E30 Zone

Hi there

I have a 325 saloon with 2 piece exhaust, with a lot of rust on the back box

There are some really cheap exhausts on ebay, does anyone have any experience with them? Do they fit the car for example?

Example ebay numbers are 160414173560 or 190217291421 . They cost 1/3rd of the last one I bought from ECP or GSF (can't remember) and tbh, that one wasn't very good quality, and didn't last that long. I know BMW genuine boxes are really good, but I think a new one will outlast my car by a decade... And I have a lot of other jobs to do right now too!

If anyone near Bristol has a spare good quality 2nd hand back box, I might be able to buy that

Any comments appreciated

Tony

Just make a wanted ad in the wanted section. You'll get one used for cheap enough.

No that specific one but I got one around that price off the bay late last year. It looked OK but the centre box has got something loose inside it now and makes a really annoying vibration noise at 2-3K Will probably replace it with something decent soon.

blue30 wrote:No that specific one but I got one around that price off the bay late last year. It looked OK but the centre box has got something loose inside it now and makes a really annoying vibration noise at 2-3K Will probably replace it with something decent soon.

Is the loose bit in the cheap box you bought? I've only ever seen genuine centre boxes I think (but I have a bad memory)

Cheers

Tony

eetrh wrote:

blue30 wrote:No that specific one but I got one around that price off the bay late last year. It looked OK but the centre box has got something loose inside it now and makes a really annoying vibration noise at 2-3K Will probably replace it with something decent soon.

Is the loose bit in the cheap box you bought? I've only ever seen genuine centre boxes I think (but I have a bad memory)

Cheers

Tony

Yeah it sounds like a baffle or something loose inside, that vibrates and makes a racket at certain revs. Just cheaply made I guess (shock horror)

If it hasn't holed, why not pull your back box when the weather clears up, brush/sand off the rust, clean it up and rattle-can it with hi temp paint? Should cost you about a tenner.

When mine went, I got an aftermarket half system, but obviously that costs a lot more money.

eetrh wrote:Hi there

I have a 325 saloon with 2 piece exhaust, with a lot of rust on the back box

There are some really cheap exhausts on ebay, does anyone have any experience with them? Do they fit the car for example?

Example ebay numbers are 160414173560 or 190217291421 . They cost 1/3rd of the last one I bought from ECP or GSF (can't remember) and tbh, that one wasn't very good quality, and didn't last that long. I know BMW genuine boxes are really good, but I think a new one will outlast my car by a decade... And I have a lot of other jobs to do right now too!

If anyone near Bristol has a spare good quality 2nd hand back box, I might be able to buy that

Any comments appreciated

Tony

Saga wrote:If it hasn't holed, why not pull your back box when the weather clears up, brush/sand off the rust, clean it up and rattle-can it with hi temp paint? Should cost you about a tenner.

When mine went, I got an aftermarket half system, but obviously that costs a lot more money.

Saga

Mine's a little beyond that I think - the rust gave way last week and there's now a big hole! It's the pipe's that have gone, just before the box, I think - I guess that's the low point where the water sits inside...

Ok, I bought one... Couldn't find a used one, and it was 27 quid + 11 postage!

Quality is a little agricultural, and it only just fits. I didn't find the straps to go round the back box until after it was on, and I'd modded the old straps to fit, as the new silencer is about 1 inch thinner than the old.

It does work, if anyone can be bothered to spend a little time making it fit, then they're amazingly cheap.

Cheers

Tony