How noisy is the 2019 Vantage on cold start?

[orbiter]

I am currently driving an F80 M3 and am considering swapping for a 2019 Vantage. One of the things that has been an ongoing minor irritation with the M3 is the anti-social cold start. It's difficult/impossible to leave early in the morning without disturbing people.

What is the cold start situation with the Vantage? Is it possible to leave somewhere discretely? I'll be looking to enjoy the car in all its glory, including the noise, once out and about, but I'm hoping to be a little bit considerate in and around home.

Cheers

[Graze01]

Orbiter

It’s still louder than your average car for the first minute or so, then it quietness down. Not as loud as my V12 though

But no quick getaway possible without the neighbours noticing

Graze

[Caslad]

You can get a 3 way switch installed to control the exhaust valves giving the option of permanently closed, permanently open or the factory setting. Permanently closed is pretty quiet on startup.

[orbiter]

Thanks. If the car is started in sport mode then assume that the flaps would be closed?
Issue with the M3 is more that it revs excessively on start up, and hence antisocial even when the exhaust valves are closed.

[orbiter]

Just read that if you press and hold the start it does a 'quiet' start with the valves shut, but if you just press start it does a normal/noisy start with the valves initially open before closing them when it settles. Hence wondering how quiet the quiet start is when compared to the M3. I know it will be subjective as unlikely anyone has been out there with the decibel meter

[Olivera]

orbiter said:

Thanks. If the car is started in sport mode then assume that the flaps would be closed?
Issue with the M3 is more that it revs excessively on start up, and hence antisocial even when the exhaust valves are closed.

IIRC the BMW cold start process opens the turbo wastegates and overfuels in order to warm up the catalytic converters. Try this - when you start your BMW immediately go on the throttle and raise the rpm by a further few hundred rpm for about 10 seconds, this may well quieten it down.

[orbiter]

Olivera said:

IIRC the BMW cold start process opens the turbo wastegates and overfuels in order to warm up the catalytic converters. Try this - when you start your BMW immediately go on the throttle and raise the rpm by a further few hundred rpm for about 10 seconds, this may well quieten it down.

The consensus on the BMW is that the only way to resolve it to have the car remapped to remove the cold start. It’s not currently an issue as I had the car before I had my current neighbours so they aren’t too bothered. If I change it for something worse that might be a different story.

[Olivera]

orbiter said:

The consensus on the BMW is that the only way to resolve it to have the car remapped to remove the cold start. It’s not currently an issue as I had the car before I had my current neighbours so they aren’t too bothered. If I change it for something worse that might be a different story.

Have you actually tried what I suggested? In my experience the cold start procedure (opening wastegates and overfuelling) is partially cancelled if you raise the rpm by a few hundred for 10-15 secs at idle, giving a noticeable reduction in noise.

[orbiter]

Olivera said:

Have you actually tried what I suggested? In my experience the cold start procedure (opening wastegates and overfuelling) is partially cancelled if you raise the rpm by a few hundred for 10-15 secs at idle, giving a noticeable reduction in noise.

Thanks, yes I've had the car for 6 years. Extra revs even for 10 to 15 seconds isn't going to impress the neighbours. I can be off and up to road by then.

[cb804]

It's not very loud. The valves open up for a few seconds and then it quiets down quickly. Just leave it in its normal sport mode as you drive off. Switch to sports plus or track mode once everything warms up for more exhaust noise.

[orbiter]

cb804 said:

It's not very loud. The valves open up for a few seconds and then it quiets down quickly. Just leave it in its normal sport mode as you drive off. Switch to sports plus or track mode once everything warms up for more exhaust noise.

Thanks, if you do the quiet start by holding the start button down does it still open the valves.

[cb804]

orbiter said:

Thanks, if you do the quiet start by holding the start button down does it still open the valves.

I have never used the quiet start feature. I'll have to give that a try when the car comes out of winter storage.

[orbiter]

cb804 said:

I have never used the quiet start feature. I'll have to give that a try when the car comes out of winter storage.

Thanks. Love the colour. Intention would be to use this as a daily so it would need to handle the winter weather and roads. Bad idea?

[cb804]

orbiter said:

Thanks. Love the colour. Intention would be to use this as a daily so it would need to handle the winter weather and roads. Bad idea?

If you have snow tires, you should be fine. I would be concerned about the height of the front splitter if you have to drive in heavy snow.

[orbiter]

Thanks, similar to the BWM then. Any snow and it was stranded without winter tyres. Well worth the investment in a spare set of rims. Cheers

[AMV93]

2019 cars don't have GPF's - they went in around early 2020. I have a 2019 '69' registered (December 2019, although being a stock car it could have been manufactured a few months earlier) and compared to later cars with GPF's it's loud. Certainly cold starts are loud, I'm not convinced the Vantage has the quiet start feature (this was developed for the DB11 which definitely does have it) as I've tried the long press before and not really noticed much difference.

As far as daily-ing one goes, I can't really see any downside. Mine lives a pampered life, but only because I have an EV company car for boring driving. I have comfort seats and 360 cameras which are excellent, it's not particularly low so I've not really had problems with it scraping and my Girlfriend is happy to drive it too with the cameras. It's comfortable and easy enough to drive and generally live with, having had a previous gen manual Vantage I'd definitely say this is worlds apart for daily driving. It's also really good on fuel, 30+ mpg is easy on longer journeys. The only downside is the stereo, the standard one is terrible and the advanced option is the same terrible system but with an added sub!

[bridggar1]

I have a 2021 car and it's definitely quieter than the 69 plate I was also considering. I too tried the 3 second quiet start & couldn't detect much difference from inside the car. (not sure from outside)
I had M4 previously and the Vantage is more vocal.

[WarmSince74]

I have a 2018 Vantage. At least three times a week I use the car to go the gym, leaving at 5:30am.

I live in a very quiet cul de sac and I haven't heard a peep out of the neighbours, and believe me, they like to complain

My car doesn't have the quiet start feature, I'm not sure this was an option on the Vantage as previously mentioned.

I should also mention that I have the sports exhaust, so this may be a little louder than the standard pipes.

Edited by WarmSince74 on Monday 22 January 08:35

[orbiter]

WarmSince74 said:

I have a 2018 Vantage. At least three times a week I use the car to go the gym, leaving at 5:30am.

I live in a very quiet cul de sac and I haven't heard a peep out of the neighbours, and believe me, they like to complain

My car doesn't have the quiet start feature, I'm not sure this was an option on the Vantage as previously mentioned.

I should also mention that I have the sports exhaust, so this may be a little louder than the standard pipes.

Thanks. I think I'm going to go for it. Just need to find one in the right spec at the right price. Hoping the new one being announced next week helps there.

[WarmSince74]

Do it, you won't regret it, they are amazing cars.

I look forward to seeing some pics.