LOLzzzz....+1 on the response.

 

To my good friends at M7,

I love you, and I hate you.

Installed the USS yesterday. Thanks for the spare insert -- I needed it. Would have needed a spare washer to go with it, had I not forgotten to put one on the other side. Ever consider adding a spare washer to the parts packet?

I love you, because the USS performs very well. My little car now truly drives like it is a go-kart. Granted, one that will do 140 mph, but a go-kart. Nothing phases it.

But i hate you, too. In a good way. When I got my car last November, I just drove it like it was stolen. Or, at least, that's how it felt.

Then I added an (Alta) 15% reduction pulley. Suddenly, I really was driving it like it was stolen. My gas mileage went into the toilet.

Now, with the USS in place, I'm betting these tires won't hit 15k miles. I don't know whether to remove the brake pedal, because I just don't need it any more, or to slap on some serious big brakes, because if I actually do need to use brakes, I'll need them in a big & bad kind of way.

Oh, and why a USS now? Me and the boys are heading to the Alps in a little bit, to go slay some real Dragons. Going to be a twistie bonanza. I don't know how many from the group are running out and getting the USS before then, but I'd bet that half the cars will have them on before we go.

Much thanks,
Art

 

.....

Enjoy my friend.

Peter
M7 Tuning
562-608-8123

 

I'm several thousand miles into USS bliss and still lovin' it!

It is a seriously badazz mod - especially for the cabrios!

 

agreed, but only for stock exhausts as M7 has no solution for clearance issues with the most popular ones out there.

 

That's why we are going the one ball route.

 

Yep -

USS = performance
one-ball exhaust = sound (and maybe a little performance)
Aftermarket Exhaust = bling and sound (and maybe a little performance)

I'll take USS perf over aftermarket exhaust bling any day...

 

I'm going USS, one-ball, and change the exhaust tips -- performance AND bling

 

Yeah - I plan to pick up some tips too before it's all over... though I kinda like the "sleeper" aspect of the beer cans...

 

Not true, I have run the USS with a Magnaflow system and the M7 system with no problems.

Bill

 

Bill - go back and re-read my post and tell me how it's not true. I installed the USS on two cars, one with Milltek and one with Alta and the USS was removed from both due to interference.

 

We tried our best to take into account the majority of exhaust systems in place systems . As with many of our products they are designed with performance in mind . There are those that may want to sound fast more than they want to actually go fast.That is of course their choice which is of course what the mini is all about . There is no exhaust system in the world including the one we used to sell that will get you around the track or thru the cones faster than a USS. This might not be the case of course for Dyno racers but we can't please everybody The top three exhaust systems out there on the Minis today are :

Stock
Borla
Magnaflow

If you have one of the off brands we can try to help but again we can't please everybody. Sound fast or be fast , you make the call .

Randy
M7 Tuning

 

no worries.....I sold both my USS's - I asked for help and didn't get it with respect to fitment. Heck, I even drove to meet you and Peter in person to discuss and was told 'there are no problems, only solutions' by Peter. He was right. The solution was to sell both kits (at a loss).

Perhaps you ought to put disclaimers out there about fitment of the USS so others might not suffer a financial loss as I did.

 

Based on feedback such as yours whenever I get a inquiry as to the purchase of a USS I do ask what exhaust system they are currently using and discuss possible solutions if there is to be a problem. Thanks for posting .

Randy
M7 tuning

 

Well, that about mirrors my experience. Lack of fitment, no disclaimer prior to purchase, selling of the kit at a loss. Same dismissive attitude by the vendor. Same unsupported claim that it would make your car faster (auto-X'ed mine with and with out. Saw no quantitative difference).

 

Hi Jerry what took you so long ? I met with you after a late night shoot with 2 hrs sleep to try and solve the problem of your modified exhaust. You had a coupe exhaust on a convertable and the point of impact was created by a very bad bend in the pipe which had been done to make the exhaust fit on your car.If you want to see the pictures again I can dig them up for you . You chose to sound fast over be fast, thats your choice . If you did not have the same improvment as many on here have found on the auto-x course perhaps a school of some sort?

