To answer the original question, yes it does matter to me. There are two elements that come into play that can affect the experience for me - engine noise and exhaust note. There are quite a lot of potentially interesting engines out there that are strangled by catalytic converters and silencers in order to comply with various regulations.

On a daily basis I drive a V6. I enjoy every journey and for the most part potter around very sedately knowing full well that most other people are spending a hell of a lot less on running their cars but experiencing relatively nothing. They might take satisfaction from the knowledge that they have an indicated 48.7mpg but to me that's an sign that I've given up on the eight year old me who loved all things automotive. He'd be very disappointed in me if I went all Eco without exploring every other possibility first. He didn't sit through endless hours of The Dukes of Hazzard, the RAC Lombard Rally and films like Bullitt for me to go and buy a sound free, inertia free and emotionally devoid eco box.

Our other car is totally the opposite to the V6 and loves to rev, and indeed needs to be thrashed to get the best out of it. We recently had a custom made cat back system made for the Ignis and it's really transformed the driving experience.

I may be in the minority with these views but I'm determined to enjoy my driving for as long as I can.

Also, anyone who fails to be moved by clips such as these won't get where I'm coming from.

Quite. The only thing about our Ignis that I don't not like is the engine sound. Although that's wasted on the automatic gearbox...

My similarly sized petrol four just makes white noise.

I'm guessing a Ferrari is off the cards if you win the lottery then :(

 

It rather depends on the size of the win, I would be inclined to go for a Tesla Model S P90 first but I could be persuaded to consider a Ferrari as a spare to p**s off the neighbours

I prefer quiet.

Really enjoyed once giving a lift to a diesel-driving blonde colleague who watched me look over my shoulder and lean on the steering wheel a little in my Polo prior to pulling out from a parallel parking spot. "You need to start the engine first" she said. It was already running.

Before the tractor I had 10 years in 2 glorious (with the right exhaust) sounding X25XE engined Vauxhalls. 2 in a Mk3 V6 Cavalier that I put a Peco back box on,it was ridiculously loud  and then 8 in a Vectra B GSi,that I put a Magnex cat back system on. Will probably go back to a v6 after the VRs.

 

Took the Vectra to about 10 different Rolling road meets over the years.

 

This one was just after I'd put the Magnex on and it hadn't 'coked' up yet so was a bit raspy.

 

 

This one was just under 4 years in to ownership,the yokel you can hear is me. 

 

Edited 18 February, 201610 yr by hatchy

I'm not too bothered about the Fabia as it is what it is but I personally love the sound of the Pulsar. Not stupidly loud but certainly lets you know when you have the pedal to the metal and the flutter noise on lift off makes me smile every time .

Why not I'm only getting older and before you know we won't be able to own cars with dump valves, induction kits etc.

I once heard a Ferrari drive past me on full chat and I must admit I grinned ear to ear with the cheesiest smile you will ever see.

Edited 18 February, 201610 yr by theezenutz

Sound Symposer anyone?

I used to love the sound of the Ford Essex 3.0 V6. I used to drive a Ford Zodiac with this engine which sounded lovely but was rather refined but when fitted into a Reliant Scimitar  - wow

 

But my out and out favorite is the sound of an Audi Quattro 5 cylinder on full chat 

Not toooo long to go now Rob

The mechanical 'howl' of an F355 is something to behold. The Yellow one in Japan from 0.28 is something else.

 

 

 

<SNIP>

I once heard a Ferrari drive past me on full chat and I must admit I grinned ear to ear with the cheesiest smile you will ever see.

 

I once heard a Ford GT40 "idling" outside the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington - it sounded as if someone had half-filled a biscuit tin with nuts and bolts - then it took off!

I'll never be able to afford a new car so I haven't got a worry for a few years. My 1.9 tdi sounds alright to me, but I do have a soft spot for rattly old diesels haha. After being passenger in a friends citigo I'm very impressed with how the little 3 cylinder engine sounds though!

Right now this is the top of my list,balanced with a bloody good sound system for my long chilled out trips. However,around Applecross etc. This will do me fine-Love it!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jHTajNOl9lA#

Edited 21 February, 201610 yr by vrskeith

This is worth being at to hear some of the best noises from Classics.

http://heroevents.eu/Events/ScottishMalts

 

 

For the Sound and for the Adventure and for Applecross in good weather i would choose a Morgan.

(so not next week.)

Like this maybe.

Edited 21 February, 201610 yr by GoneOffskiroottoot

I added a multi answer poll

I liked my Rover  P6b's V8 rumble with a stainless exhaust, I also like my Escort Mk1's 1360 screamer with a 2" system, I also liked my sons Subaru, but the big exhaust got wearing on along run. I guess I'm just a car noise tart. 

I quite like 3 cylinder cars noise. It's interesting

 

Some triples sound quite like a 6 (original Charade for instance) but others are just tinny - i10, Suzuki Alto?

 

Triples on a bike - thats another matter -  the Triumph triples sound great, but the Benelli - OMG.  I nearly wet myself when one screamed past the other day... 

 

Which reminds me - 1989 Brazilian GP practice on TV in car with Patrese - the first time I'd ever heard a V10 - similarly bladder loosening,

and over the next few years the V10s and V12s revved ever higher making spine chilling noises.

 

I love the noise from odd numbers (or multiples) though - 3 / 5 / 6 / 10 /12 - I adored thrashing my old 5 cylinder Audi about just to hear it growl.

Edited 21 February, 201610 yr by camelspyyder

My best friend has just ordered a new 1.5 Mini Convertible. It's a triple

My best friend has just ordered a new 1.5 Mini Convertible. It's a triple

Oh the shame... :peek:

I used to like the sound of my Granada 2.8 Ghia, when it was opened up and an old Japanese 2 stroke twin :sun:

Edited 21 February, 201610 yr by Bazzer1955

Cunning poll there:

If you choose "Don't care what my exhaust sounds like as long as it's quiet", then HAVE to say which noise you like

Cunning poll there:

If you choose "Don't care what my exhaust sounds like as long as it's quiet", then HAVE to say which noise you like

I think you can click on every option if you really want. So you can click on more than one engine sound if you like.

Before the tractor I had 10 years in 2 glorious (with the right exhaust) sounding X25XE engined Vauxhalls. 2 in a Mk3 V6 Cavalier that I put a Peco back box on,it was ridiculously loud  and then 8 in a Vectra B GSi,that I put a Magnex cat back system on. Will probably go back to a v6 after the VRs.

 

Took the Vectra to about 10 different Rolling road meets over the years.

 

This one was just after I'd put the Magnex on and it hadn't 'coked' up yet so was a bit raspy.

 

 

This one was just under 4 years in to ownership,the yokel you can hear is me. 

 

 

is this the 2.5 V6 engine that the Vectra used to have? 

 

We had one with that engine. It was great sounding. Sounded better when cold (unusually) iirc. 

 

A very nice sound.. for an otherwise very boring car i thought  

I've driven a few three cylinders recently and I like the sound - but the small and cheap ones (900cc-1.2l) that they have in little hatchbacks all get very noisy towards the top.

But the little growl they make at lower revs is nice.

for me... if its got abit of poke, i like a nice sound. Preferably a growling V engine. 

 

If its just a little engine, its best kept quiet.