Welcome to my review, sorry its a bit late, but I had finals and school is finally over for now : )! Also, sorry for video/mic quality, used my phone
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(At my front door
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Introduction:
To be honest, I never believed that I would be able to put an exhaust on my car. Being a student and the joy of having a great dad who co-signed this car with me, most of the money I make at my job(aside from full time student) goes directly to making monthly car payments, and paying for other commodities like gas,food,etc. Therefore, modding this car is difficult, as money does not come easy ☺. It took me about 4 months to save for my Injen CAI, which was $250, so saving for an exhaust would take like 100000 years
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Opportunity:
There are only two exhaust on the market made for the 128i, the BMW PE, and the Magnaflow cat-back exhaust. The Magnaflow on 128i is not well known, mainly because nobody really has it or put up clips. This is the main reason for my review.
How did this all start?
Well, over on facebook.com/magnaflow, they held a video contest, and the winner got a free exhaust of their choice. I took this as a big opportunity for me. Before, an exhaust was a dream, and now a reality! The rules were simple, using xtranormal.com, create a funny video, and the funniest video would win.
I went above and beyond and created two videos, while everyone else created one. The fact that I was the first entry as well, and created two videos compared to one made me stand out above the competition. Also, my videos were funny, which was the point xD.
Video1(NSFW-Sexual Language)
Video2(Rap)
So, a dream became real, and thanks to Magnaflow, I was able to put an exhaust on my car. I would like to thank Magnaflow a bunch. As everyone knows, they are a top notch brand that is well known for great exhausts, and they have contest regularly, so I suggest you like them on facebook : )!
(Image of Stock Exhaust)
Installation:
I got this exhaust installed by the guys at Stett Performance. They are a great bunch of guys, and did a great job installing the exhaust. They also gave me the lowest price, and they were also the most professional - couldn't have asked for anything better : )!
(My car at Stett)
This exhaust installs very easy. It is bolt-on. It comes with instructions you can see on their website. All you do is cut 7 inches from the cats, and the rest slides on : ). Very easy to do! I am just a noob
Review:
Welcome to the Review section! I know many of you have been anticipating this, so lets begin!
Information:
Magnaflow Performance Cat Back Exhaust
Part #:16525
BMW 128i Stainless Cat-back System Performance Exhaust
Description: L6 3.0L
5 x 8 x 14in. Muffler, 5 x 14in. Resonator; 2.5in. Tubing; 3.5in. Polished Stainless Tip, DUAL REAR EXIT
Other:
Material: 100% Stainless Steel
Tubing O.D. Size: 2.5in
System Type: Cat-Back
TIP O.D. Size: 3.5in.
TIP Quantity: 2
Single/Dual: Single
Exit Position: Rear Exit
Features and Benefits: Lifetime Warranty, Dyno Tested And Proven To Make Power, Performance Gains In Horsepower And Torque, Great Sound -Has A Smooth; Deep Tone, Easy To Install, Mandrel-Bent. All Welded. Built To Last.
Price: MSRP: $812 per magnaflow.com, but I have seen it for ~600 bucks from other websites, which makes it cheaper then BMW PE.
Performance Measures:
1) Weight: I can tell you there is weight savings, how much, I do not know. If anyone knows how much a stock exhaust weighs, please let me know!
I do know that I was able to lift the Magnaflow Exhaust by myself into my car, but I needed help lifting the stock exhaust back into my car.
It definitely felt heavier. My UPS tracking information says the package was 43 lbs, so with the packing material remove, I am assuming the Magnaflow exhaust weighs around 38-40 lbs.
2) Speed: While I do not have a dyno, I can tell there is an increase in performance. Surprisingly, I see it most in the low and mid range, especially with torque. The car breathes better and pulls more linearly, especially towards redline. It works amazing with the Injen CAI that I have, completely transforms car. It is a beast!! I can feel the rush more : ).
Obviously, I did not gain 50 hp or anything miraculous. However, the car definitely seems peppier and more alive.
For the top range, it feels better as well. Nothing life changing, but the drop in power in the upper range that our car has seems to be gone. It likes to push all the way to redline : )!
3) Gas Mileage: My gas mileage has improved, and I think it has to do with the low-end power gain. This car is my daily commuter. I know that this car takes a bit of gas to get it going. From 1-2.5k, this car seems somewhat slow. To drive it properly, we have to push the car to 3-4k.
Because the car feels more NIMBLE, and seems to be making greater power, shifting at 2.5k does not seem an issue anymore. No toyota corollas passing me anymore
I have been recently been making videos for you guys, and with this in mind, I am driving more aggressively, yet, my gas mileage is STILL better then before. I averaged 21.1 MPG driving before, and even with my new heavy foot testing the exhaust, it has gone up to 21.5 mpg. Therefore, if I start to drive more “normal”, I am sure I can increase it to 23 mpg.
4) Sound - Paired with my intake, the sound is just amazing. I really really like this exhaust for two main reasons.
Note: Before, my mods included Injen CAI and Golf Tee Mod
A) It only makes noise when you accelerate! Cruising at 40 or 70, I notice no noise at ALL, which is a big plus for me because this is my daily driver. I did notice a very SMALL amount of drone, but that was only when I was driving with no music on because I was making the videos. Under normal driving conditions, (i.e air conditioning and music) you won’t notice any drone.
B) Deep sound – I will let the music clips speak for themselves, but the exhaust is very deep! I love it so much! I am driving with my windows down all the time just to hear my exhaust more
5) Looks – I love how aggressive the exhaust is! It has 3.5 inch tips, and barely fits into rear bumper : ) The quality is top notch and uses all OEM hangars and parts.
Extras:
I now have to drive this car in manual mode because the exhaust is too much fun to control. When you up shift, you can feel the exhaust go deeper. I left some upshifts/downshifts in the video so you can hear what I mean.
Summary:
This exhaust is fantastic! I give it 10/10! My car not only looks more aggressive, but sounds more aggressive as well. Performance has improved, and I get better gas mileage! I am very blessed to have had the opportunity to win the exhaust, and I would like to thank Magnaflow for holding the contest, and Stett Performance for installing the exhaust.
Thanks guys for reading all of this, I did this mainly for you guys. I know many are curious as to what it is/sounds like. I enjoy it and I hope you guys do as well.
As to what is next, I would love to get an ECU tune, or rims : )! However, need money first ; ).
If you guys have any questions, please ask ahead, I will try to do my best to answer
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