Opinions on powerflow exhaust systems?

Post Mon Jul 10, 2006 6:19 pm

There's a car I might be acquiring with a full stainless powerflow system, which has nice standardish looking tailpipes, and seeing as my standard system is blowing a little, I am considering putting the powerflow system on to my car. I've heard mixed reports about the company, anyone have any (first hand) opinions on the matter?

Post Mon Jul 10, 2006 6:27 pm

shit and pile of come to mind from what I have seen bodged onto cars

Post Mon Jul 10, 2006 6:27 pm

Have one on my 320, just a single 3" outward rolled.

Awesome sound from it, dont know if any diff performance wise as it was fitted when i bought the car

Quality of this one is second to none, quite a shock

Post Mon Jul 10, 2006 6:42 pm

Personally i think it depends where you go. I had one from wallace performance in aberdeen and it seemed ok. But that was on my old car and i dunno wat quality it is now. Iv seen some really bad ones and some really good ones. You would prob be safer going for a supersprint or something though as i doubt the powerflow ones give you a performance gain. Mine just had a nice noise.

Post Mon Jul 10, 2006 6:50 pm

Mines a powerflow system and its shocking! single bore rather than the twin bore it should have, bad fit...... need i carry on?

Will be replacing it VERY soon, possibly with a blueflame system depending on the feedback on those.

Post Mon Jul 10, 2006 6:56 pm

hammoj28 wrote:Personally i think it depends where you go. I had one from wallace performance in aberdeen and it seemed ok. But that was on my old car and i dunno wat quality it is now. Iv seen some really bad ones and some really good ones. You would prob be safer going for a supersprint or something though as i doubt the powerflow ones give you a performance gain. Mine just had a nice noise.

I've heard a few bad rumours about Wallace P and their exhausts

Post Mon Jul 10, 2006 6:58 pm

I'll be fitting it myself so not too worried about the quality of work on behalf of the fitters, but are they just shite quality?

Post Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:03 pm

Theo325 wrote:I'll be fitting it myself so not too worried about the quality of work on behalf of the fitters, but are they just shite quality?

Most likely depends on the person who made it

Post Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:09 pm

I've heard a few bad rumours about Wallace P and their exhausts

Yeah, i never knew till id had it done. Heard heaps of complaints but i never had any probs with them tbh. Wouldn't recommend them cos of the problems iv heard of.

Post Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:17 pm

i got one made from the turbo back with a 3" straight through pipe,no centre box and one large rear silencer,qualitys good and a great noise.entirely depends on the garage making it though,mind you i didnt have much choice as i obviously cant get an of the shelf exhaust for my car and at Ã‚£250 +vat you cant really complain

Post Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:23 pm

Had one on a Mk1 Golf and that was great so decided to have one on my iS when it started to blow, the place that did the Golf had closed down so i went to Mr Tyres in Leicester, UTTER CRAP service!

Exhuast wasn't even fitted proparly, they forgot to fit one of the brackets so i caught on the rear panel! Powerflow are also known for using low grade stainless steel so they tend to show surface rust after about 6months!

Ok if it's a freebie on a breaker car otherwise steer clear would be my advice now!

Post Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:42 pm

I have a powerflow twin exhaust system on my car fitted at the battersea branch , and it sounds bloody loud, some people love it and some hate it, i hated it at first but i like when i am driving down the road and everyone starts running

i was going to change it and get something standard, but i like to be different and i love noise.

Post Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:46 pm

bajandaans sounds sweet heard it at ace

Post Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:55 pm

I had one mated to a Magnex manifold . Awfull bends, fit and welding and blew wadding from silencers straight away.
The stainless is low grade too (rusts).

Customer service is a joke and i eventually had to take them to court.
Nobody showed and then i had to involve the bayliffs for non payment of the court's decision against them.

I'd avoid for piece of mind.

Try a company called Cybox (Peco). They advertise on Ebay. Had a nearly full system in mandrel bent 304 stainless steel for a little over Ã‚£200.

Customer service is A1 and they can also supply pre mandrel bent tubing and lengths of pipe for minimal cost to do a diy job.

Post Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:56 pm

I've got one on the touring and it looks ok. The welds are showing signs of rust though.

