ER N55 CP & AA FMIC via Extreme Powerhouse REVIEW

[one30five]

I don't often write reviews, mostly because of time, but also because I do not presume to think anyone gives a shit about my opinion However, my experience with extreme PH was so refreshing I thought i'd give Mike a shout out .

I was in the market for a CP and FMIC and I had a track weekend (first for my 135i) coming up. At 9:30pm I placed an order for VRSF CP & 5" FMIC with a note explaining that I needed the parts within a week, otherwise I did not want them. within 20 minutes Mike called me directly to confirm my order, check availability, etc.

After talking with him I decided to go with the ER CP and Active Autowerk FMIC. For a couple reasons. 1. Availability and ability to get the parts with enough time to install, test, and tune. 2. Mike's advice

Before anyone says "well he advised you to buy the more expensive part" I should also explain that because my original order was not available Mike offered me a discount on what was. He offered up several solutions, so he was not trying to push these 2 items particularly. Mike stayed in touch and followed through on everything he said he would do, including faster shipping. I found it refreshing to get such great service, attention, and follow through.

Ok, enough ass kissing - let's talk about the parts

*I installed the CP and ran the car for 5 days before installing FMIC

1.) Evolution RaceWerks N55 CP
Quality - There is absolutely no downside (that I can find or think of) to this charge pipe. The part is solid and made with great craftsmanship. It's lighter than I expected and it just plain looked cool. The thing I love the most about the product are the top quality couplers and t-bolt clamps that come with the kit. Everything about the CP looks and feels high quality. I highly recommend

performance - obviously I did not gain any measureable stat, such as hp, that looks good on paper. However, it did make a noticeable improvement in throttle response and the sound of the turbo seems more noticeable as well. I put about 7 hours on the track (BIR) last weekend and everything held up perfectly, as expected.

Installation - 1 being easy, 5 being hard this was a 0.5. I used to think that a coupler and good clamps would be superior to the clip at the throttle body. I was a moron for thinking that. You absolutely can't get this thing to come off the TB. And having 2 less clamps/ bolts to worry about made the installation that much easier and faster. The t-bolt clamps provided with the kit are great and the coupler is solid as well. All of these things combined made for a very easy installation that went exactly how it was supposed to

*The ER CP is everything I wanted and more. I can't think of a single reason why i'd want to ever even try another unit. That is not to say other units aren't good, but if you're on the fence about a CP you can trust me that you wont be let down by the ER"

2. Active Autowerke 5" FMIC

Overall - When the FMIC arrived I was thoroughly impressed with the unit. The black color and AA badges that are riveted to unit impressed me. Of course they don't do a thing for performance, and some may argue that its just wasted money, but look at it as a company being proud of their product and its craftsmanship. I decided to go with the AA because I liked the replacement lower CP piping and the fact that the OEM rubber boots were coming out. Having 100% aluminum piping from the cold side of the FMIC to the TB is a plus, to me. IF we change our CPs because they break easily, why leave the lower CP, which is also plastic in the car? That's my logic, anyway.

Performance - Prior to installation I ran some logs, and even drove around with the laptop open so I could look at the IATs on the JB4 interface. In 70-80 degree weather I would see 125-130 degrees after 20 -30 min of normal driving. I'd hit 140-145 after just a couple WOT pulls. After installation of the AA FMIC I watched IATs stay at 104-108 under normal driving conditions and never exceed 121 on pulls. At the track I stayed under 130 all weekend. It would take me 60 min of racing in 3rd and 4th gear at speeds up to 140 mph to reach my highest IAT of 128. I thought for sure i'd eventually experience some major heat soak. I can't say that I experienced none, as im sure I was, but it was nothing like I expected. The car kept running hard, fast lap after lap. Of course I was not operating a laptop while racing with cars on the track, so I have not technical data or logs from the track. I can say that I can do WOT pulls over and over without feeling any noticeable heat soak.

CONS - Unlike the ER CP, there are some cons. None of them are regarding performance, which is why i'd rate the AA FMIC a 4.5 out of 5.
1. the trimming required is a lot more than what my buddies had to do with their VRSF units of the same size
2. the FMIC sits relatively far back which is nice because it secures the radiator fan, but looks small from the front
3. the couplers are good, but not the best I've used or received in other kits
4. the clamps are what I call worm drive clamps. They work and they haven't broken, but I prefer a t bolt style clamp any day of the week. They are a little on the "cheap" side if you ask me.

* If you are looking for craftsmanship and a FMIC that will do what its advertised to do I highly recommend the AA FMIC. If you are concerned about the look of the car or can't do some significant trimming (for a 5") then you may want to consider another unit.

Overall I am extremely happy with both parts and the performance gains I am seeing and FEELING out on the road and the track. I'm also very satisfied with my experience ordering from Extreme Power house. No one could beat their prices, and the advice and service I had was rivaled only by SteveAZ. I've extremely pleased with Steve, so being in the same boat as him is a huge deal (in my book anyway).

[mike@x-ph.com]

Thanks a lot for the review
Im glad you are happy with our customer service and the parts you have purchased.
@one30five has mentioned it in his review but i would like to stress the fact that we suggested ER and AA was because his original order was out of stock.
If VRSF products were in stock we would have sent it to him and im sure he would have been very satisfied with it too.

[SflBimmer8484]

Thank you for the positive review. I will forward those cons to upper management.

[one30five]

Originally Posted by mike@x-ph.com

Thanks a lot for the review
Im glad you are happy with our customer service and the parts you have purchased.
@one30five has mentioned it in his review but i would like to stress the fact that we suggested ER and AA was because his original order was out of stock.
If VRSF products were in stock we would have sent it to him and im sure he would have been very satisfied with it too.

That is correct. Mike did not ask me to change my mind or tell me NOT to buy any particular product. I made it clear that I wanted something that could be shipped next day. his advice was based on filling that need.

thanks
PB

[SteveAZ]

Haha, thanks but that is an awful lot to live up to.

On a related note, I installed one of VRSF's charge pipes for somebody today...

It was a quality piece. The CP looked good, the finish was good, the single meth bung was clean and looked good (although I didn't install a nozzle) and everything I needed was included as well as some things I didn't.

Overall, I'd say it was a quality piece.

I'll second the comments on the AA FMIC.

Nice review and thanks again!