[MINIAC]

This thread is a collection reviews written by 'S' owners who have fitted an aftermarket exhaust system to their car.

More general information is available in the FAQ on available exhaust systems.

To ask a question regarding a particular review, please contact the author via a Private Message.

To submit a review first post your review in the TEST forum, and then request it be merged with this thread by sending me a Private Message with the link to your review included.

[Garfield]

It's loud, but to me still reminds me of any heavily modified British car.

It's easy to install if you have a welder but shouldn't be a problem for any shop.

Worth getting? If you want something loud, lightweight, and tuneable for the best performance, YES.

They've been around forever here, but you don't see them on the street much. They're mostly for racers looking for the best performance instead of a "look" or "sound".

Again, it saved me A LOT [33lb] of weight, gained some horsepower, AND freed up the center for a hitch for my tire trailer.


NOTE: This is an edited copy of the original post:

http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthrea...400#post126400


Supertrapp

This system [muffler] utilizes disc technology which allows lowering the engine's powerband for more torque or raising the powerband for more horsepower. The muffler is welded to a center pipe routed for either side or center exit.

Weight: 4lb

Sound: [1] Idle & Rev [2] Drive Away [3] Drive By [4] Inside

Images:

[RandyBMC]

My name is Randy Webb, and I own and operate MINI-Motorsport in Denver, CO USA. What I have been doing over the past few months is gathering and testing the different systems out there: exhausts, intakes, wires, etc. to determine the best fit for a particular customer's needs. Since I supply just about all the stuff out there, and willing to test and supply anything I don't have, I think I can offer a pretty unbiased view on what's available.

Here are my thoughts:

First, all of the systems have their strong points. Which one is right for you depends on your personal requirements out of your MINI.

Magnaflow:

A great sound, the throatiest and most aggressive of the group, but a little louder than the others. Very well designed fit and finish with the best of the bunch for mounting.


Quicksilver:

Very nice, British sound that is not as aggressive as the Magnaflow. Nicely finished tip design, and great weight savings.


Borla:

Very similar in sound to the Quicksilver, maybe a tad more quiet. Lots of pieces (5) to work with, so the fit is a little trickier than the other systems. Very subtle, nice looking tips. Nicely finished.


There's my evaluation. Feel free to e-mail me with any questions on my observations.

Randy
randy@mini-motorsport.com


NOTE: This is an edited copy of the original post:

http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthrea...776#post262776

[Albert]

I recently installed the Magnaflow exhaust on my MCS.

First of all, my opinion on sound is just that... an opinion. The topic of sound is very subjective to personal taste.

The system isn't too loud or boomy. Highway cruising does not yield any drone.

It's noticeable that there's an aftermarket exhaust there, but not obnoxious. I think Magnaflow did a good job in tuning this system to create a good balance between volume and minimizing drone.

One thing that suprised me is that it sounds louder outside the car than inside. I got several chances to hear the car as my wife drove (with me following behind in another car). The system really comes to life when she gets on the pedal, but coasting or keeping the speed constant, the sound is not loud.

Power-wise, I can definitely feel an overall improvement across most of the RPM band, with a definite improvement in throttle response.

$$$ for HP and sound, I would definitely do this mod again. Bottom line is that this exhaust, for me, has made driving the MCS that much more fun.


NOTE: This is an edited copy of the original post:

http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthrea...810#post272810

[obehave]

First impressions

The MagnaFlow system arrived in one big box. Slightly worse for wear. Unit was packed pretty well so no damage done. Whew!

Installation Instructions were pretty basic and the parts break down diagram showed the system as a 2 piece product. Nope it came as 3 pieces. Resonator, connector pipe and rear assembly ( the big chunk ).

Mufflers, resonator and tips are highly polished. Welds and tubing are good quality. One nit to pick here. The rolled tips trap little puddles of water and they are BIG. OK that’s 2 nits.

Back to those instructions. Pretty darned worthless. Luckily it’s not terribly necessary.


