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      10-07-2013, 10:25 AM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ezio View Post
M cars are now luxury and sports cars. thats the bottom line.
And to me, that's unfortunate. They used to be race cars that you could slap a license plate on. Now we have soccer mom SUVs with M badges on the back.

Again, just my opinion.
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      10-07-2013, 10:25 AM   #24
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I don't like the idea of it, but, they are building what their buyers want.

Maybe 2% of M buyers want a 'raw' noisy car (number pulled straight from my ass). Most people who are spending $70k - $120k want a car that can put up stupid numbers so they can brag to their friends while golfing (or on the internet), comfortably commute every day and occasionally power-merge.

BMW would not make money on a 'M5 GT3 RS' its not what people want from BMW.

A case could be made for an M2 for the enthusiast, but generally speaking, people (at this price point) don't want to pay more for less. Most buyers would step up to an M4 or Porsche.
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      10-08-2013, 09:12 AM   #25
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Active sound for Toyota Prius!

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      10-08-2013, 12:15 PM   #26
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To be honest it's a good idea, the cars have a lot more soundproofing and it's nice to be able to hear the motor clearer. Anyways, don't like it...don't buy one. Or do, and turn it off. Why does BMW need to limit options for others based on your specific needs? The market has not dictated what you want.
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      10-08-2013, 04:08 PM   #27
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i think having to amplify engine sound through the speakers for the enthusist buyer because the luxury buyer wants more cabin isolation is totally lame. You'd think with modern production techniques, it would be a simple matter to put less sound deading material for a sports package, or 'sport line', but i'm sure the bean counters have a different opinion.

But i'm not really compaining, in the end there's usally a way to get what you want, in my case, the next BMW is going to be a gutted e36 or e46 track car.
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      10-09-2013, 11:16 AM   #28
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If I didn't drive a bmw, this would make me poke fun at bmw owners every single day! Fake prerecorded engine sound is just ridiculous.

I guess they built the car and someone said "oh we forgot the sound! This doesn't sound like an m3!". After assessing impact on sales, some user experience architect or vaguely-important guy had a brainwave "is all they want engine noise? We can just play it through the speakers!"

Next, they'll be selling M badges for non-M cars and then M badges for non-bmw cars.
We're slowly heading towards a BMW-branded Corolla.
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      10-09-2013, 03:35 PM   #29
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ScarecrowBoat View Post
To be honest it's a good idea, the cars have a lot more soundproofing and it's nice to be able to hear the motor clearer. Anyways, don't like it...don't buy one. Or do, and turn it off. Why does BMW need to limit options for others based on your specific needs? The market has not dictated what you want.
You can't hear the motor clearer, it's a fake soundtrack in M5 for example and YOU CANT"T TURN IT OFF!

If it was optional, it would be another thing. As I said, I know most of you like it, I was trying to get a see how many felt the same way because I am the market too. I have owned 3 BMWs and was considering a 4th.
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      10-09-2013, 03:39 PM   #30
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Originally Posted by nachob View Post
YOU CANT"T TURN IT OFF
That would be false.
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      10-09-2013, 04:26 PM   #31
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Greenkirby21 View Post
What many people fail to realize is many other car manufactures are doing this too.

The 2010 GTI comes to mind. I believe the 2009's had an actual tube that went into the cabin, and for the 2010 models people began to find sound symposeurs tucked in the dash.
The sound symposeurs and sound tubes are a completely different method of amplifying the sound though. Basically, these devices channel sound from the engine through the firewall and into the cabin, unlike Active Sound playing it over the speakers.


Quote:
Originally Posted by h4nh View Post
Drive the car before you make complaints based on what's written on paper. Active sound isn't a big deal. You can't even tell its there and the cars that have it have alot of sound deadening so even if you put a loud ass exhaust you won't hear all of it.
If you can't even tell it is there, why have it there in the first place?
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      10-09-2013, 05:20 PM   #32
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bjayfan View Post
To be honest it isn't intrusive at all, I was surprised at how little active sound there was. But it's fairly easy to eliminate it, as I had done.
+1 It really does as it says and only enhances the sound. I quite like it when I drove an M135i, though you don't really notice it. I'm sure it would be noticeable doing back to back drives with it on/off but watching the YouTube videos, Active Sound makes that high rpm in the N55 sound even sweeter.
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      10-09-2013, 05:34 PM   #33
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I have active sound in my E30. It's called 'rolling the windows down'.
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      10-09-2013, 05:47 PM   #34
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It could be worse

[u2b][/u2b]http://www.youtube.com/watch?V=XE8Nr-mDa-Q
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      10-09-2013, 07:03 PM   #35
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nachob View Post
I know that "real car guys" are a diminishing breed and some may just prefer to call us "old school" but fake engine sound is the last straw that shows the BMWs lack of caring for real car guys. I must admit that they grudgingly put manual transmissions in their cars for us but deep down BMW resents it. Life would be much simpler for them with just an automatic that lets you "shift" or drive in full auto but at least they do it and I still own a BMW for that reason.

Lexus on the other hand doesn't do it on their IS 350 and I will not buy one because of it BUT after having read that Active Sound is mandatory on the new M cars.......I am puzzled and seriously saddened by it.

This is the new height of poserdom. I cannot buy a car with fake engine sound and to make matters worse you cannot disable it without disabling the stereo system. I have been seriously holding out of M235 or M2 but I don't know if I can overcome this. I would be embarrassed if other car guys found out I was driving with fake engine sound track.

