Hey folks, So this is my first post, and I didn't think it was going to be a review of something that I hate, but here we go.
I have an 03 325i- no other mods other than a UUC lightweight flywheel, and hotchkiss swaybars (so nothing that changes noise from stock).
After reading endlessly, and watching every youtube video in existence, I decided to say @#$% it and go get my muffler deleted. To keep your attention please read the following: I HATE it.
I may take some heat for saying this, but it honestly has to be one of the cheesiest most idiotic sounds I have ever heard. Here is my description:
You start the car, and yea it sounds all throaty and gurgley, but it's also pointlessly loud (yes I knew it would be louder this is what I wanted). When the car warms up it chills out a bit.
So you start driving away, and whenever you go near the throttle it BARKS, but not in a good way. Its just a droning farty bark noise that immediately goes right into your sinuses and buzzes interior trim. Then on part throttle, around 2-4000 rpm, it actually sounds ok, but still not a sweet sound, just a throaty bark (I repeat, NOT in a good way).
Now here's the part that really pisses me off... When you go WOT and climb above 4000 rpm, any benefit of deleting your muffler disappears and it gets quieter. The loud throaty sound just gives way to a sound that is closer to "vibration" than exhaust. Not only that but the drone of it is just loud enough to cover up the great sound that the inline 6 makes at the headers.
Oh, and by the way, yes it does drone, yes it does yes it does. Unless you are super gentle with the throttle, and keep it at just the right engine speed, there is a low rumble from the back end that does not sound like an "exhaust note" it sounds like flatulence.
This delete was done correctly, with proper hangers, good welds etc. Yes everything else under the car is proper. No I'm not getting any unnecessary vibrations from somewhere else. Everything is as it should be.
I have heard many e46 exhaust notes, and currently, mine is the worst. I have a friend with a 330 whose muffler delete sounds not too bad. From the outside anyway.
The whole thing said and done was 100 bucks. So not too expensive of a mistake. But now I am going to go exhaust shopping and do this properly.
There are obviously many people out there who enjoy this sound, and to each his own. But my opinion is very much that this mod sounds unrefined and douchey.
Rant over.
Edit: I have installed a magnaflow muffler, check out these videos to get a feel for what it sounds like.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2rGcXOvRUQ&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ElVL-BIrRo
I have an 03 325i- no other mods other than a UUC lightweight flywheel, and hotchkiss swaybars (so nothing that changes noise from stock).
After reading endlessly, and watching every youtube video in existence, I decided to say @#$% it and go get my muffler deleted. To keep your attention please read the following: I HATE it.
I may take some heat for saying this, but it honestly has to be one of the cheesiest most idiotic sounds I have ever heard. Here is my description:
You start the car, and yea it sounds all throaty and gurgley, but it's also pointlessly loud (yes I knew it would be louder this is what I wanted). When the car warms up it chills out a bit.
So you start driving away, and whenever you go near the throttle it BARKS, but not in a good way. Its just a droning farty bark noise that immediately goes right into your sinuses and buzzes interior trim. Then on part throttle, around 2-4000 rpm, it actually sounds ok, but still not a sweet sound, just a throaty bark (I repeat, NOT in a good way).
Now here's the part that really pisses me off... When you go WOT and climb above 4000 rpm, any benefit of deleting your muffler disappears and it gets quieter. The loud throaty sound just gives way to a sound that is closer to "vibration" than exhaust. Not only that but the drone of it is just loud enough to cover up the great sound that the inline 6 makes at the headers.
Oh, and by the way, yes it does drone, yes it does yes it does. Unless you are super gentle with the throttle, and keep it at just the right engine speed, there is a low rumble from the back end that does not sound like an "exhaust note" it sounds like flatulence.
This delete was done correctly, with proper hangers, good welds etc. Yes everything else under the car is proper. No I'm not getting any unnecessary vibrations from somewhere else. Everything is as it should be.
I have heard many e46 exhaust notes, and currently, mine is the worst. I have a friend with a 330 whose muffler delete sounds not too bad. From the outside anyway.
The whole thing said and done was 100 bucks. So not too expensive of a mistake. But now I am going to go exhaust shopping and do this properly.
There are obviously many people out there who enjoy this sound, and to each his own. But my opinion is very much that this mod sounds unrefined and douchey.
Rant over.
Edit: I have installed a magnaflow muffler, check out these videos to get a feel for what it sounds like.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2rGcXOvRUQ&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ElVL-BIrRo
