Vince, each car is different as far as noise level. Some are pretty much noise-free, while others are just noisy enough to be annoying. And some are very noisy. The bulk on the noise is gear noise that carries through the billet shifter into the cabin. You might just have a very quiet one. Or, like you said, the previous owner maybe installed my gasket. If you ever pull your shifter, check to see if it has the new, thicker gasket. It's more effective and more durable.