[Nado]

Originally Posted by Drift Master

R44 for 1300$ is the cheapest option for a 300 cell catted DP with no CEL. When you sell your car you can remove and install factory DP And get half your money back.

I am Planning to see how I like my car exhaust when I get it in few weeks. But I am planning a staged approach

Exhaust m/performance upgrade one.
1300$ R44 Catted DP with JB4 1000$ and high Flow intake for burger motor sport 200$.
You should get + 100-150 HP/Tq from that. Amazing value for 2500$. Legit 10 second car

Exhaust upgrade two :
CG PRECISION VSC-2 - VARIABLE SOUND CONTROLLER 200$ ( no cutting or welding and on and off reversing with the remote) 10 min install.

Exhaust upgrade three:
Secondary resonators delete with straight pipe at local muffler shop 200-300$

Just curious, as I am new the the M3 scene....it appears that the G8x platform benefits from real gains with higher flowing downpipes. What about the mid pipe and exhaust? Any proven real gains with those two components? Or do those items mainly only give acoustic benefits?

Personally, Id rather be a little stealthy in sound and just run DPs with the rest of the exhaust system doesnt off any true real world gains.

TIA!

[Nado]

Originally Posted by Drift Master

This is my planned setup:

EVOLUTION RACEWERKS SPORTS SERIES HIGH FLOW CATTED DOWNPIPES 200 cell

CG PRECISION VSC-2 - VARIABLE SOUND CONTROLLER

I am planning to leave the mid pipe alone for now, however a cat back or a first resonator delete is a possibility based on how the sound is for me.

BMS Drop-In Performance Air Filters

JB4 Tuner

Picking up my car in few weeks in performance center. I can't wait for these parts to get on the car. It's been a long year trying to get my hand on the car. Allocations, delays and delays…

Glad to see you are using drop in air filters. Most CAI intakes that have been sold in the last 20 years dont offer real world performance gains. I know there are dyno tests showing some 12whp peak gains. However, every one is done with the hood open. Close the hood, heat up the engine, and you will see a different result (for most vehicles, not saying this is true on the M3).

[Nado]

Originally Posted by IDKBRO

Based on R44's YouTube video from awhile back , they found no realized gains from a full catback exhaust on their dyno.
The ECU apparently adjusts itself almost immediately and they are more advanced than ever.

Gotcha. So until the ECU can be fully unlocked, we can save ourselves a few thousand dollars unless you want to change the tone of your vehicle.

Im good with that. downpipe and tune it is (well piggyback tune anyway).

[Drift Master]

Originally Posted by Nado

Gotcha. So until the ECU can be fully unlocked, we can save ourselves a few thousand dollars unless you want to change the tone of your vehicle.

Im good with that. downpipe and tune it is (well piggyback tune anyway).

DP I'll give you both sound and performance gain, it quick mod as well is to just tie the valves open at all time If you want more sound There are valve controllers modules out there that will give you the ability to control the volume as well. If your doing a DP, cattless or high Flow 200-300 cell. Don't touch the mid pipe or the cat back exhaust unless you want a very aggressive exhaust.

[BadBoostedBMWM3]

Originally Posted by AhsanU

Ah, yes I see now - as Mike says, it's just a catless downpipe with o2 spacer. You can spend $100 on spacers and $500 on catless downpipes from MAD and save a boatload of money. I personally haven't had a CEL yet from running catless downpipes + a specific set of spacers, but ymmv.

While I'm happy to share my car and the way it sounds, it isn't representative of what you will get as VT have changed their midpipe to accommodate Competition models since there's a bit less space to work with vs. the 6MT. I have 1 of 3 or so midpipes by VT that actually sounds the way it does:

The problem here is you're looking for a definitive answer when there isn't. Unfortunately, even with 200 or 300 cell catted downpipes, you run the risk of getting a CEL. R44 has many downpipes out there that haven't thrown a CEL yet, but there are reports of many users with the same number of cells inside their downpipes that have gotten a CEL. The only way to guarantee that you won't get a CEL is through AA's GESI catted downpipes. They carry a 100% guarantee, and the odds of you getting a CEL with those downpipes are 0%. However, the odds of you getting a CEL using my setup (completely catless with an o2 spacers/simulators) are probably 10~20% or so; 200 cell would probably be around 10%, and so forth. It's impossible to say with certainty you will or will not get a CEL from 100-300 cell catted downpipes, but we can say with certainty that you will not get a CEL with AA's GESI downpipe.

