From jleung20_at_flash.net Fri Aug 15 00:02:06 1997 To: <bmw-digest_at_mailgate.wizvax.net>
Cc: <dale_at_unofficialbmw.com>, <3mcmc_at_qlink.queensu.ca>, <Always_Coca-Cola_at_msn.com> Subject: E36 exhuast system summary
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 1997 00:35:08 -0500

Okay, as I promised, here is my review of aftermarket exhausts for the E36 6 cyl cars, and the process through which I purchased them...

But BEFORE I get started, I would like to comment that when the digest was younger, people would post responses to question to the digest ALL [...]
So, lets not despair! (I feel like the digest is re-engineering itself)

Now, back to EXHAUSTS.....
I orginally had an M3 exhaust on my supercharged 325iK, but I wanted something that sounded a little louder, a little more aggressive....I thought about the following exhausts (for the E36 M3):

Modified DINAN exhuast, REMUS, SUPERSPRINT, GENIE, BORLA, B&B, and SEBRING.

I got the following # of recommendations from various digesters (thanks to all you guys):

Dinan : 1
Remus : 3
Supersprint : 5
Genie : 2
Borla : 2
B&B Triflo : 2
Sebring : 1

The Dinan exhaust involves internal modification to my current exhuast, and at $450, I felt that the cost was not justified, considering the M3 exhuast is not 100% stainless steel. Naturally, Dinan recommended the Dinan exhuast.

I got only 1 recommendation for the Sebring exhaust, and hence, I ruled it out.

The B&B Triflo is known for fit/finish and durability problems. On top of that, it is known to be extremely LLLOOOUUUDDDD....
Some people like very loud exhausts, I do not. Note: 100% stainless Steel.

The Borla is around $450. The Borla is also known to be quite LOUD, maybe not AS loud as the BB, but still loud. The "intercooled" tips look kind of strange, but the Borla IS 100% stainless steel. The Borla is recommended by Will Turner and Bavarian Autosport. I don't like loud LOUD
exhausts, so I ruled this one out.

The Genie was given high marks by ERT, but is not well known outside of ERT.
I trust ERT since they are the ones who sc'd my car. It is all stainless steel. It has a nice, not too loud, not too soft sound. However, at around $750 it costs the most. This exhaust was my 2nd choice.

The Remus was recommended by Korman. The digesters who gave it a thumbs up REALLY like it too, and it is moderate in loudness (like the Genie.) European Car magainze also gave the Remus high marks (albeit for an Audi A4), but at $700+ for an exhaust that is not 100% stainless steel, I ruled it out.

The Supersprint was recommended by the most digesters as having a great moderately loud sound (like Genie and Remus) It also helped that Matt Choi, a digester who has a 'charged 325i just like mine, also has a Supersprint exhaust, and verified the great sound. Last of all, Jim Conforti (in an old old OLD digest posting) verified that the Supersprint does indeed add HP.
The Supersprint is 100% stainless steel. Both BMP and Bekkers recommend this exhaust. I do not like the DTM tips (I'm a subtle kind of guy) so I opted for the normal rolled chromed tips, and at $670, the price was right. This is a beautiful piece, guys, and even the welds are
stainless steel. Fit and finish is excellent.

I also realize that parts houses will naturally recommend the exhausts that they stock, so of course there is some bias in their recommendations....So, I discounted their recommendations to some extent, but I also kept in mind that a reputable parts house is not going to stock and recommend an exhaust that they think is junk. BMW lovers are still, first and foremost, BMW lovers.

So, after I installed the exhaust, it was as quiet as astock M3 exhaust for the first 20 miles. However, after 300 miles, it has "aged" to a nicer, fuller, "just right" exhuast note.

However, I DID notice a distinct clanking sound over sharp bumps that sounded very similar to a failed rear upper shock mount. This turned out not to be the exhuast's fault, as I had one of the forward exhuast hangers adjusted too close to the underbelly of the car, and the exhuast was sitting only 1/5" from the underbelly of the car. Once I dropped the hanger a little bit, the noise went away.

A word about HP increases:
The stock M3 exhuast is pretty free flowing as it stands,so I did not expect to feel any difference after switching to an aftermarket exhuast. How much difference can an exhuast make, anyways, unless your stock exhuast is a bunch of plastic straws?? So, I'm not going to claim that my butt-dyno registered any difference, and butt-dynos are notoriously inaccurate anyways. I mean, afer you unload a couple hundred dollars, your mind REALLY wants to BELIEVE that you are accelrating faster anyways.

There are just too many factors involved....ambient air temperature, under hood air temperature, fuel composition, length of time the car sat in traffic before I nailed the throttle, yadda yadda to really accurately say that the exhuast registered a measly couple of HP.... The car is fast enough to scare the daylights out of me already......

For me, its not ultimate power and speed or looks that matter the most. It is the combined driving EXPERIENCE that I seek to change, to modify, to improve. So, in terms of power,
at $670, the exhuast is probably the most cost INEFFECTIVE HP modification I have made to date, but that doesn't mean the driving EXPERIENCE has not been improved. TO the contrary, the driving experience has been greatly improved, and I would do this again, in a second.

Jason H. Leung
jleung20_at_flash.net
http://www.flash.net/~jleung20

PS - Was that too long winded for you guys?