[BCeagle08]

After some debate I decided to give the muffler delete a try. I couldn't justify spending $1k on a catback or axleback that didn't seem to sound much different than the muffler deletes I had heard in person and in videos.

For some background, I am coming from a 2008 Mustang GT, and I also drive a factory five cobra with a 347 as a weekend toy, so I am used to loud exhausts.



First things first - anyone who says a muffler delete "drones" has absolutely no clue what drone is. Is there a low frequency noise while cruising between 60 and 80? Yes. Is it drone? No. It's exhaust noise. It's simply the exhaust tone at that RPM.

Real drone is a very specific resonance that sounds completely different from the normal exhaust tone. You can feel the whole car shake and it is much louder in the cabin than the normal exhaust tone. In my mustang, this happened around 60-62 mph in top gear. It was awful and you could not cruise in that rpm/mph range or you would go deaf.

This muffler delete has some exhaust noise between 2500 and 2900 rpm while cruising. It is not the best tone over the RPM range, but what engine/exhaust sounds best at cruising speed? You'd be hard pressed to find one. We aren't driving v8 ferraris that spin to 11k.

The "drone" that everyone complains about is a fairly quiet exhaust tone. Put your windows up and you'll barely hear it over road noise. Turn on the radio and you won't hear it at all.



Second - this muffler delete is actually quieter than my mustang was, even though my mustang had full cats and had chambered mufflers. I was actually surprised at how tame the car sounds. It's really not loud at all. This makes me glad I went with the delete over a more mild exhaust because it really just wouldn't be my style if it was any quieter. I imagine if you go catless DPs you will get a louder exhaust tone, but I don't plan on doing that at any point.



Third - this muffler delete flattens out the exhaust tone to a very large degree. The stock muffler is tuned carefully to give you that exotic twang in the upper rpms. You lose that twang with the muffler delete as more low end tones come through and drown it out. Up until 2,000 rpms, it sounds like your normal inline engine, like any typical rice rocket inline 4. Between 2,000 and 3,000 it sounds different, but not great. After 3,000 rpms, you get that classic BMW inline 6 tone. It sounds a little like an inline four, but that "twang" comes back and gives it a distinct sound which sets it apart from a normal inline 4 engine.



Fourth - you hear less of the exhaust note at full throttle than you do at any other throttle position. I am not sure if it's just engine noise drowning out the exhaust note, or if it has something to do with the turbos, but I was very surprised at how quiet it got at full throttle. I am used to the exhaust going into "beast mode" at full throttle (in my mustang and the cobra) but the BMW exhaust actually gets quieter. Not a bad thing necessarily, but surprising.



Conclusion - for $100 I couldn't be happier. An Inline 6 BMW will never sound as good as a big v8, but it sounds much better than a fart cannon 5k redline inline 4. It does NOT drone. Anyone who has sat in a car with actual drone will confirm this. However, if you can't stand to hear your exhaust while cruising, then it's not for you. If you are ok with hearing your exhaust while cruising, then you will have no problem whatsoever with this mod. (Keep in mind it's barely even audible with windows up, so I don't see how someone could complain unless they really weren't looking for an exhaust that they could hear all the time).

Two thumbs up - highly recommended over spending thousands of dollars on exhaust.

[Beemw335]

Nice review

[Hisam135i]

Nice and realistic review

[E90Company]

I agree. I can't believe some people think a muffler delete drones on this car. Funny almost

[idrift4wd]

people think bmws performance exhaust drones, let alone a muffler delete. The sound is drone. you'll see that when you add catless downpipes. trust me its drone.

since you just got it, youll see that mornings you'll drive a few miles and see that its kinda annoying.

some people spend 2 grand on an exhaust that gives them 2-3 HP max, and most dont even sound as good lol.

[EDM92]

Try a muffler delete with catless downpipes and tell me your car doesn't sound like a civic.

[YMB_M3]

Originally Posted by EDM92

Try a muffler delete with catless downpipes and tell me your car doesn't sound like a civic.

I have a muffler delete and catless downpipe and my car sounds nothing like a civic...

[BCeagle08]

Originally Posted by EDM92

Try a muffler delete with catless downpipes and tell me your car doesn't sound like a civic.

Try a muffler delete with a catless downpipes, no x pipe, and 2 cylinders misfiring and tell me your car doesn't sound like a civic

[jlcf22]

I'm running straight pipe and I love it!!

[Slow_335i]

Originally Posted by E90Company

I agree. I can't believe some people think a muffler delete drones on this car. Funny almost

This^

they must have pussy ears

[E90Company]

Originally Posted by Slow_335i

This^

they must have pussy ears

That, or one guy says it drones and then all the forum bandwagoners just spit out what they read with no personal experience.

[robc1976]

Originally Posted by EDM92

Try a muffler delete with catless downpipes and tell me your car doesn't sound like a civic.

I can tell you right now it doesn't lol.

[EDM92]

Originally Posted by robc1976

I can tell you right now it doesn't lol.

I can tell you right now I've heard it and it does.

[robc1976]

Originally Posted by EDM92

I can tell you right now I've heard it and it does.

Must have been a car with no power then. My car sounds nothing like a fart can civic.

[EDM92]

Originally Posted by robc1976

Must have been a car with no power then. My car sounds nothing like a fart can civic.

A tune and full bolt ons will barely make a difference in exhaust note. Maybe your car was done differently.

[robc1976]

Originally Posted by EDM92

A tune and full bolt ons will barely make a difference in exhaust note. Maybe your car was done differently.

I do have dual vibrant resonators in place of the mufflers.

[Edogg218]

Originally Posted by BCeagle08

Fourth - you hear less of the exhaust note at full throttle than you do at any other throttle position. I am not sure if it's just engine noise drowning out the exhaust note, or if it has something to do with the turbos, but I was very surprised at how quiet it got at full throttle. I am used to the exhaust going into "beast mode" at full throttle (in my mustang and the cobra) but the BMW exhaust actually gets quieter. Not a bad thing necessarily, but surprising.

Waste gates are closed at WOT, and the turbines muffle the sound.

[EDM92]

Originally Posted by robc1976

I do have dual vibrant resonators in place of the mufflers.

That would definitely help.

[robc1976]

Originally Posted by EDM92

That would definitely help.

a muffler delete without resonators did sound like ass lol!