None of us can really say what's best for you as only you know what you'd like with your setup. Are you looking for more power only? Are you looking to fool the emissions testing equipment mandated by big brother? Are you looking to just add sound but don't want to deal with headaches of CEL?

Hope that clears it up a bit.

Which spacer?

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by Drift Master

DP I'll give you both sound and performance gain, it quick mod as well is to just tie the valves open at all time If you want more sound There are valve controllers modules out there that will give you the ability to control the volume as well. If your doing a DP, cattless or high Flow 200-300 cell. Don't touch the mid pipe or the cat back exhaust unless you want a very aggressive exhaust.

I did downpipes on my car, then midpipe removed the downpipe, and put an axle back.

While the downpipes truly upgrade the sound, it's not on the same level as a catback system. The sound is not just increased; it's entirely transformed with more volume added to the mid-range.


If the goal is upgrading the car's sound, axle back and midpipe should always be the first step. The downpipes must be considered if performance is a concern and/or if you want an even more aggressive sound.

[Game Changer]

Originally Posted by AKSteve

This is my plan. I've already got the intake & JB4 here and I'm trying to decided whether to install them or just wait for the catted DP and do it all at once.

Crazy to think that I sold a 991 turbo cab last year and that the M4 Comp. Convertible that I just bought will soon be quicker, even though it is bigger, heavier and significantly more comfortable to ride in. These new M4's with xDrive are a home run as far as performance goes.

Sold my 991 TTS and purchased the M3. I'm impressed!!

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by Game Changer

Sold my 991 TTS and purchased the M3. I'm impressed!!

[Nicklv_m3]

I ordered myself and they get delivered tomorrow a set of ApexBuilt GESI Catted Downpipes. (ECS Tuning had a sale for $400 off)

They have 300 Cell GESI Cats, EPA approved and guaranteed no CEL’s.
I didn’t want lesser quality or cheaper catted DP’s with no-name cats that inevitably blow out fast or heat gets to them quickly.
These are rated for up to 850 HP and 1700 degrees with the high quality metals GESI uses.
Also didn’t want bad smell or catless as I dealt with that in past cars and I’m over all of that 100%.

My car already has a Full AA Catback w/ their non-res midpipe+ER Crossover pipe so the car is already sounding loud and amazing. So with these DP’s - sure the level of things is going to go up 😎 (Plus Armaspeed intakes)
Plus when flash tunes become available more readily, I’ll be ready for a Stage 2 tune to take full advantage.

[Fugazii]

Originally Posted by Asmooth0101

Any recommendations on high flow catted downpipes that won't throw a check engine light?

MAD has the best prices they also sub out to R44 x2 price no CEL.

[Asmooth0101]

Originally Posted by Fugazii

MAD has the best prices they also sub out to R44 x2 price no CEL.

How do you know they sub out to r44?

[Info@mad-us.com]

Originally Posted by Fugazii

MAD has the best prices they also sub out to R44 x2 price no CEL.

We do not sub out to r44 but we do have the best pricing

[Fugazii]

Originally Posted by Info@mad-us.com

We do not sub out to r44 but we do have the best pricing

I believe so the specs are exact! They R44 didn't put their logo nothing. The welds are are identical. I don't know why this is area 51?

[AKSteve]

Originally Posted by Fugazii

They R44 didn't put their logo nothing. The welds are are identical. I don't know why this is area 51?

It is all a bit of a mystery. My catted downpipes didn't say R44 on them anywhere. In fact, there wasn't even an invoice or packing list or anything else that said R44. Mine also had heat shielding all over the pipes, which I wasn't expecting based on advertising photos. Getting them installed next week and hoping for the best.

