It might just be me but I am always curious as to the parts that make up a car. I would love to go to the Lexus plant in Japan and watch them build a RX. BMW now offers that when you buy the new X3.

Anyway, I have been at it again with the sound deadening. Today I attacked the doors, tomorrow the front floor. I thought you might enjoy the pictures of what lies beneath. In the third picture I added the silver piece to the back side of the outside door panel. This helps cut down vibration which reduces noise. The pole is your side impact door beam. I have the ML Audio and I was a little disappointed by the quality of the speaker in the front, the rear doors were higher quality. This has really helped the sound of the audio system, especially after doing the rear compartment were the sub is. Now it sounds like a high end system.

More pics as I progress. I hope you enjoy.

 

Wow, pretty interesting. I'm impressed not only with your ability but your confidence. What is your background if you don't mind my asking? And can we bring our cars to you for custom installs ?

 

Woah you're quite adventurous

Thats a pretty cool idea to add more sound dampening. Is that Dynamat that you used?

 

Well, my father is a mechanic so I have always worked on cars.

I am using Megamat which is made by Fatmat. It is less money than Dynamat but it is a butyl product.

I used to change spark plugs, distributor points, rebuild carburetors, etc. These newer cars require such little maintenance I had to find something else to work on.

I do enjoy it.

 

I've seen RX 350 being built in the Cambridge ON, Canada plant. Lexus Canada offers free plant tours which includes an amazing multi course lunch with wine at a local well known spa and inn. It is something to see, amazing really.

 

how do you sign up for the tour?

 

I used to remember that 3 of Toyota/Lexus plants in Japan also provide the free tours. A few of tours are lengthy (half of a day). Usually you can make the reservation if you or a group of people like to visit there. Otherwise, you have to go there to get in a line.

In Japan, I'm not sure if RX is there for the tour.

 

Here was the final step. Took six hours to pull apart, install deadening, and put back together.

The first pic is the bottom of the passenger seat with the notorious fan.

The picture of the center console where you see the gray foam is the A/C being routed around to get to the back, it is on both sides. I have to say there was a lot of sound deadening going on up front, more so than the rear cargo area. I think the majority of the noise comes from the windows, not much I can do about that. Wish Lexus had put the double laminate glass on the rear doors.

The RX is only marginally quieter but the sound system has come to life. I can now compete, and not that I want to, with the boom boxes next to me at a stop light. I have had to turn the bass down as it was overwhelming. ML should insist on a little more deadening with there system.

Back to lighting it's much easier.

 

If you look at the Lexus Canada website, there is a section in there for Lexus owners with a Club Lexus (not the same as this Club Lexus). Once registered, you can sign up when there is a tour of the plant as well as other offerings such as concerts at Roy Thompson Hall here in Toronto. It is likely for Canadian owners only though.

 

Hey Mep, Did you cover the entire car with fatmat?
How much money did it set you back?

 

I did not do the headliner otherwise pretty much the whole car. It was about $200 for a total of 100 sq ft. I have to do the 2 passenger side doors yet but those are a piece of cake.

 

Hello MEP; Bold mod in my opinion. Taking into the fact my mechanical aptitude does not go beyond "what is the diff between flathead and phillips screwdriver", I would not attempt this at home. So, I contacted a local Car Audio Install dealer. They quoted me $149.00 per door to add the Megamat. Materials and and labor were included in price.

You sure saved some $$ by doing this yourself. Nice job!

 

Interesting. Do you do this to all your cars? How about at home? Walls?

If I had sensory issues, I would've rather paid another grand to have this done by a professional installer, but I guess everyone's hobby is different. Painful pictures indeed.

 

Wow!
Nice job but I'd be afraid of creaks and rattles after everything is put back together.

 

I was afraid of squeaks after doing this as well but I only had a problem with the driver door molding that goes around the window. Interesting because I did not remove it. I put a little felt in some places and that took care of it. No squeaks anywhere else which I think is a great statement for Lexus.

I do have a room in my house that was sound proofed for DJ work. Sound proofing never eliminates but it sure does reduce.