Worst sounding cars?

[MX793]

And the only diesels I've ever heard that sounded good were 2-strokes.

[2o6]

Nominations:


2000 Ford Econoline 4.0L V6.......really likes to whine and moan. Does not sound very authoritative.
Chrysler 3.8L, also not very authortative, and has that annoying plastic-sounding crunch and squeak whenever you stop or change gear.

[GoCougs]

The likelihood of a Viper V10 sounding like an I5 is about the same odds as your average V8 sounding like an I4...

The V10 UPS-truckiness is a result of its odd firing due to common crank pins and 90 degree bank separation. I surmise that odd fire V-style engines are non-existent these days.

The Dodge V10 ended up this way as the first generation was the decades-old 360 V8 plus two cylinders - cementing the common pin crank design and 90 deg cylinder bank separation (which will result in an even fire V8).

Don't take this as to harsh a criticism - I'm a Mopar guy at heart, and had it not been for the compromises borne from leveraging the 360 V8 we'd likely would have never seen a Dodge Viper, but they sound like a UPS truck, and will until Dodge goes even fire.

[S204STi]

I have no great love for any inline 4 engine, particularly of the Honda variety.  I also don't think that inline 6 engines sound that great.  Every time an older BMW cruises past I look out for a Jeep Cherokee (sorry 93JC, but that is not an attractive sound).

[TBR]

The likelihood of a Viper V10 sounding like an I5 is about the same odds as your average V8 sounding like an I4...

The V10 UPS-truckiness is a result of its odd firing due to common crank pins and 90 degree bank separation. I surmise that odd fire V-style engines are non-existent these days.

The Dodge V10 ended up this way as the first generation was the decades-old 360 V8 plus two cylinders - cementing the common pin crank design and 90 deg cylinder bank separation (which will result in an even fire V8).

Don't take this as to harsh a criticism - I'm a Mopar guy at heart, and had it not been for the compromises borne from leveraging the 360 V8 we'd likely would have never seen a Dodge Viper, but they sound like a UPS truck, and will until Dodge goes even fire.

We've posted three different sound clips that prove otherwise.

[TBR]

I have no great love for any inline 4 engine, particularly of the Honda variety.  I also don't think that inline 6 engines sound that great.  Every time an older BMW cruises past I look out for a Jeep Cherokee (sorry 93JC, but that is not an attractive sound).

I tend to agree about Honda I4s. A cheap ebay intake on mine made a huge difference under load. Still sounds like crap just revving for fun.

[280Z Turbo]

I have no great love for any inline 4 engine, particularly of the Honda variety.  I also don't think that inline 6 engines sound that great.  Every time an older BMW cruises past I look out for a Jeep Cherokee (sorry 93JC, but that is not an attractive sound).

I think inline six engines sound great.

Not every inline six engine makes a coarse grunt like the AMC 4.0L.

[Raza]

A Passat, who would have thought.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1E6aS7QXVQ

That doesn't sound bad, and you can't tell much from that anyway. 

Hell, my 2.0T sounds pretty weedy revving unloaded, but when you're getting on it, it actually sounds pretty good.  Although, I must say, it's probably the worst sounding of any of the cars I've owned.  The 1.8T had people turning heads, but I don't think anyone's noticed this much.  The E's V6 was snarly and melodious as you really got on it in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, but otherwise it was pretty silent.  The Boxster....well, do I need to say anything?

[Vinsanity]

Probably the worst sound I can recall at this moment was from the fart can muffler that the previous owner installed on the Miata I once owned shortly. First thing I did was order a cheap OEM muffler on ebay, and was extremely thankful for its quick arrival. I had to shake my head and scoff out loud when I took a good look at the custom piping the previous owner had installed for the Pep Boys muffler to fit. The bend was so poorly fabricated, there was no way it was helping the poor little engine breathe any easier. It looked like a drinking straw that wasn't made to bend, but forced to bend anyways. And it sounded even worse. Like someone continuously burping into your ear just to piss you off. And I like to think I'm pretty forgiving on exhaust sounds. I grew to like the farm tractor soundtrack my old Volvo 240 made, and found amusement in the "putt-putt" sound that came out of the old Altima my parents had when it was on its last legs and lost compression in one of the cylinders (my mom and sister also thought it was cute).

Another sound I actually hate, although it's not a car sound, are the straight-piped Harley Davidsons when the douchebag of a rider fancies himself a Billy Badass and gets on the throttle right next to your car with the windows down. It's just like when your jackass of a "friend" decides it'd be funny to fart in your face.

[93JC]

I have no great love for any inline 4 engine, particularly of the Honda variety.  I also don't think that inline 6 engines sound that great.  Every time an older BMW cruises past I look out for a Jeep Cherokee (sorry 93JC, but that is not an attractive sound).

Everyone has their own taste.

Yours just happens to be bad.

They sound just fine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXnc6hyDkM0

[565]

I'm looking foward to getting flamed by all the hopeless Porsche leg humpers on this forum.

The stock 3.8 liter H6's in modern water cooled Porsche 911's sound like crap, the 3.6 in the base Carrera (not GT3 or Turbo, which actually sound good) sounds even crappier than the 3.8  It's not the worst sounding engine in the world, but it's certainly hugely overrated. I was driving behind a 997 C2S and couldn't help noticing how uninspiring it sounded at basically all revs.  It goes from this congested croak at low speeds, to a mournful groaning at midrange and finally to a nasal whine at redline.  A few years back I was with a few friends on a test drive of a 997 C2S and it was no more inspiring from the inside.

