3 is too quiet

[ℬête Noire]

And getting back to the OP's point about the 3 being too quiet, it reminds me that they are also quiet outside the car. We have to be really careful in parking lots with mostly any all-electric car. Pedestrians just can't hear us coming.

I haven't really noticed a difference yet in pedestrian's behavior. But I'm coming from a number of years with a hybrid so already had been driving assuming people aren't going to notice me (I just always assumed the engine wasn't running, even though sometimes it was), and nobody's surprised me yet. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Lifeinabox]

Wind noise is separate from tires noise is separate from rattles. The S suffers historically from rattles and IME has worse overall build quality in fit and finish, which leads to rattles. Wind noise is elevated in the 3 but not much more so than other cars in its class. The S is pretty quiet at speeds from the wind. Tire noise is about the same but I have 21” on my S and the 20” on the 3 so YMMV.

 

[ℬête Noire]

Wind noise is elevated in the 3 but not much more so than other cars in its class.

It seems to vary a lot car to car because Tesla isn't consistent yet on windshield to roof glass mating. Even on a given vehicle it often varies side to side. But those $10 car noise kits off e-bay will fix that right up ($20 if it says "Tesla" in the name ). Some of the early VINs had more issues, Tesla did a windshield redesign early in 2018 to help fix that.

The other big culprit, for me at about 75mph and up, is the chrome trim at the very front of the front, side windows. If you look at it from the bottom you can see it's open, and at speed it turns into a flute.

Some side mirror have inconsistencies that cause noise. Mine, fortunately, seem to have been free of that.

 

[CarterStC]

It's a cheap Tesla, but there's almost no other actual luxury car that costs $40-$60k have standards as low as the Model 3. I also swear the car was much quieter when I first received it but now it's as noisy as the $15k Ubers I ride in and I barely have 1000 miles.

Except that the Model 3 is NOT a "luxury car", it is however, a premium car.

 

[animorph]

OP needs to switch to Formula E!

 

[gambit48]

It's the S and X that are the luxury cars. The 3 is the little sporty car, complete with sporty rattles and sporty wind noise. My 3 was HALF the price of my Model S, so it would be surprising if there were not some lower design standards and less expensive build options. Of course all the 3 owners will cry, "But it's a Tesla!" to which I answer, "But it's a cheap Tesla." It's what the masses wanted. There really is a difference, and I have both.

I totally get that and I agree... to a point. The problem is, I bought a "lower" end BMW who's MSRP was within a couple hundred dollars of my Model 3 and it's like a freaking bank vault. Yeah it's got some motor noise, but a TON less noise everywhere else. Less wind noise, less suspension noise, road noise, etc. Pretty sure it doesn't have foam in it's tires either, and they're run flats. Has bigger tires, but it rides a ton smoother yet handles great too. I just give Tesla some leeway because it's their first attempt at a lower price car. I expect the Y to be a bit better, and every future Tesla. Still, Teslas don't exist in a vacuum. Compared to competitors in the EXACT same price range, the NVH is gawd awful. It's like 90s Korean car bad. I'm sure it'll hold up better than a 90s Korean car, but it sure sounds like one.

 

[Dre78]

I have nowhere to put my exhaust whistle!?! Wooo-WOOOOOOOOOO!