On May 23, 2021, tuner Fabio R.* (34) began a month-long battle for his BMW M2 Competition. The construction worker from Dietikon ZH is just driving his car along the Zurich lake promenade when he is stopped by the city police. And the check gives a clear result: Fabio R.’s BMW is too loud and therefore has to be taken out of circulation. And Fabio R. is suspected of having made his car louder with prohibited tuning. “I said immediately that my car is legal,” says Fabio R. to Blick. Only: Nobody really likes to believe the tuner.
For months, the Italian has been fighting for his sports car at the Road Traffic Office. And actually emerges as the winner in the end! Because investigations show: The fault does not lie with the tuner, but with BMW itself. Or rather, at a test center commissioned by BMW.
In the summer, Fabio exchanged information on the Internet with other M2 Competition drivers who are in the same situation. Just like his namesake Fabio C.* (32). The BMW of the Zurich caretaker was also shut down because it was too loud. And Fabio C. doesn’t understand what could be the cause either.
Eight M2 shut down in Zurich city alone
For the two Fabios it was the beginning of an odyssey. “I had the legal changes removed first,” begins the construction worker. “Then the road traffic department said the software must have been manipulated.” So the Italian has to have a report made that proves that everything is right with his software – only to rattle through the noise measurement again. This is how it goes back and forth with the two Fabios for months. “It cost each of us almost a thousand francs – and we could no longer drive our cars,” summarizes Fabio C.
Eight BMW M2 Competition were shut down in the city of Zurich alone because they were all classified as too loud. Then the city police become suspicious.
A document from the Zurich city judge’s office, which the two Fabios received at the beginning of January, says: “Since vehicles of the specific vehicle type version were frequently complained about as being too loud and their owners credibly asserted that the vehicle manufacturers assured the conformity of the vehicles, the police feel prompted us to carry out further investigations.”
The result of these clarifications finally relieves the two BMW owners: “In the case of the present vehicle type version, the reference value was incorrectly collected and this was subsequently adopted by the Swiss authorities,” says the non-handling order.
When asked, the Federal Roads Office (Astra) specified: “Apparently an incorrect value for the stationary noise was adopted when the EU general approval was drawn up – presumably by the test center in Germany, which carried out the order for BMW. Such measurements must be carried out by state-approved test centers. The result is that this incorrect value was transferred from the EU general approval to the CH data sheets and caused confusion about the correct measurements by the Zurich city police.»
The Federal Roads Office wants to take action
Result: Whoever came to a noise measurement with a BMW M2 Competition had no chance. Because of the incorrect reference value in the data sheets, his vehicle was automatically assessed as being too loud and withdrawn from traffic. The Federal Roads Office continues: “The Astra will quickly contact BMW (importer/manufacturer) in this regard.”
This is belated satisfaction for the two Fabios. And they ask themselves who will now bear the costs incurred. “At least now we can drive into town without fear.”
BMW does not want to comment on inquiries from Blick at the moment. Only so much: “We will examine the case with our internal experts.” The Zurich Road Traffic Office only says that you don’t know how many vehicles were shut down because of the error: “We don’t collect any numbers.”
Police step up fight against autoposers
With the outbreak of the pandemic, tough times began for Autoposer. Throughout Switzerland, the police have been taking rigorous action against bubbling engines and banging exhaust pipes since 2020 and are shutting down rows and rows of cars.
Just a few weeks ago, for example, there was a major operation in Sissach BL: 200 hp vehicles gathered in the parking lot of a major distributor. The police broke up the meeting after a short time. For once, no vehicles were shut down this time.
At the same time, PS-Poser let the tuned engines roar in Oberwinterthur ZH. According to the Zurich cantonal police, 100 people were checked. And were less fortunate: seven drivers were reported.
For lovers of rich sound, times shouldn’t get any easier. Because the limit values could be lowered even further in the future.
With the outbreak of the pandemic, tough times began for Autoposer. Throughout Switzerland, the police have been taking rigorous action against bubbling engines and banging exhaust pipes since 2020 and are shutting down rows and rows of cars.
Just a few weeks ago, for example, there was a major operation in Sissach BL: 200 hp vehicles gathered in the parking lot of a major distributor. The police broke up the meeting after a short time. For once, no vehicles were shut down this time.
At the same time, PS-Poser let the tuned engines roar in Oberwinterthur ZH. According to the Zurich cantonal police, 100 people were checked. And were less fortunate: seven drivers were reported.
For lovers of rich sound, times shouldn’t get any easier. Because the limit values could be lowered even further in the future.