My handy installation tips

Others here have done a nice job on pictorial installations so I’m just going to throw out a few things I didn’t see written by others.

1. Dry fit everything first.
   
2. You need wire or string or something to support the front of the OEM pipe when you disconnect it from the cat. 14mm box wrench and 14mm socket with driver. Spend the bucks if needed and use 6 sided tools. A little penetrating oil first doesn’t hurt.
   
3. Mid tunnel brace is held on by 6 - 10mm bolts. OEM pipe is supported by 2 rubber isolators held on to the brace by 2 more 10mm bolts. I took these out to make it easier to get the pipe hangers out of the isolators. You’ll see what I mean.
   
4. Here’s where I had a hard time but follow along and you’ll be better off.
   
   There are 4 10 mm bolts that clamp the mufflers to the top hanger. Loosen them. Make sure you the rear muffler assembly is supported, it’s heavy. Take the 4 bolts the rest of the way out and drop the rear section and walk the whole pile out from under the car.
5. Lube the buttons on the muffler hanger nubs and pull them through the isolators. I started them through with Channel Locks.
   
   BIG NOTE: Take the 2 outboard hangers off the car. This will save you a lot of aggravation later.
   
6. NEXT BIG TIP. Hang the rear section first. Lube up the hole in the isolator you’re going to put back over the OEM nub. I didn’t, it sucked.
   
7. I put the isolators on the body hangers first. The other way may work, I don’t know. It’s a very close fit so lining up the muffler rods to the isolator is probably the toughest part of the whole process. Once you get that done you’re home free. Put the isolators on the removed body hangers, slip the over the muffler rod and bolt to the body.
   
8. Slip on connector pipe, slide on the resonator and then loosely bolt the resonator to the cat flange. DO NOT forget the copper gasket. Put the isolators from the tunnel brace on the rods that are on the resonator. Mount them to the tunnel brace and start a few bolts to hold the brace in place. Eyeball your plumbing to make sure it straight and true.
   
9. Button everything up and you’re done.
   
10. Go drive. Oh yea, it’ll stink for a few days until all the build residues burn off.

Driving impressions

1. You feel the reduced weight of the system. This surprised me. It seems to change the balance of the car. Not only is the whole system lighter but a good 10 lbs of the system weight is the resonator and that’s up front just behind the front wheels. I’m not a driver or autoX guy so if I feel the difference, it must be significant.
   
2. A definite improvement in performance. Across the rev band. Even off idle is improved. I don’t really care what the dyno results may end up being for this system. It’s quicker and pulls harder as far as I care to take it. About 6k if you’re curious.
   
3. Sound quality is very nice. No doubt you know it’s there. Nice rumble at idle. Very throaty, nice tone. Doesn’t get harsh at high RPMs. Personally I’ll be putting in some dampening materials. Mainly because my daughter rides in the back frequently. The boot floor and probably the rear hatch door will get some treatment.
   
4. BONUS POINTS! 5 days in and it’s true, the surging/yoyo is gone.

[greatgro]

First the fit. I had this exhaust installed by a local shop where we've taken all of our non-MINI cars for the past few years. They are good guys and do a good job for reasonable rates. I would have had it installed at Helix in Philly but I wanted to keep my stock exhaust and this shop is around the block. I'll have Helix check it out and make sure everything is good and there are no leaks next time I go there.

Apparently, the welds on my UUC at least were not perfect. One of the welds was off a bit and it therefore didn't fit perfectly straight. This made part of the center tubing come in contact with the car. So the mechanic had to cut a peice of the hanger off. It then fit but it was still very close. He let me know that the exhaust may start to rattle from underneath.

The first rattle I had came from the right rear of the MINI. It was a higher RPM rattle. i took it back to the shop a day and a half later and it was cured. It turned out the rear right hanger was loose. Within a day or two the exhaust would rattle a bit at high RPMs and occasionally at idle when cold in the center like my mechanic warned me might happen. Over the next week, the rattle got bad - so bad that I started shifting at 4-4.5k, like it was still in the break-in period, b/c the rattle was so bad at higher RPMs. Finally it was rattling all of the time and I took it in again. A bigger chunk of the center hangar near the cat was taken out. It now seems perfect - there are no rattles whatsoever. Let's hope it stays that way.

