New T32 Transpoter Shuttle Road Noise..help Please!...am I Missing Something?

[NormalforNorfolk]

Hallo!

I've just got my new Transporter shuttle T32 S 102bph 8 seater (4 kids in the back) having owned an old Caravelle for several years. I know I've taken a step down in the VW hierarchy of vans but at least I have 3 yrs worry free warranted driving (hopefully!) and a great van to shuttle the family around.
My issue is with road noise. I have looked through many of the threads here and wondered if anyone might have encountered the same thing as me. The excessive noise (to my ears) seems to be coming from the front/ below dash area, and is directly linked to the sound of tyres on road surface. It starts at about 20 mph and worsens at high speeds. rough road surfaces are worse.
I have looked into the tyre options ( I currently have Continental Contivan 200 215/60 R17 which are classed at 72 db) and the only quite option I can find for my wheel size are Goodyears at 70db. I doubt 2 db less will make much difference.

I have also done the following:

Noico sound deadening to inside front wheel arches and some of the floor and as far up the footwell as I can reach without removing any dash panels.
Noico to inside door panels ( mine are double skinned so managed to reach behind to get some onto exterior panel and the rest on the middle metal panel, around speaker etc).
Rubber door seals (sounds like a golf!) on both front doors.
The floor is covered in the standard thick foam backed rubber mat.

I understand that some vehicles have the option of a sound improvement package. Mine didn't and I don't think there is any retro fitting option from VW.
I have seen some posts here suggesting there is wadding behind the dash, which may dampen this sound down?

To compare with another vehicle I test drove a new 2019 Caravelle exec . Interestingly I could also detect a hint of the same front end road noise but it was a tenth of the volume.

I currently have the standard issue steel wheels, but do have the option of alloys.

If anyone has any suggestions I would really appreciate your input!

Cheers and thanks for reading.

 

[Teesix]

Perhaps your tyres have a particularly high db output. There's quite a variation of db between the different price points.

 

[LT2019]

What tire Psi you running, could try dropping. Have you sound deadning & lining the rear load area and wheel arches?

Didn’t the sound deadning the cab area & wheel arches make much of a difference??

 

[NormalforNorfolk]

Perhaps your tyres have a particularly high db output. There's quite a variation of db between the different price points.

Thanks Teesix for your reply, much appreciated.
My Tyres are rated at 72 dB and I can’t find anything online in the same size below 70 dB.
They are Continental Contivan 200’s 215/60 R17.
I’ve been told they’re tyres for a certain load bearing.

 

[NormalforNorfolk]

What tire Psi you running, could try dropping. Have you sound deadning & lining the rear load area and wheel arches?

Didn’t the sound deadning the cab area & wheel arches make much of a difference??

Thanks

What tire Psi you running, could try dropping. Have you sound deadning & lining the rear load area and wheel arches?

Didn’t the sound deadning the cab area & wheel arches make much of a difference??

Thanks LT2019 for your reply, much appreciated.
The tyres are set to 52psi all round. This is according to the spec panel inside the drivers door frame. I did notice however that for the 215/60 R17 it States 104/102 load index and the Contivan 200's are 109/107 load index.
Sound deadening so far has made no difference at all to the road noise. I haven't ventured into the rear passenger area yet. I guess I could start trying to remove plastic fascia panels etc and sound deaden some more , it just seems that the culprit is up front though!
I've been back to VW and they have said its a characteristic of this vehicle!