longlife stainless exhaust
longlife stainless exhaust
Off to get one fitted tomorrow. Anyone got one of their mild sport exhausts? Its not too loud is it?
In after a bit louder than stock, but not over the top loud.
In after a bit louder than stock, but not over the top loud.
Re: longlife stainless exhaust
I was offered 'Standard', 'Medium' or 'Full sport' - no mention of 'Mild Sport' at all, even though it was on their website. 'Medium' was described to me as having 'a slight tone under acceleration', but when I picked it up and drove it, it was hideously loud, uncomfortable and downright embarrassing, to be quite honest. I took it back after a few weeks and the chap put a 'quick fix' of some sort in the outlet which softened the tone a little, but it's still a bit on the loud side when driving in built-up areas.
Your idea of 'a bit louder than stock' and theirs may not necessarily be the same
Your idea of 'a bit louder than stock' and theirs may not necessarily be the same
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- Joined: Mon 11 Jun, 2012 21:06
- Posts: 487
- Location: Wirral
Re: longlife stainless exhaust
An aftermarket stainless exhaust is thinner than steel and hasn't got all the baffles that choke the exhaust.The sound will be louder when new but as time goes by,the exhaust will coke up and reduce the decibels.In my youth, stainless exhaust was always my first mod and never regretted it.Cobra stainless being fitted this Thursday.Johnco has already fitted one and I'm sure will be along shortly with his views.
Re: longlife stainless exhaust
geminimustang wrote:An aftermarket stainless exhaust is thinner than steel and hasn't got all the baffles that choke the exhaust.The sound will be louder when new but as time goes by,the exhaust will coke up and reduce the decibels.In my youth, stainless exhaust was always my first mod and never regretted it.Cobra stainless being fitted this Thursday.Johnco has already fitted one and I'm sure will be along shortly with his views.
How much do they cost - compared to a 'standard' exhaust?
John Walker
Baarn, Holland
_____________________________________________________________________
The Zed | 2.8 | Topaz Blue | Z4 alloys |97K
Baarn, Holland
_____________________________________________________________________
The Zed | 2.8 | Topaz Blue | Z4 alloys |97K
Re: longlife stainless exhaust
geminimustang wrote:An aftermarket stainless exhaust is thinner than steel and hasn't got all the baffles that choke the exhaust.The sound will be louder when new but as time goes by,the exhaust will coke up and reduce the decibels.In my youth, stainless exhaust was always my first mod and never regretted it.Cobra stainless being fitted this Thursday.Johnco has already fitted one and I'm sure will be along shortly with his views.
How much do they cost - compared to a 'standard' exhaust?
John Walker
Baarn, Holland
_____________________________________________________________________
The Zed | 2.8 | Topaz Blue | Z4 alloys |97K
Baarn, Holland
_____________________________________________________________________
The Zed | 2.8 | Topaz Blue | Z4 alloys |97K
Re: longlife stainless exhaust
I was offered their standard, medium and sport last September when my catalytic converter came apart (inside its exhaust box) on my 1.9 M44 engine Z3 – and the rear section was getting quite rusty. I opted for their standard which (like the BMW exhaust) has a large end silencer and a smaller middle silencer. When I picked the car up I was conscious that it was a bit louder with a deep, low burble at tick-over. However, it seems to have mellowed over the past 9-months and I’ve got used to it now.
It is beautifully made with what seems to be more gentle bends than the original and it is very neatly welded to the front of the front section (downstream of the Lambda sensor). Visually it is attractive and there is a choice of tail-pipe trims. Geminimustang is right in that the original BMW exhaust is heavy duty and extremely weighty and so there is inevitably more noise from the thinner, lighter stainless steel.
I think one problem is that in a two-seater with the roof folded down, the exhaust is just behind your ears and so can sound louder than it does to pedestrians and others away from the car. On balance I would give Longlife Exhausts the thumbs up.
It is beautifully made with what seems to be more gentle bends than the original and it is very neatly welded to the front of the front section (downstream of the Lambda sensor). Visually it is attractive and there is a choice of tail-pipe trims. Geminimustang is right in that the original BMW exhaust is heavy duty and extremely weighty and so there is inevitably more noise from the thinner, lighter stainless steel.
I think one problem is that in a two-seater with the roof folded down, the exhaust is just behind your ears and so can sound louder than it does to pedestrians and others away from the car. On balance I would give Longlife Exhausts the thumbs up.
