Best sounding exhaust

[Tones]

What are people's thoughts. Think that will be next in my mod list.

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[Obioban]

CSL Intake.

IMO every exhaust option sound somewhere between indifferent (quiet ones) and bad (loud ones).

[Icecream]

What are people's thoughts. Think that will be next in my mod list.

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Way too subjective BUT, the majority of exhaust sounds like hot trash bubbling up from satan's behind.
The only way to get a good sound is not go too loud, get headers, high flow cats or maybe euro cats (though those also ruin the sound on account of their size but their downstream location helps) and avoid ANYTHING made in China.
I find it funny that Obi doesn't like any setup considering he uploaded a video on youtube of what is arguably the best sounding M3 out there with headers and SCZA.
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Headers and cats are a must ( and possibly a rasp-reducer of some sort) before doing anything else unless you have no taste lol. If that is too steep for you, just get a CSL box and be done.

SCZA
Rogue Eldiablo
Supersprint
Remus
Dinan (this and the Remus sound particularly good on a stock setup but still, slightly less hot garbage...)

[Sharocks]

Honestly none. The S54 exhaust note is garbage. My car is extremely loud and it's getting annoying as I'm getting older. I refuse to change it because I won't get that money back and I like the way it looks. I'd get headers, two resonators and some better tips for the stock exhaust and then save up for a CSL intake.

[2004LSB]

Agreed - - unfortunately there isn't a decent sounding exhaust for the E46 M3. Most if not all aftermarket options sound like a fart can. The E9X M3 exhaust notes in my opinion sound WAY better and have more options.

For this platform, its all about the CSL induction roar and the mechanical noises from the engine. I currently have the Karbonius CSL intake, Euro headers & Cats, Supersprint Stradale (Street) muffler w/ the oversized resonated twin pipes and I think it sounds alright! It sounds just like stock, but with a very subtle deeper touch to the sound. I think this is as good as its gonna get.

[Slideways]

Agreed - - unfortunately there isn't a decent sounding exhaust for the E46 M3. Most if not all aftermarket options sound like a fart can. The E9X M3 exhaust notes in my opinion sound WAY better and have more options.

For this platform, its all about the CSL induction roar and the mechanical noises from the engine. I currently have the Karbonius CSL intake, Euro headers & Cats, Supersprint Stradale (Street) muffler w/ the oversized resonated twin pipes and I think it sounds alright! It sounds just like stock, but with a very subtle deeper touch to the sound. I think this is as good as its gonna get.

Any videos of this setup?

[2004LSB]

Any videos of this setup?

I'll try and record some tomorrow - - will just be using my phone so the quality may not be the best.

[COVID-19]

I’m a big fan of El Diablo + headers + resonated sec 1. I currently have Euro sec 1 but found a CPI sec 1 with high flow cats/resonated. Had this set up before and sounds a bit better than just with cats on sec 1.

[Icecream]

Dont let these CSL intake or nothing guys scare you away lol, its just gonna take some work and money. I have headers , cats and scza with a loud intake (not csl loud but loud) . And yeah, its a little too raspy down low but not only is it quiet enough to hear the intake , its just loud enough to scream over 4k and I love it. Transformed how I feel about the car and how i drive it. Its a good sound, perhaps an aquired taste (people need to get over their V8 or nothing bias) but it just rips and is totally unique, NOTHING sounds like an S54 and thats why i love it even more. GL.

[Nico]

I’ve had a B&B with headers for years and never really got old. I like the sound a lot. You need headers for the exhaust note to actually sound good. Without them, car will sound like a Honda

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=M48osMJIa9A

[T.J.]

Eisenmann sport sounds like OE enhanced plus a little deeper

[///m325i]

Every e46 NEEDS headers and a dual resonated or catted section 1. The section 2 and muffler can be whatever you want it to be. A stock muffler will make the car sound stock volume from my experience.... And then there's mufflers to choose from depending how loud you want your car to be. The s54 has a unique sound and I've heard so many m3's sound like garbage because people would mod them incorrectly. Do it the right way and you won't be disappointed.

[shibui]

+1 on the headers, they’ll make a bigger difference than any Sec 3 ever will.

For Sec 3:

Loud: Scorza, El Diablo

Quiet (relatively): Supersprint Street, Eisenmann, Dinan (if you’re ok with the dummy exits)

The thing that will make you regret a cheap exhaust more than the lawnmower sound is the drone you’ll get from most “lightweight” exhausts. I had a Gruppe M and it was unbearable for daily driving.

[Tonggi]

Supersprint stepped, catless sec 1. Oversized aec 2 with resonator and SS sport.

Nice deep tone at idle. Driving around feels normal and when you rip it you will hear it. Perfect IMO. I don't want a car that sounds loud but going 25 mph down a residential street.

[Arith2]

My M3 sounds AMAZING above 3500rpm. The trade of is it sounds like trash below it. You can't have the best of both worlds but since WOT is where the exhaust note really matters to me, I am super happy with it. I have Megan Racing headers and a GruppeM exhaust. I did notice after adding a K&N the idle sounds a bit louder but mostly same tone. My car scares people at gas stations when I start it. If anyone calls a GruppeM a muffler, they're lying, it's just a couple resonators.

I've learned how to drive it respectfully and not be a cop magnet though. I'll upload a video of a cold start later