Sound of stock exhaust

[gr8000]

I was driving next to a friend the other day and asked how does the V8 sound when I was overtaking him. He was driving at constant speed around 60km/h (37mph) with windows down of course and I was going passed him flat out. We did this 5-6 times.

He said that whilst the M3 was approaching from behind he would hear the blasting sound of the high-revving V8 coming closer. He said the sound was amassing!! But when I was getting closer & passed him, he said the engine sound would gradually be overwhelmed by the force of the exhaust gases rushing out of the tailpipes. From the point that the M3 was next to his car and pulling away, the only thing he would essentially hear was a strong "sssssss". My M3 is stock to the bone - (incl. the exhaust).

Anyone else had the chance to hear an M3 with stock exhaust passing by? Feelings?

I love the sound of the V8 from the driver's seat (either with windows up or down), but I would not mind getting an aftermarket exhaust mostly to tone the sound up a bit (but not too much), and also to gain some performance enchantment (but this is secondary). I see that most aftermarket exhausts have larger diameter tailpipes, which implies (in my mind) that the pressure of outgoing exhaust gasses would be less restricted and therefore I would imagine that most of the "sssssss" would go away.

Is my logic correct?

By the way, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

PS. This thread is not for seeking advise as to which aftermarket exhaust to go for (I know there is a whole separate section for this).

[Ken37.73]

Good coincidence. I saw an M3 accelerate away aggressively from a junction yesterday (amazingly first time I've seen this - lots of half hearted efforts before but never full gas). I thought it sounded AMAZING - not a conventional V8 sound , much more a mish mash of exhaust and induction wail. Anyway I loved it. PS - sounded nothing like it does from inside

[kmac1980]

the stock intake/induction sound is awsome, i really hear it with the top down...

you can really hear a "whoosh" when you hit the gas as the engine takes a deep breath

the exhaust sound is pretty good too, stock (much better than the raspy E46 m3)...more audible in the convertible of course.... definitely needs an upgrade if you want to turn heads though

[Heat00]

agree with all. I had aftermarket exhaust on my 335, and I know it's different, but sometimes it got too loud and was annoying.
that being said, if you listen to the exhaust thread, there are some amazing sounding m's.
other problem is they all seem to be very $$$

[BimmerRob08]

I haven't heard my E92 M3 (stock) from outside the car but a while back as I was pulling away from someone behind me on a back road here, about 1 1/2 miles down the road he pulled up next to me at the light and said it sounded amazing from his car as I pulled away WOT. So must sound good. I'd like to hear what it sounds like but not too trustworthy to let someone else drive it while I'm not in the car, don't much care either.

Happy New Years!

[MBrown1003]

On a few mornings, when I've been running a little late, I've gotten to the train station at about the same time as the train. I've been ... oh, let's call it "enthusiastic" ... in driving to the end of the row where I park. On a couple of occassions, people have commented on the exhaust note when I blasted down the parking lot. (At the speed limit, of course. Ahem.)

I also have had a few enthusiast friends with me at various times when starting the car from cold, and they LOVE it. It's not quiet...it's kind of a lumpy burble. For real enthusiasts, it makes the accelerator foot twitch.

[M2381]

This is also what my friend said.

He said when I was approaching the engine drowned out the exhaust but when I was passing it was all exhaust

[PunjabiM3]

Most of my BMW buddies and myself thought the stock exhaust was way too quiet. Engine sounds great, but stock exhaust could be a little louder. Thus my reason for going aftermarket, though the Eisenmann Race I have is a bit too loud from 2-3k rpm.

[Speedtrap]

Originally Posted by BimmerRob08

I haven't heard my E92 M3 (stock) from outside the car but a while back as I was pulling away from someone behind me on a back road here, about 1 1/2 miles down the road he pulled up next to me at the light and said it sounded amazing from his car as I pulled away WOT. So must sound good. I'd like to hear what it sounds like but not too trustworthy to let someone else drive it while I'm not in the car, don't much care either.

Happy New Years!

You are more than happy to drive mine I have a Remus installed and Paul (Boofoorty) is going to meet me tommorow at Harvesters on the A1 at 11:30.

[gr8000]

Originally Posted by BimmerRob08

I'd like to hear what it sounds like but not too trustworthy to let someone else drive it while I'm not in the car, don't much care either.

Same here! A bit off topic, but I dont trust the car to ANYONE, not to velvet parking guys, garages etc, not even to friends who know how to drive! The other day a friend offered me to drive his modded Elise and I refused purely because I wanted to avoid reciprocating the offer (or refusing to give him my M3 if he would ask)!!!

Originally Posted by Heat00

I had aftermarket exhaust on my 335, and I know it's different, but sometimes it got too loud and was annoying.

Leaving the cost issue asside, being too loud (or even inconviniently loud) is EXACTLY what I am afraid of in going for an aftermarket exhaust, especially in view of the fact that the M3 is one of my daily drivers!

