Long Term Review of Your Down Pipe Install?

[Lee808]

How has the long term experience been with DPs?

Im looking at purchasing a set of ER downpipes but I wanted to see what other owners who have had downpipes long term think (regardless of brand).

Im not completely sold on ER and don't mind paying more for something like akras if the quality is a factor, but if a cheaper DP performs just the same I figured why should I waste the money.

Ive done some searching and it seems that a lot of people like their downpipes initially but what about long term?

Are there any issues that popped up over time? Leaks, cracks, too much smell, too noisy etc?

Or are they just as great when you installed them day 1?

For now Im looking to install with the stock exhaust but may upgrade to AA midpipe with stock rear or AA's new setup with valves later on when they release.

[M4RAUDR]

Originally Posted by Lee808

How has the long term experience been with DPs?

Im looking at purchasing a set of ER downpipes but I wanted to see what other owners who have had downpipes long term think (regardless of brand).

Im not completely sold on ER and don't mind paying more for something like akras if the quality is a factor, but if a cheaper DP performs just the same I figured why should I waste the money.

Ive done some searching and it seems that a lot of people like their downpipes initially but what about long term?

Are there any issues that popped up over time? Leaks, cracks, too much smell, too noisy etc?

Or are they just as great when you installed them day 1.

For now Im looking to install with the stock exhaust but may upgrade to AA midpipe with stock rear or AA's new setup with valves later on when they release.

I can only speak for the full AA system incl. DP's - so no cats - the fumes are strong. Some people will say they are not, but they are. You can't sit idling with windows down without getting heavy fumes wafting in. Driving with windows down is fine. Windows up, fine.





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[kerm1t]

There's a lot of info regarding this. All DP's are the same. VRSF pipes are the best bang for your buck. Fitment/quality/price, is on point

Im running DP on stock zcp exhaust and you only really smell it on start up. Sitting in traffic, or walking around idle, its minimal.

[Lee808]

Originally Posted by kerm1t

There's a lot of info regarding this. All DP's are the same. VRSF pipes are the best bang for your buck. Fitment/quality/price, is on point

I've searched quite a bit already. Again,I've only found initial reviews.
Thanks

[Lee808]

@M4RAUDR. So if you had to do it again, would you go full catless? Are the performance gains worth it? Any mechanical issues?

[kerm1t]

if youre running dp on a completely stock car, i dont think you'll notice that much of a difference. It opens up the exhaust a little bit, and improves the throttle a little bit.

Personally, i installed dp with a jb4 at the same time, and id do it over again x1000

[Lee808]

Originally Posted by kerm1t

if youre running dp on a completely stock car, i dont think you'll notice that much of a difference. It opens up the exhaust a little bit, and improves the throttle a little bit.

Personally, i installed dp with a jb4 at the same time, and id do it over again x1000

Thanks for the info kerm1t. I always like to do a bunch of research before I make a purchase. I hate when I buy things and end up hating the negatives more than liking the positives.

So no mechanical problems or nuances at all (aside from CEL)?

[kerkiraios00]

I wanna do dp also can you pass inspection with a catless dp? Or catted?

[aBMWfan]

Originally Posted by kerkiraios00

I wanna do dp also can you pass inspection with a catless dp? Or catted?

You won't pass inspection even with catted. But catted is better for avoiding the smell or CEL

[Lee808]

Originally Posted by BenM4Dominate

You won't pass inspection even with catted. But catted is better for avoiding the smell or CEL

not sure I understand you? Are you referring to HIflow cats? or Stock DPs?

[kerkiraios00]

Originally Posted by BenM4Dominate

You won't pass inspection even with catted. But catted is better for avoiding the smell or CEL

So how do people pass inspection? I use to pass when I had an sti many years ago..

[aBMWfan]

Originally Posted by kerkiraios00

So how do people pass inspection? I use to pass when I had an sti many years ago..

They either revert to stock, go to a place that has lenient visual checks and the catted downpipes still pass the sniffer, or know someone who checks off the car

[DarksideM4]

Originally Posted by Lee808

How has the long term experience been with DPs?

Im looking at purchasing a set of ER downpipes but I wanted to see what other owners who have had downpipes long term think (regardless of brand).

Im not completely sold on ER and don't mind paying more for something like akras if the quality is a factor, but if a cheaper DP performs just the same I figured why should I waste the money.

Ive done some searching and it seems that a lot of people like their downpipes initially but what about long term?

Are there any issues that popped up over time? Leaks, cracks, too much smell, too noisy etc?

Or are they just as great when you installed them day 1?

