Ireland Engineering Warning!
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Joined: Dec 2011
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Ireland Engineering Warning!
Your mileage may vary....
But per some older posts and research, I decided to give Ireland Engineering a try on their cat back exhaust option for my R53.
Price seemed good, build quality was acceptable.... The only real complaints on the web I found, which came from several years back, were a complete lack of customer service and a consistently poor build of the tips. (See attached screen shot.)
Not a lot of content very recently I found, but the sound of the exhaust is always a buying factor for most, and indeed was for me.
After a couple days of attempting to order on the site, but always going to dead links, and calling to non stop busy signals (should have been a sign there,) I finally get a live person who knows really nothing about the product I am looking to order....
However, we get the order processed, I'm told they are short staffed and might take a few days to get the exhaust shipped... I was okay with that, as I had a full exhaust now. It did take 3 days to ship, which was fine, but no notification at all that the item had shipped. 8 days after order I call and am given a tracking number which confirms the exhaust is on truck for delivery... (Happy days indeed, and I am satisfied, even though concerned I was never notified.)
I open the box (which was very well sealed,) to find an exhaust (which was very well wrapped.) No complaints there.
I load it up, take it all to my local muffler shop, and begin the unwrapping of the cat back.
Right off, I notice the exhaust tips STILL look like something created in someones garage! Crooked, poorly welded and and just cheap looking. ("Ricer," came to mind.)
At this point I am now recalling the posts from several years ago stating the poor quality of their tips, but all the promises of this being fixed... Going with oval tips or a complete change of tip build... (Apparently they went back to their old ways.)
None the less, we install the exhaust, (me thinking I will just get Ireland to shoot me another tip.)
Once done, I can say as hideous as it looked, the thing sounded incredible! (This coming from a multi-R53 owner with JCW, M7 and Milltek exhausts over the years....)
So immediately I begin the process of contacting Ireland to have a new replacement tip sent... I get "Andrew" on the phone, who patiently looks for my order, finds it, makes some silly excuses as to why I have the exhaust tips from 2008, but promises me he will send me out the "new" tips, day of 3.10.15.
Patiently I begin the waiting process. For 14 days I wait... 4 emails sent, 4 voice mail left, until finally, yesterday 3.24.15, I insist on someone helping me. Individual offers the normal "Andrew is helping a customer," and goes on with the normal routine of looking up the order to which he tells me he sees no order for new tips, and that Andrew never should have even helped me with this, since not his department... However, this guy cannot assist me either.... Finally, he locates Andrew and puts me on the phone with him. (Even though he is "not supposed to be helping me" with this order.)
Andrew seems to remember me, and immediately goes into a story as to being "short staffed," and him "just getting back into town" only yesterday. When asking why my order was not processed further, he only has more excuses and confirms this is just how his company does business....
With the promise that he has a new style tip which is being replicated (yesterday) and one would go out to me today....
The story goes on, but the excuses and the "quality of service" remain the same. Horrendous at best...
Future note? Spend a couple hundred extra and get a better quality product backed by a company that knows how to run a business..
Thanks for allowing my rant all. We will see if I ever get the new tips.
(Forgive the dirty car... Been bombarded with rain here of late.)
But per some older posts and research, I decided to give Ireland Engineering a try on their cat back exhaust option for my R53.
Price seemed good, build quality was acceptable.... The only real complaints on the web I found, which came from several years back, were a complete lack of customer service and a consistently poor build of the tips. (See attached screen shot.)
Not a lot of content very recently I found, but the sound of the exhaust is always a buying factor for most, and indeed was for me.
After a couple days of attempting to order on the site, but always going to dead links, and calling to non stop busy signals (should have been a sign there,) I finally get a live person who knows really nothing about the product I am looking to order....
However, we get the order processed, I'm told they are short staffed and might take a few days to get the exhaust shipped... I was okay with that, as I had a full exhaust now. It did take 3 days to ship, which was fine, but no notification at all that the item had shipped. 8 days after order I call and am given a tracking number which confirms the exhaust is on truck for delivery... (Happy days indeed, and I am satisfied, even though concerned I was never notified.)
I open the box (which was very well sealed,) to find an exhaust (which was very well wrapped.) No complaints there.
I load it up, take it all to my local muffler shop, and begin the unwrapping of the cat back.
Right off, I notice the exhaust tips STILL look like something created in someones garage! Crooked, poorly welded and and just cheap looking. ("Ricer," came to mind.)
At this point I am now recalling the posts from several years ago stating the poor quality of their tips, but all the promises of this being fixed... Going with oval tips or a complete change of tip build... (Apparently they went back to their old ways.)
None the less, we install the exhaust, (me thinking I will just get Ireland to shoot me another tip.)
Once done, I can say as hideous as it looked, the thing sounded incredible! (This coming from a multi-R53 owner with JCW, M7 and Milltek exhausts over the years....)
