Bathroom_Security
Obsessed member
Plz show and tell
Come close to buying either a V8 or Megabusa before. Still on my to own list.
GR86 Exhausts
- Thread starter Swizzle
- Start date
Plz show and tell
Come close to buying either a V8 or Megabusa before. Still on my to own list.
I emailed Josh earlier toady for an update and have just received a response. Apparently the exhaust should be with them Monday next week, checked over and then shipped to me.
I’ve been dithering too long, that one has now been sold !
TorqueOfTheDevil
Obsessed member
Plz show and tell
Come close to buying either a V8 or Megabusa before. Still on my to own list.
It's a factory built one which is nice, (mostly rebuilt by me to freshen it up) It's only a crossflow one, (rebuild for Westfied, high compression, bored out lumpy cam and weber twin 40s - soundse ace) so probably 100-120 horses, but still goes very well due to weight
Totally analogue, carbs the lot, biscuit over british racing green, its more of the "classic look", - which adds to the sleeper factor for the unenlightened
Bathroom_Security
Obsessed member
Wibble. Thats lovely, same colour as I would like.
Harrisonj_86
New member
I’m looking at the AWE touring as my first mod and was just wondering where you got it from as I know torqen sell it but with a huge premium, I could import it which would be a fraction of the cost or I’ve seen another dealer I think VIPmotorsport but no clue on their reputationIt was your video that made me go for the AWE in the first place
I have a Track Edition on order from VIP. It should be with me next week (just over 3 weeks from ordering). Communication before purchase and since ordering has been good. So as long as it arrives!!
(I will post when it does) then they get my recommendation.
hsb
Obsessed member
I bought mine from Subispeed, very quick delivery. My favourite mod.
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Goatwidcoat
Devoted member
Any update on this? Interested if you got the drone issue resolved after it had been adjusted. My wife wants and exhaust just so it sounds better than stock but I know she will begrudge paying a lot of money for it to drone away day to day.
GRistopher
Totally Hooked
- Oct 23, 2023
- 743
- 1,158
I got it from AWE Europe. The handler turned out to be awesome GTI (the guy's name was Al Brown) who I've used before.
It was expensive though. I thought about importing it myself but didn't know what to expect regarding taxes and shipping. I figured I'd rather know what I was paying up front and let someone else deal with all that hassle.
If you're trying to save as much money as possible, you could get them to send it to you direct and take a punt on what the import taxes would be.
Or maybe ask a couple of different retailers for a quote
Goatwidcoat
Devoted member
When I bought a Borla exhaust from the US (for my other car) it was £1,538 for the exhaust including shipping and £221 in taxes on top for some context.
OldManMarkoos
Devoted member
- Jan 7, 2023
- 94
- 139
I phoned Cobra, they had a few suggestions:
- possible leak from ill-fitting joints.
- possible vibration into the cabin from poor fitting exhaust.
- possible resonance from the exhaust tips if they do not protrude far enough away from the bumper.
For me the first 2 options sound most likely (assuming the exhaust is fundamentally sound).
- the tips are well centered and protrude slightly more than stock.
- As I said before, the wrong gasket was supplied so the pipes were connected using exhaust goo only - possible leakage once it warms up.
- The installer said he had to bend the hangers quite a lot when fitting. If bent too much, or incorrectly, once the exhaust heats up and expands, the hangers could be under tension rather than floating freely, causing more vibration to transfer into the cabin resulting in cabin boom/drone.
I have no idea how I will fix these things now, I may take a trip to Sheffield, visit some friends and drop the car at Cobra to see if they can sort it using their jigs. However, it's a fair drive from Bournemouth and my calender is pretty full for a while. :-/
Given your earlier discovery wrt the pipe touching against the chassis I would be leaning towards this.
That sounds ominous, especially when none of us with the same system on our GR86 had an issue with the hangers. All of them sit correctly (as OEM) without adjustment. Makes me wonder if the back box is too close to the bodywork or there is ‘tension’ in the wrong places, such as joints/links?
It does sound like you got a sub-par fitting for sure.
A visit to cobra would certainly get it sorted and you’d be in the best place to have the hangers, or any other issues, put back to how they should be.
Mick
Totally Hooked
How big is the Cobra exhaust box it comes in? Will it fix in the boot/rear of the car.
OldManMarkoos
Devoted member
- Jan 7, 2023
- 94
- 139
The box won't fit in the GR86. But all the parts will.
Goatwidcoat
Devoted member
That's a shame you are not closer. I might bite the bullet and drive the car to them to get fitted. I am only in Nottingham so not far to travel. Then there should not be any issues!
TorqueOfTheDevil
Obsessed member
I can't speak for the Cobra, but the HKS box was huge!
