simonlpearce
Senior member
Ok maybe not a waste of time, but certainly a waste of £700. Would prefer to chuck that into the exhaust itself if you are after a better sound.
Gruppe M Air intake system
- Thread starter monkadill
- Start date
Where's the face palm icon on this forum?
If you want 'that' noise, then you can't get it with an exhaust, 2 completely different sounds. I prefer the induction noise to an noisy exhaust behind my head at the moment. Horses for courses.
The Gruppe M is well made and gives the noise I require so it's not a waste of money for me or no doubt other people who have had it fitted and enjoy the sound. It's a waste of money for you, great don't buy one then. I don't belive the OP asked for an opinion on whether its a waste of money, that can only be decided by the person spending their money. Im well aware I spent £700 on a noise, but personally I think it's an epic noise (dont think anyone would disagree) and worth every penny.
If you want 'that' noise, then you can't get it with an exhaust, 2 completely different sounds. I prefer the induction noise to an noisy exhaust behind my head at the moment. Horses for courses.
The Gruppe M is well made and gives the noise I require so it's not a waste of money for me or no doubt other people who have had it fitted and enjoy the sound. It's a waste of money for you, great don't buy one then. I don't belive the OP asked for an opinion on whether its a waste of money, that can only be decided by the person spending their money. Im well aware I spent £700 on a noise, but personally I think it's an epic noise (dont think anyone would disagree) and worth every penny.
I'll add my 2p's worth. I have a Gruppe M and a Stromung Exhaust. If I could only have one, it would be the exhaust. Completely changes and improves the character of the car, all the time, on idle, cruising round town and of course in the upper rev range! Not just when the foot is to the floor.
Whilst £700 is a lot of money, you have to remember they really hold their money. So overall you're only looking at £150 during your ownership for what is a hugely addictive induction noise!
Whilst £700 is a lot of money, you have to remember they really hold their money. So overall you're only looking at £150 during your ownership for what is a hugely addictive induction noise!
simonlpearce
Senior member
Still sticking to my original theory of £30 panel filter 
chris said:Please tell more on the exhaust!
This is my car, with Stromung and Gruppe M, I think that will tell you everything you need to know
Very deep sounding....http://youtu.be/SfN6Xq5TXeo?t=5s
You'll get change from £700 by the time you import it, including taxes\VAT.
simonlpearce
Senior member
gwatson said:simonlpearce said:Still sticking to my original theory of £30 panel filter
Sounds like you want to buy this off me!
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=67453
I might have the filter, once i have bought a Z4 MC (going to look at a few tomorrow
), but the airbox you can keep as its just a normal airbox with carbon panels screwed on :thumbsdown:
A panel filter makes no difference you may as well stick with the original paper filter, totally different ballparks than with the Gruppe M, but then you don't own an M yet so I'll take what you say with a pinch of salt anyway.
I'm tempted with an exhaust but to be honest, and this might just be YouTube and sound quality, they all sound quite 'ricey'. Yet to hear one where I thought it actually sounded nice and complemented the car and wasn't just loud with no definition. Had that with my 3.0si, don't really want that with the M. On the other hand I probably need to hear one in person and would no doubt change my opinion!
I'm tempted with an exhaust but to be honest, and this might just be YouTube and sound quality, they all sound quite 'ricey'. Yet to hear one where I thought it actually sounded nice and complemented the car and wasn't just loud with no definition. Had that with my 3.0si, don't really want that with the M. On the other hand I probably need to hear one in person and would no doubt change my opinion!
simonlpearce
Senior member
AndyBeech said:A panel filter makes no difference you may as well stick with the original paper filter, totally different ballparks than with the Gruppe M, but then you don't own an M yet so I'll take what you say with a pinch of salt anyway.
Take it how you like, but when i had a gruppe m on my e46 and sent it to have the head ported and polished, they removed it as it was sapping power. Think i have some dyno prinouts somewhere...
Matey, I really don't care about miniscule power gain's/loss through the rev range, it's not what I brought it for (for the 3rd time)!
From swapping over from the standard airbox any 'loss' in real world driving is negligible. I haven't noticed any in particular even if it does lose a bit. If you can prove it loses say 30bhp or massively affects the torque delivery then fair enough, I'd be interested, but the odd HP really isn't a big deal.