- Southernboy
- Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
- Posts: 6437
- Location: Johannesburg
Re: longlife stainless exhaust
The durability of SS systems is common knowledge...what isn't as much mentioned, is that they don't produce a note with as much base as a mild steel system. This is because of the thinness of the steel used...they are much noisier even through the pipe sections for the same reason...a large ammount of the "tail" pipe noise is already lost before it gets to the back...I currently have an SS system, and really don't like the somewhat "tinnier" sound...I have bought some rolls of Titanium exhaust wrap, and intend wrapping the pipes with it to "thicken" up the insulation & lower the reverberation of those sections in an effort to deepen the base note out back.
But after all is said, I wouldn't fit mild steel because it isn't substantially cheaper and has a considerably shorter life than SS.
But after all is said, I wouldn't fit mild steel because it isn't substantially cheaper and has a considerably shorter life than SS.
Re: longlife stainless exhaust
An OE BMW rear section on my 1.9 was around £600 plus fitting. A stainless steel one is around £300-£320 incl. fitting. From memory even Kwikfit wanted more for one of their "short life" mild steel ones. I also had to pay for a new cat as well because mine was rattling like a tin of marbles.John1950 wrote:How much do they cost - compared to a 'standard' exhaust
Re: longlife stainless exhaust
Del wrote:An OE BMW rear section on my 1.9 was around £600 plus fitting. A stainless steel one is around £300-£320 incl. fitting. From memory even Kwikfit wanted more for one of their "short life" mild steel ones. I also had to pay for a new cat as well because mine was rattling like a tin of marbles.John1950 wrote:How much do they cost - compared to a 'standard' exhaust
Well, I'm surprised. I was expecting SS to be a heck of a lot more expensive than MS.
John Walker
Baarn, Holland
_____________________________________________________________________
The Zed | 2.8 | Topaz Blue | Z4 alloys |97K
Baarn, Holland
_____________________________________________________________________
The Zed | 2.8 | Topaz Blue | Z4 alloys |97K
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- Joined: Mon 11 Jun, 2012 21:06
- Posts: 487
- Location: Wirral
Re: longlife stainless exhaust
My apologies to all who've read this before but I paid £110 for our stainless cobra twin pipe exhaust.A guy in Scotland paid around £300, fitted it,didn't like the sound,took it off after 200 miles.There is a seller on eBay who is selling OE for the 1.9 around £200 delivered.In truth,I was tempted to sell the Cobra and fit the OE but Johnco has persuaded me otherwise with his helpful advice and comments.Our zed goes into the garage on Thursday and I'll let you know my thoughts after.
Re: longlife stainless exhaust
I got a ss cobra systemm and i love it.
Sounds lovely and my gf has fallen in love with the sound and sits revving the engine in tunnels and at lights.
definetly get one it makes the car sound lovely.
Craig
Sounds lovely and my gf has fallen in love with the sound and sits revving the engine in tunnels and at lights.
definetly get one it makes the car sound lovely.
Craig
- BladeRunner919
- Joined: Fri 17 Feb, 2012 20:18
- Posts: 2225
Re: longlife stainless exhaust
Don't make the comparison to the BMW price! That's about £150 worth of exhaust being sold for £600 plus fitting!!John1950 wrote:Del wrote:An OE BMW rear section on my 1.9 was around £600 plus fitting. A stainless steel one is around £300-£320 incl. fitting. From memory even Kwikfit wanted more for one of their "short life" mild steel ones. I also had to pay for a new cat as well because mine was rattling like a tin of marbles.John1950 wrote:How much do they cost - compared to a 'standard' exhaust
Well, I'm surprised. I was expecting SS to be a heck of a lot more expensive than MS.
http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/BMW_Z ... 5e7&000536
Re: longlife stainless exhaust
I'm getting a Longlife system fitted on Tuesday in Basingstoke.
£350 from the cat to the tailpipe.
Can't wait as this will be the 1st mod that I'll have had done since I bought my Zed.
Stevie.
£350 from the cat to the tailpipe.
Can't wait as this will be the 1st mod that I'll have had done since I bought my Zed.
Stevie.
Re: longlife stainless exhaust
I had a SS performance back box fitted this week, and boy it's noisy! I'm told it will calm down, although it sounds boomy it's ok and growing on me. Not sure why it called performance though? Not really noticed but I guess it's hard to around town?
- Southernboy
- Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
- Posts: 6437
- Location: Johannesburg
Re: longlife stainless exhaust
If the noise gets too much, have the box coated with some High Temp silver paint...apply several coats. It will diminish the resonance a little. You don't need to paint the visible end at the tailpipes, just around the actual box will do. If you use the paint usually applied to brake callipers, which has a temp range up to around 800 degrees, this will safely survive the exhaust temperatures at the box.