Wind noise (windows down) E90 vs E92

mc-m3 · 09-20-2018, 04:20 PM

4 years ago I was looking for an E90 M3 but eventually ended up purchasing an E92. One of the things we really like is how little wind noise there is with the windows down (up to ~50mph).

So I was curious how the wind noise is on the E90? Anyone driven both that have fist hand knowledge ?

I'm guessing some of the difference we see between this and our X3 is do to the B pillar being behind you instead of next to your head.

TIA

spazzyfry123 · 09-20-2018, 04:22 PM

Do you mean something like whistling against a mirror or something? I mean with windows down of course there will be a ton of wind noise

firstbimmer · 09-20-2018, 04:32 PM

Depends on where u are sitting. I moved from an e90 to e92 and from the front seats it's much quieter and less windy in the e92 when the windows are down. I think mostly because your head is farther forward of the pillar. But for my kids in the back, they have made it clear that the wind is worse in the e92. I imagine it's different for each seat and for different sized people as to where their head ends up being in the car.

Summary: e92 is better for me in front, worse for kids in back

mc-m3 · 09-20-2018, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firstbimmer

Depends on where u are sitting. I moved from an e90 to e92 and from the front seats it's much quieter and less windy in the e92 when the windows are down. I think mostly because your head is farther forward of the pillar. But for my kids in the back, they have made it clear that the wind is worse in the e92. I imagine it's different for each seat and for different sized people as to where their head ends up being in the car.

Summary: e92 is better for me in front, worse for kids in back

Thanks, that's what I was looking for.

I've been getting the itch to replace the E92 with DCT with a manual. First car I've ever owned without 3 pedals.

lve2xlr8 · 09-21-2018, 12:36 PM

This is actually one of the things I missed most about the e92 when I got an e90. Much more wind turbulence in the cabin at speed with the e90 no matter how you arrange the windows.

///M Power-Belgium · 09-21-2018, 02:11 PM

It's quite simple . The E92 has better aerodynamics .

firstbimmer · 09-21-2018, 09:09 PM

I started with e92, then e90, then back to e92. The whole time I had the e90, the 2 biggest comfort issues I had were 1)the turbulence in the cabin with windows down as I like to drive with windows down most of the time and 2)the b pillar in my peripheral vision on the e90, where as the e92 'felt' roomier inside because I didnt have anything blocking my peripheral vision. It's what pushed me to make the leap back to an e92 even with 3 kids.

pbonsalb · 09-21-2018, 09:33 PM

Definitely much less wind noise in the E90 with all 4 windows down than with just the two front windows down.

Helmsman · 09-22-2018, 05:40 AM

Two left window half way down. Nice bris and sound.

anerbe · 09-22-2018, 07:13 AM

Need to crack open the rear windows in e90 when fronts are down

firstbimmer · 09-22-2018, 03:34 PM

When I had the e90, I experimented with all sorts of combinations of windows down and up and part down. In the end, from the driver seat, the e92 simply has less turbulence from wind. Bonus is I can just get in the car and drop both windows with a touch and not worry about which window is in which spot.

Again, this will be different for different people of different sizes and seat positioning. But wind turbulence and b pillar in my peripheral vision were enough to make me move back to an e92. My wife on the other hand could probably care less and would prefer we still had the e90. Based on OP's original post, it sounds like the b pillar location on the e90 affects him much like it affected me.

mc-m3 · 09-22-2018, 05:50 PM

Test drove an F80 M3 yesterday and agree with what has been said here. Definitely more wind turbulence than our E92 and lowering the rear windows a bit does help. We don't really use the back seats so access isn't an issue. I just wish you didn't need an acre of space to open the dang doors on a coupe. Which is really the only reason this topic even came up. Since my wife really likes to have the windows down I think I'll stick with a coupe.

