Interesting. When my wife and I test drove an '05 a couple months ago, she drove first and the popping was very minimal. I thought it sounded good. After I drove it, a little harder, the popping became very apparent. I Loved the sound. The fact that it was a very different sound when I drove, leads me to believe that it could, in fact, be the programming making this happen. Otherwise it would have sounded the same for both of us. I may have activated something in the computer that said, "this is a sporting driver, I will deliver a sporting sound." Maybe you should do the reprogram and leave the exhaust alone. See what happens. Then change the exhaust if you're not satisfied. I would only change one thing at a time just so you'll know exactly what change made the difference. My guess is that the exhaust and the ECU are different from '04. Changing one of them might get you closer to a sound that is pleasing to you. I am just leary of changing more than one thing at a time. I really like the sound and agree with the post that said MINI may be designing the car to sound like an older british carburated car. Harley's sound the way they do on purpose, MINI could be doing the same thing.

Good luck and keep us posted on what your dealer does to make you happy.

 

We've put just a little over 3K on our 05' now. The "popping" sound was noticeable from day one. And I love it!!! When we drive the 02', it seems quiet even though it has the Borla on it.

To each their own though. Some like it and some don't...

Chow!

Donna

 

I'm wondering if the "popping" noise is so annoying did you not here it when you test drove your car? minis are drivers cars, pocket rockets, we buy these cars for the handling and performance of which a nice sounding exhaust is a part of. me personally i drive with my windows down rev the engine up to 5000rpm then take my foot off the gas pedale just to hear the exhaust back fire. (jcw 210hp)
please don't ask bmw to tame our beloved mini. just go out and buy another brand, i heard the lexus engine is so quiet that when running you don't even know the car is on, so maybe........

 

I took delivery of a 05 MCS at the end of October.

After 4,000 miles, I am glad to say the snap, crackle, and pop of the exhaust is still there!!

Horses for courses as they say. After all, this is not your father's V8/V12!

Motor on, people!

 

I just picked up our 05 MCS the other day and I was waiting for the burble to appear, took about 100kms and its now really consistant. I love it.

Considering the size of the car, its probably one of the best sounding stock exhausts I've heard. BMW NA is notorious for crap sounding exhaust...just go listen to an E46 M3. The horror.

I see no need to change the exhaust on the 05, all cars should sound as good.

 

me too, miniaq!! you want burble backfire? i'll give ya birble backfire...try a supertrapp. makes the up to 2004 stock cars sound like wussmobiles (i haven't heard a 2005). my friend says mine sounds like a wrc car when i back off.

 

flyboy2160,

tnx for the info about supertrap system. i have the jcw car with the retrofit kit and believe me i couldn't be happier with the sound.

 

There is a slight difference bettween a V-12 with 3 inch pipes and a 1.6-1.8L 4 cyl into a 2.5". And the popping sound is normal. If you dont like the tone of the exhaust, buy a different one

 

Try the superspint or the Dinan (if you wanna spend). I had the Dinan on my M5 and it was elegant and vicious all at once.

 

They are. Your car was built by Brits, however - a people not known for outstanding quality control in automotive assembly.

 

The cackle of my 05 MCS exhaust is one of the reasons why I'm enjoying the MINI much more than the 04 BMW 330Ci I traded in. The BMW, even with the sport package, 18" wheel option and 6 speed was way too civilized. The MINI is ALIVE and a hoot, or rather, a cackle whether short shifting around town or letting it stretch in open spaces.

 

I always thought Turbo charged race cars popped when you lifted off the throttle because of a temporary over-rich situation that kept the turbine spinning while you were shifting gears.

As the turbines in an MCS are mechanially driven and not exhaust driven, why would you engineer the POP other than because it sounds cool?

Hunter

 

Turbo cars will shoot flames when you lift off the gas and have a car that's running on the rich side, especially if it doesn't have a cat on it.

