[leeicedtea]

Hey there everybody!
I will soon be taking my f30 328i on a roadtrip across the US, making approximately 4k miles. As of right now, the car has had its muffler delete which resulted in a very annoying low RPM drone in highway cruising speeds. I am very reluctant to re-installing the OEM muffler seeing as I want to hear my car when it goes, at that being said, I don't want to hear it when i'm on a highway in control cruise at very low RPMs.

Is there any bang for your buck aftermarket muffler that would scream while in sports mode in hard acceleration, but be completely tame in eco pro/when cruising? - The M performance exhaust almost did it for me, but it is overall too tame for my liking.

Please note, I will also be installing a VRSF catless downpipe in the car soon.
Thank you guys!

[andino]

MPE is prob going to be the best bet for low drone at highway speeds. I have a Remus and it def has a presence on the highway. Things will get worse after you put on a DP.

That said, probably any muffler you put on will reduce the drone at highway speeds when coming from no muffler at all.

[Gen13 F36]

Stock... absolutely no drone.... yup. Want something loud it has company by drone. MPE has some drone when you go catless or resonator delete. So no drone is just an imagination.

[chhappy7]

AWE with their mid pipe is a set up I heard has no drone. I will get that set up someday.

[Billfitz]

Originally Posted by Gen13 F36

Stock... absolutely no drone.... yup. Want something loud it has company by drone. MPE has some drone when you go catless or resonator delete. So no drone is just an imagination.

That's pretty much true. Mufflers are tuned to operate best at specific frequencies. The main muffler is going to be tuned to be most effective at the frequency that's loudest when the car is cruising, so if you remove it you're going to get drone. The secondary muffler, usually referred to as the resonator, is tuned to be most effective at the next loudest frequency, so if you remove it you'll get drone at that frequency. Therefore if you want louder without drone you can't just delete the muffler or resonator, you have to replace it with one that's louder overall but still tuned to the requirement for the car. It takes a lot of R&D to create an exhaust that is louder than stock without drone, at a cost that most aftermarket suppliers can't afford.

[hybris]

Not the same engine, but still a 2.0l BMW (B48): I replaced the rear muffler with this Magnaflow muffler: Almost no increased drone, pretty quiet during idle/cruise, loud during WOT: https://www.amazon.com/MagnaFlow-Exh.../dp/B000XQO0XY

[Gen13 F36]

Drone is really obvious driving on eco and comfort.

Btw, you seen those YouTube video with nice loud Lamborghini, porche, Ferrari and etc. All those have rediculous drone inside the cabin. Those are aftermarket exhaust.

[esoj37]

I ran an ER catless DP, with an AWE resonated midpipe and an MPE, with absolutely no drone.

[Gen13 F36]

Originally Posted by esoj37

I ran an ER catless DP, with an AWE resonated midpipe and an MPE, with absolutely no drone.

This is exactly the best example of different perspectives of what a drone is. He's hearing range must be different from mine.

No way ...I run same setup awe quad exhaust and resonated midpipe but stock dp and there is drone between 1600 to 2200 rpm very noticeable driving on comfort but not much in sport.

[Billfitz]

RPMs, and therefore the frequency of what's coming from the exhaust, are higher in sport than in comfort. That explains why the one drones while the other doesn't.

[CandyRedRC46]

Stock muffler plus cut out.
/thread

[rjd_F30]

Maybe try AWE? It should be a bit louder than MPE, but probably won't drone too bad. However, as others have mentioned it's really difficult to make it louder when on the throttle and not simultaneously introduce drone when not on the throttle.

A cutout, as CandyRedRC46 mentioned, could be a good option too, but those all leak to some degree (mine does very slightly) which may bother you.

[mike@x-ph.com]

REMUS full catback with stock downpipe has zero drone

[leeicedtea]

Originally Posted by mike@x-ph.com

REMUS full catback with stock downpipe has zero drone

Well, I now officially have the VRSF catless downpipe installed in the vehicle. Am I out of luck when it comes to zero drone aftermarket systems? I was really hoping to find a valve system for the 328i, where I have the option of both a muffler or straight pipe. Unfortunately, there is none AFAIK.

Edit: I was thinking of adding a valved cutout right by the resonator, however, I wasn't able to find any reputable brands to accomplish this, neither did you guys' website have such options.

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by leeicedtea

Well, I now officially have the VRSF catless downpipe installed in the vehicle. Am I out of luck when it comes to zero drone aftermarket systems? I was really hoping to find a valve system for the 328i, where I have the option of both a muffler or straight pipe. Unfortunately, there is none AFAIK.

Edit: I was thinking of adding a valved cutout right by the resonator, however, I wasn't able to find any reputable brands to accomplish this, neither did you guys' website have such options.

Add the REMUS axle back

[CandyRedRC46]

I am catless downpipe and Dinan axle back. Zero drone. It is almost too quiet (except during cold start). In before Gen13 F36 accuses me of having a reduced hearing range.

[Gen13 F36]

Originally Posted by CandyRedRC46

I am catless downpipe and Dinan axle back. Zero drone. It is almost too quiet (except during cold start). In before Gen13 F36 accuses me of having a reduced hearing range.

[CandyRedRC46]

Is the drone you're referring to, at steady cruising or light throttle as well? I have just about zero exhaust noise while at steady speed & throttle, but light acceleration will produce some exhaust noise, though I wouldn't call it drone, as it is a pleasant sound that you can still easily speak over and doesn't cause any resonance. I would describe drone as a noise that resonates the cabin, vibrates the interior, is hard to speak over or is irritating/unpleasant to the ears.

[leeicedtea]

Originally Posted by CandyRedRC46

Is the drone you're referring to, at steady cruising or light throttle as well? I have just about zero exhaust noise while at steady speed & throttle, but light acceleration will produce some exhaust noise, though I wouldn't call it drone, as it is a pleasant sound that you can still easily speak over and doesn't cause any resonance. I would describe drone as a noise that resonates the cabin, vibrates the interior, is hard to speak over or is irritating/unpleasant to the ears.

90% of the time I drive in eco pro or economy mode seeing as I commute on highways, when it comes to highway driving, there is a very irritating drone that causes the interior to shake, even so to the point that my mirror vibrates at 90+ mph. Switching to Sports or Sports+ raises the RPM to 3000 and that issue is entirely eliminated, however, I would like my car to be more economical on the highway (hence this thread). When it comes to city driving at anywhere from 0-45MPH there is no drone whatsoever, except when it comes to coming out of a complete stop, when my car is in the process of shifting through lower gears, the whole interior of the vehicle shakes.
Should've considered that before going basically straight piped.