Hey everyone! I'm new to this site today so bare with me.

I own a 07 Octy VRS tdi, I'm wishing to upgrade the exhaust system either with a custom or a make.

My questions are, which is the best to go for? Turbo back, cat back, straight through???

I want performance as well as a nice noise/note, not into the look at me boyracer thing any more but a nice sound especially when giving it the beans would be nice however do a lot of motorway miles so don't want a loud annoying drone. I will be going for a Stage 1 map after so things like the dpf won't matter as I'm getting it programmed to be removed from ECU.

Secondly what are the best lowering springs to go for? Ones that don't really make the ride hard or uncomfortable but still give a better look to the OEM 4x4 look.

Many thanks and I really hope someone can help or point me in the right direction...if anyone has any videos or sound clips that would be superb.

Look forward to hearing your replies.

Ps- I want to keep the exhaust MOT legal. Don't know if CATS matter on a Diesel.

Someone must be able to shed some advice on this matter?

Cats aren't, or at least weren't, completely necessary as with diesels its a smoke test. Removing the cat may free up a couple of bhp and help the turbo spool a little quicker too.

Turbo back would generally give an owl type sound when you change gear...quite nice and quite funny!

Removing the center if you have it or removing the insides of the back box, it would give a deeper sound. Kinda like a boy racer petrol car, but a bit more sensible. Not sure on the legality of it, bit i think you need silencers, or something that at least *looks* like a silencer, to pass the MOT.

That is if the vRS TDi is similar to the PD100-140 engine base from the Bora/Golf.

Lowering...i would say 35-40mm would be sensible, H+R springs get good reviews from quite a few places.

Edited 12 February, 201412 yr by MereKat

Thank you very very much for your reply. It has helped me a great deal.

One final question where is the best place to get an exhaust for this car? Is there a off the shelf system or would I have to go custom? Prices.

Thanks again.

If it was mine, I would possibly go for a 3" Turbo back stainless system. Sports (or completely gutted out) cat, and a performance backbox. I dont know if the VRs have center boxes or not. Custom would nearly always be better than off the shelf, and there are quite a few places that can make a system for not a lot more than an off the shelf mild steel system. It would be worth calling a few fabricators.

If you search for TDi Straight Through and TDi/vrs performance exhaust on youtube, it'll give an idea on different sounds. Your pressure release valve may also play a part in the sound aswell though. I have friends with full straight through (no cat or center/back boxes), and just back boxes, they all sound pretty good!

I have a custom TDI system from PipeWerx. Can't recommend them highly enough.

Okay awesome! Gosh this is great forum with some top members

If i went for a turbo back straight through, no dpf etc. Would I need to get a dpf ECU delete immediately or would I be okay for half a day or a 30mile trip?

Because the custom exhaust place and my remap place are about 30 miles apart and obv I wanna get the car mapped after the exhaust changes.

Have a read of the section on exhausts here: http://www.motester.co.uk/mot-general-information/mot-information-for-motorists/mot-test-checks-list-continued

 

So whatever you do, it's worth keeping the original exhaust for MOT time.

If you are looking for a good sound have a look at Darkside developments. Their straight through with DPF bypass sounds lush!

Okay awesome! Gosh this is great forum with some top members

If i went for a turbo back straight through, no dpf etc. Would I need to get a dpf ECU delete immediately or would I be okay for half a day or a 30mile trip?

Because the custom exhaust place and my remap place are about 30 miles apart and obv I wanna get the car mapped after the exhaust changes.

 

Who is the tuner and who will be doing the DPF delete? 

 

Turbo back obviously usually involves a race/motorsport cat. But I take it you're considering a de-cat? That's what I run on mine, but I started with a PD140 so I didn't have a DPF to worry about, or work around!

 

I can't advise on DPF delete mapping etc, because I've never needed to do it. But I'd definitely seek advice from the mapping company regarding this, to make sure it's done in the right order.

DPF delete these days would be interesting as they now test that it's there for the MOT.

As such anything that looked like it had been removed would be bad.

 

As for lowering springs, Eibach Pro-kit are a good mix, but you'd need to check the 4x4 dampers work with them.

If not you'll need a B12 kit with dampers and springs (or another suitable kit).