4.3 vs 4.7 - How much better does the 4.3 sound?

[MarkZ4MC]

Not sure what happened with my last post???

Anyway, I'm sat in the garden on a pleasant Saturday afternoon reading Grant's book.

When I do eventually take the plunge, I've always planned to get the 4.3 for the improved exhaust note. However, looking at when various model year revisions kicked in, there are certain optional extras introduced with the 4.7. For example, I'm slightly embarrassed to say, the Emotional Control Unit which replaced the Volvo key.

Improved sound is far more important to me than any marginal performance improvement of the 4.7 over the 4.3, so I'm interested to hear opinions on how much better the 4.3 sounds when compared with the 4.7... or could that audible improvement also be called 'marginal'?

For reference, I'd be keen to keep the exhaust system stock and fuse 22 would be removed within 5 minutes of getting home.

Thanks for your help.

[Jockman]

There's a good thread here to help you Mark...

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...

[MarkZ4MC]

Thank you.

I can only apologies to the Pistonheads community for my gross incompetence.

And I work in IT.

[MichaelV8V]

If you just want loud, and you have the money to go to a 4.7, then relatively speaking its not too expensive to change the silencer, all the way up to deafeningly loud

[MarkZ4MC]

Thanks Michael - your replies to each of the 3 threads have been noted.

I've not yet driven a 4.7 and I owe to myself to do so and that may influence my decision. However, I'll have to weigh up the additional cost over a well specced early 4.3 with 25-30k miles on the clock costing less than £35k with what will likely be very reasonable depreciation going forward.

I gather from the feedback thus far that the 4.3 only marginally pips the 4.7 on the sound front in stock form. Interesting...

[mikey k]

You need to hear a 4.7 with the factory sports exhaust and fuse 15/22 pulled

[AWV12]

Despite other things mentioned here, don't forget you can upgrade the 4.3 engine from 385 PS to 405 PS with the office AM N400 power kit. I did this, and it is not the few extra horsepower you notice, but the much better response on the gas, better air intake, more smoothness, etc. I drove 3 (of the 5) years with this upgrade, and can recommend this to all!

[krisdelta]

If you've got the budget for a 4.7, the improved power and spec are surely worth going for, some simple mods will open up the sound to your liking.

[stevewushu]

I too was considering the option vs cost of 4.3 over 4.7. However if you plan to spend £35k then for less (much less) than the difference for a 4.7 you could have Bamford Rose tinkle with your toy! Oi Oi! BR can bring ur 4.3 to within spitting distance of 4.7 power and you'll still have saved money rather than buying the 4.7.
Which is precisely what I am about to embark upon.

Bear in mind the sound comes from exhaust NOT the engine (and both are V8...)

[Speedraser]

I've always been a defender of the 4.3 and I will continue to defend it against those who say it's not fast enough. However, the difference in performance to a 4.7 is not marginal. Whether it's worth the cost difference is a personal decision, of course.

[MichaelV8V]

stevewushu said:

I too was considering the option vs cost of 4.3 over 4.7. However if you plan to spend £35k then for less (much less) than the difference for a 4.7 you could have Bamford Rose tinkle with your toy! Oi Oi! BR can bring ur 4.3 to within spitting distance of 4.7 power and you'll still have saved money rather than buying the 4.7.

Which is a good plan, if you're really going to keep the car for a long time, but if you're likely to sell in a couple of years, then almost all of the cost of the Bamford Rose mods will be lost, unless you're very lucky and find an infomed buyer, but outside these forums,most potential buyers have never heard of BR. To a typical buyer, a car that has been messed with by someone that isn't AM, is just a bit risky, so perhaps will be less valuable than an unmodified car.

[GlynMo]

Speedraser said:

However, the difference in performance to a 4.7 is not marginal.

+1

[yeti]

MichaelV8V said:

Which is a good plan, if you're really going to keep the car for a long time, but if you're likely to sell in a couple of years, then almost all of the cost of the Bamford Rose mods will be lost, unless you're very lucky and find an infomed buyer, but outside these forums,most potential buyers have never heard of BR. To a typical buyer, a car that has been messed with by someone that isn't AM, is just a bit risky, so perhaps will be less valuable than an unmodified car.

