So Ive looked extensively. Today got a quote from a exhaust shop, new tips remove resonator 380$[?]

Best exhaust it seems for gain and sound Borla? But essentially 1k$ from best priced vendors. The guy is a Magnaflow dealer he told me the Magnaflow would offer up little in sound and gains.

I know this has been beaten up. I looked at NM, and near all the aftermarket sites, just wanted a couple succint opinions.
TIA

 

I'm pretty sure NM doesn't sell their R55 exhaust anymore because sales were abysmal on them. If you increased diameter a bit compared to whatever stock is, I think 2.25" to 2.5" you'll gain a bit.

 

Remus makes an exhaust, too. Their website has an audio clip, but I get an error when I click on it. I've heard the Borla exhaust and it is very nice. Both seem to be around $1000.

 

I like the sound of the stock exhaust on my r56, I just wish the tips would be nicer looking, bigger, more aggressive looking.

Is there an option to just replace the tips?

I live in California and do not wish to go against the law, I did plenty of that as a teenager. Does California require the second cat?

 

Cats are required in California to pass smog, but many systems are fully legal.

You can replace the tips at an exhaust shop.

 

Did you look at the JCW exhaust. It's middle pipe back. Simple bolt on

 

I have the Magnaflow and it has a very deep tone with very little drone.

I ordered from Emnotek on a Friday and got it on the following Wednesday all for about $750 complete with shipping. (It was shipped directly from Magnaflow)

Below is the current link for $730.00

R55 Cooper S Magnaflow

It went in very easily and was well constructed.

 

I have a NM catback I bought used in 2011. I have yet to find a nicer sounding catback that doesn't have some sort of drone at certain rpms. I'd recommend the JCW catback over the aftermarket ones but to each his owns.

 

Second cat isn't monitored.

Sent from cellular device.

 

I spent less than $300 for a custom exhaust and very pleased with sound and performance, if you look you will see posts on it.
In a nut shell , removed 2nd cat, resonator, mufflers, installed aero turbo muffler were 2nd cat and resonator was and straight pipe the mufflers.

 

OK, ignore the "gain claims" as they are just that claims. I did a ton of dyno testing on the turbo MINI and your not ever going to find these claims of 10+ hp to be true.

I personally have a clubman and I can tell you that I found the 2 I like the most to be the JCW exhaust from the 09 Stage 2 JCW without the resonator and just the mufflers. And the Milltek non resonated. Which throttle response seemed improved slightly then. But again no 10+hp.
I ran the resonated Milltek for about a year and it was just too quite. Swapped it to the non Res version and it gave me a better sound with no drone still. And I've also matted it with an Akrapovic downpipe and the sound was just ideal.

I'm still running the non Res Milltek and will keep it.

 

I had the Borla On Eddie(2003 base named after what it did to me....turned me into Eddie Haskel from Leave it to Beaver). Listened to most of what was available and liked the sound of the Borla best. Even though it was a base, I did notice a difference in performance.
Sold Eddie recently and purchased Yeddie(2008 Clubman S that was brought home in a snow storm). Yeddie has 4000 miles on a new engine and we're off and running. First mod done was a M7 pre-intercooler pipe. Second will be the Borla cat back. Gotsta have that sound and extra oomph!