For now Im looking to install with the stock exhaust but may upgrade to AA midpipe with stock rear or AA's new setup with valves later on when they release.

I've been running ER DPs for 30k miles with no issues, really no difference no matter what brand marketing will tell you. Really not worth going with unless you are tuning either by JB4 or flash, it does make the exhaust louder with valves open. If you don't want to deal with inspection stuff then stick with stock DPs and go MPE, honestly the best sounding exhaust IMO when running stock DPs.

[kerm1t]

Originally Posted by Lee808

Thanks for the info kerm1t. I always like to do a bunch of research before I make a purchase. I hate when I buy things and end up hating the negatives more than liking the positives.

So no mechanical problems or nuances at all (aside from CEL)?

Yup no mechanical problems. Something to be aware of is that sometimes the DP can touch the subframe. So you might hear it rattle once in a blue moon. I've heard it once while stopped at a uphill, after a hard run.

Originally Posted by kerkiraios00

I wanna do dp also can you pass inspection with a catless dp? Or catted?

Originally Posted by BenM4Dominate

You won't pass inspection even with catted. But catted is better for avoiding the smell or CEL

Depending on where you live they stopped doing visual inspections. From what I rememeber in my past cars, you can pass emissions with catted hi flow pipes

[EALm4]

ER down pipes here and also run an AA mid. Smell is strong but I dont mind it. I ran the downpipes for 2k miles before I got my JB4 and they were my first mod. Noticed an immediate difference from stock and I never had the CEL come on. Slapped on the JB4 and the rest is history. Have no mechanical or service issues at all.

[Lee808]

Originally Posted by DarksideM4

I've been running ER DPs for 30k miles with no issues, really no difference no matter what brand marketing will tell you.

Originally Posted by kerm1t

Yup no mechanical problems. Something to be aware of is that sometimes the DP can touch the subframe. So you might hear it rattle once in a blue moon. I've heard it once while stopped at a uphill, after a hard run.

Originally Posted by EALm4

ER down pipes here and also run an AA mid. Smell is strong but I dont mind it. I ran the downpipes for 2k miles before I got my JB4 and they were my first mod. Noticed an immediate difference from stock and I never had the CEL come on. Slapped on the JB4 and the rest is history. Have no mechanical or service issues at all.

This is the type of information I was looking for -- long term performance and mechanical quirks. Thanks for your inputs!

[M4RAUDR]

Originally Posted by Lee808

@M4RAUDR. So if you had to do it again, would you go full catless? Are the performance gains worth it? Any mechanical issues?

I would do it again, no doubt. I really can't tell you what to expect just from DP's. There are some gains for sure. But I did it in combination with some other things like the HEX Stage II... So, all together, I would definitely do it all again - no doubt about that.

I have not had any mechanical issues, other than a couple codes that popped up recently. I'm at about 22K mi. I installed everything right away - under 1K miles. The HEX tune clears the CEL, but about 400 miles ago, I started getting a CEL with P0036 and P0056 codes, which are the oxygen sensors. Dealer sees nothing wrong with the sensors, so not sure what is causing the codes. Everything running perfectly.





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[Samfosh0]

I have had my Downpipes, for 41k miles, my car is fully catless though, so once in awhile I get the check engine light come and go, but not as frequently.

[mike@x-ph.com]

I have not had one single Evolution Racewerks downpipe leak or crack .. This includes all chassis not just M3 / M4.

[88silverbullet]

Originally Posted by M4RAUDR

I would do it again, no doubt. I really can't tell you what to expect just from DP's. There are some gains for sure. But I did it in combination with some other things like the HEX Stage II... So, all together, I would definitely do it all again - no doubt about that.

I have not had any mechanical issues, other than a couple codes that popped up recently. I'm at about 22K mi. I installed everything right away - under 1K miles. The HEX tune clears the CEL, but about 400 miles ago, I started getting a CEL with P0036 and P0056 codes, which are the oxygen sensors. Dealer sees nothing wrong with the sensors, so not sure what is causing the codes. Everything running perfectly.





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Damn! Everything installed under 1k miles. You pretty much said fuck the break in lol

[Lee808]

Originally Posted by mike@x-ph.com

I have not had one single Evolution Racewerks downpipe leak or crack .. This includes all chassis not just M3 / M4.

That sounds good Mike. Thanks for the info.

[GOLFFRR]

Ive had DPs on all 3 of my M4s. No issues, no smell, mostly smiles (upper RPMs its cringe IMO, just being honest) I have ER no complaints
no tune just running the valve controller.