That's the spirit

Bear in mind the exhaust can be removed and returned to standard, and then sold on to an informed member for a nice chunk of cash?

I agree that you limit your market with a modified car, but one that has been done correctly I don't think can possibly be worth less... 5mins on Google or searching on here will tell the buyer all they need to know, it's not a backstreet 'Rude-Boy' exhaust shop you know

[Lunablack]

GlynMo said:

Speedraser said:

However, the difference in performance to a 4.7 is not marginal.

+1

In my experience on real roads, the 4.3 and 4.7 are fairly even.... I've been on a run with a well driven 4.7 and been able to sit on his bumper, and when he was behind, he was sat on my bumper...... With his extra umph, he was probably having an easier time than me, but still.... I found the differences to be fairly insignificant...

Much the same can be said, when I had my 4.3 griff.... Despite all the claims of the 500 being the beast etc, on real roads the difference is neither here more there...

In fact I often produced faster times than 500's at sprint and hill climbs despite being in a smaller engined less powerfully model...
And to prove a point, when I finally upgraded to a 500 myself, my times stayed pretty much the same as the 4.3 griff...

Don't get me wrong, I'd love the extra power from a 4.7 vantage, but I don't actually think I could get from A to B any faster

[EBruce]

Interesting luna, especially since you have lapped both. My 4.3 has a few mods and is faster than my friends stock 4.7 although I still have to work the higher rev range to slightly outpace him. Its amazing what the AM Upgrade + CATs + Exhaust + filters does to the little engine. The noise is glorious to Vergis point above.

[Neil1300R]

Vergis said:

By changing both or either of these will not just unleash more torque , especially in the lower rev range but amplify any ecu chipping you may undertake since the car can do more with the slight increase in fueling.

didnt think any company had been able to modify the ecu,without just piggybacking onto it, and then pouring in fuel and risking the cats.

Edited by Neil1300R on Sunday 1st April 17:51

[MichaelV8V]

yeti said:

That's the spirit

Bear in mind the exhaust can be removed and returned to standard, and then sold on to an informed member for a nice chunk of cash?

I agree that you limit your market with a modified car, but one that has been done correctly I don't think can possibly be worth less... 5mins on Google or searching on here will tell the buyer all they need to know, it's not a backstreet 'Rude-Boy' exhaust shop you know

And as soon as I can spare the cash, my car will get a BR exhaust, but from a financial perspective, buying a 4.3 + upgrades is less of an investment than a 4.7 with similarish power for similarish money.

[Speedraser]

Lunablack, that's a big part part of why I've always defended, and will continue to defend, the 4.3 to those (often Porschephiles) who say the V8V isn't quick enough. On the road, how often can you use the extra power to actually cover ground faster? How often can you use all of the performance of the 4.3 for a sustained period of time? That said, while the difference point-to-point on the road will be little or nothing, there is a big difference in torque, especially in the low and mid-rpm ranges.

EBruce, this may sound familiar, but while I don't doubt that your mods have made a real difference, I don't think they're enough to make a 4.3 faster than a stock 4.7, assuming the 4.7 is running as it should. You may get close on hp, but it's highly unlikely you've found 44 lbs/ft though the ECU, filters, cats and an exhaust.

[MarkZ4MC]

Had a look on YouTube this evening and must say that I particularly like the sound of both the Larini and Quicksilver - if modding, I'd likely just do the backboxes first in the hope that would be aurally adequate.

Out of interest, what's the ballpark cost for a Larini / Quicksilver backbox replacement of the oem?

I imagine the full BR system is epic though.

[yeti]

MarkZ4MC said:

Out of interest, what's the ballpark cost for a Larini / Quicksilver backbox replacement of the oem?

About £1500-1600.

However, you should find one for under a thousand when someone puts their car back to standard before selling. eBay or with a dealer.