Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Deadening the Daihatsu Mira Cocoa, Part 1: Bulkhead Deadening - Things We Take for Granted

Apology
I released Part 2 first. Please forgive me for the order being reversed.

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This is a story about swapping cars with my child and customizing that car, a Daihatsu Mira Cocoa, in my own way. This is my first time owning a kei car in my life.

There are so many things that impress me.

I have already made these improvements.

I added the friction-reducing additive MT-10 to the engine oil and also added a friction-reducing additive to the CVT oil, addressing the noise at its source.

This time, the improvement is to make the engine sound even quieter.
I applied seals around the engine room of the Mira Cocoa. Even in the stock condition, there is only a sponge near the top of the radiator. I applied wind noise prevention to the entire outer perimeter.

Next, I laid down heavy-duty carpeting for deadening on the floor of the driver and passenger seats. In particular, for sound insulation from the bulkhead, I applied it continuously without gaps up to the rising surface of the console as much as possible.

Finally, I applied wind noise prevention seals around the entire body where the rear hatch seals meet, taking care to ensure they mesh correctly with the stock seals.

In the first place, the engine noise and wind noise were quite loud, so the effect is immense. I was dismayed by the gap in quietness compared to my main car, a Lincoln Town Car. It had already improved significantly with the CVT and engine oil additives and the installation of low-noise tires (Yokohama dB instead of the Regnos the shop recommended due to availability), but it has changed drastically even from that point. I am very satisfied.

To be continued