Originally Posted by kmac1980

the stock intake/induction sound is awsome, i really hear it with the top down... you can really hear a "whoosh" when you hit the gas as the engine takes a deep breath

the exhaust sound is pretty good too, stock (much better than the raspy E46 m3)...more audible in the convertible of course.... definitely needs an upgrade if you want to turn heads though

The intake / induction sound is indeed amasing!
It is not so much that I have an issue with the exhaust sound, and certainly I would not spend $$$ to turn heads. It's just that I would prefer to "get rid" of this loud "ssssss" which seems to overwelm (and even come on top) of the beautiful engine sound whilst under WOT conditions...

Originally Posted by M2381

This is also what my friend said.

He said when I was approaching the engine drowned out the exhaust but when I was passing it was all exhaust

Exactly!

Originally Posted by PunjabiM3

Most of my BMW buddies and myself thought the stock exhaust was way too quiet. Engine sounds great, but stock exhaust could be a little louder. Thus my reason for going aftermarket, though the Eisenmann Race I have is a bit too loud from 2-3k rpm.

From what I have read Eisenmann is probably the way to go for me (and I do not want to make this a "what exhaust" thread), but I will NEVER spend $$$ to replace the OEM exhaust UNLESS I hear the sound of a modded M3 live and take her for a ride. U-Tubes are fine to get a feeling but I am afraid that it might be quite different from the real thing. My M3 is a daily driver so I do not want to get stuck with a loud exhaust system that I would have to put up with every day!

[COR Photographer]

haha the stock sound is really great

[FStop7]

Way too quiet.

[Speedtrap]

Originally Posted by FStop7

Way too quiet.

+1....you cannot even hear the exhaust

[montreal red]

the stock sound is too quiet... but i have magnaflow exhaust right now and i feel like its too loud... i want something in between.

[MMMorish]

Stock sound is too quiet for me too. I'm saving up for an AA Signature exhaust because it's not too aggressive, bolts on with no cutting, and has no drone.

[revmmm]

Originally Posted by gr8000

From what I have read Eisenmann is probably the way to go for me (and I do not want to make this a "what exhaust" thread), but I will NEVER spend $$$ to replace the OEM exhaust UNLESS I hear the sound of a modded M3 live and take her for a ride. U-Tubes are fine to get a feeling but I am afraid that it might be quite different from the real thing. My M3 is a daily driver so I do not want to get stuck with a loud exhaust system that I would have to put up with every day!

The best thing is to hear them live. I have had the benefit of hearing the Eisenmann Race on SlammedM3 and the Eisenmann Sport on ALM3 next to my stock, and while I think the stock is a little too quiet, I am not sure that the upgrade is worth the $$$ and I am a little worried as I often work late and back into my garage, so I am not keen on waking up the entire neighbourhood. I do think the stock exhaust hangs too low off the back though. Too bad in Greece there are not as many options to hear them back-to-back.

Let us know how it ends up.

[montreal red]

Originally Posted by revmmm

The best thing is to hear them live.

+1 on this
videos are very misleading since the tone might be good but its the volume thats the problem... i like the tone of my exhaust but i hate the volume... i want it to be louder than stock but more quiet than what it is now... i dont even know what exhaust is going to give me the sound i want right now since there arent a lot of Ms with modified exhausts around the MTL area.

[Roadkiller]

Originally Posted by montreal red

the stock sound is too quiet... but i have magnaflow exhaust right now and i feel like its too loud... i want something in between.

What would be in between magnaflow and stock?

Thats what I'm looking for....I too think stock is quiet but don't want a monster that will announce my arrival and departure....especially if I'm leaving work early

[MrHarris]

I got the Remus race. It's a notch louder than I thought but it sounds great.

[montreal red]

Originally Posted by Roadkiller

What would be in between magnaflow and stock?

Thats what I'm looking for....I too think stock is quiet but don't want a monster that will announce my arrival and departure....especially if I'm leaving work early

i am waiting to hear remus before i make any commitments... never trust videos cos they only show the tone and not the volume... now i have a great sounding exhaust with a good tone but one that i feel is boy-racer loud..

i wont be changing my exhaust until i have heard one in real life that has a good volume to it. hopefully remus would be good in real life.

[ebohon]

great topic btw... i have been dealing with the same issue. My son tells me the car sounds wicked when i pick him up from school as i drive up ... so he hears the engine and 'mechanics' at work. I have a 6MT and drive up in first to pick him up at low speed but the engine sound is still amazing apparently at low rpms... maybe 2k range...i do a bit of engine breaking in my style of driving. I will just wait until I hear a few exhausts in person before I decide. We have a few M5s and M6s in my community and I've heard them at full sing but those are obviously diff notes from that V10.

[pittsy]

Originally Posted by montreal red

i am waiting to hear remus before i make any commitments... never trust videos cos they only show the tone and not the volume... now i have a great sounding exhaust with a good tone but one that i feel is boy-racer loud..

i wont be changing my exhaust until i have heard one in real life that has a good volume to it. hopefully remus would be good in real life.

The Remus Race sounds awesome in real life, you won't be disappointed!