I just test drove both the 335i coupe and sedan this morning and noticed that the wind noise was quite noticeable compared to my E39 530i. Did anyone have the same experience?

Thx.

did you have the shade open on the sunroof?

also you gotta realize the 5's are more insulated than 3's, and obviously 7's have the most insulation

I don't notice any significant wind noise and I am in windy Oklahoma.

I have the answer that this thread needs...right from a former E39 owner...

YES! I have noticed that there is quite a bit more wind noise in the E92 in comparison to the E39. This is mostly when experiencing crosswinds though. In fact, it is pretty annoying, and I wondered if something might be wrong with the car. It seems that if the crosswind is strong enough it can cause a slight separation in the seal of the window against the body of the car which makes the noise quite loud while driving at highway speeds. This is NEVER an issue in the 5-series. It is rare that I experience crosswinds that are enough to even let me tell that there is a difference, and under normal driving conditions (even on the highway) the car stays very quiet), but for those few times I have experienced this I was very disappointed.

Thanks guy. I'm sure that the sunroof was closed in both test drives. It was a windy day. The noise seemed to be right at my ear level in both the sedan & the coupe. I'll try them again this Sat. I'm considering getting either a coupe or a sedan. Still struggling!!

I realize this is not the e46 forum, but this sounds just like my problem, so why the heck not.

I noticed the noise even during the test drive, but thought something was not closed all the way and didn't think much of it, especially since I was getting a good deal on a CPO car. I'm starting to think this is a common problem, at least in the 3 series.

The high-pitched whining noise starts right around 70-75 mph, sometimes it starts even before that. I presume it has to be the wind, since it never comes on at lower speeds, but in really windy areas (bridges etc) it starts below the usual range.

The car only has 25K miles on it, and the full warranty runs out in August. Is it worth trying to get a straight answer from the service center while the car is covered, or is every 3xx car really affected by wind noise at freeway speeds?

TIA

I've noticed it as well. Wjile driveing at speeds over 80 it's much louder. To the point where it can be heard on the phone. I was asked if I had the window open. At 120 MPH it's really loud. I don't think this will be an easy fix. I just turn the music up.

I assume the coupe would be more prone to wind noise since the side windows don't have a frame around them (which I assume the sedans do like the E46).

I have not noticed anything in my coupe.

Is the wind noise just in general or can you identify a specific spot you hear it?

I have a sedan, and it is actually very quiet in terms of wind noise.

I've noticed it as well. Wjile driveing at speeds over 80 it's much louder. To the point where it can be heard on the phone. I was asked if I had the window open. At 120 MPH it's really loud. I don't think this will be an easy fix. I just turn the music up.

wind noise can be an ass to sort and tech's in dealers get no time for this sort of work,
but you can check the car your self for any obvious problems, you never know, if it was a used car it may have been accident damaged etc.

All you need is a credit card, start with the front door leading edge which should be positioned 1mm inboard of the rear edge of the front wing, then go to the rear edge of the front door , this should sit 1mm proud of the rear door or rear quarter panel (coupe) same for the other doors obviously and again with the sunroof if fitted, ie 1mm down at the front and 1mm up at the rear edge, these settings are crucial as a baseline when dealing with wind noise, you can then start taping up gaps etc to zero in on the locality
of the problem area. door mirrors are always a problem and various methods are employed to reduce wind noise in that area, bobbles and such like to break up turbulence.
with frameless windows you have the added problem of correct pressure of the window on the seal, check this for uniform pressure with a strip of laser print paper , just trap it at different points between window and seal and pull it out checking the ammont of drag on the paper , it should be the same at all points , if you have a point with no resistance , you will get wind noise there , may need adjustment or seals replacing

anyway hope this helps.
G46 BMW M/Tech