Randy
M7 Tuning

 

So the Milltek exhaust is an off-brand? Isn't the JCW made by Milltek in the UK? You might be right Randy, but there are more Milltek here in NM than all those others combined...

 

Hrmmm...my husband has the M7 exhaust (that's no longer available) and I have the Powertone/Zoomers exhaust. Both of us have M7s USSs...no problems whatsoever.

 

Indeed. You met with me after a late night shoot. After I have been trying to get your to meet me for 8 months. After you stood me up on three prior occasions. Modified exhaust? Now you just going to make stuff up?

Not sure how to address this. Well actually I do. That's a lie. There was nothing done to the exhaust. It is just as it comes from Miltek.

You can keep the pictures. Nothing new there. As for your little comment about my driving. That's not what you were saying when you were selling me the POS USS. Were you lying then, or are you lying now? Not that it makes a difference.

 

I for one can't wait for meb to send me his used USS so that I can install it and enjoy it.

Just wanted to mention that so that I can get in before the lock.

IBTL!!

-- my experience with M7 service has been awesome -- they had no reason to accomodate my request to purchase mounting hardware for only the 2 small sections of the USS (since I wasn't buying the USS from them, but used from a NAM member), but they responded right away with a VERY reasonable price

 

that was my thought as well but leave it to M7 to throw a jab in when they can. That's ok.....I designed the 'solution' for them (see pic above of the patented M7 washer), but they declined to admit this is their 'fix' for users of 'off-brand' exhausts.

<---- is waiting for proof from M7 that a USS + Borla or Magnaflow car is faster in any way than a car with no USS and Alta or Milltek exhausts.

 

Jerry , Jerry , Jerry : ) You sound like you got a real early start today This will go no where and just end up being locked which of course gives you and the nuts a real thrill but that's fine . We all have to have our goals in life. You can call me a liar and if I was that creative it would be a plus in some ways ,but I am not. Had you not said that it was an exhaust for a coupe I never would have known much less make it up. We both looked at the offending bend and at the time you agreed that it was a issue as it forced the resonator straight down into contact with the USS bar. We had Steve once again try to make some modifications to help the situation, again at no cost to you , but it did not help . As for the three blown " appointments " telling me that you would be at the the shop on a saturday, no specific time , and my reply that I would try to make it by does not constitute a " appointment " . The fact that our paths did not cross on those days was no ones fault and not a blown appointment. It could be said that as you were not there when I was each time that YOU blew the appointment not me.The very first time we had a set time to be there , I was there . In my book that is one for one . As for your driving , all I was getting at was that many have noticed an improvement in their times both on track and off. As to why you did not , especially in a convertible , remains to be seen as it clearly was not a hardware issue. As I said in the beginning this is all a moot point as the USS is perhaps one of the best selling suspension improvments since the rear sway bar and will continue to be so. You picked the wrong windmill to fight on this one .

Have a lovely day

Randy
M7 Tuning

 

It seems as if exhausts are somewhat regional , depending on the shops favorite at the time . I know that our local shop , which does between 4 and 8 systems a week is on a Miltec kick at the moment. He was big on Borla for a few years , then Magnaflow and now Miltec. The reason I feel Borla and Magnaflow have the edge is that they were available in quantity from day one of the mini. I had mine on in aug 02. They were promoted and widely distributed. As the other companies came on board there market share dwindled to a degree but with that big of a head start they are still the big dogs. For the first two years it was if 8 out of every 10 cars had either a Borla or those megaphone tipped Magnaflows. As for the JCW's being made by Miltec there must be two different systems as I do not believe we have had a problem with any JCW cars . If you would have any thoughts on that they would be appreciated. Thanks for the post.

Randy
M7 Tuning

 

You know, this thread had been quiet for 4 months when I posted my comment yesterday.

How did it go from zero is pissing-fest in one damn day?

 

Bwahahaha So now you take credit for Steve working on my car for free? OK. And once again you are twisting the truth. On all occasions I have told you that I will be at Steve's first thing in the morning. As at 9 a.m. As in as soon as he opens. And on all occasions you said you will be there. And on all occasions you weren't. It was a blown appointment and it was your fault. That is the truth. Twist it as you may.

I am glad the USS is working out for you. That is some Magic Kool Aid you got there.