Someone here is looking to bring in a container full of toys to save on the huge air freight on heavy stuff like exhausts.

So I was wondering about quality of products etc.

I need something that will last - and given that I'm 12,000 miles from the manufacturer, decent quality.

So the poll represents my options

The car is five years old, so I don't know how long the stock exhaust is likely to last. Bearing in mind they don't salt the roads here and the car only had one winter in the UK.

I would opt for the blueflame out of the 3. The newer blueflame with the oval tip looks like a good quality product and is the one I will be going for when I eventually replace mine.

I have to admit I'm leaning towards the Blueflame option.

Blueflame mate as its the cheapest option and good quality. Personally i wouldnt touch a prefab one as all the ones Ive seen hang low or stick out too far. mind they have to so it fits all cars and for ease of fitting.

but when you dont have any other options then id go the cheapest. I have seen a few things/complaints bout the customer service of blueflame?/ think it was them and if your so far away I cant see them botherin wi you if they dont bother with ppl on their doorstep lol.

I dont think the std one will break, only thing that might go is the centre bracket but thats jus a quick weld up job. In your climate mate Id of thought it would last for ever lol.

My dad had a mazda 626 for 11 years and only bdid short trips in it and the zorst lasted fine and iirc is still on the car now. mind it is in tenerife but it was used everyday.

billy

Just consider which one will be easier to fix if, and when it breaks, in the UK its easy to just drive to the supplier and get it welded up, but its a long way to drive from NZ if you have a problem with it not fitting.

I do know several on here did have problems with Blueflame, and even getting a reply from them was a task in itself.

Stick with the standard one, as I am sure you can find something else to spend the money on.

mmmmm... What a dilema.

BlueFlame

The noise was superb and it looked nice too on my vRS, The problems with the BlueFlame were the backbox baffle failed within months and a replacement was very hard to get from BlueFlame, and I believe the BlueFlame joins together using flanges which don't allow for much tweaking if the tailpipe doesn't sit straight mine was always wonky.

Miltek

Although I have a Full Turbo Back on my Tdi I still think it proves relevant to post my experience. The noise is better than the blue flame, no difference to OEM when driving normally although when progressing the exhaust note comes alive. They are fitted without flanges so make adjustment quite easy. The only fault it has is when the car has a little bit of weight in the back the exhaust rests on the ream beam causing an awfull lot of noise and banging inside the car, but then my car is lower than a standard vRS.

£ for £ the miltek came out cheaper but it was bought through the Awesome GTI deal and I didn't need to purchase a CAT.

Build quality - They seem very much alike, a bit of stainless steel tubing with some welds on them

Both give slights gains or feel to the drive

Customer service - only had to deal with BlueFlame :thumdown:

They are alot of money and I have to agree Beretta your money would be best spent elsewhere if your after performance, if you want some extra noise go for a CAT back system. If I hadn't of been told my exhaust was beyond repair (Skoda Main Dealer) I wouldn't have bought the Miltek System (it's just the weld on the centre pipe that needed welding back on)

My Vote Cat Back system for noise/looks and dont bother replacing the down pipe and cat.

If your after it for performance or wear and tear replacement stick with OEM.

thing with thate mate is the std pipe is smaller and the gasses dont escape as fast I think the cat is the main restriction on the std system and then the cat back. thats why I did mine as I wanted more power so ideally you need the turbo back system. but dont go too big as it is not really worth it.

shame there is no one over there that can fabricate one for you? cant see it being that hard to do with the correct tools.

all the best Rob

billy

thing with thate mate is the std pipe is smaller and the gasses dont escape as fast I think the cat is the main restriction on the std system and then the cat back. thats why I did mine as I wanted more power so ideally you need the turbo back system. but dont go too big as it is not really worth it.

shame there is no one over there that can fabricate one for you? cant see it being that hard to do with the correct tools.

all the best Rob

billy

When I had my vRS I had the CAT back BlueFlame fitted for a few months until I bought the Downpipe and 100cel CAT and I only bought that because the tailpipe was really slanted and according to BlueFlame they would only guarantee it sitting straight with the full system on even though it made little difference to the looks it didn't in my mind it didn't make any difference to the drive/performance either allthough I don't have dyno printouts to confirm it.

that sounds like BF jus wanted the money there mate, I noticed a diff straight away when I hade my 200 cel cat and 2.5"cat back put on, I only had a generic map on at the time but soon as it was on the sound was nicer and there was a fair bit more pull in her. then once I had the custom one on there I dont think the std system would of allowed for 220+bhp and 260+lb ft? could be wrong tho.

billy

I believe the BlueFlame joins together using flanges which don't allow for much tweaking if the tailpipe doesn't sit straight mine was always wonky.

