Hey guys,

I was driving in a residential area near my house this past weekend in my E36 M3 when this guy in a Laguna Seca Blue E46 M3 coupe cuts me off... the car was brand new, no plates yet, and no modifications (well, everything looked stock anyways)...

So this guy cuts me off and then guns it ... and I hear this, "waaaaaaaaaah", like a cheesy exhaust on a small import car.. WTF? no mean throaty sound or something respectable like the E36 stock exhaust noise... if you guys have heard the sounds of a 2-stroke Nitro Radio Control car, then that's the exact sound I heard... is that normal???

john

Yah, it's normal. The car sounds very raspy and metallic. Some have said that it becomes a little deeper after some time.

Do you remember that video that was floating around the net about a year ago? It was of an E46 M3 taking off from the shoulder onto the road. That thing sounded a lot deeper and more throaty. I wonder if it was dubbed?

when i first heard it, it completely shocked me by the way it sounded. To me, i dont like the sound of it... sounded like the hollow metallic sound i usually hear on the honda civic hatchbacks... Where's the meatiness sound that I was expecting? :(

Yeah, that was my impression too.. I was severely disappointed.. if I ever decide to get one of those E46 M3s in the future, that exhaust pair definitely have to go..

john

have u heard it at idle or at low rpms?? it sounds so damn low and throaty... i fell in love with it when i first heard it. but that's the only time i heard it in real life... it was at an intersection about 9 months ago (i think a dealer was taking it out on a joy ride or something haha). anywayz... i've seen some vids of it at WOT... i was just like :confused: :confused:

That is the one reason I am NOT going to buy that tub.
My friend has one, and when he floors it on the highway all you hear is valve clatter. So the car sounds like a MOPED at WOT!
ZZZIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNGGGG!
You'd think a car like that would have balls like a high reving Ferrari.

HAHAHAHAHAH!

I met the M Brand Manager for North America at a party, and I addressed that topic. He said the current exhaust is the best one of a series they tested.

What a Dud!:D :D :D :D :D :D

the sounds of a 2-stroke Nitro Radio Control car
HAHAHAHA:D :D

I like the sound, I myself dont really like deep throaty sounds, i like "civic" buzz type sounds. :)

Originally posted by ray
I like the sound, I myself dont really like deep throaty sounds, i like "civic" buzz type sounds. :)

Hey Ray, how come you only have 250 posts and you're admin! :D

Originally posted by EuroKRN


Hey Ray, how come you only have 250 posts and you're admin! :D


Hehe, I new this question would arise. Well, believe it or not, I dont have much time to post often. I check to see if everything is okay quite often but dont really get much time to read through and post. :)

Originally posted by EuroKRN


Hey Ray, how come you only have 250 posts and you're admin! :D

I think Ray would agree with me on this one that it's all about quality and not quantity. ;)

yeah it is normal, mostly happnes when you first turn the car on....and yeah the sound isn't too appealing but think of it this way...we are still dealing with an import... and what do you expect for only 50k....for that price the car is pretty goo all around...the fact that it can run with some cars that are twice it's sticker

I ran with an E46 M3 yesterday afternoon in traffic, and definitely heard that raspy exhaust. It doesn't sound cheap or civic-like to me, but definiteyl raspy more than throaty. Please forgive me, but I think my 328's AA Gen III sounds ballsier and more racy than that stock muffler. Put an aftermarket exhaust on that car and it would sing like an angel!

I think its VERY distinct. Am I the only who actually likes it?

Just had a black E46 rip by me yesterday.. just before he shifted he was screaming by my drivers window. Sounded like a quiet Indycar to me. I tought it was pretty cool... I guess I will have to listen to more of them to decide if it sounds good or not. Honestly if the car has over 300hp and sh*ts and gets then I really don't care what it sounds like.