Exhaust Advice - help me choose

Connor H

Active Member
Dec 19, 2019
1,014
498
Essex
So i've been internet window shopping like a mfer, but cant decide what will be the best setup vs value

Im going 3" DP with decat and 2.5" Cat back, all of these options are stainless. Prices are a close approx

Ive got 3 options to mix and match:

1. Milltek decat DP + Custom cat back = roughly £550

2. Turbo Revs/Unbranded DP + Custom Cat back = £420

3. Turbo Revs/Unbranded DP + Cobra Cat back = £470

totally stuck for choice and would prefer not to shell out loads, but dont want to regret cheaping out.

Cheers
Connor
 
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bigT's lcr

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I've got cobra thats one piece. 3 inch dp sports cat non res 3x6 tip. Cost 1k new. Luckily it came with car lol. Its loud but after 2 pkus years its still mint
 
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Sparkie

Angling Adict.
Sep 25, 2009
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Sorry if this sound stupid but why is number 1 a decat and then a cat back all in one exhaust?
Thought decat was no cat?
do you want a cat? Or decat?
Those prices if its new are very cheap.
Sounds promising if you don’t want to spend too much.
Have you seen the welds etc?
What grade stainless is it?
Those would be my questions.
One can buy cheap stuff and have it fall apart quite quickly, then adding dollars to the original bill.
Take it you’re fitting downpipe yourself.
Some cheaper models have been know to be a tight fit and can get vibration drone if it’s not bang on.


Badger5 Custom Map + TIP,
3”Custom exhaust, FMIC, Bosh 550’s, BC Coilovers, ARB’s +loads more.
 

Connor H

Active Member
Dec 19, 2019
1,014
498
Essex
Sorry if this sound stupid but why is number 1 a decat and then a cat back all in one exhaust?
Thought decat was no cat?
do you want a cat? Or decat?
Those prices if its new are very cheap.
Sounds promising if you don’t want to spend too much.
Have you seen the welds etc?
What grade stainless is it?
Those would be my questions.
One can buy cheap stuff and have it fall apart quite quickly, then adding dollars to the original bill.
Take it you’re fitting downpipe yourself.
Some cheaper models have been know to be a tight fit and can get vibration drone if it’s not bang on.


Badger5 Custom Map + TIP,
3”Custom exhaust, FMIC, Bosh 550’s, BC Coilovers, ARB’s +loads more.

Sorry if ive termed them wrong probably me being a novice, im getting a decat downpipe on all options. "Cat back" to describe everything beyond the downpipe, as i dunno what else to call it haha.

I would buy a complete system, but 1. They're 800+ and i dont really have the money to splash down in one hit, and 2. For some reason Milltek dont seem to sell Oval tips on their systems or cat backs anymore? And it looks like Cobra only do catbacks rather than downpipes.

Theres a custom zorst maker just a mile from me (pipecraft, mixed opinioms but tons of good reviews to make me confident enough), and they said they can do 350 for a stainless catback but suggested buying a downpipe myself (for price reasons) and they will fabricate a catback onto that. Which left me with a few ideas/options for mixing and matching.

Im leaning towards the milltek + custom catback, simply because i've heard the cheaper downpipes are missing hangars, or need extra work to fit. But just wanted to hear peoples thoughts.

Good point on what grade steel it is, actually dont know beyond that its SS
 
Last edited:

Connor H

Active Member
Dec 19, 2019
1,014
498
Essex
Also, if the downpipe is 3", shall i got for a 2.5 or 2.7" for the rest of it?

Ive read that 3" all way the through is too little backpressure for the cupra 180's
 

Sparkie

Angling Adict.
Sep 25, 2009
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Middlesex
Also, if the downpipe is 3", shall i got for a 2.5 or 2.7" for the rest of it?

