Need a new muffler -- cheap

[Jay 535i]

My car's muffler is falling apart and making bad sounds.

I want something as close to OEM as possible. I have another car for when I want to be loud. I want my BMW to be quiet and refined.

Anyone have anything against Midas? They've done great work on my other car, always competently done and at a very competitive price. The BMW dealership offers a flat rate of CDN$600 for all E34s, which seems fairly reasonable, but I'm sure Midas can better that by 25%.

Thoughts?

Anything else I should consider to make my car quieter/smoother?

[Gene in NC]

We have three m20s. Neighbor has a '95 M3. They all sound the same. One of ours has the dual pipes merged to one into an aftermarket generic by Mieneke. Cheap.

[Kalevera]

Jay.....Cheap is cheap is cheap.

Midas or the like will stick a cherrybomb or two in there and call it a day; maybe you'll get lucky and they'll tie it to the car with hanger wire. *quality*

I would go OEM, either new or used from a *reliable* scrap yard. Bret Luter may even have something for your car.


best, whit

[John in CT]

Rear, front or both? 600 CDN seems high for one or the other, about right for both from a site sponsor. The dealer seldom has the best price, with a few exceptions...

Good luck,

John in CT 1995 525i

[Jay 535i]

Jay.....Cheap is cheap is cheap.

Midas or the like will stick a cherrybomb or two in there and call it a day; maybe you'll get lucky and they'll tie it to the car with hanger wire. *quality*

I would go OEM, either new or used from a *reliable* scrap yard. Bret Luter may even have something for your car.


best, whit

Whit, I really don't want to put crap on my car, but my past experience with those guys is actually pretty good. I don't mind paying someone a bit to do it for me if it saves me a day of hassles (including tracking down the part from a scrap yard). How could they screw it up? :(

Then there's the "BMW Specialist" advertised in the local Yellow Pages I've been considering going to.

[632 Regal]

if its only the rear muffler between the gas tank and quarterpanel you could go with a flowmaster 3 chamber...they are thick enough to last indefinetly.

[Jay 535i]

if its only the rear muffler between the gas tank and quarterpanel you could go with a flowmaster 3 chamber...they are thick enough to last indefinetly.

I didn't know there was another one. Can someone educate me?

[Kalevera]

I didn't know there was another one. Can someone educate me?
The 535 has a cat, resonator, and a rear muffler.

I shudder to think about recommending this place to you, but for what it's worth...

About two weeks ago, I did an exhaust on a 535. Owner bought the parts from his own source, Vines in Alabama. The car sat in our lot for 3 weeks while those nancies got their act together. The exhaust arrived and was clean, but the tips were damaged in transit because they cellophane wrapped it and then stuck a UPS label on it. Edit: oh yeah, and one of the exhaust hanger brackets was bent out of shape and had to be straightened. Total cost was probably less than $200 for the customer...I don't know. Either way, it served its purpose. The car is driveable. Who knows how long the latest system will last, but Vines does have a good source of southern cars.

You might also check with Zionsville, or some of the other dismantlers (eurodepot).

Edit #2: the other thing to consider is that, given that the car has seen potentially 15 salted winters and the exhaust is entirely original, the flanges and hardware between the cat and the rear pipes will be fused together and nasty. It is highly plausible that the cat side flanges will break. One is replaceable (left side); if the right side is broken, the cat is trash. So, be careful and use PB Blaster & heat if there's any resistance. Get a sawzall and cut the bolts through the gaskets, if need be, and then heat and knock them out.

best, whit

[dacoyote]

I have used Vines, they are cheap.. but they are slow and the parts leave a lot to desire some of the times

-Charles

[Jay 535i]

Sounds like I gotta trust this to someone familliar with the E34. I think I'll try that BMW Specialist. Sigh.

[Russell]

Not that cheap, over $600. Was assured it was components designed to fit car with their full warranty on all parts from cat back. have not done yet as my exhaust system is still ok.



Jay.....Cheap is cheap is cheap.

Midas or the like will stick a cherrybomb or two in there and call it a day; maybe you'll get lucky and they'll tie it to the car with hanger wire. *quality*

I would go OEM, either new or used from a *reliable* scrap yard. Bret Luter may even have something for your car.


best, whit

[Jeff N.]

Call BMA and order an Eberspracher. If the rear is rotted out, just order the back section. Eberspracher is OE. Call them on the phone and you'll typically get a better deal than the website. Website has the rear muffler for $300USD or so. Pay midas to weld it in.



My car's muffler is falling apart and making bad sounds.

I want something as close to OEM as possible. I have another car for when I want to be loud. I want my BMW to be quiet and refined.

Anyone have anything against Midas? They've done great work on my other car, always competently done and at a very competitive price. The BMW dealership offers a flat rate of CDN$600 for all E34s, which seems fairly reasonable, but I'm sure Midas can better that by 25%.

Thoughts?

Anything else I should consider to make my car quieter/smoother?

[Jay 535i]

As I noted earlier, the dealer has a flat rate of $600, so if Midas is going to be $600, then it's a no-brainer. Ordering a muffler from the States is a hassle with customs duty, taxes and shipping.

I think I will just bite the bullet and take it to that "BMW Specialist" I found. The guy on the phone seemed nice enough. They ought to know their way around an E34, their parts will be OE or close enough to it, and their labour rate will be 25% cheaper than the dealer.

[Kalevera]

Jay, if you order it from Bruno (racingking.ca), there shouldn't be any problems. He's in Toronto -- you've talked to him, yes?

A good independent will make you and your car very happy. Dealers make the majority of their money on service, and the tech <usually> gets very little of it, so the end result is you paying a lot and having a tech, with little incentive or interest in getting the job done right, hacking away at the car. Whereas an Indy's livelihood is based on repair reputation, not an association with the marque.

I've never worked for a dealer, but I know a few factory techs, BMW and otherwise.....and the stories they tell! Moreover, we spend significant time correcting dealer mistakes. Recently: 540 came in, dealer charged a few thousand to replace the driveshaft and flywheel, completely oblivious to the fact that the car was running rough due to a misfire. That's not to say I don't make mistakes (I do), but...aye...some of the stuff those guys do is outrageous.

http://www.iaibmwsp.org

best, whit

[1995 525i]

My car's muffler is falling apart and making bad sounds.

I want something as close to OEM as possible. I have another car for when I want to be loud. I want my BMW to be quiet and refined.

Anyone have anything against Midas? They've done great work on my other car, always competently done and at a very competitive price. The BMW dealership offers a flat rate of CDN$600 for all E34s, which seems fairly reasonable, but I'm sure Midas can better that by 25%.

Thoughts?

Anything else I should consider to make my car quieter/smoother?
BAV auto has a tri-flo performance exhaust that is a bolt on replacement for the stock. It will cost a little more than you were quoted from the stealer and it will sound better/look better and maybe help your performance.

http://www.bavauto.com/shop.asp