Post Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:59 pm

thanks maxfield,

but i am quite sure these powerflow systems come with a life time guarantee so if anything does go wrong with them ie rust, you should be able to take it back and get it changed, or am i wrong in thinking that.

Post Mon Jul 10, 2006 8:36 pm

your right enough,lifetime guarantee for as long as you own the car but everyone knows guarantees arent worth the paper there written on,always something in the small print

Post Mon Jul 10, 2006 8:51 pm

Got one fitted at the Top Gear Battersea branch same as Bajandan but it was so low it was scraping on any shite i drove over. Complained aftert spending over 350 squid and arranged to have it taken to the main branch in St Albans where they completely rebuilt the system. Must admit looks and sounds the nuts as i wanted it to pur and not be to loud and to be honest I'm happy

Post Mon Jul 10, 2006 10:13 pm

I had 1 on the old vw and it sounded superb, nice deep burble at idle and roared at higher revs with no rasp at all... janspeed manifold probably helped.

again it was a bit on the loud side but was fun when the dizzy went wrong (on over run it spat about a foot of blue flame... mate got a vid of it going past at night

)

the fit was ok but had to tweak 1 of the hangers as the front section runs very close to the arb, lined up with the rear valance well enough though

click

Post Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:07 pm

shit, loud, cheap and shit....

Post Tue Jul 11, 2006 12:21 am

stuartgallafant wrote:shit, loud, cheap and shit....

Ali's is a Powerflow

Post Tue Jul 11, 2006 12:43 am

indeed it is,,

when i got mine i was pleased with it,,,, but given a few months later,, it got rather loud,,, some love some hate,, i dont like the overly loud, it has become.

the garentee it shit... if you remove it and put on a different car the garentee expires, change owner, garentee expires, and you have to keep it regulary checked up annually. with a stamp. miss one,, and garentee expires...

though the south african dude i spoke to who imports them (ron davies iirc) gave me his word that if anything did go wrong they would replace anyway...

be very choosy with the boxes,, some of them are old,, and had rusting problems,, though still in circulation,,, and these where replaced at a later date...

also i believe they come from the same manufactorers as peco.

tbh, for the price, and look, and fact its custom, its not all that bad,,, just they do get a heck of alot loader then when you first get it,, so if its just right when they make it,, tell them to make it quiter!

indeed also the quality depends on the builder. first time round i got some novice knob jockey, who done a shit job,, welds were pants etc,,, i got them to redo the whole system and chuck in the extra front section free. i got it redone at another branch, and asked for the most experienced guy to do it.

tbh they dont deserve the slating they get,,, just make sure u do it right.. if you know what your asking for, just make sure u get someone experienced and knows what hes doing and it can turn out alright. at the end of the day, if its loud,, at more silencers,, and a exhaust is not really a huge performance upgrade, so for the price, i dont htink theres much winging to do to gain the extra 1bhp exhausts are for sound, looks, "lifetime etc.."

Post Tue Jul 11, 2006 7:52 am

I have a Powerfow on my too chaps, had it on there for about 6 years now and it still polishes up like new!! The fit was excellant and the only problem i've had with it was that a rubber came off, besides that nothing...Good Stuff..But each to there own, you can go to the wrong place and they'll do a cack fit, going by what some of you guys have said. I might have been a little luckier

Pal

Post Tue Jul 11, 2006 12:11 pm

personally, im not a fan of powerflow exhausts. they're for the max power boys imo. and why would you wanna make a gorgeous E30 sound like a f*cking saxo!!!

Post Tue Jul 11, 2006 12:16 pm

stuartgallafant wrote:personally, im not a fan of powerflow exhausts. they're for the max power boys imo. and why would you wanna make a gorgeous E30 sound like a f*cking saxo!!!

agreed but it doesnt have to ;)

you tell them how you want it to sound.. and they match it. though go a tad quiter as to wht you want it to sound like as it will wear in and sound loader,,, mine in the beginning was fine... but now getting occasioanally lary with setting of the odd alarm.... sorry stuarts 4x4

Post Tue Jul 11, 2006 10:48 pm

Post Tue Jul 11, 2006 10:59 pm

Didn't get the turd that the exhaust in question was attached to, but having read the comments I must admit I don't think it would have gone on mine. I like the idea of getting an exact mock up up the standard system in stainless, may have to look into this.

Cheers for all the comments.