Ive read that 3" all way the through is too little backpressure for the cupra 180's

On a 180 I’m no expert.
Custom fabrication is a good route.
Both my Cupra shave custom work. Not shop bought.
If you have a down pipe and decat section at 3” you’d be fine going down to 2.5 from there without choking it at all.
I’d have thought 2.75 is plenty strait through.
What kind of engine/ power mods are you doing with it?
It with be relevant.
Another bod on her will be able to give better advice.
I had a Cupra for years. Had a custom 2.5” and it was great.
Not really modded apart from induction though.


Badger5 Custom Map + TIP,
3”Custom exhaust, FMIC, Bosh 550’s, BC Coilovers, ARB’s +loads more.
 
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Connor H

Active Member
Dec 19, 2019
1,014
498
Essex
On a 180 I’m no expert.
Custom fabrication is a good route.
Both my Cupra shave custom work. Not shop bought.
If you have a down pipe and decat section at 3” you’d be fine going down to 2.5 from there without choking it at all.
I’d have thought 2.75 is plenty strait through.
What kind of engine/ power mods are you doing with it?
It with be relevant.
Another bod on her will be able to give better advice.
I had a Cupra for years. Had a custom 2.5” and it was great.
Not really modded apart from induction though.


Badger5 Custom Map + TIP,
3”Custom exhaust, FMIC, Bosh 550’s, BC Coilovers, ARB’s +loads more.


Awesome, thanks for the response. I'll definitely go the custom route 2.5" with off the shelf 3" DP.

At the moment i've got an oversized sfs TIP on the standard 70mm MAF. Ramair filter. The basics really, nothing extensive, not particularly sure what performance mods to do after the exhaust!

Once the exhaust is on i was planning a custom remap, but not sure whether at that point to go stage 1 or 2

Possibly FMIC later down the line.

Open to suggestions on things to improve the power, possibly upgrade the maf to 80mm? Beyond that im pretty lost haha
 

bigT's lcr

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Feb 27, 2016
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Awesome, thanks for the response. I'll definitely go the custom route 2.5" with off the shelf 3" DP.

At the moment i've got an oversized sfs TIP on the standard 70mm MAF. Ramair filter. The basics really, nothing extensive, not particularly sure what performance mods to do after the exhaust!

Once the exhaust is on i was planning a custom remap, but not sure whether at that point to go stage 1 or 2

Possibly FMIC later down the line.

Open to suggestions on things to improve the power, possibly upgrade the maf to 80mm? Beyond that im pretty lost haha
If u get a decent exhaust n get a fmic then go stage 2 m8
 
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Connor H

Active Member
Dec 19, 2019
1,014
498
Essex
Yup agree.
If spending the money get the full gains from it all.


Badger5 Custom Map + TIP,
3”Custom exhaust, FMIC, Bosh 550’s, BC Coilovers, ARB’s +loads more.
Wicked. Will take your advice. Wanted the remap soon after the zorst but maybe I’ll wait for the FMIC until the map!

any other mods for gains you’d recommend?
 

Sparkie

Angling Adict.
Sep 25, 2009
2,541
779
Middlesex
Wicked. Will take your advice. Wanted the remap soon after the zorst but maybe I’ll wait for the FMIC until the map!

any other mods for gains you’d recommend?

Tbh on day of map you may find other stuff you might or might not want to keep spending on.
e.g.
When mapping mine, there came a point that the fuel pump couldn’t do any more so that was either put upgraded new one in or stop at that point and be happy with the gains I had.
I chose a new pump and the mapping continued.
( custom map )
So achieved even better performance, then it’s injectors that’s are at their limit.
Be happy with what you’ve got or upgrade?
I chose upgrade and we carried on and the graphs improved by decent amounts.
So in the end it’s down to what you want from the car.
If you want it all, it’ll start to cost a fair packet.
You won’t see it back if you sell it either.
Sorry to write a book but been down the slippery path myself.


Badger5 Custom Map + TIP,
3”Custom exhaust, FMIC, Bosh 550’s, BC Coilovers, ARB’s +loads more.
 

