For those interested in getting this exhaust, here is my experience:
Sound Volume:
Loud on start up. A little louder than I expected, but not really something I am concerned about, settles pretty quickly.
Sound Tone:
Tone is great when driving. I have the Dinan Mid-pipe with the AWE exhaust – slight drone @ about 2900-3200 rpm, while it is noticeable I am not really bothered by it.
Installation:
I had mine installed @ AWE – took them about an hour, including a little fabrication work to account for the Dinan Mid-pipe.
Fit and Finish:
Because of the Dinan Mid-pipe it probably does not fit to 100% as it should but you’d never know without careful examination.
Support:
My experience with them has been exemplary.
Verdict:
The axle pipe will be great for 90% of typical people, for those wanting some more tone and aggression do a mid-pipe and axle back, I’ve gotten quite a few complements on the sound of the car.
Quote:
Originally Posted by capt_and
Thanks for the PM. Sent John two emails and tried calling, no response. I went ahead and paid the exhaust shop to put in new tips that will fit.
For those interested in getting this exhaust, here is my experience:
Sound Volume:
Very loud on start up. Louder than my 911. Too loud for my taste. But, very tame on the road with absolutely no drone. The Remus I had before definitely had some drone a cruising speeds over 70 mph.
On the track is where this stands out over the Remus. When the exhaust heats up from track use, it is much louder than the Remus and you can actually hear the engine even at higher RPMs. Since I shift based on sound, this was why I ditched the Remus for something else.
Also, keep in mind there is no valve on this exhaust system. There is a place to mount the controller but there are no valves.
Sound Tone:
Similar to Remus but a tad higher pitch in the mid to high rpm range. Doesn't sound nice enough for me to flog it around town just to hear the note but it's a turbo I-6 so there isn't much you can do there...
Installation:
Not fun... At all... Unlike the Dinan, Remus, Akrapovic, or literally everybody else out there, the mid pipe comes in 3 pieces instead of 2. This makes installation without a lift an absolute nightmare. I've installed a lot of exhausts, there was no reason why it should've been this difficult for the consumer. By making the midpipe 3 pieces, they can get away with sending the same kit for the m235i and m240i (they send two third sections, one for the 235 and one for the 240) and not have two variants on the shelf. They save money on their end, but it makes it that much more difficult for the consumer.
Fit and Finish:
The fit gets a low score because of the 3 piece midpipe and the exhaust tip being too short. One of the unions on the midpipe is directly over the center brace so it was pretty tough to get everything aligned. In addition to the difficulty getting it aligned, the clamp over the brace was really tricky to properly tighten - if the stud is pointed down, it hits the brace; if it's pointed up, it'll hit the heat shield and the heat shield will rub on the drive shaft. I had to get an exhaust shop to put it on a lift and finish out the install for me. They also struggled with getting the clamp above the center brace to align and tighten. The pipe pieces have come loose a couple of times even though the shop tightened them as much as possible. The second time around, they tried tightening even more and the clamp just broke. I am considering paying the shop to weld it all together or just fab a new piece.
The exhaust tips are for the standard rear bumper. If you have the m performance diffuser, this will not fit. Josh on this site was very responsive and gave me a contact to resolve the issue. But after two email and a phone call, I received no response so I had to have the exhaust shop install different tips.
The finish was exactly what I expected. It's not pretty but for the price and the fact that it is tucked away under the car, I don't really care.
Support:
After sales support is pretty bad. Not just because they didn't return my call or respond to emails this time, but they were equally terrible whenever I needed support for the system on my 911. The x pipe for my 911 would drone terribly although they marketed it as drone free. They recommended that I just change my driving style to avoid the RPM range that would produce the drone... I gave AWE another shot but my expectations were pretty low. When buying the exhaust I accounted for the fact that I would basically have no after sales support.
Verdict:
Skip the midpipe and just get the axle back. Add another $100 to the total cost for new exhaust tips if you have an m performance diffuser.
|