BMW PERFORMANCE EXHAUST REVIEW (PICTURES & VIDEO)

Twinz

Forum - Support
Staff member
Since the 335 community has been growing on the fanatics forum i have decided to share some of the mod reviews on my car. Hope you find it useful.

The 335/135/535 community is spoilt for choice when it comes to exhaust modifications. :excited:

Sport or racing, cat-back, axle-back, single and quad mufflers, downpipes, mid pipes, straight pipes, catless or catted, complete exhaust systems, larger exit tips, stainless steel or black polished, to the rare titanium tipped ones.
Modifying the exhaust is probably the most important power mod to consider before anything else. During 2007, I saw a 335 coupe in Austria with an Eisenmann race exhaust and could never get the amazing raw and guttural sound out of my head and soul. It was “love of sound @ first sight" before performance but of course if one could get both even better! :clap:

A couple of months ago, I shopped around for the Eisenmann and was able to get a good price but eventually decided on the BMW performance exhaust, because even though I preferred the Eisenmann race version (it suited my personality) I was not sure if the family would be able to live with the loud, daring sound in the long term.
It took awhile to see and hear decent YouTube videos of the BMW performance exhaust. In fact, YouTube videos of the BMW performance exhaust is not convincing and does not do justice to the unique sound. I compiled a few pictures and video clips and hope it will at least give an idea of what to expect. :thinker:

Neither does the BMW international website have decent descriptions/pictures or reviews of their performance products especially of its performance exhausts and I think this is unfortunate for a company that supposedly spends so much on marketing its cars. The thumbnail picture and brief description of the BMW performance exhaust (on the BMW website) compared to the marketing of Eisenmann and other brands leave much to be desired.

On first sight the performance exhaust looks completely stock and does not “look” the heavy price tag. The mufflers and X pipes are not the good looking crafted polished types either such as Hamann, Active Autowerke, Remus or even RissRacing. Except for the corrosion resistant chrome-plated stainless steel tail tips everything else looks stock. The chrome tips are far more attractive compared to stock though, but are also the same size in diameter as the stock tips (80mm exactly; the stock outlet tips are just thicker). I would have preferred larger and more aggressive tail tips (101mm) to fill the diffuser openings more completely. For the adventurous: since the performance tips are the same as stock one could consider the aftermarket tips with 90mm and 101mm diameter – this could be interesting? Revo has a local contact on the larger tips.

The performance exhaust comes with two silencers or mufflers (separated) and two mid pipes running from the second cats connected by an X pipe which replaces the stock resonator. The pipes are bolted together with 10 clamps (instead of flanges) which alone will set you back over $600 (R4,000).
The performance exhaust improves air and gas flow and reduces backpressure. BMW claims a weight saving compared to stock and when I held (tried) the two exhausts in my hands (one after the other) I could certainly feel the significant weight difference in favour of the performance exhaust.
The installation was done by my local BMW dealer and took about 2 hours. The stock exhaust had to be cut (after the second cat) to attach the new exhaust (see picture inserts) but is essentially a perfect fit. :thumbsup:

The sound has been described as deep, moving and spine-tingling, with an aggressive engine note! Which is all true! But it is the beautiful sounds and tone through the rev range that excites; growling and roaring at low revs with howling crescendos at higher revs. There is zero drone in the cabin, just the pleasing sounds of the exhaust. At cruising speeds the exhaust sound is almost completely stock but wakes up with the slightest touch of the throttle.
Those with manual transmission will have fun tapping the throttle/revving at every occasion. The car is loud from the outside and can be heard from a long distance but is not annoying, just enough to draw attention. With an aftermarket DP the sound will certainly be much louder. The JB3 tune detects the performance exhaust and the sound is louder (in cabin and outside) and simply amazing!
The car pulls stronger, which is very noticeable in DC mode with the rev needle zipping easily to 5000rpms. I have been driving it for two months and the exhaust has settled and opened up nicely.
This BMW performance exhaust system will NOT disappoint! :thumbsup:

I am pleased with the performance of the exhaust but cannot really reconcile the BMW steep price compared with other quality performance exhausts on the market. And most other aftermarket performance exhausts are also complete units without the need for expensive clamps in between the mufflers and between the mufflers and the mid pipes.
I guess the BMW product warranty as well as its two year installation guarantee justifies the total cost.
Hmmm.....Okay, there are those moments when I am at a traffic light and a boy racer next to me revs up his tinny exhaust... that I wish (just briefly) I had the Eisenmann race sound to scare the hell out of him...

After two months of driving one of the exhaust clamps started leaking (see video) and i am concerned that this could be an occuring issue if the car is driven hard regularly. Will have to wait and see.
So enjoy the pics and video....

bmw20perform2011.jpg
bmw20perform2021.jpg
bmw20perform2031.jpg

bmw20perform2041.jpg
bmw20original20performance20exhaust.jpg

The above makes up the full BMW Performance Exhaust System:

Bmw20perform2091.jpg

bmw20perform20101.jpg

bmw20perform20111.jpg

bmw20perform20121.jpg

bmw20perform20131.jpg

bmw20perform20141.jpg

BMW20perform20151.jpg

bmw20perf2081.jpg


Below is the stock/old exhaust:
BMW20stock20exhaust2061.jpg


Here are the videos:



 

kabal

Active member
oh my, that does sound amazing. if my car can sound like that, I will be a happy fella :drool:

please post some clips under load
 

Twinz

Forum - Support
Staff member
heeehee...give it time...we will have a couple more reviews over the next few weeks.

revo said:
the sound of this system really got better over time

:thumbsup:

Revo is right, we were not initially impressed with the sound (wanted it louder) but as i put on the miles the sound came through as expected. It was quite funny...Revo had to drive the car around canal walk, while i listened from a distance if i could hear the exhaust noise...heee
The important bit is their is no in cabin droning which was what i definitely did not want. My previous exhaust set up was a complete catless performance system and that 335 was damn noisy inside and out. The BMW system is civilised...:thumb:
 

SLOW BMW

New member
was there any significant powere increase with the system. if i look at the 335 sites, they all say there is an increase but make no hp claims..did you see a difference on the dyno? I know you checked...I would have driven straight to one.
 

Tigger

///Member
645Nm, you know I really still want to have a look at that beaut of yours...:)

Cant we make a small meet happen and just have a looky look...
 

Twinz

Forum - Support
Staff member
@slowBMW...don't expect huge gains with a catback...your car will breath better, have less backpressure and sound better. Power is truly unleashed with a catback AND removing the restrictive cats...particularly the primary cats...and of course a (tune).

@Tigger...i hear you. Hopefully soon.
 

Twinz

Forum - Support
Staff member
Thx WBWM.
I am still happy with this purchase.
Here are two videos with catless DPs:
<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="
"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="
" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>
Here is a video where i had to deal with a leak in the performance exhaust after the system had time to adapt.
<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="
"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="
" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>
 
Top