How to weigh performance vs aesthetics decisions - noise

[Southside_Ray]

This is PRECISELY why I'm getting the BaseBase!! I will primarily be using this ON ROAD, that is why I do not need big off road tires! Now when the time comes for me to change out my tires I may go with something a little more aggressive, but no pineapple pizza here..

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[AZshot]

confused with your post...so are you for looks or performance?

-if you’re for looks, then 35s look better. But you want 33s
-If you’re performance, 35s will get you to more places than 33s..

lots of contradicting complaints on your post...but not feeling like dissecting it right now

Important tip: Read and understand what someone says before commenting. Standard rule of any communication. Witty responses aren't so much if you say you're confused but didn't feel like thinking about what someone says.

But to give you a fast abstract:

Performance means highways and paved streets for many people (like me) 98% of the time. Those people will get better street performance with smaller tires in terms of quieter ride, better handling, less likelihood of roll overs, batter gas milage....and more.

 

[Silver-Bolt]

As I read threads from people that have similar purpose for their Bronco as me, I see a lot weighing heavily in favor of looks over performance. I think that is a mistake. While smiling at how nice your build looks in the driveway, and basking in the glow of admirers at the stoplight, on the trail, or on forums is great, you will be spending only 2% of your time in those activities. You'll spend 98% of your time driving it. And some decisions may cause less enjoyment depending on your driving purposes. Highways and pavement? Read on.

One example. People being told to Sasquatch it no matter their vehicle's purpose. People that will be commuting in one or taking long trips say they are worried about the road noise. Yes, aggressive tires and/or 35" tires will be louder. Yes, they will drive a little worse on highways. Why would you suffer through those things just because strangers tell you it looks better? Some responders say "if you are worried about noise, then a Bronco may not be for you..." That's not constructive criticism. A loud vehicle is a pain - always. The radio has to be louder, so you get headaches from both faster. You can't talk as quietly, so you stop talking on trips. Your passengers can't hear what the front is talking about. If you are going to "drive it to work every day and take 2-week family vacations" you don't need giant, loud 35" tires and may regret them. If you are going to go rock crawling or mud bogging on weekends....sure, get them.

Tire tread pattern and compound makes a very big difference in noise. Even in our relatively quiet commuting car, we had to get rid of the factory tires because they were so loud after about a year of wear. The next set? Quiet as a mouse going on 4 years.

Rubber mats with drain plugs? First thing I thought was "that's an open hole to road noise." Do you WANT to hose out your $45,000 vehicle? I'd go for carpeting for noise reduction.

Making the vehicle "dirty" to wind resistance. Every light bar, winch, and add on will become a whistling, roaring noise generator at 70 MPH.

Doors off is going to be great fun and cool. But not going down the highway on long trips. I won't even leave the windows down on my quiet F-150 over 55 MPH....too loud with booming buffeting.

I plan on using my Bronco on long trips, camping vacations, and perhaps some out of country trips. Sitting in a loud truck for 12 hours just so I can pull over the sand dunes in Baja to camp, instead of taking the packed down road 100 yards over, is not a tradeoff I want. 33" tires will be fine 99% of the time, and I'll just bypass the places I need bigger ones 1%.

Your new Bronco awaits!

 

[AZshot]

Wow, I touched a nerve from a lot of people trying to justify their decision to buy based on looks and giant tires. Sure, they can do that. I was trying to help people more undecided and all the threads I read asking for guidance about daily driver Broncos. Most of those threads get the same blather about "if it's not for you..." or "get a Lexus". I'm not trying to help ME, I know what I want and what I do. So read deeper before the snide comments.

If you want to know more, you're talking to a guy that has probably done more off road, more Baja, and more travel in 3rd world countries than you can imagine. Just saying for that 2% of the time many of us will be driving in deep sand or through creeks, you don't need monster tires, giant lift, light bars, and winches.

Building a $50,000 Bronco loaded for off road is not going to make you into more of a gonzo, macho man. If you need to represent yourself with that, I guess you'll pay in more dollars, and more noise as you drive to your work site and go into it's air conditioned building.

 

[Happytown]

I'll go with "basking in the glory at the redlight, smiling at my ride sitting in the driveway" for $51K Alex.

 

[toymaster]

....Building a $50,000 Bronco loaded for off road is not going to make you into more of a.....

I wonder if you realize many of us are buying a Bronco for a 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, etc. vehicle. Vehicles are like tools- special purpose built, if you buy one to do it all, you are doing it wrong.

 

[mtap]

Important tip: Read and understand what someone says before commenting. Standard rule of any communication. Witty responses aren't so much if you say you're confused but didn't feel like thinking about what someone says.

But to give you a fast abstract:

Performance means highways and paved streets for many people (like me) 98% of the time. Those people will get better street performance with smaller tires in terms of quieter ride, better handling, less likelihood of roll overs, batter gas milage....and more.

Absolutely incorrect...if you’re talking about performance you don’t get to choose the venue. Performance is based on capability and potential...if you are limited, your performance decreases.

that’s like saying all cars have the same performance since their speedometer says the same numbers

 

[Ripcurl]

Just saying for that 2% of the time many of us will be driving in deep sand or through creeks, you don't need monster tires, giant lift, light bars, and winches.

Yeah, but few people off road 100% of their time anyway, the features you are moving away from are there for others when their lifestyle and schedule allow for.

