my car, while very quite and smooth, never really sounds good under acceleration. i mean, i can hear the engine working, but there is never a nice tone to the exhaust. however, when i drive an acura v6 or, especially, a bmw I-6, there is an awesome exhaust tone...why does the max not have this???

 

i have no idea regarding the exhaust tone. But all these cars have different engines.
I don't know which Acura uses the Inline 6. I thought the TLs and CLs were V6s.

But the Bimmer and Acura are more luxurious, they might have a little less growl because of most likely added sound dampening and all that crap.
Listen to the Infiniti G35.. I think it sounds completely different from the Maxima and it uses basically the same engine. So the difference in sound might be due to the exhaust and not the actual engine.

 

I believe the Acuras are all Vtec SOHC V6's. I think the Bimmers sound slightly different because the of the difference between I6 and V6.

RL

 

your right, the honda v6's are sohc. Also the G35 does sound very different from the max. My aunt just bought one and I think it sounds very deep for a six, I mean it sounds like a quite eight.

 

The sound you are refering to as exhaust is probably the intake of those 2 cars get a new intake and see what I mean, your car will have the same kind of sound that you are refering to.

 

my buddy just put a popcharger in his 2.5 altima; I drove it around and I was dead convinced that he had a catback. took a look out back, nope... just stock muffler and all stock exhaust work. then we put a popcharger on another guy's intrepid with the 3.5 R/T engine... sounds badass. I spank him on the road, but it sounds so goooood. until i get my Y and frankencar, he's got the lead on engine sound.