I'm looking for a new exhaust system for my 03 r53. I don't want to spend a lot of money. I'm thinking under $500. I just want the car to sound cool. If it makes it have more power that's nice but not required.

I have the 15% pulley. Should I tune it before or after the exhaust or both? And how much does a tube normally cost?

 

There are quite a lot of these exhaust threads popping up... check around the forum a bit before you post.

Can you define your idea of a "cool sound"? If you're looking for something deep and throaty, you'll be disappointed. Pretty much every lower-restriction exhaust brings out the 4-cylinderness of the MINI. Starts sounding raspy, some would describe it as "ricey". This is especially prevalent on cheaper exhausts. If you're dead-set on spending that $500 on an exhaust, watch some YouTube vids to help determine which sound you like best. I'd recommend checking out Invidia's N1 as a start. It's not as loud as most other aftermarket exhausts, but it's the only one I've heard that deepens the note without increasing the raspiness.

If I were you, I'd just spend my money on something else. You shouldn't need a tune with just an exhaust and pulley. Exhausts do not add much, if any, power.

 

What about a resonator delete? I heard that's under $100 and makes it sound better

 

I did the resonator delete on my JCW exhaust....and it didn't make much of a difference at all...not worth the time or money....

 

Check out the "best exhaust..." thread going on now. I gave my thoughts on the Ireland Engineering system. $360