Powerflow costs etc...

[William]

I am considering getting a powerflow job done on my m40, although the stock system sounds shit im sure i can get a slightly more pleasing note from a better exhaust. I also want to get rid of the CAT and the simplist way i can think of is to get powerflow to do a straight through system from the downpipe back.

Does anyone have ANY idea of cost of a basic S/S system with single exit tailpipe from powerflow?

Also does anyone know how easy it is to take the CAT on and off (for MOT purposes!) as it is a legal jobbie on my late car??

Is all this worth it?

[Kedge]

Powerflow prices vary loads so best to ring round any local places, i also found that not all of them are willing to remove your CAT.

I paid Ԛ£300(qoute over the phone) for a full DeCat system on my 318iS, from Mr Tyres in Leicester, but i need to take it back as it's catching the rear panel now, but should be a simple fix. I also got a qoute of Ԛ£750 from a place in Nottingham and they also said they'd need the car for a couple of days (even had to take the car for them to look at as they didn't know what it was ), and a place in Derby qouted Ԛ£180 for a CAT back system.

You don't need a CAt if your car was registered before 1992 i think it is.

Good Look

[Russ]

Personally, i dont really rate the PowerFlow. The one for my iS was 350 IIRC.

If you are getting decatted, but want to put the cat in for the mot, it'll be a major pain. Better to leave the cat in, or find a friendly tester.

[Simon]

Cat is a legal requirement on cars registered after Aug 1992 or K plate or later.

IIRC William your car is a K plate?

I'd get a cat back system unless you know someone who can put the car on some ramps and swop exhausts for you come MOT time.

[Russ]

Cat is a legal requirement on cars registered after Aug 1992 or K plate or later.

[Irrelevant Info]
Not legal req if yu have a jap import of any age - not many e30s imported from the land of the rising sun though!
[/Irrelevant info]

[Jhonno]

Powerflow dealers vary as well, some are good, some are shite!

Cats are maditory from 1993 - i had a 92 k astra with no cat n that was fine in the mot

[Simon]

Cats are maditory from 1993 - i had a 92 k astra with no cat n that was fine in the mot

MOT tester must have overlooked it then...

It's Aug 1992 K plate...if registered on this date or after (K plate) it is a legal requirement.

[BMK]

I had one fitted to my 318is it was around Ԛ£300 and Croydon RSR did it for me.....it was a replica of the standard pipe just in stainless. So no silly size tail pipe....

They did a good job and the sound was cool to.....

[Richy325iTouring]

dont rate powerflow
the ex had one on her mini
paid over 250 notes for it for a suposidly full system but later found out that it was only a back box that was stainless.
the garage in question have now shut up shop and ae not a registered powerflow outlet no more but they still sell powerflow exhausts at there other sites yet there is no official place n wales.

[William]

thanks everyone, yeah you're right simon mine is a K plate. April 93 so it is a requirement. I have got a post hoist fairly easily accesible, i did the back box myslelf very easily, just wondered if it was as easy, if i did get a full S/S, to whip the middle section out and whack the cat back in. I will try and find a friendly MOT guy first maybe. What do i do, ring them up:

"Hello"

"Ah yes hello, can you overlook the CAT on my '93 beemer please"

"yes of course sir"

"thank you very much, goodbye"

would that work??

[/i]

[Simon]

There are a few out there who would do that for you, my MOT tester is sh1t hot.

If you have access to a hoist then changing the exhaust over for MOT time will be p1ss easy...sorted!

[Moofles]

take the mot tester out for a few pints, easy

fwiw, i had a powerflow and although the quality/sound was as i wanted, i was not completely happy with how they fitted it, e.g. it was custom so they drilled (or welded, i didn't look) brackets on to the rear valance. it's just if i was doing it myself i'd have wanted it neater.

[William]

thanks simon, might just have to get some quotes then and see about changing them over. i rekon its worth it once a year for the performance gain i presume I would get from a measly m40 being able to breath properly??

[William]

he's back!! with minus points, awesome! i would want to watch the work being done i guess to prevent that kind of heath robinson approach, if possible. thanks for heads up moofles, if anyone has any recomendations for a powerflow agent in east anglia or london outskirts i'd appreciate knowing. thanks again

[Dom]

[Irrelevant Info]
Not legal req if yu have a jap import of any age - not many e30s imported from the land of the rising sun though!
[/Irrelevant info]

[more irrelevant crap]
But only if there isn't a uk equivilant model, and think it's before 1995 too. That was from my starlet owning days
[/more irrelevant crap]

[Moofles]

am i the only one with minus posts? i quite like the idea, heheh

[Dom]

do you have a big celebration when you get to 0?

[Moofles]

i'll decide nearer the time!

[Kedge]

Just going a bit off topic, but what does everbody use to clean there S/S exhausts?

[placey]

william

i reckon you'd probably be ok running your motor non cat into the tester and claiming that it's never had a cat fitted - it's an e30 after all isn't it? you could claim that catted m40s were only e36 on. he'd have to know his beemers pretty well to dispute you. the mot man that did my missus car this year was telling me about his '328 coop' that he's owned for three yeras - but when i asked if it was an e36 or e46 he said 'it's a 2.8 mate' - he had no idea about e numbers.

if you're willing to travel to southampton for an exhaust then stealth are truly excellent exhaust makers.

paul

[Russ]

Just going a bit off topic, but what does everbody use to clean there S/S exhausts?

autoglym metal polish

[E30Mark]

I had the two rear boxes replaced on mine, for one large box. I didn't want a power increase as such, just wanted a nice new shiney tail pipe:o

I use 'peek' metal polish available from , hang on i'll think of the hardware chain in a mo... engage brain, shop is 'Robert Dyas'

mean while, back on topic my exhaust for my iS was Ԛ£190. I'm happy with it, the fit is excellent, i have no complaints here. Fitted in Winton, Dorset...

Is yours a Saloon / Cab or tourer, all fairly rare on a K plate!

[Simon]

Just going a bit off topic, but what does everbody use to clean there S/S exhausts?

Barkeepers friend, awesome stuff, shifts anything.

[M3RAGS]

powerflow systems are only as good as the chap who fitted it.
Just make sure you don't end up with Stevie Wonders Brother doing the job for you.....

Also, there is a lot of talk about Powerflow and Longlife sometimes reducing power as they mak systems specific for each car...
and I can kind of understand why people say this as they have no R&D so in some cases you may lose power....
I say stick with the companies like Supersprint etc who have spent years researching flow rates and emissions etc....

my 2pence, for what its worth

[placey]

m3rags - couldn't agree more.

but..

supersprint = supernice = superexpensive

paul

[motorsport]

Had a powerflow custom fitted on mine, fitted at the Burnley garage, for the last 5 yrs with no problems. Looks and sounds good too. Not too loud just 6 cyl smooth. Ԛ£190 for magnex rear and custom fit up to the cat.
Don't notice any performance improvements as i fitted it as soon as i got the car and I didn't/don't give it any stick to notice really.
Andy.