M4 Questions - New to the fold

[SlimK]

Afternoon all,

I have recently become the owner of a new to me BMW M4, I had a couple of questions regarding it as previously I have run diesel S classes so this is a 'slightly' different kettle of fish.

1. Is it always meant to be so loud on the initial cold start?

I find when I leave for work the first cold start or when leaving work it is really loud obviously I savor the 6 cylinder noise - my neighbors not so much I think!

2. Is it my work lunch that is making the seat belt warning chime go off?

I tend to leave my work lunch and water bottle on the front passenger seat and every now and then the seat belt chime/bong seems to go off.

As a recently new owner I wasn't sure if the above was BMW or M4 specific (or both?), either way loving it so far and hoping for many more miles of M car fun.

Many thanks
Slim

[toon10]

Can't say much about the M4 but the cold start sounds right. I had an M135i and my next door neighbour would always say that she knows it is 8 am by the sound of me going to work in the morning. Very loud on startup but then settles. Ithink it's a trait with most of the modern M and M lites.

[SlimK]

Hi Toon,

Glad to know it's not just me then and it's perfectly normal.

After a few years of diesel mercs the cold start came at quite a shock for me, but sure enough it does drop off choke and return to a low purr.

Thanks
Slim

[toon10]

I've got the 540i now which has the B58 engine. It doesn't seem to be so bad but I think BMW have purposely muted out most of the "sportyness" as it's more of a luxury car that happens to be sporty. It's very silent inside at least. My neighbours can still hear me in the mornings though. In fact, I'm thankful for our neighbour over the road. He has a huge touring motorbike and that's louder so has taken the heat away from me

The M and M lites tend to be the worst offenders. Mrs Toon hated my 1 series for it. It's a good job we are all good friends as stuff like that can really irk neighbours. We're having them both over on Saturday so I can apologise with beer.

[SlimK]

Well that sounds alright to me....a free beer to put up with a little exhaust noise...

What i will take away from your reply is....I need to convince neighbors to get machinery that's even louder than my own

What color was your 1 if you don't mind me asking?

As i found when searching certain colors can make the M bodywork really pop whereas others hide the lines... and despite the popular opinions of my friends so far no one has called me a BMW W****r or anything of the sort, in fact its been the opposite experience so far.... hope that stays

[toon10]

SlimK said:

Well that sounds alright to me....a free beer to put up with a little exhaust noise...

What i will take away from your reply is....I need to convince neighbors to get machinery that's even louder than my own

What color was your 1 if you don't mind me asking?

As i found when searching certain colors can make the M bodywork really pop whereas others hide the lines... and despite the popular opinions of my friends so far no one has called me a BMW W****r or anything of the sort, in fact its been the opposite experience so far.... hope that stays

As you can see I play it safe. I'm not one for lairy colours and prefer black but I don't have the patience to keep it clean so dark grey works for me!





I'd love an M4 but bit out of my budget. I thought about the M2 but with a 3 year old and the fact that all of my journeys are done in town or on straight dual carriageways, it just didn't make as much sense.

[Wills2]

Cold start noise is a feature, you can make it louder if you want by opening the valve before you start the car by selecting the sport throttle and pressing the accelerator, you'll hear it open, then start and on a very cold day it's very loud indeed, but you can also code the cold start procedure off completely (it's there to warm the cats up quickly)

Yes your lunch is setting off the airbag warning.

Edited by Wills2 on Wednesday 4th December 22:02

[russy01]

Yes it’s loud, whilst we only have a couple neighbours out here in the countryside I do feel very bad when she booms into life at 5.30am!!

As above, if you drop it into sport it becomes very loud.

Other than that it’s a pretty good car. Be careful with cold tyres and this weather as they can be bit of a handful... but with the TC on you should be ok.

However when the roads dry up please do get the car in MDM or TC off - it comes alive and really motors!

Enjoy.

[SlimK]

Cheers for the replies put my mind at ease.

Toon - those motors look lovely, the 5 must be super smooth after the M135i? - I don't think my Yas Marina would suit you that well then! Mind you I do wash my motors regularly so don't mind the more lairy colors.

Interesting an M2 was also on my radar and to be honest I think I prefer the way they look on the road a bit more squatty and hunkered down - I find the M4 looks a lil busy at some angles but I preferred the interior goodies of the 4.

Wills - You can make it even louder?! That would really put me on everyones Christmas list..

However duly noted - lunch has to be demoted off the seat

Russy - Since you do it at 5:30 I don't feel so bad doing it at 7:30 now...

Yeah as this is my first 'Proper' motor I have been pootling round, heated bum warmers/steering wheel and Magic Soul
while I get used to it.

