well reliable if you look what happened to that new Astra The new stuff is all as reliable as that problem is parts are more and more inferior and new cars are made with these parts also. fuel injectors do not last 400 to 600 thousand km like in my om662 diesel and 500 thousand plus like 4a-fe Toyota injectors. Reliable is if you dont have high costs to repair and almost never broken down at the side of the Road. A 4A-fe with 1 wire oxygen sensor stops working o2 at 5 to 10 years and burns a hole in the catalysator, but carries on without check engine light would display overheat cat light while it melts the hole. Never went in limp mode never broken down. 20 year later still works fine with hole in cat. Modern stuff is not going to work like this. The computer will not go out of limp until the catalysator is replaced and the sensors fixed. And if something like a failing fuel injector causes the melt down it will be all nuked again in 1 to 3 month time. That is the main difference in old to new.
aukaguy,
May 12, 6:41pm
They're Yokohama ECOS ES31 on 16" wheels with ~5mm tread left.
vtecintegra,
May 12, 8:24pm
I thought Trend was a pretty basic trim? Anyway the Titanium models (with the larger wheels) are even worse in my experience so it isn't like higher trims get more sound deadening.
franc123,
May 12, 8:29pm
Interesting. It does seem like tyre noise could be most of your issue, especially if it changes significantly on different road surfaces.
aukaguy,
May 13, 2:04am
Different tyres may help fix the noise issue but they won't help fix the jiggly ride and uncomfortable seats. A bigger car designed for long distance driving will be better but clearly this is the more expensive option.
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