So immediately I begin the process of contacting Ireland to have a new replacement tip sent... I get "Andrew" on the phone, who patiently looks for my order, finds it, makes some silly excuses as to why I have the exhaust tips from 2008, but promises me he will send me out the "new" tips, day of 3.10.15.
Patiently I begin the waiting process. For 14 days I wait... 4 emails sent, 4 voice mail left, until finally, yesterday 3.24.15, I insist on someone helping me. Individual offers the normal "Andrew is helping a customer," and goes on with the normal routine of looking up the order to which he tells me he sees no order for new tips, and that Andrew never should have even helped me with this, since not his department... However, this guy cannot assist me either.... Finally, he locates Andrew and puts me on the phone with him. (Even though he is "not supposed to be helping me" with this order.)
Andrew seems to remember me, and immediately goes into a story as to being "short staffed," and him "just getting back into town" only yesterday. When asking why my order was not processed further, he only has more excuses and confirms this is just how his company does business....
With the promise that he has a new style tip which is being replicated (yesterday) and one would go out to me today....
The story goes on, but the excuses and the "quality of service" remain the same. Horrendous at best...
Future note? Spend a couple hundred extra and get a better quality product backed by a company that knows how to run a business..
Thanks for allowing my rant all. We will see if I ever get the new tips.
(Forgive the dirty car... Been bombarded with rain here of late.)
2nd Gear
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 118
Likes: 1
From: Rhode Island
Wow that's pretty bad. Nothing worse than waiting around for a company to get it's act together only to find an inferior product arrive at your door! I remember Ireland Engineering was one of the few companies that made aftermarket parts for my '78 E21 back in the early 2000's, but I never purchased anything from them.
I see you've had Milltek in the past. You know quality, Always go with your gut!! ha ha. I had a 3" Milltek on my Forester XT Turbo and it sounded so siiiick without being obnoxious
I say return it. Though given their history this will be a long and arduous process... maybe too late, I dunno. Sometimes you can find good used exhausts if your patient. I was able to find an Invidia Q300 for very cheap, ~$200 (~$600-$900 new). It sounds and looks great, mellow.
Good luck man!
I see you've had Milltek in the past. You know quality, Always go with your gut!! ha ha. I had a 3" Milltek on my Forester XT Turbo and it sounded so siiiick without being obnoxious
I say return it. Though given their history this will be a long and arduous process... maybe too late, I dunno. Sometimes you can find good used exhausts if your patient. I was able to find an Invidia Q300 for very cheap, ~$200 (~$600-$900 new). It sounds and looks great, mellow.
Good luck man!
6th Gear
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 3,387
Likes: 14
From: Near Buffalo NY
I had an ie exhaust on my e36 it was decent quality, much better than that. I'm sure they will make it right. I know when I bought mine it was missing some hardware I called them and they quickly sent it to me. Honestly I would just buy some jcw tips and have a shop weld them on and be done.
Certainly no excuse for bad service. I bought and installed one of these earlier this year. Mine was shipped promptly and there were no glaring quality issues. I agree that the tips do look somewhat unfinished compared to other systems, but it's half the price of most.
Something that may help...the hanger on the tailpipe section required a fair amount of bending to get it to fit properly on my install. When the tips are protruding out from the car too much, it makes them appear to be welded crooked....this is because of the bend in the left pipe. When they are set back to a depth of about half where they are in your pic, they appear parallel and look pretty decent. Several trips back and forth to my workbench vice and pounding with a large hammer and the hanger was bent properly and it sits in just the right place now and has stayed there for several months.
Like you, I read about revised "big mouth" tailpipes that we're going to be optional, etc, but I was under the impression that ie never did anything further with it and the original design has remained. FWIW, mine looked pretty much like yours before adjustments.
I could have done a bit more tweaking to get it a better centered, but it's good enough for me. The system also expands quite a bit when it heats up, so it shifts somewhat when hot and centers up on its own.
Good luck and I hope you get it all worked out.
Something that may help...the hanger on the tailpipe section required a fair amount of bending to get it to fit properly on my install. When the tips are protruding out from the car too much, it makes them appear to be welded crooked....this is because of the bend in the left pipe. When they are set back to a depth of about half where they are in your pic, they appear parallel and look pretty decent. Several trips back and forth to my workbench vice and pounding with a large hammer and the hanger was bent properly and it sits in just the right place now and has stayed there for several months.
Like you, I read about revised "big mouth" tailpipes that we're going to be optional, etc, but I was under the impression that ie never did anything further with it and the original design has remained. FWIW, mine looked pretty much like yours before adjustments.
I could have done a bit more tweaking to get it a better centered, but it's good enough for me. The system also expands quite a bit when it heats up, so it shifts somewhat when hot and centers up on its own.
Good luck and I hope you get it all worked out.
Last edited by Fastlane; Mar 25, 2015 at 09:38 AM.