[Asmooth0101]

Originally Posted by AKSteve

It is all a bit of a mystery. My catted downpipes didn't say R44 on them anywhere. In fact, there wasn't even an invoice or packing list or anything else that said R44. Mine also had heat shielding all over the pipes, which I wasn't expecting based on advertising photos. Getting them installed next week and hoping for the best.

Let us know
How it goes. I received mine also
And same experience but there was a packing slip but said nothing about r44. I am still waiting to get them installed

[Kev77]

I have recently installed the redstar catted downpipe with HJS 200cel cats and heatshield. For now I have no complaints at all, sounded amazing and and almost no smell at all. HJS rated these cats for Euro 6 level so no need to worry about EPA either, the qualities are top notch. Only downside I can think of right now is that they are made in Russia lol, so most of the countries will intentionally hold them at the custom for longer time which is really annoying.

[Fugazii]

Originally Posted by AKSteve

It is all a bit of a mystery. My catted downpipes didn't say R44 on them anywhere. In fact, there wasn't even an invoice or packing list or anything else that said R44. Mine also had heat shielding all over the pipes, which I wasn't expecting based on advertising photos. Getting them installed next week and hoping for the best.

Do they look like my photo, post a pic expose R4fraud!

[AKSteve]

Originally Posted by Fugazii

Do they look like my photo, post a pic expose R4fraud!

I've posted this pic before but it was in a thread that got deleted for some unknown reason. All you can really see is the heat shielding that covers up (disguises?) the pipes.

[Nicklv_m3]

These are getting installed Wednesday.

ApexBuilt 300 Cell GESI Catted DP’s. Hand-made in house by them. Quality is really nice and top notch.
EPA approved, all that good stuff.
No CEL guarantee with GESI, plus no catless smell. (Not a fan)

Can’t wait to hear my car with these on.
Plus the extra power and TQ is always the big bonus.
When flash tuning becomes more easily available I will be ready to go straight stage 2 (BM3 is the goal) and take full advantage of everything.

Car already sounds amazing with current exhaust and intake setup - so these will take things to a new level of awesome.

Current setup:
Full AA Catback w/non-resonated midpipe
ER Crossover pipe
Armaspeed CF Intake

[Asmooth0101]

Originally Posted by Nicklv_m3

These are getting installed Wednesday.

ApexBuilt 300 Cell GESI Catted DP’s. Hand-made in house by them. Quality is really nice and top notch.
EPA approved, all that good stuff.
No CEL guarantee with GESI, plus no catless smell. (Not a fan)

Can’t wait to hear my car with these on.
Plus the extra power and TQ is always the big bonus.
When flash tuning becomes more easily available I will be ready to go straight stage 2 (BM3 is the goal) and take full advantage of everything.

Car already sounds amazing with current exhaust and intake setup - so these will take things to a new level of awesome.

Current setup:
Full AA Catback w/non-resonated midpipe
ER Crossover pipe
Armaspeed CF Intake

Know of anyway to get a discount on these? They are pricey!

[Nicklv_m3]

Originally Posted by Asmooth0101

Know of anyway to get a discount on these? They are pricey!

Look online through google. I bought mine from ECS Tuning, got them $400 off. Which is really nice. Maybe see if they or someone else has any sales going on. I think Turner sells them also but ECS had the sale.

And they’re the best overall GESI Catted DP’s price wise.

AA GESI DP’s are $3300-$3500
Fab speed HJS DP’s are $3500-$3800
Redstar gives you the option to pick between 200 Cell HJS, 300 or 400 Cell GESI but they’re $2600+ and come from Russia.
All the other lesser prices Catted DP’s are using no name cats, which could and probably will inevitably blow out and cause CEL’s.

With that said, I’d say these are the best priced and quality overall for being hand made in house and using verified 300 Cell GESI Cats.

[Echo_26]

Has anyone had any experience with the r44? Has it thrown at all any CEL or had any issues with quality?

The price is so good but if it ends up being bad thats just a waste of money.