http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31CcxQsicEA

 

it says the video is private.

 

fixed

 

Okay, no downpipe, right? The burble seems so much more than your previous video.

I'm thinking I may need the resonator.

Mark

 

Nice pictures, nice vid. Sounds good without the resonator.

But only on the track for me. I really don't want to find out how the couch might sleep all night long.

Mark, when do you leave? Early AM?

DNadar, thanks, looks clean, are you happy with welds, hangars and fitment? Did your installer have to fiddle with anything?

Don

 

I was going to leave at 4am to be there by 10am but I waiting for Dan from Grassroots to show up, he's going with me. I think we're going to leave when he gets here. I'll be beat if we leave at 4am...

Mark

 

I'm really digging the sound, sounds more like a hot-rod wrx than an R53, but such is the nature of the 2nd gen.
I tried to adjust the muffler up so the tips would be closer to bumper, but that reduces the heat shield clearance under the gas tank .. bit of tweaking to that tinfoil for a decent middleground.
Hopefully I can find someone (I trust) to rip around in my Mini so I can hear it from outside the car & better judge the volume level. I'm really happy with the sound, I just don't want to draw too much unwanted attention

 

It sounds different in person. It was installed at hectors and made right in front of me. I'm really happy with it and the quality. I recorded it with my MacBook so the quality isn't too great. I'll post a video of how the stock exhaust sounds recorded on the mac book so you can get an idea of how distorted the mac makes it sound. Not home right now I'll post later tonight

 

Comparison video of stock and ED catback. shows how much the macbook distorts the sounds og stock so you can get an idea of how distorted the ED catback is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9kGYvVSd3U

i was just with Mark (orangecrush), and he said the exhaust sounds NOTHING like it did in the video. he loved it, and after hearing mine he is getting it. It sounds like the first video posted by hector.
Mark is getting a downpipe, ED catback, and hard pipes

 

Ok, ok, ok...we need a 5.1 dolby capable camcorder to take some video of this thing. I like the burble in the video Nadar had, but it doesnt really sound like that?...so whats the deal! lol

 

I took a video with my cell phone. I haven't checked the quality yet but if the videos are as good as the pics, we should be ready to go.

I took some video with the windows up, windows down, cruising and punching it at about 80'ish.

Today I'll take some idleing and accelerating.

Then I'm going to remove the straight pipe and install the second muffler I had specially made from Hector's guys.

I'll try to get it done today and we'll see if we can get a good selection.

Mark

 

does the down pipe make it louder than mine??

 

Definitely.... louder, more aggressive.

I'm trying to upload vids now.

 

Mark,

I take it from the thread silence your like the exhaust so much your out driving the back roads with the windows down.

At full WOT, listening to the burble and pop.

Don


Or just trying to get some sleep and slow down after a long road trip.

 

For anyone looking for video, I posted them here

I didn't want to clutter up Hector's thread.


Mark

PS. And yes, as tired as I am (I slept 3 hours the first night and 4 last night) I've been out cruising around today. God I love the new exhaust.

 

I need someone to bring a clubman dow to Hector so I can order the full setup for a clubman from him. I just can not drive across the country to have him do it on our car.

 

There is one problem with Hector's exhaust setup.

My gas mileage has gone down.....

The damn car sounds so good, I've constantly got my foot into it...LOL.

Seriously, I'm sure there will be some naysayers and I would have never guessed it but my mileage actually went up with the new downpipe and full exhaust.

I have made SEVERAL 700 mile trips to FL and back and I noticed that I only averaged 27/28 mpg with my driving style. (I tend to speed a little)

I noticed that because in my '08 MCS with the JCW stage 1 kit, I averaged 32 mpg. (which was roughly 4 mpg less than before I put the Stage I kit in it)

Point is, I drove back from FL and averaged 30 mpg. Even with me flogging on it since I came back (2 days now), I'm averaging 28/29 mpg.

How can ya beat that?

Just sayin'

Mark

 

I heard from Hector today, new exhaust should be here next week.

He is going to ship it in two parts/shipments since he came up short a resonator/muffler.

I wonder who's MINI that might have gone too. Mark?

 

We put the exhaust on tonight. Sounds good a bit loud in the work bay.

Took it out for a fast drive up the highway, sounded louder. Currently running without the resonator/muffler option. So a bit louder than I like for the street. But it sure does rip at WOT!

I had some fitment issues and still do. Rub on the heat shield in two places and it appears the long section before the rear muffler is not correct.

So I will be giving Hector a call in the AM to discuss some options or see what he suggests.

Love the exhaust, good material, good welds, looks fine, easy install, about 2 hrs with 30 minutes of think and fiddle time.

I think I need bigger exhaust tips, too.


Don

 

Hey Don,

Glad you got a chance to install it. I'm sure you thought of this but at the risk of sounding stupid, have you tried turning the resonator replacement either over 180 degrees or swap it out for end for end?

The reason I ask is because when I left ED, the exhaust fit perfect. I got home and realized it was a tad too loud for my taste and I wanted the second muffler (which I had already had him make up)

Point is, I put the car up on the lift and installed it. Nope, didn't fit. I tried tightening the bolts in a different pattern because tightening the bolts differently would "pull" the exhaust a different way and it would hit the floorboard, hit the sides, pull the tips into the bumper....argghhhh.

How many different combinations can I try?? I swapped it end for end, 180 degrees, etc, etc... I'll bet I spent an hour installing one resonator replacement. Come on, I'm not stupid, I can do this.

Then BAM, I got the right combo and it fit PERFECTLY. I was so embarassed it took that long.

Anyway, glad you finally got it, I figured you would think it was too loud... lol, we're just getting old.

That's the second t-shirt saying that has come true to life for me.

You know, the one that says "if it's too loud, you're too old".

The other one was "the older I get, the faster I was"

Mark

 

Mark,

Thanks for the tips, our extra 30 minutes was the do we have this right.

Hector or one of the guys marked the delete pipe with top/front with a big black arrow. So that was what we did.

I'm thinking Hector and the guys could mark each section in order of installation. It was pretty obvious, but I'm glad we had some installed pictures hanging around in the thread.

I may try swapping end for end when I can get some more lift time.

It's deep and pretty mellow with the windows up until you really get on it. Need ear plugs.

I guess I am old.

 

Whats up guys! Sorry ive been a lil incognito for a bit but i have not forgotten you peeps!

I wish i would have been in town to meet you orange, guys said you are great company!

 

Check your PM's....

That would have been cool. The guys at your shop were GREAT!!! Excellent job, excellent quality, they were very cool.

Don't throw away my JCW exhaust.....


Mark

 

me too! i need that thing

 

So you guys are storing your exhausts at the Exhaust Depot shop. They may become fair game for parts, at least your pipe size is good.

FYI, I was cleaning the MINI Friday morning and my sweet wife came out to look at the new exhaust, so I started up the MINI and played a little sound.

I was expecting the worst. Her comment, "That sounds nice, I like it".

But she has not taken a ride yet at full WOT. Hector, I really need that 2nd muffler/resonator.

I did take a 200 mile drive on Saturday, the new exhaust is very nice, no obnoxious sounds at 75, it does get a little buzzy when you thump it, but once you back off it settles down to a nice mellow tone.

At our club garage day, I did have an offer to buy it, if I decide to take it off and go another way, but I don't think that will be something I'm going to do.

Don