New cat back exhaust needed-best price/source?

[Russell]

New cat back exhaust needed on my 95 5251 automatic. Want OE quality/quietness. What is the current best brand and best source? I know it changes over time.

[Tiger]

Suggest you try to score a used good muffler system... Otherwise you are looking at $550 average price.

Pelican parts got good price.

Eberspaecher is OEM... ANSA is great alternative. I trust nothing else. I really would try to score a used system and put it on your car. These exhause system are really robust that they last for a super long time.

[Russell]

Suggest you try to score a used good muffler system... Otherwise you are looking at $550 average price.

Pelican parts got good price.

Eberspaecher is OEM... ANSA is great alternative. I trust nothing else. I really would try to score a used system and put it on your car. These exhause system are really robust that they last for a super long time.

Thanks, but unfortunatly, no good used e34 systems in my area. I just do not see how an older or same age used system will be better than the one on my car. Mine does not have holes etc.. it s kind of burnt out inside and just louder than i like. No holes. I expect a used sytem to be no better. priced Pelican and Autohauz.

[Tiger]

Sometime the sound of exhaust leak can come from the compression ring between the cat and the center muffler... had that happened in a Mercedes... wasted money on new exhaust when it just need new compression ring and bolts.

525i always sounded 'loud' to me... which is why I like the V8... much quieter. I think it would be marginally quieter if you go with new exhaust system... unless you sat in a friend's E34 car with new exhaust system and say wow... what a difference...

Otherwise, if you are bent on getting a quieter exhaust system, you have to work with a muffler shop... independent one... mom and pop shop who has some time and some old timer experience... can pick out the right size muffler... cut out original and weld new one in. Probably cost you like $120 to do that...

One experience I do have... with OE exhaust system... on my diesel... a tailpipe fell off the car. It may have been welded before... but my uncle's shop stuck a new tailpipe in.... basically a straight pipe cut to look like a tailpipe... stuck it in and welded it in. The tailpipe diameter was substantially larger than before. In the end, the car was much quieter... couldn't believe it.

So you might be interested in cutting out the muffler tailpipe and stick a larger one in.

[Russell]

Thanks again, All good advice. I was just thinking I need to check out the system just to make sure its not the compression ring or some other system leak. BTW, my wife even said my car sounded louder. Therefore it must be louder :)

[Tiger]

It probably is louder... lol.

[Dave M]

Installed an Eberspaecher cat back from BMA in, oh, 2003 and I don't even think about it.

Dave

[Russell]

Installed an Eberspaecher cat back from BMA in, oh, 2003 and I don't even think about it.

Dave

Dave, Eberspaecher is my choice for parts.
Did you weld or bolt the two sections together?

[Dave M]

Dave, Eberspaecher is my choice for parts.
Did you weld or bolt the two sections together?

Bolted with some high quality stainless hardware. I think welding would be great, but I wanted to install it myself as I was in the middle of a shtf linkage rebuild/suspension upgrade and had it torn apart pretty good.

Dave

[paul p (chi-town)]

Dunno if Supersprint makes an e34 system, but i have been very happy with the one on the 3er.
It's been on the car for more than 5 years, hangs perfectly and sounds wonderful, just a notch more aggressive than stock. No bad highway droning at all and a nice burble down low.


Hang up & Drive!
94 BMW 530iT&A 'Helga' ( Shaky, shaky *sigh* ) 160K
92 BMW 325i ‘Rolf’ ( Shooting for 200K *woot* ) 192K
85 Toyo MR2 ‘Jerry’ ( Stored *sad* ) 140K

“When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
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[paul p (chi-town)]

Whoa, nevermind ... they were a bit cheaper when i bought em.