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Originally Posted by Kafkaesque328
I have pulled up my SPL (dB) meter app on my phone in the car in both my car and my wife's Tiguan on the same stretches of freeway, cruising at 75-80 and the Tiguan is quieter. That said, even though the M sport suspension and runflats can ride a little rough, it is amazing how much better it soaks up the rough roads and bumps than the Tiguan with 16" all season tires and standard suspension. Having ridden a lot of late model economy cars via UberX, the 3 series is certainly a cut above of your run of the mill Altima/Accord/Fusion etc. as far as overall refinement but on the flip side, my wife's friends 2015 A4, and now Q5, as well as my buddy's IS200T or my other friends C300 are all more solid, quiet and refined than my 3 series.
The 328i is plenty refined for me, I'm not looking for a Lincoln or something, but I just can't abide by the rattles and buzzing and all that. I have a new buzzing coming from the passenger side trim/speaker area now that is driving me crazy. I literally never experienced this kind of thing in years of driving used beater Japanese econo-boxes... Nope, didn't truly know interior rattles and build issues until I started driving 'premium' German brands. Go figure.
By the way, my 2014 320i had far less squeaks, creaks and rattles then my LCI 2016 328i, so I don't really buy it that the new ones are any nicer.
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Yeah, I would say the 3-series is slightly above average as far as wind and road noise is concerned. It certainly is quiet enough that a long road trip won't be fatiguing.
As far as rattles, buzzes, and squeaks, it seems that luck plays a large part when it comes to BMWs. The 2017 330i loaner I had for a month certainly had some annoying sounds, yet my car is exactly the same, also built in SA, and has no interior noise of any kind over any road surface. I guess the margins for interior component fitment are such that you may or may not get a rattle or buzz here or there. Certainly, if BMW would use conventional tires, they would improve upon this with no further effort.
As far as Japanese cars go, I agree that they've got the secret sauce as far as delivering the perception of solid interior build quality--especially Toyota. Maybe they have less pieces involved, such as a modular dash, but even in the 1970s, one of the distinctions of Japanese cars vs. American cars was the elimination of interior noises, adding to the feeling of superior quality.
My 1997 Camry, 2001 Sienna, and 1981 Celica were all quiet. My 2013 Odyssey has certainly developed some wind noise and squeaks, and my 2008 Fit is a little buzzy. But the 2007 CRV is rock solid.