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Certainly no excuse for bad service. I bought and installed one of these earlier this year. Mine was shipped promptly and there were no glaring quality issues. I agree that the tips do look somewhat unfinished compared to other systems, but it's half the price of most.
Something that may help...the hanger on the tailpipe section required a fair amount of bending to get it to fit properly on my install. When the tips are protruding out from the car too much, it makes them appear to be welded crooked....this is because of the bend in the left pipe. When they are set back to a depth of about half where they are in your pic, they appear parallel and look pretty decent. Several trips back and forth to my workbench vice and pounding with a large hammer and the hanger was bent properly and it sits in just the right place now and has stayed there for several months.
Like you, I read about revised "big mouth" tailpipes that we're going to be optional, etc, but I was under the impression that ie never did anything further with it and the original design has remained. FWIW, mine looked pretty much like yours before adjustments.
I could have done a bit more tweaking to get it a better centered, but it's good enough for me. The system also expands quite a bit when it heats up, so it shifts somewhat when hot and centers up on its own.
Good luck and I hope you get it all worked out.
Something that may help...the hanger on the tailpipe section required a fair amount of bending to get it to fit properly on my install. When the tips are protruding out from the car too much, it makes them appear to be welded crooked....this is because of the bend in the left pipe. When they are set back to a depth of about half where they are in your pic, they appear parallel and look pretty decent. Several trips back and forth to my workbench vice and pounding with a large hammer and the hanger was bent properly and it sits in just the right place now and has stayed there for several months.
Like you, I read about revised "big mouth" tailpipes that we're going to be optional, etc, but I was under the impression that ie never did anything further with it and the original design has remained. FWIW, mine looked pretty much like yours before adjustments.
I could have done a bit more tweaking to get it a better centered, but it's good enough for me. The system also expands quite a bit when it heats up, so it shifts somewhat when hot and centers up on its own.
Good luck and I hope you get it all worked out.
Have seen some people using a tip from Summit Racing that looks good as well.
Will see what they actually send me and respond more from there.
Thanks for the replies all.
That's good news that they're in touch with you. Good luck.
Trending Topics
[...]Right off, I notice the exhaust tips STILL look like something created in someones garage! Crooked, poorly welded and and just cheap looking. ("Ricer," came to mind.)
[...]Once done, I can say as hideous as it looked, the thing sounded incredible! (This coming from a multi-R53 owner with JCW, M7 and Milltek exhausts over the years....)
So immediately I begin the process of contacting Ireland to have a new replacement tip sent...
[...]Once done, I can say as hideous as it looked, the thing sounded incredible! (This coming from a multi-R53 owner with JCW, M7 and Milltek exhausts over the years....)
So immediately I begin the process of contacting Ireland to have a new replacement tip sent...
All things considered, I would not freak out too much about this.
I would try to arrive at a resolution (and it sounds like you are making slow progress), but even if none was forthcoming, you got a great deal on a performance product!
a
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While I respect your opinion, the quality of the singular part visible by anyone looking at the car is mandatory, period!
Whether it be an Ebay exhaust, a well known "cheaper" exhaust like this one, or a higher end product like Milltek, the appearance as a mostly cosmetic item is a necessity.
No excuse at all for DEEPLY crooked, unfinished tips in this day and age.
Whether it be an Ebay exhaust, a well known "cheaper" exhaust like this one, or a higher end product like Milltek, the appearance as a mostly cosmetic item is a necessity.
No excuse at all for DEEPLY crooked, unfinished tips in this day and age.
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Apologies for the failure in update. Ireland did finally shoot me a replacement tip. Got it on Thursday of this past week. It does look far better, (will toss a pic up tomorrow....)
Same exact tip, but the weld and the alignment is nicer. At the moment I am satisfied, and appreciative of them taking the effort to make a happy customer.
oldcracker - Here is the link to the exhaust directly. $360 is the price, recommend confirming the newer tip build upon your request..
The sound is incredible, much more tame than the M7 competition exhaust I was replacing.. Dropped a lot of exhaust packing over the first couple weeks which made it quite a bit louder, but even better for the ear IMO. Very tame, aggressive, not at all "ricey," and virtually no drone in my car.
http://www.iemotorsport.com/bmw/MINI...nicatback.html
Same exact tip, but the weld and the alignment is nicer. At the moment I am satisfied, and appreciative of them taking the effort to make a happy customer.
oldcracker - Here is the link to the exhaust directly. $360 is the price, recommend confirming the newer tip build upon your request..
The sound is incredible, much more tame than the M7 competition exhaust I was replacing.. Dropped a lot of exhaust packing over the first couple weeks which made it quite a bit louder, but even better for the ear IMO. Very tame, aggressive, not at all "ricey," and virtually no drone in my car.
http://www.iemotorsport.com/bmw/MINI...nicatback.html
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