eliotrw
Post #1
Well.As part of my car selling journey I was thrown a bit of a spanner in the works last week as the system I had on it had started leaking quite badly.
To be honest, I didn't consider taking it back to where it was made as it was a bit too loud for my liking (putting it kindly, it was probably GroupB level) when i first had it fitted and even though it was about half as loud after some changes, it was still probably the loudest car i've ever been in. The place was also pretty far away and were not veyr quick in terms of turnaround.
Anyway, there were a few traits of the car that i thought were normal and I think that was down to the fact that I made so many changes around the same time as that exhaust,
It was a hard car to drive, it took some mastering really, particularly with the lightened flywheel (or so i thought), it was very hard to take off, needed just the right amount of clutch before adding any throttle and it wasn't always easy, over a 2hour drive in city like roads i'd easily stall once if not more.
The other trait it had at low speed was a SUPER sensitivity to the throttle, I again boiled that down to the flywheel more than anything else, The engine braking was also pretty extreme if lifting off at say 4k rpm.
Now as it was leaking i needed a new exhaust, the biggest gripe I had with the car was the exhaust, I don't think i've made much of a secret of the fact that i ******* hated it. The boxes were far to small, the only benefit it had was the top end was unreal, from 5k to 7k it absolutely ripped through 1st and 2nd.
So, Saturday, I take a trip to pretty much the only option I had nearby that was less than 2 hours drive, but still 1hr 20 mind you, which was Longlife near Croydon.
I get there at 9am pay my monies and walk off expecting to get a decent exhaust hopefully a good bit quieter (i'd asked them to see what they can do to make it quiet).
Get back at 12 and it's all done. It has a Magnex-like backbox on it now in like a large oval shape, and a decent size mid box, sat high up in the space so there's very good clearance (used to hit the old one all the time).
About a 2.75" rolled out tip as well, slightly smaller than what I had which IMO looks much better.
Anyway, long story short, I had the best drive i'd had in that car for at least 2 years afterwards, It's absolute bliss, i had no idea how much difference to a car an exhaust could make until now.
It's way easier to drive, moving off I some how have a much bigger window in which i can use the clutch in without stalling it and it feels much more modular and smooth setting off.
I can listen to the radio on "20" on my CD player rather than "35", the engine braking is much better and the whole bunny hopping ON-OFF nature of the throttle has gone.
There's LOADS of low end and I haven't really lost anything in the high end.
Coming out of corners and coasting into them is now like some kind of magic as the engine braking is less OTT and the torque coming out is much improved. I can drive over speedbumps without avoiding the middle from going underneath.
It's basically made it the PERFECT road hot hatch, to the point where I considered finding space for a second car and just f**king keeping it.
I can't though so it's still for sale, however i'm kind of glad that I can remember it more fondly now when it's gone, it's ******* epic and I think it will be snapped up now (I hope... I'm pretty ****** skint).
So yeah, if you want an exhaust, I can seriously recommend the Longlife near Croydon
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Ex- Phase 3 China GTi-6 T-Reg
Posted 20th May 2019 at 11:02