This is my third performance mod. I installed the Madness intake at 10k miles. Then Helix installed their 15% pulley at 11k miles. I now have 28k miles.

I originally was going to stick with the stock exhaust. But i changed my mind. Here's what did it. At first I wanted a stealth MCS. I figured intake, pulley and ECU. No one would know the difference from the outside. But I got bored with that idea after a while. I also got bored with my MINI being pretty powerful yet fairly quiet. Also with more and more MINIs on the road and at MINI MEETS, I wanted my MINI to be more unique. So I thought an exhaust would be a good mod that would change the appearance AND sound. Finally, the more I read about engines and performance mods, etc..., the more I became convinced that with the mods I have added to increase air flow into the engine, increasing the air flow out would not only be a good thing for performance but possibly for longevity as well. So I bought the bullet and ordered the UUC. I justified the cost as follows. It improves THREE areas instead of one or two. It changes and improves the looks, power and sound. Also since it is one of the more expensive exhausts, it certainly won't be the most common.

Finally the UUC exhaust performance evaluation!

Sound
First let me state that it is loud. Not excessively loud, not obnoxiously loud, but it certainly is a loud exhaust. This is no Borla! If you're looking for a quiet or slightly louder than stock exhaust, let me tell you, this is not for you. The first few days with the UUC it is VERY LOUD. But it does quiet down quite a bit after about 4 to 5 days or several hundred miles.

Now being loud isn't necessarily a bad thing. And this is coming from someone who didn't want a loud exhaust. I was looking for something louder than the Borla b/c I want to hear my investment and I wanted as much power as possible. I also wanted it to look good. And I didn't want it to drone. So basically I crossed off the Borla Street due to a lack of power. I also crossed off the Borla Race for noise and the Magnaflow for noise and looks (don't like those trumpets). I also crossed off the NRP for lack of tips and possible lack of power. I also crossed off the quicksilver due to a number of reports that it is still a restrictive exhaust and probably isn't ideal on a MINI with a pulley.

Outside the car I've only heard it at idle. It sounds great! It's very deep and throaty. It sounds like a car to be taken seriously and no longer sounds like a small four cylinder. I think it gives the MCS respect - and a lot of it.

Revving the car sounds amazing. I absolutely love it. It really is great. In fact, I may go out after writing this and just rev it and/or take it for a spin. Today is my first full day with no rattles.

The exhaust is loud from the mid 2000's to about 3800 RPMs. From 3800 to 4000 RPMs it gets quiet rapidly. At 4000 RPMs it is suddenly very quiet. Not much louder than stock. Then at 5000 RPMs it comes alive again. This time, however, with a vengeance. It screams (in a very, very good way) all the way to redline. Accelerating is quite a thrill. Up to 4k RPMs you hear nothing but the exhaust. At 4k RPMs, the exhaust is suddenly quiet and your attention goes up front to the higher revving supercharger which is now very audible. Then magically at 5k RPMs the exhaust comes alive again yet the supercharger is still screaming louder than ever. So as you approach redline you hear a wonderful symphony of the screaming supercharger in front and the roaring UUC in back. It's out of this world!

Drone or no drone
is there a drone? Well, yes there is. Is it bad? No, not IMO. Like I mentioned, the exhaust is pretty loud from 2.5-4k RPMs. It's not like the Magnaflow which in my opinion sounds great at idle but is too loud at most RPMs and speeds. Unlike the Magnaflow, the UUC is only loud at medium to heavy throttle. So when you get on it, it's loud, but it should be. The problem is when you're just cruising. Now cruising on the highway in 6th gear is not a whole lot louder than stock. There isn't really a drone under light throttle. So maintaining your speed on the highway on a straightaway is pretty quiet. Going down a hill is really quiet. The only problem is when you go up a hill in the 2.5-4k RPM range. Then the exhaust is louder and there is a definite resonance in the cabin. This also happens if you're cruising on the highway in 6th gear and want to pass someone. One of the great things about the pulley is it gives you good passing power in 5th and 6th gear so you don't have to downshift. But now with the UUC exhaust, if you go up a steep hill or try to pass without downshifting the exhaust is pretty loud.

