Just got my custom 3inch catback installed today!! Boy does this thing growl!!

I originally planned on going for the Borla catback because of the nice deep and loud sound but the price and the 2.5inch piping killed the deal. I was also considering the alta catback but it was too quiet and expensive although it definitely looks like a very high quality piece.

I ended up going this route thanks to lxjose9xl's youtube video and testimonial. THANKS!!

Total price paid OTD was $350

More pix in my gallery.

 

that is one nice exhaust!

 

its a beauty . how you liken the sound.

 

^^ the sound is amazing.... Its actually not loud at all at idle or lower speeds but if you get on it, it really comes to life. Part of the reason is because i dont have a resonator... haha. On the highway i dont notice any drone... at least not yet. Ive only driven it around 30 miles since i got it on and maybe half of that was on the highway.

If its too loud i can always add the resonator later on.

It sounds pretty much just like this one

(lxjose9xl's video)


except mine is a catback and this video is of a DP-back.

 

why is 2.5" a problem? you have a larger turbo on it?

 

The welds look like 303 SS? Yes? No?

 

I'm really digging those tips! What size/brand are they?

 

I'm glad you went this route. Not only did you save a lot of cash, but you ended up with a sweeet looking & sounding exhaust.

Looks perfect and I really like the angle of the tips matching with the bumper.

Did you end up keeping the stock parts?

 

+ 1 for magnaflow muffler!!-->love mine. gets you the nice deep sound with out sounding like "cheap honda" (no offense intended, just for comparison purposes). Def. loud enough when you want it, and can be quite enough if you know how to drive it right where you cant even hear it. After a 3 hour car ride on the highway my ears were a little shot though.. haha

 

i like to plan for the future.

the piping is SS and so are the muffler and tips.

The tips are 4 inch magnaflows


The stock picture does a horrible job of showing the angle of the tip. It meshes really well with the rear of the MINI.

http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/s...ne=main&id=677





On their site they say it costs 104.28 per tip but there is a website called performancepeddler.com that has them for 47.75 each if you use the discount code "clubgp" I ended up getting all the parts from the muffler shop that did the install. They were kind enough to match all of the cheapest prices i could find.

Haha, yeah im totally glad i listened to your advice!! thanks so much!! and yeah, I did keep the oem parts.


The muffler shop was awesome, the guys really knew what they were doing and they back their work 100%.

 

Those tips look awesome. Do you have the resonator as well? Also, is that 2.5" out or 3" out?

 

woo hoo!!! now i know how those tips will look on my mini(hehe) im glad you followed my husbands advice as i am sure you are!! go out there and enjoy your mini!!!!!

 

The tips are 4" but the actual outlet of the two tips from the muffler are 2.5 each.

Currently im running no resonator but if it gets to be tooo loud i can always throw one in later.

 

haha, yeah i definitely am glad. You will love these tips, they are a perfect match for the rear end. Just make sure you dont pay too much for them.

 

haha dont worry we wont

 

Nice work, Ghosthound.

How much was the muffler?

Does Magnaflow make a 3.5" tip?

Thanks for posting about your experience. Please update on any droning.

 

The price of the muffler was 69 bucks. My total install was 340 for everything since i got the tips and muffler through the shop.

As for a 3.5 inch tip.... they may make on thats single wall but i didnt see any that were double wall.

As far as drone... i dont think i will be needing a resonator. It gets loud when i accelerate but when im crusing, its almost like i dont have the exhaust at all.

 

Thanks for answering my previous questions.

Did your shop just mimic the factory exhaust using 3" piping? What were your instructions for them--I want this, but with this muffler, these tips and 3" piping?

Do you feel like you've lost any torque or low end throttle response/power?

 

I first went in to get an estimate for the install with a specific muffler and tips. The first price they gave me was 370 for the install, muffler and tips (this was with single wall cheaper tips). They told me it would be 200 for just the install if i brought my own muffler and tips.

After i changed my mind about the tips to the ones i currently have ( i like these tips waaay more) i found another shop that was willing to do the install for 185 if i brought my own muffler and tips.

I was considering just ordering the muffler and tips from the site i mentioned a few posts up but thought i would give the first muffler shop a call to see if they would match the price on the muffler and tips from the website as well as the 185 install price and they agreed! Not only that, they would have the parts the very next day.

anyway, as for the install. I just told them i wanted 3" from the second cat to the muffler. When they finished, they had me come take a look and i was very impressed... They actually cut the flange on the second cat to match up perfectly with the 3" piping instead of having some sort of adapter piece. i wish i brought a camera to take a picture. Either way, im very happy with it.

I havent noticed any power loss. If anything, it seems like there is more low end grunt. You wont be disappointed!!

 

get him to make a few more for $300 each and sell it here for $450 shipped you pocket $100 Since it's my idea i'll buy one for $375 shipped

 

haha quite the entrepreneur.

 

How about we start up a group buy on this system?



ha, nice looking tip huh?

 

Looks great, but will this do anything to your warranty. My mini is a lease and i think this would void my warranty .

 

i spoke to the service adviser before i did most of my performance mods. He said that intakes and catbacks are fine. But things like ECU tuning, or more invasive mods probably would.

The problem i see with your case since it is a lease is that they cut off the stock exhaust and welded this one onto the 2nd cat. Although they could obviously just reweld back on the factory catback, it would be very obvious what you had done.

 

Sweet setup!!! And that price is unbeatable.
Semi-jealous