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      06-18-2018, 02:55 PM   #23
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I hate my M3 every single second I drive it. Considering putting extra cats or mufflers on it to drown out the horrible sound. Maybe even a N55 transplant.
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      06-18-2018, 03:49 PM   #24
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Originally Posted by pheerIx View Post
I hate my M3 every single second I drive it. Considering putting extra cats or mufflers on it to drown out the horrible sound. Maybe even a N55 transplant.
LOL. Lets not get all butt hurt over the lousy S55 sound.. You have an awesome car in total; just commenting on the lawn mower pitch of the engine... Nothing more.
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      06-18-2018, 03:51 PM   #25
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N55 seems more tuned m4 is more smart less aggressive than m2 in my opinion
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      06-18-2018, 04:34 PM   #26
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How coincidental, on my way to work today, I was stopped at a red light next to a M4 who was in the left turn lane. I made eye contact with him and gave him a thumbs up. As the light turned green, he revved his engine twice, on the 2nd rev he went on his way (obvious 6mt trans).

While I enjoy a nice exhaust, it's definitely not an end all decision for me in buying a car. IMO, my M2 with Fabspeed sounded better than that M4, but I didn't think it sounded bad. If sound was the #1 criteria for me, I would have kept my 370z with aftermarket exhaust. The M2 is defintely the better overall car vs the Z and I'm very happy to be a M2 owner, however there are some other 6 cylinder cars that sound very nice. Not my car below, but for those of you who have never heard a VQ 37 with an exhaust, here's a good example.

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      06-18-2018, 05:22 PM   #27
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I like the N55 better; that 370z had no crackles or snaps. Even the S55 gives great Crackles! The main thing I dont like about the sound of the S55 is at cold start.. Once warm and under hard throttle, I think it sounds pretty good.
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      06-18-2018, 06:11 PM   #28
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I know this isn't what you're asking, but I was driving around today with windows down on my 2017 M2 and decided it should be illegal to drive this car without the M perf exhaust.

It sounds...wow...

Anyway, I agree with others, get a 2016-18 M2 if you're concerned with sound. Get a M2C if you're concerned with (more) speed.
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      06-18-2018, 06:12 PM   #29
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Quote:
Originally Posted by boostm3 View Post
I like the N55 better; that 370z had no crackles or snaps. Even the S55 gives great Crackles! The main thing I dont like about the sound of the S55 is at cold start.. Once warm and under hard throttle, I think it sounds pretty good.
Yes indeed.

My neighbors M4 has the worst sounding cold start I've ever heard in my life.

Not sure what the hell she has done to it besides adding ///m performance exhaust...

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      06-18-2018, 08:29 PM   #30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by boostm3 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by pheerIx View Post
I hate my M3 every single second I drive it. Considering putting extra cats or mufflers on it to drown out the horrible sound. Maybe even a N55 transplant.
LOL. Lets not get all butt hurt over the lousy S55 sound.. You have an awesome car in total; just commenting on the lawn mower pitch of the engine... Nothing more.
Meh not butthurt but thanks for concern. Returning after lease is up anyway.
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      06-19-2018, 01:20 AM   #31
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Aloha Joe View Post
How coincidental, on my way to work today, I was stopped at a red light next to a M4 who was in the left turn lane. I made eye contact with him and gave him a thumbs up. As the light turned green, he revved his engine twice, on the 2nd rev he went on his way (obvious 6mt trans).

While I enjoy a nice exhaust, it's definitely not an end all decision for me in buying a car. IMO, my M2 with Fabspeed sounded better than that M4, but I didn't think it sounded bad. If sound was the #1 criteria for me, I would have kept my 370z with aftermarket exhaust. The M2 is defintely the better overall car vs the Z and I'm very happy to be a M2 owner, however there are some other 6 cylinder cars that sound very nice. Not my car below, but for those of you who have never heard a VQ 37 with an exhaust, here's a good example.

V6 is a very different thing from an I6 though.

I'm surprised at how similar the VQ35 sounds to a VW VR6. a little bit of the wookie in there.
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      06-19-2018, 09:56 AM   #32
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pheerIx View Post
I hate my M3 every single second I drive it. Considering putting extra cats or mufflers on it to drown out the horrible sound. Maybe even a N55 transplant.