Connor H

Active Member
Dec 19, 2019
1,014
498
Essex
Tbh on day of map you may find other stuff you might or might not want to keep spending on.
e.g.
When mapping mine, there came a point that the fuel pump couldn’t do any more so that was either put upgraded new one in or stop at that point and be happy with the gains I had.
I chose a new pump and the mapping continued.
( custom map )
So achieved even better performance, then it’s injectors that’s are at their limit.
Be happy with what you’ve got or upgrade?
I chose upgrade and we carried on and the graphs improved by decent amounts.
So in the end it’s down to what you want from the car.
If you want it all, it’ll start to cost a fair packet.
You won’t see it back if you sell it either.
Sorry to write a book but been down the slippery path myself.


Badger5 Custom Map + TIP,
3”Custom exhaust, FMIC, Bosh 550’s, BC Coilovers, ARB’s +loads more.
No I appreciate your full opinion mate, ramble away lol.

I’m not looking for anything extreme, I would like to put out around 240bhp, I think after that I’m going to have to likely start upgrading lots of other parts to cope. From what I’ve researched I should hopefully be around that mark with everything listed here, FMIC and a good map.

tbh at that point I’d rather focus on the handling and looks rather than dump serious money into power, don’t want a full blown track car!
 

Sparkie

Angling Adict.
Sep 25, 2009
2,541
779
Middlesex
If that sort of power is what you want, look at a set of secondhand brembos so you can stop it.
300 ish with carriers and lines most of the time.



Badger5 Custom Map + TIP,
3”Custom exhaust, FMIC, Bosh 550’s, BC Coilovers, ARB’s +loads more.
 

Connor H

Active Member
Dec 19, 2019
1,014
498
Essex
If that sort of power is what you want, look at a set of secondhand brembos so you can stop it.
300 ish with carriers and lines most of the time.



Badger5 Custom Map + TIP,
3”Custom exhaust, FMIC, Bosh 550’s, BC Coilovers, ARB’s +loads more.
Good shout! You know what models fits the cupras?
 

bigT's lcr

Delete. Beat. Repeat...
Feb 27, 2016
1,216
731
Leeds
Tbh on day of map you may find other stuff you might or might not want to keep spending on.
e.g.
When mapping mine, there came a point that the fuel pump couldn’t do any more so that was either put upgraded new one in or stop at that point and be happy with the gains I had.
I chose a new pump and the mapping continued.
( custom map )
So achieved even better performance, then it’s injectors that’s are at their limit.
Be happy with what you’ve got or upgrade?
I chose upgrade and we carried on and the graphs improved by decent amounts.
So in the end it’s down to what you want from the car.
If you want it all, it’ll start to cost a fair packet.
You won’t see it back if you sell it either.
Sorry to write a book but been down the slippery path myself.


Badger5 Custom Map + TIP,
3”Custom exhaust, FMIC, Bosh 550’s, BC Coilovers, ARB’s +loads more.
Same boat mate. Been stage 2 ready for over 6months but uming and ahhing over what to do or fit to get best resluts without doing rods
 

bigT's lcr

Delete. Beat. Repeat...
Feb 27, 2016
1,216
731
Leeds
Go see Bill and have it custom.
He has injectors, pumps etc there if you need/ want etc.


Badger5 Custom Map + TIP,
3”Custom exhaust, FMIC, Bosh 550’s, BC Coilovers, ARB’s +loads more.
Was going to but its a long way. Going to aet who are familiar with my engine/turbo, old friend so cheaper too.
 
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Connor H

Active Member
Dec 19, 2019
1,014
498
Essex
Gave the local custom pipe bender a visit today.

Stainless steel cat back with a 5x4 oval tip (sucks they dont do 6" but eh), and warranty for as long as ive got the system on a car.

£350

Local VAG garage said dont bother and go off the shelf because of mig vs tig welds...but at this point a warranty that long i can just take it back to the shop for free fixes. I think thats the route im gonna go tbh!
 

Nizza

Active Member
May 17, 2019
380
234
My Leon is 3" turbo back system with no cats.

It's made by miltek and it's really not that loud. It passes all 98bd drive bys on tracks.

Sent from my VOG-L29 using Tapatalk
 
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