09-20-2018, 04:20 PM	#1
mc-m3 Private First Class 213 Rep 105 Posts Drives: 2006 X3, 2015 Panamera Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Seattle iTrader: (0)	Wind noise (windows down) E90 vs E92 4 years ago I was looking for an E90 M3 but eventually ended up purchasing an E92. One of the things we really like is how little wind noise there is with the windows down (up to ~50mph). So I was curious how the wind noise is on the E90? Anyone driven both that have fist hand knowledge ? I'm guessing some of the difference we see between this and our X3 is do to the B pillar being behind you instead of next to your head. TIA
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09-20-2018, 04:22 PM	#2
spazzyfry123 Lieutenant Colonel 4336 Rep 1,912 Posts Drives: Here and There Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: North Georgia Mountains iTrader: (1) Garage List 97 Toyota Land Cruiser [7.50] 16 Toyota Land Cruiser [10.00] 11 BMW E90 M3 Stripper [10.00]	Do you mean something like whistling against a mirror or something? I mean with windows down of course there will be a ton of wind noise
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09-20-2018, 04:32 PM	#3
firstbimmer First Lieutenant 134 Rep 305 Posts Drives: '13 e92 M3 & '15 f15 X5 35i x Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: bay area iTrader: (0)	Depends on where u are sitting. I moved from an e90 to e92 and from the front seats it's much quieter and less windy in the e92 when the windows are down. I think mostly because your head is farther forward of the pillar. But for my kids in the back, they have made it clear that the wind is worse in the e92. I imagine it's different for each seat and for different sized people as to where their head ends up being in the car. Summary: e92 is better for me in front, worse for kids in back
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09-21-2018, 12:36 PM	#5
lve2xlr8 Major 195 Rep 1,186 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (11)	This is actually one of the things I missed most about the e92 when I got an e90. Much more wind turbulence in the cabin at speed with the e90 no matter how you arrange the windows. __________________ R8 V10 6MT S65 M3 Tesla 3
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09-21-2018, 02:11 PM	#6
///M Power-Belgium General 63085 Rep 24,611 Posts Drives: ///M3-E92-DCT Silverstone II Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Belgium iTrader: (0)	It's quite simple . The E92 has better aerodynamics . __________________ "MAX VERSTAPPEN" IS THE 2021+2022+2023 F1 WORLD CHAMPION - #UnLeashTheLion BPM DEV-Tune & DCT Software-Tune & Servotronic & coding ///Alpine HID Angeleyes ///Oem.exhaust mod.
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09-21-2018, 09:09 PM	#7
firstbimmer First Lieutenant 134 Rep 305 Posts Drives: '13 e92 M3 & '15 f15 X5 35i x Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: bay area iTrader: (0)	I started with e92, then e90, then back to e92. The whole time I had the e90, the 2 biggest comfort issues I had were 1)the turbulence in the cabin with windows down as I like to drive with windows down most of the time and 2)the b pillar in my peripheral vision on the e90, where as the e92 'felt' roomier inside because I didnt have anything blocking my peripheral vision. It's what pushed me to make the leap back to an e92 even with 3 kids.
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09-21-2018, 09:33 PM	#8
pbonsalb Lieutenant General 5216 Rep 10,603 Posts Drives: 18 F90 M5, 99 E36 M3 Turbo Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: New England iTrader: (4)	Definitely much less wind noise in the E90 with all 4 windows down than with just the two front windows down.
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09-22-2018, 05:40 AM	#9
Helmsman Major General 4446 Rep 7,101 Posts Drives: 2011 AW E90 M3 ZCP Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Stockholm, Sweden iTrader: (0)	Two left window half way down. Nice bris and sound.
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09-22-2018, 07:13 AM	#10
anerbe Lieutenant Colonel 121 Rep 1,568 Posts Drives: Red E90M 6MT Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: BH, MI iTrader: (2)	Need to crack open the rear windows in e90 when fronts are down
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09-22-2018, 03:34 PM	#11
firstbimmer First Lieutenant 134 Rep 305 Posts Drives: '13 e92 M3 & '15 f15 X5 35i x Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: bay area iTrader: (0)	When I had the e90, I experimented with all sorts of combinations of windows down and up and part down. In the end, from the driver seat, the e92 simply has less turbulence from wind. Bonus is I can just get in the car and drop both windows with a touch and not worry about which window is in which spot. Again, this will be different for different people of different sizes and seat positioning. But wind turbulence and b pillar in my peripheral vision were enough to make me move back to an e92. My wife on the other hand could probably care less and would prefer we still had the e90. Based on OP's original post, it sounds like the b pillar location on the e90 affects him much like it affected me.
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09-22-2018, 05:50 PM	#12
mc-m3 Private First Class 213 Rep 105 Posts Drives: 2006 X3, 2015 Panamera Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Seattle iTrader: (0)	Test drove an F80 M3 yesterday and agree with what has been said here. Definitely more wind turbulence than our E92 and lowering the rear windows a bit does help. We don't really use the back seats so access isn't an issue. I just wish you didn't need an acre of space to open the dang doors on a coupe. Which is really the only reason this topic even came up. Since my wife really likes to have the windows down I think I'll stick with a coupe.
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