was thinking about getting the jcw exhaust for my s because i much prefer the tailpipes, but was wondering how much noisier it is than the standard exhaust? don't really want an exhaust that's very boomy and annoying...
thanks raify. anyone else got anything (good or bad) to say about the jcw exhaust? would appreciate as much info as possible before i decide to buy for definite...
thank you!
Try a Play Mini system, hardly noticeable while cruising @ 70-90 but great on start-up and when you open it up, lots of pops and bangs on the overrun. hard to describe the sound but it's as you would expect a performance mini to sound. Good quality stainless steel and at less than £400 a lot cheaper than the JCW.
Before you ask I have no affiliation to Play Mini, just a very satisfied customer.
i've got the 3rd silencer removed on mine n it still aint that noisy. even when u put ur foot down it's more of a raspy noise than just loud like somethin u'd see or hear on ur average nova etc.
not noticable when on the motorway etc when u dont really want it either.
Yeah, these are all positive comments, so I am being swayed... DJG the reason I am going to go with the JCW one is the whole warranty issue . I actually like what ive read about the milltek one, and it's a fair bit cheaper than the jcw one too (actually, just about EVERYTHING is cheaper than the jcw but thats the price of an unvoided warranty i guess...) i like the idea of the jcw being raspy. raspy is good! had the priviledge of standing outside when my mum (who doesnt even drive that hard, typical mum!) was accelerating away in my s (one of the few tiomes she's been near the driver's seat!), and i enjoyed the faint raspiness of the standard exhaust, so to accentuate that a bit would be good. im just wary of aftermarket exhausts because of a powerflow one i put on my vti civic- it lasted about 2 days because it was just noise. horrible. i do know though that jcw is going to be slightly (!) more refined than powerflow...
very true, i appreciate that, but i opened this thread because i wanted to guage a general opinion on the jcw exhaust, and i like what ive heard so far. as you can see from the above replies, nobody has said they find it loud, boomy or annoying, and thats really what i wanted to hear. i basically want to be able to hear the exhaust from outside , but not enough to wake the neighbours when im coming home in the middle of the night, but not have it annoying me when im driving. don't ask for much...
My 02 MCS has a much better interior sound than my 04 MCS JCW. The exhaust of the 02 has a beefier sound in lower gears and has a slight drone (not uncomfortable at all) when cruising.
When cruising in the 04 JCW the exhaust is inaudible and even in lower gears is not exciting at all. Deeply disappointed.
The 02 burbles and pops in all gears, yet the 04 JCW has only minor burbles that are harder to induce. And I fang this car around and I want to hear burbles and pops.
just thought of another question...are the back boxes of the jcw visible below the aerokit? i know you cant really see the standard ones, but was just wondering if the jcw ones are bigger?
In terms of warranty, fitting an after-market exhaust will not void your warranty. It can only void your warranty on the component you have replaced i.e. the exhaust from the cat back.
BMW cannot void the warranty on any other part unless they can prove that the part has failed because of the non-BMW part you have fitted. If your injection system or gearbox went the burden of proof is on them and would never be contested. The time to worry is if you have replaced things like the pulley and significantly increased power, if the supercharger were to fail there is a fair chance this mod could have caused it.
My dealer had no qualms about carrying out warranty work and honouring the TLC on my car.
If you think about it an exhaust is a consumable item and therefore will be replaced at some point, possibly still in the cars warranty period, similar In a way to tyres. Voiding the warranty for an exhaust change would be akin to voiding it for changing any other consumable item. The JCW exhaust may be fantastic but don't limit your choice through fear of voiding your warranty, speak to your dealer first, also try a search on here as there is a letter somewhere from BMW saying as much about voiding warranties.
The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.
.........sounds nice when you get over 3500 rpm in particular............
MCS Works, Eibachs, EBC Greenstuff Discs and Pads, Whalen Shift Machine, Toyo Proxes T1-R's 
. I actually like what ive read about the milltek one, and it's a fair bit cheaper than the jcw one too (actually, just about EVERYTHING is cheaper than the jcw but thats the price of an unvoided warranty i guess...) i like the idea of the jcw being raspy. raspy is good! had the priviledge of standing outside when my mum (who doesnt even drive that hard, typical mum!) was accelerating away in my s (one of the few tiomes she's been near the driver's seat!), and i enjoyed the faint raspiness of the standard exhaust, so to accentuate that a bit would be good. im just wary of aftermarket exhausts because of a powerflow one i put on my vti civic- it lasted about 2 days because it was just noise. horrible. i do know though that jcw is going to be slightly (!) more refined than powerflow... 
