Is Sound or Speed more important in your Ford?

[GTPete]

Originally Posted by GTPete

Ideally you want a good looking car, that sounds great and performs better then factory.

Quality loud is good, noise just for the sake of noise is a real turn off.

Acceleration plays a big part, its all about your 0 - 60 kmh and 0 - 100 kmh.
It seems every second car is capable of a 14 sec 400m pass these days and many more can better this. Id like to tick all three boxes looks, sound and performance.

That goes for old school and plastic.

[MercuryT]

Originally Posted by NX74205

What do you think of a stock G6ET? It's really fast but quiet, and far from boring or pointless.

Yeah, boring to drive. Only driven one a couple of years back and whilst car really impressed and fast etc, just boring. (I am sure owners disagree, there is no "right or wrong" here"!)

Sound for me is always enjoyable, it makes me look forward to turning the key, getting in after work etc just to hear it. The speed of a car I get over quickly and then it is not that special anymore.

I'd rather a slower Xr8 or older Ford with an angry note than a stock G6ET any day.

[pottery beige]

no point being nudged back in the seat by a vacuum cleaner

sound + grunt

[MercuryT]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

no point being nudged back in the seat by a vacuum cleaner

sound + grunt

Agree.

Changing the pipes (3 times in 6 mths to get it just right... ) and suspension was first thing I did to my T. 140 thou Ks on (its done 230 all up) i'm still happy with the power from the factory though...ha.

Still, as per ^^ others love it quiet and clinical, that's fine also!

[mr smith]

Man, this tread reminds me of the early 90s sleeper days. My 12sec XR rocked steelies, edelebrock manifold with the edelebrock ground off, motor all painted factory blue, modified stock air cleaner, hidden tail pipe (tricky to hide note without going for cutouts). I loved shutting down modified brockies and turbo VLs in a grandpa looking Falcon.

[F6T]

Good thread. I've been thinking about this a lot lately. What is the point of speed for your daily any more. My car breaks the city speed limit in 1st gear and the highway speed limit in 2nd gear. Overtake someone too fast and they call the cops. Thankfully, the 4" exhaust gives it enough presence at idle and under 2000rpm but the real noise only comes in when you get up it and by then, you can just about kiss your licence goodbye.

Rolling around under the limit but sounding and looking great doing it is something that appeals to me more and more as I find it increasingly difficult to enjoy my car on public roads.

[cs123]

Need both

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5u1uspg-mtg

[MercuryT]

Originally Posted by F6T

Good thread. I've been thinking about this a lot lately. What is the point of speed for your daily any more. My car breaks the city speed limit in 1st gear and the highway speed limit in 2nd gear. Overtake someone too fast and they call the cops. Thankfully, the 4" exhaust gives it enough presence at idle and under 2000rpm but the real noise only comes in when you get up it and by then, you can just about kiss your licence goodbye.

Rolling around under the limit but sounding and looking great doing it is something that appeals to me more and more as I find it increasingly difficult to enjoy my car on public roads.

Spot on and well said.

My 6T isnt near as powerful as yours but still more than enough to get into trouble pretty quickly. Even average car power from standard V6s and decent 4s is beyond what is really needed for the street these days.

I think next car i'll prioritise sound far more over how fast it goes (or can go with mods etc). So much of the time the speed of a car isn't used, yet you can listen to it every time you drive.

As others keep saying its better to have both (which is obvious!) but the question is which is more important as plenty of cars don't have both and only one or the other - for mine it's sound for sure.

[Sioso]

I was always after a good sound from the exhaust but now (with age) I prefer a quieter exhaust but louder induction sound.
After driving a Boxster I realised how much more I enjoyed hearing the intake and engine sound (right behind you) over the exhaust sound.
As for how it sounds from outside the car I couldn't care less.

[Ken Dunn]

The sounds at speed is more important than the sound.
Old Henry will never approach the speed of sound, or never sound speedy.When at speed(over 55mph) sound is proportional to being attune to what is sound or unsound in his mechanical condition.A loud sound means turn the volume up on the A.M. wireless, if you have one.Had a great time today, out for a cruise up Wilfred Barrett Drive.
Have you driven a Ford lately.
Cheers,
Kenny

[ebv8]

its always funny when a loud VS SS gets flogged by a stock ford focus.
i'd say if its loud it had better be fast otherwise give up

[GCRXR6]

Yep... 400 kw...2.92 diff..6 speed... Exhaust- 3 inch to 5.75 inch over 28 inch megaphone on each bank. Remove ear muffs, window down and Northern Territory road....Wahhhhtt ... Bugger, the alarm clock went off .... Gotta get ready for work.