And that's all if we are even talking an S54 engine E46. Like I say real world driving, I've noticed next to no difference. From people who actually own a Gruppe on a Z4M, I'm sure they would say the same.
I'll stick with my Gruppe, you stick with your panel filter, everyone's happy.
From swapping over from the standard airbox any 'loss' in real world driving is negligible. I haven't noticed any in particular even if it does lose a bit. If you can prove it loses say 30bhp or massively affects the torque delivery then fair enough, I'd be interested, but the odd HP really isn't a big deal.
And that's all if we are even talking an S54 engine E46. Like I say real world driving, I've noticed next to no difference. From people who actually own a Gruppe on a Z4M, I'm sure they would say the same.
I'll stick with my Gruppe, you stick with your panel filter, everyone's happy.
simonlpearce
Senior member
:lol: Sorry its Friday and i really can't be bothered to do any work, i should stop trolling.
Liverpool
Don't forget that any static dyno runs (with big fans) will not take account of the ram air effect of pressurised air at high speeds. The best a static will give you is the pressure equivalent of about 10mph.
So if a static dyno shows 340bhp then it's purely a correcting factor, as the S54 does not produce that without a shedload of air being forced into the engine - i.e. when moving at above 60mph.
The Gruppe-M looks nice, and adds a bit of sound - exactly what I'd buy it for...if it was cheaper (Simota do a similar item for about £300, but I've tried it and could only hear it for the first half a second before the exhaust drowned it out)
So if a static dyno shows 340bhp then it's purely a correcting factor, as the S54 does not produce that without a shedload of air being forced into the engine - i.e. when moving at above 60mph.
The Gruppe-M looks nice, and adds a bit of sound - exactly what I'd buy it for...if it was cheaper (Simota do a similar item for about £300, but I've tried it and could only hear it for the first half a second before the exhaust drowned it out)
mmm-five said:Don't forget that any static dyno runs (with big fans) will not take account of the ram air effect of pressurised air at high speeds. The best a static will give you is the pressure equivalent of about 10mph.
So if a static dyno shows 340bhp then it's purely a correcting factor, as the S54 does not produce that without a shedload of air being forced into the engine - i.e. when moving at above 60mph.
The Gruppe-M looks nice, and adds a bit of sound - exactly what I'd buy it for...if it was cheaper (Simota do a similar item for about £300, but I've tried it and could only hear it for the first half a second before the exhaust drowned it out)
Indeed, well said. Dyno's are a pain in the ass anyway, too many variables to ever be 100% accurate.
All in all, Its an expensive product that if you buy it for anything other than the epic noise, your gonna be disappointed. End of story really
Oh, Simota don't do a kit for the M anymore as far as I'm aware. AFE and Gruppe only one's under a grand I believe.
Well we all know what I am going for on the Z4 and the Venturi is a seriously tasty bit of kit!
That said however I did have Gruppe M on the e36 and it was awesome, was running it with a superspint which was relatively quiet so all the noise came from the Gruppe M. I am not sure what she was running or what difference it made as I didn't bother putting it on the Dyno.
I am looking forward to seeing how the Z4 runs after the Evolve Venturi kit is installed though, should hopefully make interesting reading.
That said however I did have Gruppe M on the e36 and it was awesome, was running it with a superspint which was relatively quiet so all the noise came from the Gruppe M. I am not sure what she was running or what difference it made as I didn't bother putting it on the Dyno.
I am looking forward to seeing how the Z4 runs after the Evolve Venturi kit is installed though, should hopefully make interesting reading.
chris said:I like the intake noise of the S54 anyway. So any money spent, I would like it to go faster really
Ad I can promise you there is no easy shortcut there (no fancy airbox and nonesense dyno can do it alone),if you want to squeeze more juice out of that 3.2 S54. Frankly, I don't think the noise my car makes is better than OEM, just louder and different. I can justify it in that it was done as concequence to events and suits the other modifications of my car.
Katie_K said:Well we all know what I am going for on the Z4 and the Venturi is a seriously tasty bit of kit!
That said however I did have Gruppe M on the e36 and it was awesome, was running it with a superspint which was relatively quiet so all the noise came from the Gruppe M. I am not sure what she was running or what difference it made as I didn't bother putting it on the Dyno.
I am looking forward to seeing how the Z4 runs after the Evolve Venturi kit is installed though, should hopefully make interesting reading.
VENTURI humm
what venturi?