GRistopher
Totally Hooked
- Oct 23, 2023
- 743
- 1,158
The AWE came with one of those + another one half the size with the mid pipe. I was pleased that i got the empty boxes into the back of the car to take for recycling, nevermind with the exhaust in
If you take some blankets to protect the exhaust and your interior you could probably get the exhaust in if you take it out of the packaging, but i'm not promising anything
GRistopher
Totally Hooked
- Oct 23, 2023
- 743
- 1,158
A little update on how I'm finding the AWE Touring after driving it over the past couple of weeks:
Firstly, it looks really cool. Having the exhaust tips really fill up the cutouts in the bumper is a great aesthetic upgrade.
Cold starts
. I think this will be an issue with any "louder" exhaust... It's not a fault of the exhaust, it's just another thing that's done in the name of passing exams for vehichle tax purposes that winds me up. its SO MUCH LOUDER than normal idling. If I ever get the car remapped, getting the cold start switched off, or at least dialed down a bit would be a high priority. I cant help but think the car would have come with a tuneful exhaust if it didn't have to account for dampening down the cold start.
It's a shame because the regular idle sounds amazing. There's definitely a hint of a Subie burble going on now and it's obnoxious either. just loud enough to give it a hint of menace. unfortunately, I don't get to enjoy it when starting up the car because I'm trying to flee my driveway as quickly as possible so the cold start doesn't annoy the neighbours or wake up the 1 year-old in the house opposite.
Normal driving. This is where I enjoy the exhaust the most. it just sounds so cool. I've never really liked the sound of 4-cylinder engines, unless its an opel kadet screaming up a hillclimb. The deep burble of a the FA24 with the AWE has got me rethinking that though. It's really brought out the character of the engine, especially during gentle to brisk driving. Cheep laughs can be had by downshifting with a blip in the mid rev range. The muted gunshot always makes me laugh, and I find myself changing down to 2nd for corners where I would previously plod through in 3rd just to make myself laugh. If you want to keep it subtle though, a mild rev-matched downshift at low RPM doesn't provoke the firing squad.
Using the full rev-range is where I'm not completely smitten with my current exhaust setup. Don't get me wrong, it still sounds good, and a huge improvement over stock, but there's definitely a sense that something has a stranglehold on the exhaust. I wonder if this is what some of the other guys have found when wishing their exhausts were a bit louder?
As the revs rise and I wait for a crescendo at the top end, it never quite comes. I don't think this is down to the AWE though. those 3" pipes aren't holding anything in
. Instead I'm pointing my finger at the GPF. The cat will also play its part, but the combination of both definitely takes away from the top end fireworks.
I look forward to hearing some UK cars with a more free-flowing front / mid exaust section. A straight overpipe might be on the cards so i can enjoy it before MOT time comes around - does anyone know if there are any sensors on the GPF? - but I'm reluctant to change the manifold due to the risk of voiding the warranty if i throw up a CEL in the process.
Firstly, it looks really cool. Having the exhaust tips really fill up the cutouts in the bumper is a great aesthetic upgrade.
Cold starts
. I think this will be an issue with any "louder" exhaust... It's not a fault of the exhaust, it's just another thing that's done in the name of passing exams for vehichle tax purposes that winds me up. its SO MUCH LOUDER than normal idling. If I ever get the car remapped, getting the cold start switched off, or at least dialed down a bit would be a high priority. I cant help but think the car would have come with a tuneful exhaust if it didn't have to account for dampening down the cold start.It's a shame because the regular idle sounds amazing. There's definitely a hint of a Subie burble going on now and it's obnoxious either. just loud enough to give it a hint of menace. unfortunately, I don't get to enjoy it when starting up the car because I'm trying to flee my driveway as quickly as possible so the cold start doesn't annoy the neighbours or wake up the 1 year-old in the house opposite.
Normal driving. This is where I enjoy the exhaust the most. it just sounds so cool. I've never really liked the sound of 4-cylinder engines, unless its an opel kadet screaming up a hillclimb. The deep burble of a the FA24 with the AWE has got me rethinking that though. It's really brought out the character of the engine, especially during gentle to brisk driving. Cheep laughs can be had by downshifting with a blip in the mid rev range. The muted gunshot always makes me laugh, and I find myself changing down to 2nd for corners where I would previously plod through in 3rd just to make myself laugh. If you want to keep it subtle though, a mild rev-matched downshift at low RPM doesn't provoke the firing squad.
Using the full rev-range is where I'm not completely smitten with my current exhaust setup. Don't get me wrong, it still sounds good, and a huge improvement over stock, but there's definitely a sense that something has a stranglehold on the exhaust. I wonder if this is what some of the other guys have found when wishing their exhausts were a bit louder?
As the revs rise and I wait for a crescendo at the top end, it never quite comes. I don't think this is down to the AWE though. those 3" pipes aren't holding anything in
. Instead I'm pointing my finger at the GPF. The cat will also play its part, but the combination of both definitely takes away from the top end fireworks.I look forward to hearing some UK cars with a more free-flowing front / mid exaust section. A straight overpipe might be on the cards so i can enjoy it before MOT time comes around - does anyone know if there are any sensors on the GPF? - but I'm reluctant to change the manifold due to the risk of voiding the warranty if i throw up a CEL in the process.