[FG50T]

My car got ruined once I put a catback on it. Noise for me. Rather have it silent.

[MercuryT]

Originally Posted by ebv8

its always funny when a loud VS SS gets flogged by a stock ford focus.
i'd say if its loud it had better be fast otherwise give up

So all the old Fords (and similar) that are slow can't be loud you mean?

I recently was a passenger in a classic mustang - very loud and was a great experience.

If a "stock focus" is faster than it, who cares?! Public roads aren't a racetrack.

ps: I think it is funny when I see people in their shopping trolleys racing at the lights, much more so than someone cruising in their sweet sounding ride

[GasoLane]

I remember someone telling me of an Exhaust shop that had the slogan "Your car may not go fast, but we can make it sound like it does"

[thehammer]

really surprised how many are picking sound over speed, my old NF V8 had a muffler or two short of standard but was pretty slow for a 5.0, I wouldn't even race a Focus

loud and slow is like yelling in the pub how many girls you've fuct, quiet and fast is taking the bar tender home

[LTDHO]

It's interesting that motor companies advertise/promote the engine kw, but never the exhaust note.

It's more interesting that a 200kw and a 350kw car can still only do the same speed legally, whilst the 350kw will get their faster, that just gives the police a reason to fine you.

[Bushbasher]

I'm more interested in comfort and economy than speed and sound which is why I drive a Fairlane on gas; quiet, comfy, economical, and plenty fast enough for my needs.

[FPV-800]

If I want a great sound I just start up my v8 XD with gilmer drive and twin exhausts,can't beat that old school sound and when I want to go fast I jump in my BA XR8 which still sounds good when you get up it .Cant wait for that supercharged whine in my new XR8 in June

[steve.zissou]

Sound is very important - but its the sound not the volume that is important. a loud car that sounds crap is pointless. A relatively quiet car that you can hear a nice engine note from whilst in the car is what you want. Like the new mustang and loads of other cars, they pipe the exhaust noise into the car so you can hear the note but dont wake up the neighbours in the process.

But just like the financial markets, money talks. If your hot sounding car still gets dusted by a camry at the lights you may feel a little depressed.

Sound with out substance = pamela anderson
substance with sound = milla jovovich

just saying (jeeze i am giving pam a hard time these days - i am sure she is quite nice really)

[ebxr8240]

Is there a real performance car that's quiet?? OUTSIDE ..
The GTE looks sedate but has growl in exhaust ..
I tend to like, prefere stealth cars these days ..
Yep I changed some of the exhaust on my WRX ...

[Blue Roo]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

I remember someone telling me of an Exhaust shop that had the slogan "Your car may not go fast, but we can make it sound like it does"

A mate worked at an Exhaust Shop and their slogan was " No Muffs To Tuff ".

[The Monty]

Fast with class for me. The G6et was puurrrfect. Quiet driving around, like a jet at WOT and fast enough to keep me satisfied (350kw).

Used to like loud cars, then realised all they do us make you look like a tool and attract popo attention.

[Tokyo Geoff]

Originally Posted by The Monty

Fast with class for me. The G6et was puurrrfect. Quiet driving around, like a jet at WOT and fast enough to keep me satisfied (350kw).

Used to like loud cars, then realised all they do us make you look like a tool and attract popo attention.

What he said

[OzJavelin]

I think a lot of people are confusing "loud" with "sound"? The best sounding cars aren't loud they just have a great note. Most stock V8s have that note .. despite the factories trying their best to get rid of it. Most stock/mild V8s with some exhaust work and under moderate load/acceleration sound great .. one of the best is one of the oldest/slowest in the Ford flathead V8

They may be slower than just about everything built in the last 20 years, but old stock V8 idling off up the road will get almost everyone to turn around and look in interest/envy ..

. .a "fast" vacuum-clearer, sounding car ripping up the road will normally get most people turning around thinking "what a tool!" ..