Cheap eBay exhaust - I've taken the plunge..

[CaptainCaveman]

Well, I couldn't resist the stupidly low price, and apparent nice build quality, so I've ordered one of the Chinese made Clio RS 200 exhausts off eBay yesterday. I paid £200 inc delivery which includes a centre resonator, so we'll see how it goes.

At the end of the day, an exhaust is one of the least complex parts of the car, so as long as it's reasonably well made, fits ok and isn't stupidly loud, I think it's worth a punt at that price. It looks well made, with lovely TIG welds and decently sized silencers and res section.

Will report back this week once fitted... Here are some pics courtesy of eBay - reminds me of the custom exhaust I had fitted to my old GTR:

 

[Pav]

hope you are happy with it..

 

[CaptainCaveman]

hope you are happy with it..

Cheers - for that money I think it's worth the punt. If it's silly loud then I'll just send it back. Fingers crossed...

 

[CaptainCaveman]

I can already hear you lot sniggering...

So took the exhaust to my local garage. Cut the original system in two places to get it off over the rear sub frame. The new back boxes fitted well, with the clamps in the right place, which was a good start. We tried to fit the centre section, but after a bit of head scratching, we released that there was no way it would ever fit. Basically it had been incorrectly fabricated, with a tapered pipe on the end closest to the cat, instead of a sleeve joint. After looking back at the ebay listing and the photo above, you can see that the centre piece has actually been fitted back-to-front for the photos. Idiots.

So after having chopped up the old exhaust I was loathed to re-weld it to fit it back on again, so we decided to cut the new centre section and then weld to the cat pipe. After an hour the new exhaust was on the car, and I took it for a run.

Starting the car the exhaust was very resonant on cold start, and very loud. After the revs settled down, it wasn't too bad and I set off for a drive. Accelerating hard the exhaust sounded absolutely mental, proper race car-esque, pops and bangs on the over-run, and a proper scream at high revs. But, this isn't a race car, and it just sounded obnoxious, very resonant at certain spots in the rev range despite the centre resonator, and just plain LOUD.

I'm used to loud systems, I have a custom one on my RS6 which is meaty, but not very droney, and I was looking for some extra volume to add to the driving experience. But this is crazy. I have no doubt I'd get pulled for the volume, as it's plain anti-social, and isn't far off a car with no exhaust at all.

Suffice to say, I should have known better. Tidy TIG welds a high polish are lovely, but the function of any exhaust is to reduce the volume from the engine, which this plainly doesn't do. At all.

Old system going back on the car Monday, and this is going back to the muppets who made it.

 

[lewishunter98]

I can already hear you lot sniggering...

So took the exhaust to my local garage. Cut the original system in two places to get it off over the rear sub frame. The new back boxes fitted well, with the clamps in the right place, which was a good start. We tried to fit the centre section, but after a bit of head scratching, we released that there was no way it would ever fit. Basically it had been incorrectly fabricated, with a tapered pipe on the end closest to the cat, instead of a sleeve joint. After looking back at the ebay listing and the photo above, you can see that the centre piece has actually been fitted back-to-front for the photos. Idiots.

So after having chopped up the old exhaust I was loathed to re-weld it to fit it back on again, so we decided to cut the new centre section and then weld to the cat pipe. After an hour the new exhaust was on the car, and I took it for a run.

Starting the car the exhaust was very resonant on cold start, and very loud. After the revs settled down, it wasn't too bad and I set off for a drive. Accelerating hard the exhaust sounded absolutely mental, proper race car-esque, pops and bangs on the over-run, and a proper scream at high revs. But, this isn't a race car, and it just sounded obnoxious, very resonant at certain spots in the rev range despite the centre resonator, and just plain LOUD.

I'm used to loud systems, I have a custom one on my RS6 which is meaty, but not very droney, and I was looking for some extra volume to add to the driving experience. But this is crazy. I have no doubt I'd get pulled for the volume, as it's plain anti-social, and isn't far off a car with no exhaust at all.

Suffice to say, I should have known better. Tidy TIG welds a high polish are lovely, but the function of any exhaust is to reduce the volume from the engine, which this plainly doesn't do. At all.

Old system going back on the car Monday, and this is going back to the muppets who made it.

I would HIGHLY recommend oreca. Get a 197 system for £290 at the moment.

My ktec was the exact same as you described noise wise and it just did not fit well at all

The oreca I feel is a bit more volume but it's so much more refined, it's like a more high quality sound if that makes sense? [emoji23] It's just a nice sound rather than being brutally loud

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 using Tapatalk

 

[CaptainCaveman]

I would HIGHLY recommend oreca.

Thanks. I think the Oreca will be too loud for me. What I want is quiet at normal cruising speeds, with perhaps slightly more bass, and then a scream above 5k revs at WOT.

 

[NickD]

I recently had a Scorpion resonated exhaust fitted and was similarly disappointed. Having spent some time analysing the noise, it is probably not actually as loud as it feels, but it is just the way the sound comes into the cabin. I don't need to feel like I an flat chat through Eau Rouge when I am driving to work. However, very much fair play to Scorpion, they are making a custom rear section to resolve the issue.

 

[bedoef]

That's unfortunate the first exhaust didn't live up to the expectation it set. Sometimes you gotta spend money to learn the truth, right?

 

[Doogle]

I was very reluctant to change mine as I didnt want something loud, drony and anti social but the fact my car has done 121k now and the fact my exhaust has been pasted up more times than a plasterers radio means its not long til the mild steel unit is beyond scrap.

I opted for a 2nd hand Miltek resonated system which I paid £200 for. I then researched and heard bad things about the Milteks and them essentially failing with the systems getting louder over time. Sh*t I thought, and it sat in my cupboard for virtually a year before I fitted it with a mate. However, after fitting I have been impressed. Its probably a tad quieter at gentle driving and low revs than standard, it has a nicer bassy bark between 3-4k when flooring it and sounds relatively good at higher RPMs. Its a few KGs lighter than the OEM system too.
My only issue with it is sound on the motorway where it is a tad noisy (not umbearable) at anything over 60. It is louder than the standard system. I will say that I have removed foam from the rear quarters which has loudened the experience and the foam is going back in when I get a chance.

On that as a final note, if I had to pick again, Id go for either a Scorpion or a Miltek resonated as I think quality wise its about right.

If you are ever down my way (Devon) come and have a drive/listen.

 

[Micah]

It's a real balancing act finding an exhaust that suits exactly what your ears want. I had a mare with my Scorpion, and I think the note I was after was only going to come from an Akrapovic. I sold it not long after I had the stock system re-fitted, though.
However, now the same dilemma with the Mk4, but have sourced an Akrapovic for that, thankfully.

 

[Elviic]

Thanks for the review - will make sure I stay clear from this!

 

[Itchigo27]

Thanks for the review - will make sure I stay clear from this!

Like wise, good write up, thanks for taking the time time to feedback!

 

[Antti O]

I can imagine how horrible cheap ebay exhaust is.
I had full akrapovic evo system in my previous clio 200, and it was just too loud for me.