Wind Buffering / Buffeting via Windows or Sunroof

[xblode]

I agree. A couple of times, I've been caught out when hoping on a freeway and by the time I close the window or open the others, I feel like my head is gonna explode!

My MK4GTI suffered as well but not like this

[velly_16v_cab]

i know at ford (where i work) we do not test for whid noise with the windows open.

how do i know?
I test our cars and the competitors cars

[Corey_R]

It's virtually impossible to drive at any speed above about 30km/h without SEVERE drumming in my 103TDI.
You can minimise the drumming a little by putting another window down, but this is one big failing of the Mk VI that maybe they don't even test - being driven with the driver's window down.

The MKV wasn't much better. Question is though, in this day and age with so many cars on the road, it's not like you're getting "fresh air" by having the windows open... so why not drive with them up?

But it's no secret that the car manufacturers are designing the cars to be as aerodynamic and sleek as possible to get the greatest fuel efficiency etc. Having the windows open "breaks the surface" and causes the wind buffeting. In the old days the cars were not at all aerodynamic, and so the wind would be "broken" at the front of the car - hence there wasn't any issues driving around with the windows open. (Yes, this is a very simplistic explanation of the situation...)

[MurphyTheElf]

I drive with the windows down all the time - Perth's air is a little fresher than the bigger capitals, you see.

The buffeting occurs only in certain conditions, but definitely not all the time. I find that with only the driver's window down, it doesn't really occur that often. Opening the sunroof changes the buffeting conditions as well. If a rear window and the sunroof is down, it can be pretty bad at particular speeds.

When it does happen, it's quite jarring and annoying, but it's something I can change so it doesn't worry me too much. The acceleration rattling noise bothers me so much more because it happens all the time windows up or down and there's nothing I can do to stop it short of spending 9 grand on an APR Stage 3.

[G-rig]

Re: Mk VI has the worst wind buffeting of any car I've owned

Does stage 3 fix the rattle?

The wind noise was a bit loud today with two window down slightly but think it was just a windy day.

[MurphyTheElf]

Does stage 3 fix the rattle?

New turbo, new wastegate. Problem solvered.

[G-rig]

New turbo, new wastegate. Problem solvered.

When are you getting it ?

[BBP]

Coreying: The MKV wasn't much better. Question is though, in this day and age with so many cars on the road, it's not like you're getting "fresh air" by having the windows open... so why not drive with them up?

Using that logic there is no need for sliding windows at all !

And all those people in the world who live outside heavily congested cities who like driving with the windows down don't matter. And anyway, the air you breathe with the windows up comes from somewhere. It comes from outside. So unless you want to inhale stale air from having the ventilation on recirculate constantly, you basically have the same problem.

Buffeting is a major annoyance. Loads of other car manufacturers are able to design aerodynamic shapes without excessive buffeting, so VW should just fix it.

[G-rig]

Why don't you just put the two front windows down the same amount, or the back ones too for that matter to get a nice airflow happening?

Seems like people are getting very fussy if things aren't perfect on these cars.. maybe a Honda or Toyota would have been better..

Ps weathershields may help?

[HereGoes]

Really? I do highway driving, country driving, city driving and i have found the exact opposite! In fact it was one of the things that impressed me on the test drive!

I drive with the drivers window fully down and the back right window about a quarter down and i barely get more than an nice breeze and the full sound of the engine?

As for having no windows... HELL NO... i always drive with mine down on country trips and in summer, experience the smells and sounds of the area around you not the sterile capsule of the car =)

[Corey_R]

Using that logic there is no need for sliding windows at all !

That's taking things a bit far. You still need to have sliding windows to talk to the police officiers after getting pulled over for speeding, or getting your McDonalds in the drive thru, or giving other drivers the bird for holding you up by driving too slow etc....

And all those people in the world who live outside heavily congested cities who like driving with the windows down don't matter. And anyway, the air you breathe with the windows up comes from somewhere. It comes from outside. So unless you want to inhale stale air from having the ventilation on recirculate constantly, you basically have the same problem.

Yeah - it comes through Pollen and Charcol filters through the aircon system. Last I saw (on the way to work this morning), I didn't see any people driving around with masks on their faces with their window rolled down

Why don't you just put the two front windows down the same amount, or the back ones too for that matter to get a nice airflow happening?

Seems like people are getting very fussy if things aren't perfect on these cars.. maybe a Honda or Toyota would have been better..

Ps weathershields may help?

Yeah, this is my feeling reading all the posts in this forum (and I do read all of them!)

Really? I do highway driving, country driving, city driving and i have found the exact opposite! In fact it was one of the things that impressed me on the test drive!

I drive with the drivers window fully down and the back right window about a quarter down and i barely get more than an nice breeze and the full sound of the engine?

Yeah - I remember Fifth Gear showing that even in a wind tunnel, the MK6 is free from buffeting... but as you've stated, it's reliant on how the other windows are set.

[AdamD]

You still need to have sliding windows to talk to the police officiers after getting pulled over for speeding, or getting your McDonalds in the drive thru, or giving other drivers the bird for holding you up by driving too slow etc....

ROFL! Glad to hear you're using your windows for exactly the purposes VW envisaged Corey!

[Maverick]

Using that logic there is no need for sliding windows at all !

Really there isn't, I always drive with my windows up and only open my windows for car parks.

And all those people in the world who live outside heavily congested cities who like driving with the windows down don't matter. And anyway, the air you breathe with the windows up comes from somewhere. It comes from outside. So unless you want to inhale stale air from having the ventilation on recirculate constantly, you basically have the same problem.

The car defaults to drawing in air from outside which is filtered so why increase your fuel consumption by driving with the windows down.

Buffeting is a major annoyance. Loads of other car manufacturers are able to design aerodynamic shapes without excessive buffeting, so VW should just fix it.

Why should they change the design of the car to suit a group of people that can't be flapped adjusting the windows to suit their application? The vast majority of people drive with their windows up all the time.

The Golf is one of the only two cars in Australia that get 4 stars for forward visibility. Changing the A pillar and surrounding areas would compromise this.
The car is aerodynamic to minimise fuel consumption, changing it to suit the few people that like to drive with the windows down would compromise this.

How about the few people that want to drive with the windows down compromise instead and buy a weathershield or crack open another window?

[Corey_R]

The car defaults to drawing in air from outside which is filtered so why increase your fuel consumption by driving with the windows down.

The Golf is one of the only two cars in Australia that get 4 stars for forward visibility. Changing the A pillar and surrounding areas would compromise this.
The car is aerodynamic to minimise fuel consumption, changing it to suit the few people that like to drive with the windows down would compromise this.

How about the few people that want to drive with the windows down compromise instead and buy a weathershield or crack open another window?

Some good points there. I didn't know about the Golf being one of the two cars in Australia with a 4 star forward visibility rating - that's cool, and always great to have some quantifiable measurement. I wish it were easier to have a discussion about the aerodynamics, but I find it very hard to find any information about the aerodynamic efficiencies of various cars, and even more difficult to find uniform measurement practices.

[Maverick]

ROFL! Glad to hear you're using your windows for exactly the purposes VW envisaged Corey!

I leave my windows up when I communicate with other drivers



You never know when some nutter will try and ram his down your throat.