That however is really the only negative with regards to the sound. If I could make the exhaust perfect, I would quiet it a bit in the 2.5-4k RPM range. Everything else is perfect.

Is there a noticeable increase in power?
Definitely. Where? That I'm not sure about. It seems to feel different in every gear and every RPM versus the stock exhaust. So I'm still not positive where the power gains are and where some of the losses may be (if there are any). Here's what I've noticed.

The first few days it seems about the same as stock at higher RPMs and slower and sluggish at lower RPMs. I think this is the same with most exhausts. Don't expect an immediate power increase. Also I noticed a big drop in fuel economy the first few days. Apparently the ECU really has to adjust and it takes a hundred or a couple hundred of miles to do so. After a few days, in general, the lower RPMs feel like stock while the mid RPMs feel faster and the higher RPMs rock! Here's a breakdown of what I have noticed:

First Gear
First gear from a dead stop seems more responsive. Around 3.5k RPMs to redline my MINI definitely feels faster.

Second Gear and Third Gear
2nd and third gear seem to be faster from about 4.5k RPMs on up. As you approach redline you can feel there's just more and more horsepower and it keeps pulling harder and harder.

Fourth Gear
4th gear doesn't seem faster until about 5k RPMs or so. Then 5k to redline comes awfully fast considering the speeds you're moving at.

Fifth and Sixth Gear
I have not given the UUC a good run at high RPMs in 5th or 6th gear. But I will say that it is possible that low RPMs in 5th and 6th gear have lost a bit of power. Not much but there may be a slight loss. It also may just seem slower b/c there is a bit of a drone with heavy throttle at low RPMs in these gears. To me a drone feels like slow or no acceleration.


Worth the $$$?
That's for you to decide, not me. If you don't mind loud, is it really worth $200-275 more than the magnaflow? For me b/c of the looks, better sound, possibly more torque and less drone, you bet it is. Now if you like the Magnaflow, you're probably better off saving some dough and getting that. Now if the Alta, Milltek or NRP don't drone and are only mildly to moderately louder than stock while still making good power for less, they may be better choices for some.

Overall
I'm very happy with my UUC. I have no regrets. I've researched and followed every thread on exhaust for 18 months now. I didn't want a loud exhaust. But the UUC is definitely somewhat loud. But I like it. I really do. It gives the MINI such character. It no longer sounds electric or mini, er, small. It sounds like a serious, all business powerful sports car. And that's what my MCS means to me.

If you like the Magnaflow you should probably get it. It's a lot cheaper and the power is very similar with the Magnaflow a few up on HP and the UUC a few up on torque according to Randy Webb's testing. And if you want a quiet exhaust that won't drone any more than stock and doesn't attract attention, the UUC is not for you.

But if the magnaflow is too loud (or ugly) yet you want a power, sound and appearance upgrade this may be the exhaust for you. Maybe wait for more evals and opinions on the Alta, Milltek, and NRP. I talked to a number of people who purchased the NRP when it first came out and most didn't notice much of a power increase. I'd say if you don't really notice it, it's just not there. So for me, I think the only options were really the UUC, milltek and alta. I had read about the UUC in great anticipation for quite some time so when it was finally available, I went for it. And I love it.

Thanks for reading!


NOTE: This is an edited copy of the original post:

http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthread.php?p=577461

[MINIAC]

Oct 15, 2003: UUC Exhaust

Oct 15, 2003: Exhausting Exhausts (Summary of systems tested)

Oct 31, 2003: Alta Exhaust

Dec 3, 2003: Milltek Exhaust (3 piece system)


Randy Webb