re: 325i Exhaust

[jkerouac@xxxxxxx]

Re: 325i Exhaust:
Ryan,
    For a replacement exhaust on your 325i, possibly the most cost
effective, best build quality, and guaranteed perfect fit, along with
across the board noticeable performance improvement and slight smug
growl of a sound can come from the stock E36 //M3 exhaust.
    With the numerous //M3 owners replacing their stock exhausts, an
//M3 stock exhaust with very low miles on it can be had for $250. or
less in excellent condition.
    The exhaust from the 3.0 liter //M3 might give more on the bottom
and middle end while the larger pipe 3.2 liter //M3 exhaust might give
more upper mid and top end zip.  Either one will be a noticeable
improvement, and if you don't like it, its a lot less money invested,
and you can resell it for most or all of what you paid.
    At the top end of what you can put on your car, there is Supersprint
and Dinan.
    You really do get what you pay for.
Both have top notch build quality (imho) and result in reasonable sound
levels in normal driving, then come on louder with more growl when you
step on it and rev it out.  Supersprint runs about $700., Dinan at the
amazing price of $1000.
    If you get Dinan's chip, he will only warranty it on your engine if
you have either the stock exhaust or his exhaust.  So that's where he
sells a lot of mufflers, so you get his warranty on your engine.
    Same with Dinan's snout.  His snout or the stock intake box, you get
his engine warranty.  Somebody else's, no warranty.  Dinan will,
however, remap your computer to match his components rather than using
someone else's standard burn.
    Do they make you faster?
    The factory //M3 exhaust is damn good.  For a mass production car
muffler that has to last 100k miles BMW did a superior job.  Just that
its a bit heavy.
My Supersprint stainless for the //M3 is ten pounds lighter and add a
legitimate dyno increase of 7hp.  The noise increase is only 3 to 6 db
across the board with a lower pitch throughout.  Dinan's is similar.
    The other lower cost mufflers may increase power somewhat, but to my
ear are obnoxious buzzbombs that would frighten any decently looking
date out of the passenger seat before I got one block from her home.
Not to mention the 'here I am' broadcast as you escape the local
gendarme when they bust you instead of the blown Honda you were beating
at the Santa Clara street races.  Droning groaning headache city.
    I used to run a 2002 using straight pipe to a 69 Cadillac
resonator.  These low end BMW aftermarket mufflers are more obnoxious
than even that.  That's why you find the cheap mufflers for sale used
even cheaper, but hardly ever will you find anyone letting go of their
Supersprint or Dinan.  Also I've seen tips split, welds fail, and other
signs of cheap materials and low budget workmanship on the lower cost
mufflers.
    So start with an //M3 factory takeoff, and if that doesn't float
your engine's boat, since you wrote "Cost is not that important", go
with a Supersprint.
_ymmv_
'jk

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