Is there a company that makes a factory replacement cat back stainless steel exhaust for 318IS that is not loud? I want a direct replacement that is no louder than stock. I don't want a fart pipe. It has to be stainless because I only want to do this once. Searching around all I am finding is performance exhaust.
1991 318is
2001 740i
if there is, I don't know either. every place I ever tried for factory replacement were always galvanized aluminum
No e30s again.
Get something custom at an exhaust shop
I had a stainless one made for my present E30 (straight pipes, with only a dampener at the back), which is quite noisy, but for my 323i I had a stainless one made with a dampener in the middle section as well. That one wasn't loud by any means.
eberspaecher is usually oem. bosal and walker make replacement systems. doubt you're gonna find an eber here. dunno who sells bosal but it may be your best bet. walker is ok for a replacement but heavier than even the original.
Bosal and Walker are both aluminized steel. I only want stainless. Walker rusts out within 2 years of daily use in Canada.
1991 318is
2001 740i
Ok so here is another question. Is there a company that will sell a stainless cat back tail pipe only without a muffler? It will at least save me the time having to build that section.
1991 318is
2001 740i
No.
Also, make sure that any exhaust you build is with 304 stainless. 409 stainless still rusts relatively easily. And while it's not necessary to TIG stainless together, you need to have it MIGged with stainless wire (and preferably stainless compatible gas).
My standard exhaust recipe is a BMW OE cat from a later model (preferably an M car), a Borla ProXS/Turbo center resonator, and a Dynomax Super Turbo muffler. I use the Magnaflow 35167 tips for dual exhausts. (Note that you'll have to cut the tips off the Y that Magnaflow provides if you're running a larger exhaust. Not an issue for a 318 - and it'll be easier to do a single tip anyway.)
The one piece that I have *not* been able to find an acceptable stainless option for is the Dynomax. It's frustrating, but Borla, Magnaflow, Flowmaster, and other stainless options have just sucked.
2011 M3 Sedan
2006 GMC Sierra 2500HD LBZ
1999 323i GTS2
1995 M3 - S50B32/S6S420G/3.91
1990 325is
1989 M3 - S54B32/GS6-37BZ
Hers: 1996 Porsche 911 Turbo
Hers: 1989 325iX
Stromung makes the only stainless replacement exhaust system for the M42 318i/iS that is straight swap with no BS or fabrication that I know of.
Tenured Automotive Service Professional - Avid BMW Enthusiast
I had a Stromung on my E36 M44 car. Regretted every second that exhaust was on the car. Lots of droning, the exhaust hanger tabs broke off, and the welds for the pipes in the back failed.
It was WAY too loud. No one wants a lot of attention when driving a 140 hp 2800 pound car...
there is a used 325is scorpion catback in nanaimo for $350. maybe you could make that work.
Bookmarks