Here is what I'm talking about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyTz1jrgTSA&feature=related

And another one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLFIg4c_-gs&feature=related

Here's a lowly Accord by comparision.  The Porsche only sounds marginally more stirring, and only really at the top end.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K-NeUAPOC8&feature=related


I guess you can say it's smooth, but it certainly doesn't make my hairs stand on end like some other high performance engines do, mostly because it sounds like a 6 banger (because it is) and certainly doesn't stack up to V8's of the other cars in it's class.

Here is the R8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXC6d-MLefE&feature=related

it's just so rev happy for a V8, heard one roar past a while ago, and it was pretty awesome.


Here is the M3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MCy_iMvdlE

Again that BMW throaty V8 gives it awesome character when driving by.  I'm surprised how well they are selling, as I've seen about 8 already.

Of course the V8 in the Vantage sounds amazing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH8mkMMdyOE&feature=related

Fast forward to about 50 seconds into the video.  There is a local black AMV8 owned by an older gentlemen that I run into from time to time, and I love hearing him get on it.

And everyone says the GT-R doesn't sound inspiring, but judging from my two rare encounters with one (just seeing and hearing one roar off the opposite direction, no street races of course  ) it sounds pretty good, and from this video it sounds rather decent from behind the wheel too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dYSA3FtIC4

Obviously none of the audio recording is of the best quality, but it's enough to get the gist of it.

Here is the Driver's Republic track video of the Aston, R8, new 911 and GTR.  Recorded with the same equipment under the same conditions.

http://www.drivers-republic.com/dr_tv/index.cfm?videoid=ae4bbc2e3a7349c9aba594c58978034e&area=features

The Porsche is postively muted compared to the roaring Aston and the singing R8.  The GT-R is similarly subdued, but at least it's got the hissing turbos and screaming gearbox to give it a racecar like dubbing.

Now bring on the flames. 

[giant_mtb]

I agree that the Porche's engine doesn't sound all that great at all.

[Cookie Monster]

+1

I think the Accord V6 sounded much better actually.

[Minpin]

I agree that the Porche's engine doesn't sound all that great at all.

ORLY? 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbGuKKYtqtI

[the Teuton]

I'd like to say that unless you're revving the piss out of it, the BMW 4.0 M3 V8 and the V10 from the M5/6 sound like ass. 

[omicron]

The Captiva's 3.2 V6 produces an awful high-pitched noise, and the early LS1s in low-spec Commodores are remarkably underwhelming.

I think inline six engines sound great.

Not every inline six engine makes a coarse grunt like the AMC 4.0L.

The 4.0 I6 of '94-'97 Falcon XR6s sounds marvellous - deep, throaty and rumbly, and the new XR6 Turbos aren't half bad, either.

[GoCougs]

I too am not a big fan of the Porsche flat-6 exhaust note. I wouldn't go so far as to say it sounds bad, but it does sounds extremely plebeian - certainly not befitting a premium performance car.

[MX793]

The likelihood of a Viper V10 sounding like an I5 is about the same odds as your average V8 sounding like an I4...

I'd wager a flat plane V8 with no crossover pipes between exhausts and side pipes (like the Viper) would probably sound quite a bit like an I4 as it drove alongside you.

[Cookie Monster]

ORLY? 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbGuKKYtqtI

That's a GT3 RS with exhaust work.

565 already said the GT3 RS sounds good...

[giant_mtb]

ORLY? 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbGuKKYtqtI

That isn't stock.    Just about any car can be made to sound fantastic with a good exhaust system.  I'm talkin' stock Porsches.

[Eye of the Tiger]

That isn't stock.    Just about any car can be made to sound fantastic with a good exhaust system.  I'm talkin' stock Porsches.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRa95gwGKmI

both sound reasonbly delicious to me

[Eye of the Tiger]

s2000 straight pipes sound like awesome d00dz http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X8ZICWagyM

[Eye of the Tiger]

i think this is a R6 or a gsxr600. sounds better than a s2k at least  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4ynZCM_fuw

[giant_mtb]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRa95gwGKmI

both sound reasonbly delicious to me

Sorry, but they just don't do it for me.  The second one definitely does sound better, but to me it's just nothing special.

[565]

I always liked the exhausts of the more aggressive VQ's though I know they aren't everyone's favorite.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWSHNS-G8X4&feature=related

[Eye of the Tiger]

I always liked the exhausts of the more aggressive VQ's though I know they aren't everyone's favorite.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWSHNS-G8X4&feature=related

Peep's just be hatin 'cuz they think like the only sound that should come out the tailpipe of a car is a 5.0 'stang with FLowmastas.

[sandertheshark]

Toyota Pious.


I don't know which annoys me more - the sound of the car itself or the whiny self-righteous douchebag driving it.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I seriously think the worst sounding V6's on the planet are the GM pushrod ones, such as the 3800, no matter what kind of exhaust is on it. It's just not a fun sound in any possible way, and it doesn't help they they are always attached to 4spd autos that make them drone constantly with that annoying pulsating tone.

[S204STi]

I agree that the Porche's engine doesn't sound all that great at all.

I will continue to pray for your salvation.

[Cookie Monster]

I will continue to pray for your salvation.

They sound too quiet... I like the rumbly bumblyness of Corvettes and muscle cars better.

Where's the video that Pirate kept spamming of the black Corvette on the dyno?


I also like the high pitched noise of rotaries and superbikes.

Porsches just sound too dull though.