Sound is pretty important to me, but was not a deciding factor when I chose the M2. It was that unexpected that just made owning the M2 all that much better!
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      06-19-2018, 10:29 AM   #33
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Originally Posted by GoneIn4Secs View Post
The sounds makes a big diff in overall enjoyability
+1 going to keep my M2 only for the sound with the MPE
miss my old VW R32 2004 SOUND


Last edited by AGM2; 06-19-2018 at 10:37 AM..
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      06-19-2018, 10:06 PM   #34
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Well since none of these motors make induction noise anymore (get in an E39 M5, E46 M3, or E92 M3 and let me know) then yes it hugely matters. I was already an N55 fan noise-wise but after DP and MPE there is no contest against the S55. Reminds me of M cars of old. Gets raspy and high pitched in the higher RPMs, a lovely euro sound. Fanboys--say what you want but the S55 sounds like shit and even worse with exhausts. Tell yourself it sounds good but literally nobody on the street will agree.
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      06-19-2018, 10:52 PM   #35
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DETRoadster View Post
We've had so many posts about how the S55 sounds bad and the N55 sounds great, but I have yet to read the reason why. Any of you folks who are more engine savvy than I am able to explain why the S55 sounds bad? What's different? It cant be the exhaust as changing that out would cure it. Plenty of M3/4 out there with different turbos and the sound is still bad so it cant be that. Is the cylinder firing order different between the two engines? Maybe ignition timing is different?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DETRoadster View Post
We've had so many posts about how the S55 sounds bad and the N55 sounds great, but I have yet to read the reason why. Any of you folks who are more engine savvy than I am able to explain why the S55 sounds bad? What's different? It cant be the exhaust as changing that out would cure it. Plenty of M3/4 out there with different turbos and the sound is still bad so it cant be that. Is the cylinder firing order different between the two engines? Maybe ignition timing is different?
The N55 and b58 have a baritone note...a bass rooted rumble. The S55 lacks this.
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      06-19-2018, 10:56 PM   #36
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Originally Posted by stefan View Post
Well since none of these motors make induction noise anymore (get in an E39 M5, E46 M3, or E92 M3 and let me know) then yes it hugely matters. I was already an N55 fan noise-wise but after DP and MPE there is no contest against the S55. Reminds me of M cars of old. Gets raspy and high pitched in the higher RPMs, a lovely euro sound. Fanboys--say what you want but the S55 sounds like shit and even worse with exhausts. Tell yourself it sounds good but literally nobody on the street will agree.
Ugh you're so right. I need to find a N55 to swap ASAP.
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      06-19-2018, 11:08 PM   #37
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No offense but The current m3 sounds like a strangled cat. My x3 m40i sounds worlds better.
Bingo. Have both can confirm. S55 is strangled cat.
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      06-24-2018, 12:42 PM   #38
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Proof some people like the sound of the s55?


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      06-24-2018, 01:41 PM   #39
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I met up with a group of people for a drive this morning and got to hear a few aftermarket S55 set ups in person. Not just revs and flyby's. I was driving next to them and behind them with my windows down for a few hours through winding roads and on the freeway so I really got a good listen to their cars in various gears and rpm's. I was really pleasantly surprised at how much better the engine sounds when it has the right exhaust on it. My two favorites were AWE, and a car that had a Burble Tune + DP + Remus.

Now I'm not saying the cars sounded incredible or that they sounded as good as a similarly equipped N55, but they sounded a hell of a lot better than stock and good enough to where I could own one and be able to live with it.
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      08-19-2018, 05:43 AM   #40
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I absolutely hate the sound of the S55, it's an embarrassment of a sound coming from such an epic car...
It is the main reason that after test driving one I decided against it. When I test drove the M2 afterwards I knew it was a special sound.

I came from an Audi RS3 8V (another epic sounding car) and I couldn't bring myself to the disappointment of the S55 engine everyday, it is cringeworthy
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      08-26-2018, 11:18 PM   #41
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The RS3 is hard to beat, that I5 sounds amazing.

I never knew how important the sound was to me until I got the MPE. Now I can't live without it.
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      08-27-2018, 12:57 AM   #42
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Will there be anything memorable about the S55 in the M history books?

Or will it go down as the worst sounding one?
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      08-27-2018, 11:02 AM   #43
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Will there be anything memorable about the S55 in the M history books?

Or will it go down as the worst sounding one?
Personally don't think it's the worst one, but I frown every time I hear a S55 thinking how much more glorious the M2C/M3/M4 can be if it sounded like the OG M2...
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      08-27-2018, 05:38 PM   #44
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Very very important




Last edited by AGM2; 08-27-2018 at 05:43 PM..
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