The pop is common aftermarket exhaust and is generally because there isn't much backpressure on the exhaust. Therefore it pops on deceleration. I've heard that the 05 exhaust has different internal baffleing to make the car a bit louder and to also give it the 'pops'

Personally I wish the stock exhaust was even louder as I like to hear my cars. I'm looking into an aftermarket system now to replace my stock 05 exhaust to make it a little deeper sounding. Different strokes for different foks but personally I'm both a bit suprised and very happy that Mini even had the cojones to make the car as loud as it is to MINI
Mike

 

The popping noise is definiately normal. As it was designed to do. I doubt updating ECU software will "fix" it. The easiest way to minimize it is to use your brake to slow down instead of the engine. Also don't rev really high then let off the gas.

 

Also the burbling and popping isn't just in Forced induction cars. I owned an SVT Focus before my MINI. SVT also designed alot of burble and popping into that exhuast. I even made it louder and better because i but off the rear most resonator to fit a european bumper. I would love the sound of that car in a parking lot! It would set off car alarms while cruising at 10mph and letting off in first gear!

You also have to remember the engines in high states of tune tend to make this sounds alot more than your normal street runabout car. My friend has an RX8 that shoots flameballs out the rear at the track with an HKS exhuast. And you should really hear Z06's running at full tilt with an aftermarket exhuast at a local autocross, its a beautiful thing!

Like everyone is saying, if you don't like the sound change the exhuast to the 04' but please don't complain to MINI and make them change anything. I have an 04' now and i think its waaaay too quiet (even though it burbles and pops a little bit) , i have an 05' with LSD on order and would hate if they tuned the exhuast sound back down!

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=34770


check out this post to hear the pops.

 

I saw the thread earlier! Sweet, sounds alot like my SVT Focus, definitely one of the things i wanted back! Wonder how it'll sound with a one-ball set-up, gotta lose those 20 extra lbs hehe.

 

That sounds exactly like I'd want it to sound!

Does the '05 JCW sound just as good, or did they mess with that?

Hunter

 

I just got me 05 MCS a month ago and was worried at first on the "backfire".
I was a motorcycle rider for 5 years before the MINI and had the same popping on me motto (sidenote - me motto had a larger displacement than me MINI ). Always on decel and more after a hard throttle then decel. It had 0 effect on me motto in those years and never stopped.
So when I was told it was normal on the MCS I had no concerns afterwards. It is an unusual sound to me in a car; but nothing I think they should do away with!
Enjoy your 04 exhaust; but don't fret the 05 if you change your mind.
Peace and goodwill

 

Ill buy someones 2005 exhaustr if they want!

 

I'm relieved to hear that the sound is normal, had my ,05 for a month really just started noticing it and was about to chew out the dealer as he doesn't know what it is and suggested I change the type of fuel I use.

That said, I don't know anyone could like that sound! It's embarrassing! I've had people turn to me in the parking lot and suggest that I get it looked at - suggesting that my exhaust was probably damaged by Hurricane Ivan! (I live in Grand Cayman). Guess I'm going to have to learn to live with it.

 

The exhaust burble in my 05 JCW is one of my favorite parts of the car... It sounds awsome. I actually don't mind taking my foot off the gas, because I get to hear it

 

I've got about 9,000 miles on my '05 MCS and have gotten very used to the exhaust. This is my first "performance" car and I'm not a fan of loud or "showy" exhausts. The Mini exhaust sounds fine to me.

 

Then why did you buy the 05 MCS? You heard the exhaust when you drove it, right? So, my understanding is that you liked the sound, now you don't, and want MINI to fix it for free?

Let's see if I can find anything on my 04 MCS that I don't like now and get MINI to fix it for free....

Maybe that's why there was a price increase on the 05's....

 

I LOVE that sound! I haven't heard anything so sweet in a long time.
It's one of my favorite things about the '05 MINI!!!

If you don't like it you could sell it and install an '04 exhaust. You could probably find someone that would make an even trade with you. Just swap from the cat. back. I believe everything lines up perfectly. :smile:

Did you suddenly decide you didn't like it because some fool said it sounded "wrong?"