Sure, some buy for looks, so what. People buy Lamborghinis and drive 10 mph back and forth down Ocean Ave in Miami.......but some of the time I bet they are able to open it up a bit to 85 on the highway, I hope so anyway lol

 

[Erock]

I’m not getting the 35s from the factory... but at the same time, I don’t believe that pattern is gonna be very loud. It’s not a mud tire by my measure. I’m currently running 35” terra grapplers and they aren’t all that loud to me, but my hearing probably isn’t as sensitive either. I do believe that most folks see their vehicle as an extension of themselves, and therefore want others to think its impressive in some form or other... and they are willing to endure some degree of discomfort to do so. I’m neither condoning nor condemning this behavior... but it is the nature of all things... just my dumbass opinion

 

[Erock]

Ooops... I had one more point... you said folks would only be on here 2% of the time!?!? Have you not noticed that some of these folks seem to live on here...

 

[BroncoTodd]

We all know you are secretly writing this post so that I downgrade from SAS to 33's.... and you will be one place further ahead in line to get your SAS-BL!

j/k! I totally agree with your thought process and I am still on the fence. Especially with the Badlands model, we still don't know what the benefits are for the $2,500 surplus other than the bigger tires and uglier wheels.

Still, in the end, even though this will actually be my daily driver, I will still deck it out as if it was just my weekend fun-mobile and call it a day. I'm just saying that yours is indeed the voice of reason.

I really do wish someone out there would measure actual dB levels on all the different trims and tops. It might just sway me one way or another if i knew ahead of time.

 

[TheWoo]

I think generally your point is a good one - people should really consider how they'll use the vehicle and what that will be like based on their build. However, some of what you presented comes off as "this is better than that" definitively when I don't think you meant it that way. That's why people are commenting.

Every selection is a trade-off. If buyers properly evaluate the trade-offs, all is good. If they don't, there will be lower satisfaction/disappointment/even regret.

Squatching, as an example, does come with trade-offs. Handling changes a subjective amount, fuel efficiency WILL decrease, road noise WILL increase, comparable tires WILL be more expensive, etc. All of those are trade-offs that give whatever it is Squatch provides (more clearance, wider stance, different look) that may or may not be worth that to an individual.

I get Squatch-envy, then come back to my Badlands with 33s. It's definitely the right purchase for the way I'm going to drive the vehicle. And it still includes trade-offs. Will be louder than an OBX. Will be much less refined than a Lexus. Has capabilities those don't. Top comes off, and I like fun. I mean...in the end, it's an individual purchase.

I do encourage everyone to really thing through how they're going to use it and what they value. Then go all in on that.

 

[mtap]

Important tip: Read and understand what someone says before commenting. Standard rule of any communication. Witty responses aren't so much if you say you're confused but didn't feel like thinking about what someone says.

But to give you a fast abstract:

Performance means highways and paved streets for many people (like me) 98% of the time. Those people will get better street performance with smaller tires in terms of quieter ride, better handling, less likelihood of roll overs, batter gas milage....and more.

Now you’re forcing me to put down my beer to reply to this nonsense...

i already replied to the tire size, let’s go with the SAS..

with the SAS package, are you saying that a non SAS has better performance than a SAS? Did you even read what it includes? BTW I’m not getting Sas so I’m not biased. I want a manual.

Lets do carpet VS wash out (rubber floor) are you telling me a carpet floor will out perform a rubber floor?

If you’re just trying to rationalize your build or what you want, then there’s no need for debate because you will always win. But if you really want to discuss performance vs looks (per the title of your thread) then....???

You’re basically trying to make yourself feel better with the looks of your build by saying that what you need is for is great for performance.

 

[F OR D]

Wow, I touched a nerve from a lot of people trying to justify their decision to buy based on looks and giant tires. Sure, they can do that. I was trying to help people more undecided and all the threads I read asking for guidance about daily driver Broncos. Most of those threads get the same blather about "if it's not for you..." or "get a Lexus". I'm not trying to help ME, I know what I want and what I do. So read deeper before the snide comments.

If you want to know more, you're talking to a guy that has probably done more off road, more Baja, and more travel in 3rd world countries than you can imagine. Just saying for that 2% of the time many of us will be driving in deep sand or through creeks, you don't need monster tires, giant lift, light bars, and winches.

Building a $50,000 Bronco loaded for off road is not going to make you into more of a gonzo, macho man. If you need to represent yourself with that, I guess you'll pay in more dollars, and more noise as you drive to your work site and go into it's air conditioned building.

This forum is fantastic for information and opinions. This forum is also mostly enthusiasts (and an echo chamber).

Look at consensus, it's SAS, 2.7 (or manual), and Lux packages. You're not going to get a lot of practical feedback here. More of the can I make this Bigfoot monster truck and this is my 50k off-road toy.

What people forget is the Bronco has always been a daily driver. 6g is just pushing some sick off-road options from the factory.

As they start making it do dealers you will see a lot more of the non-SAS, standard/mid packages for everyday usage. The great thing about it is it can be both a monster and/or a daily driver.

 

[Sarconus]

I was more pushed to Bad Lands than wanted it for rock crawling. I wanted the MGV seats and washout floors. I dont want the disconnect bar but i had to go this route thanks to the wonderful marketing people at Ford.

If we had better options with other packages the amount of units you see would be far more diverse.

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