I can't wait for summer and to put a fresh set on it .... oo chaps (or non chaps with Ms) that did beg another question is this thing supposed to have Michelins or Continentals on it as I have read of people using either...

[thatdude]

With loud engine start ups, I think so long as you dont hang around for longer than is neccesary (so this time of year you might be longer than usual if you have to scrape ice off the windows) then people wont be too fussed. I have a motorcycle with a loud exhaust, cold start gives a fast idle around 1400-1500 rpm (usual idle is 1100 rpm), but I wheel the bike away from the house andhave the exhaust pointing to the road. Matey next door fires his bike up right outside the house, leaves it idling for a while and it reverberates through the house which isnt very kind of him really.

[toon10]

thatdude said:

With loud engine start ups, I think so long as you dont hang around for longer than is neccesary (so this time of year you might be longer than usual if you have to scrape ice off the windows) then people wont be too fussed. I have a motorcycle with a loud exhaust, cold start gives a fast idle around 1400-1500 rpm (usual idle is 1100 rpm), but I wheel the bike away from the house andhave the exhaust pointing to the road. Matey next door fires his bike up right outside the house, leaves it idling for a while and it reverberates through the house which isnt very kind of him really.

Very much this. On a weekend afternoon I start my car then do up my seatbelt, select my spotify playlist, turn on heated seats and then think about moving off. Through the week when it's early, I jump in, put my belt on then start up and move up the drive out of the echo spot for the neighbours. The other stuff gets done at the top of the drive.

[Bad Biddy]

Wills2 said:

Cold start noise is a feature, you can make it louder if you want by opening the valve before you start the car by selecting the sport throttle and pressing the accelerator, you'll hear it open, then start and on a very cold day it's very loud indeed, but you can also code the cold start procedure off completely (it's there to warm the cats up quickly)

Yes your lunch is setting off the airbag warning.

Edited by Wills2 on Wednesday 4th December 22:02

Actually (on mine at least...) the valves are open on cold start regardless. Really not sure why, but hey. (It's a late 2018 model)

[Scrubs]

I coded out the cold start using Bootmod3. As mentioned though, if you start the car with the exhaust valves fully open, the car is crazy loud for the cold start duration. I've done it before in my local Morrisons car park which is roofed and it sets off some car alarms!

Good thing about Bootmod3 is that I have now coded the car to control the exhaust flaps myself. Makes a big diff to the sound of the car keeping them open all the time.

[Stuart70]

My neighbour has an M4 convertible, known in our house as the “bag of bolts” as it sounds so st on start up.
Impending engine failure every morning

Hope yours sounds better than that!

[JimmyConwayNW]

toon10 said:

As you can see I play it safe. I'm not one for lairy colours and prefer black but I don't have the patience to keep it clean so dark grey works for me!





I'd love an M4 but bit out of my budget. I thought about the M2 but with a 3 year old and the fact that all of my journeys are done in town or on straight dual carriageways, it just didn't make as much sense.

I have a 540i X Drive in stock at our car sales business with full M Performance carbon kit. What a great car. Sounds fantastic, love the interior and just honestly an absolutely stunning all rounder. Really something special, a wolf in sheeps clothing. Great daily.

[Wills2]

Bad Biddy said:

Actually (on mine at least...) the valves are open on cold start regardless. Really not sure why, but hey. (It's a late 2018 model)

You'll have the PPF on it so I doubt you'll hear much anyway.

[thebraketester]

The engine in the m3/4 is stupidly loud on cold start. Completely unnecessary to be honest.

[JimmyConwayNW]

thebraketester said:

The engine in the m3/4 is stupidly loud on cold start. Completely unnecessary to be honest.

And not that loud whilst actually driving. I always felt the sound was a bit lacking in my ownership. Just bought what I consider to be a rare Suzuka Grey M3 Saloon into stock for our place will have a go and see if I miss the car.

[cerb4.5lee]

JimmyConwayNW said:

thebraketester said:

The engine in the m3/4 is stupidly loud on cold start. Completely unnecessary to be honest.

And not that loud whilst actually driving. I always felt the sound was a bit lacking in my ownership.

I felt similar to that with my E92 M3 and I loved how loud it was on the cold start, but when you were driving it you couldn't hear the exhaust at all.

[Bad Biddy]

Wills2 said:

You'll have the PPF on it so I doubt you'll hear much anyway.

People tend to say this, but I'm approaching 9k miles now and it's pretty loud. Spent the weekend filming (2x cameras on the car and another car with outward facing cameras) and the exhaust is pretty fruity with pops and crackles on overrun.