Blueflame have done away with the flanges on the new design and it can easily be adjusted if it's not sitting straight.

I think i have a winning solution to this

PM Sent.

Kind Regards

Garry

that sounds like BF jus wanted the money there mate, I noticed a diff straight away when I hade my 200 cel cat and 2.5"cat back put on, I only had a generic map on at the time but soon as it was on the sound was nicer and there was a fair bit more pull in her. then once I had the custom one on there I dont think the std system would of allowed for 220+bhp and 260+lb ft? could be wrong tho.

billy

Mine ran a custom map prior to fitting the BlueFlame and ran 223bhp & 230ftlb so maybe the full system does make a difference once custom mapped.

Edited 14 May, 200917 yr by matt@theforce

We might have a new contender - Piper turbo back at a price a little below the Blueflame.

Rob is there no where that makes custom exhausts down there, a bit like power flow in this country?

Piper FTW

(He says in a slightly biased tone)

Garry

Rob is there no where that makes custom exhausts down there, a bit like power flow in this country?

Wot he said! /\ /\ /\

I dread to think what would happen if you bought Blueflame and something went wrong- customer service is dire! :thumbdwn: Got my system at Christmas and it was quite wonky, and couldn't be adjusted to sit straight. Took it to the local Longlife exhaust place and they cut the rear hanger off and welded on a new one- now perfect. Was hugely impressed with Longlife, and would probably go there next time, or get a Milltek.

There are custom places I think - worth looking into.

Most locals have Japanese stuff and like to fit those huge tailpipe boomy deep-sounding boy-racer systems that sound horrible.

So I'd have to be careful!

Wot he said! /\ /\ /\

I dread to think what would happen if you bought Blueflame and something went wrong- customer service is dire! :thumbdwn: Got my system at Christmas and it was quite wonky, and couldn't be adjusted to sit straight. Took it to the local Longlife exhaust place and they cut the rear hanger off and welded on a new one- now perfect. Was hugely impressed with Longlife, and would probably go there next time, or get a Milltek.

Mine is a LONGLIFE mate. awsome bit of kit and littime guarantee on it too. it anything needs doing they will sort it soon as you can get to them. I got mine from their heard place in cardiff that has now moved up to carphilly i think it is now? well a place on the other side of the M4 lol.

I would recomend them to anyone as they make it to what you want and can tuck it away so you cant see any boxes or anything.

all the best Rob finding something. think if you cant get a custom one then get the PIPER one as GarryC seems a good bloke and he is on here so could get somethin sorted I spose?

billy:thumbup:

Have you thought about a cat -back scorpion ???? As good quality as Milltek IMO and a little more than a Blueflame on price,Give Ross/Ali a call at Unit 18 they are doing some good prices for members

I had a chat with the only local place I could find - they seem like good guys and they supplied and fitted my Whiteline rear ARB a couple of years ago.

Anyway he had a good look, I described what I want - performance, not too much noise, not boy-racer.

He wasn't very enthusiastic - wasn't happy with it being a "wagon" as it might amplify the noise more

He quoted $1800 for a 3" mild steel custom system.

Hmm.

Oh, and I asked about warranty and he said no-one's ever asked that before!!

Would give me 12 months :P

Ouch. $1800 for a mild steel system :(

Also 3" would be too large for if you want to maintain the stock turbo. If they can make you a 2.5" system that would be more suited

Kind Regards

Garry

Ouch. $1800 for a mild steel system :(

Also 3" would be too large for if you want to maintain the stock turbo. If they can make you a 2.5" system that would be more suited

Kind Regards

Garry

Yeah I wasn't too keen

isnt mild steel crap ne way? wont it rust away after a while even over there? mind it will take a while lol.

billy

isnt mild steel crap ne way? wont it rust away after a while even over there? mind it will take a while lol.

billy

Yeah it would take longer here but still rust.

The stock one has a good coating of surface rust, and the bolts holding the cat shield on are looking a bit ropey.

It'lll probably still last a few years if I leave it.