Not only is there the embarrassment but more importantly the it is one more loss of connection to car. I listen to my engine! As some have called it, I have "mechanical empathy" and I listen to it. Every ping when accidentally lugged, every VANOS rattle when the idle drops to low and the crescendo of mechanical music when making serious power. Even turbos and wastegates are part of the "rhythm" when you are autocrossing or cruising on a mountain road. That is a another connection lost. With automatics, you do not control or manage the engagement so you lose that connection, then the new steering racks further detach you from the road feel and now you cannot "really" listen to the engine.

Sad. I know most of you don't feel the same way, I understand, since you grow up with iPhones that are set to the "old" analog phone ringer and think it's quaint.

I was just wondering if there were any of you out there that are also sad about fake engine sound?
I absolutly agree with you, so you are not alone out there.
Since there will be an ASD even in upcoming M3/4 I sadly believe there is no hope for the future, but there is hope that it can be turned off. In a german forum I've read about some changings on the setup so you can normally use your sound system in the M135i and the ASD is turned off. But the thread is already deleted ... maybe it was against the forum rules.

I don't like fake tits neither...
I do not really care what others say, I want the car for myself and that should be a real M car like the older ones, but modern and with 4 doors. (M2 Gran Coupé)

I understand that a turbo car can't sound as good as a normal aspirated, but the 1M doesn't had this bullsh*t and a lot people fuckin love this car, there are other ways to improve the sound, for example the sound tunnel which was used in the old Z4.

PS: or just threw the turbos out and everyone's happy
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      10-09-2013, 07:23 PM   #36
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M5 Disappointed

I just picked up my 2013 M5 from Calgary BMW and found nasty brake squeal on my 3rd day of driving. Sadly my $125k ultimate driving experience sounds like an old school bus when stopping. Perhaps they should have amped up the engine sound in the speakers a bit louder to mask the weak brakes...



Quote:
Originally Posted by jackmcclane View Post
I absolutly agree with you, so you are not alone out there.
Since there will be an ASD even in upcoming M3/4 I sadly believe there is no hope for the future, but there is hope that it can be turned off. In a german forum I've read about some changings on the setup so you can normally use your sound system in the M135i and the ASD is turned off. But the thread is already deleted ... maybe it was against the forum rules.

I don't like fake tits neither...
I do not really care what others say, I want the car for myself and that should be a real M car like the older ones, but modern and with 4 doors. (M2 Gran Coupé)

I understand that a turbo car can't sound as good as a normal aspirated, but the 1M doesn't had this bullsh*t and a lot people fuckin love this car, there are other ways to improve the sound, for example the sound tunnel which was used in the old Z4.

PS: or just threw the turbos out and everyone's happy
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      10-10-2013, 01:56 PM   #37
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Well BMW's are great cars, mostly luxury, but too much electrical problems. I prefer GMC.
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      10-11-2013, 02:41 AM   #38
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So many things are fake nowadays that many people don't even know what the word means.

As an example, most "leather" furniture sold today is actually vinyl with leather fibers mixed in. You know, the stuff they sweep off the floors of the factory where the real leather products are processed.
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      10-11-2013, 06:22 AM   #39
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kyle B View Post
I disagree. M cars should be raw; manual seats, manual transmission, minimalist interior and sound damping, lightweight, with an "exhaust note be damned" powerful engine. You know, kind of like the homologation special E30 that arguably started this whole thing.

If that theoretical car described above isn't your cup of tea, perhaps the 335i is a better car for you. They're M cars. They're not supposed to be for everyone.

The fact that BMW continues to dumb down the M cars for the masses is how we end up engine noise being played through the stereo.

Just my $.02. It's disappointing to see where BMW is with the M cars these days.
If that is the case, then I'll never be able to buy an "M" car. When I was younger, I enjoyed having "raw" cars that were loud, uncomfortable and obnoxious. Then you get a bit older, and need to go to a meeting every once in a while in a different city and take a conference call. Good luck doing that in your "M" then.
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      10-11-2013, 07:23 AM   #40
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Active Sound in the upcoming F8x M is a deal breaker for me as well.
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      10-11-2013, 09:19 AM   #41
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gblansten View Post
Active Sound in the upcoming F8x M is a deal breaker for me as well.
You can turn it OFF. You're probably like one of those people in House Hunters that won't buy a house because one room has green carpet.
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      10-11-2013, 09:45 AM   #42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ScarecrowBoat View Post
You can turn it OFF. You're probably like one of those people in House Hunters that won't buy a house because one room has green carpet.
Do you have a need for a stranger on the internet to buy/lease the new F8x M? I'm cool with you not being bothered by Active Sound.
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      10-11-2013, 09:59 AM   #43
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gblansten View Post
Do you have a need for a stranger on the internet to buy/lease the new F8x M? I'm cool with you not being bothered by Active Sound.
I think he's just venting his self loathing for putting that lime green carpet in his rec room.
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      10-11-2013, 10:06 AM   #44
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I can't help but find it funny how the vast majority of those who have a problem with Active Sound are those who have no experience with it. Most who have cars with active sound don't have any issues because it's such a non-intrusive system you forget about it.

But I guess that's what the internet is for... so you can post as though you're an expert on something you have no experience with. Same people who have issues with Active Sound, but have never heard it can also tell us why they hate being a F1 driver and why they don't like the flight dyanmics of a F-22.
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