X5M Reasonably Loud and Quick Air Horne

[master1917]

I just bought my first BMW, finally. Its a 6 year-old X5M with 99k kilometers. The horn sounds ok, but thinking to add a second, loud one (not train horn) with a separate button. Looking at Marco Hurricaine (MARCO HURRICANE DEEP TONE COMPACT AIRHORN from Fox & Dragon for 60 at amazon) with a truck-low tone, but thinking to add a 2nd regular Marco which is more high pitch for a combo. Will it be too much load for the electrical system? Again this would be an alternative horn, for highway, etc. Otherwise, a more traditional 2-3 pipes with tubing and 1 compressor? Anyone had 2 Marco or Stebels running simulteneously?

[Pierce330]

Question: Why? Curious.

[master1917]

Because it seems there are frequent situations when I am not heard on the road. I am thinking of keeping stock horn not to be ridiculous in the city where pedestrians are all around, but it looks like sometimes a loud horn is very useful.

[kaput]

I bought a Fiamm on eBay years ago for my M3.

135dB was plenty loud, but it sounded like a Lamborghini... Just saying.

[andrewwynn]

The best sounding car horns are a chord! Our old '64 Cadillac had a pair of horns. They were not terribly loud but we stood out because of the chord. Find two pitches that go well together or better: find a chord horn. The two together get you some additional volume but the two tone will get you the notice you are looking for.

A quick search found Bosch 400/500 Hz "fanfare" dual horns for $40. They are 110 dB which is probably close to normal horn but that's just a jumping off point

[kaput]

I did a quick search and the 1988 Buick Park Avenue has a 4 horn setup, running notes F, A, D, C making a train horn noise while using regular non air horns.

Sounds amazing. Can be had used obviously for around $70 on eBay.

[master1917]

Originally Posted by kaput

I did a quick search and the 1988 Buick Park Avenue has a 4 horn setup, running notes F, A, D, C making a train horn noise while using regular non air horns.

Sounds amazing. Can be had used obviously for around $70 on eBay.

Thanks kaput, I checked it out on youtube and it sounds cool. Apparently cadillacs also had that option of a 4-note horns back in a day. Volume-wise, it sounds comparable to my stock 2011 BMW X5 I think, but the sound is very reach and full.

[kaput]

I think I'm doing the 4 note train horn sounding Buick/Cadillac horn upgrade. I'll move them to the front of the car, trumpets facing down through the lower grill opening.

I live in a college town and sometimes those little bastards need to learn not to dart out into the street.

[andrewwynn]

I know exactly the problem having lived in Madison Wi for a decade. I had a group of three who crossed with a direct intercept path with me on my motorcycle. Two of them were paying enough attention to stop for me to pass but not enough brainpower to grab their idiotic friend to stop him from waking directly in front of me. The sqweel of the locked brakes got the guys attention who still didn't get the F out of the way but stuck it his hands in effort to stop? me! (600# of motorcycle with 330# of people).

Luckily I had planned on the option of him stepping in front so I could stop but not without an emergency stop.

His hands slapped my windscreen so hard I'm sure he got bruises. He likely adjusted his bad jaywalking habits after that!

Horn sounds like a perfect improvement


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[master1917]

***Update***
Finally had my failing (rusty-rusty 2 horns) stock X5 horns replaced with 2 sets of Japaneese PIAAs at C$65 /USD 58 pee set on amazon. Each set has 2 tones/2 snails so now instead of 2, I have 4 horns trying to get to that buick/caddy type of presence. After having considered 330/400 Hz Superior Bass + 500/600 Hz Sport I chose the above Bass combined with the lower tone Sport version with 400/500 Hz. I sucrificed the 4th tone to keep more focus on bass. I like the way it sounds - lots of presence, but not too loud.

It could have been better with 4, but I made my choice in favour of lower 3 tones.

On a technical note, the locatuon of the horns on X5M is different from X5, i.e. not in wach corner of the bumper as that space is taken by extra radiators on each side. The horns are closer to center, but really deep behind the bumper. This means you can't go via wheel wells but have to remove the bumper just to replace the horns. I ended up paying for 3 hrs of labour for the bumper removal, rewiring for 4 horns vs 2 (no relay was needed btw) and for the fabrication of custom brackets.

Every service I see the confirmation of the words that "M" stands for money!!))