Milltek Troubles

Probably will not remove the cats. There does not seem to be much of a difference removed or otherwise, I'd say the same as one experiences in engine power between a 'hot day' and a 'wet' day.

Also with them fitted they are a little quieter - hopefully attracting less attention. Trouble is they are becoming a little common in our parts we have  3 red, 1 black Sport Evos and 1 red E30 burning up our locality! 

I have just replaced my 14 year old exhaust with an OEM after spending the last year repeatedly pulling off the original and rewelding various holes. Coughing up the best part of £1100 and now hearing these tales is making me feel alot better!  

The Miltek was an option for the price saving but I recall coming across an article (cannot remember where) stating that stainless steel is particularly  unsuitable as the engine is too harsh and will cause the more rigid nature of SS to either split or crack, the problems stated would seem to bear this out.

Uwe mentioned that the OEM was stainless steel but this is not correct and the more flexible nature of mild steel would seem to be the answer - (it is only the decorative twin pipes out the back which are ss). 

There is another factor about stainless steel exhausts that has been topical over the years, not withstanding the problems of the harshness it has been said that when a good standard system wears out that is about time for the rest to be replaced i.e. baffles full up with carbon etc. The stainless that goes on and on can cause performance loss through being internally past it.

The new CSL M3 has a lightened exhaust system fitted and must check out the spec to see if this was mild steel or stainless. 

  

I was part of the group buy and have had no problems with mine so farand I use mine as a daily driver

PikeyM3 wrote: My exhaust note has definitely 'Matured' as well. The buzz/rattle you refer too, I beleive, is the internal baffles in the centre box coming apart due to the vibrations. The centre box split on top of the centre box where the welds are, so you can't see it when you look up at the exhaust from underneath. Pikey

Great. So I may have this to look forward to.eventually it`ll spilt wide open and spill it`s internals out before falling to the ground.

Oh well....anyone organising a Supersprint group buy ?

I think there made from 304

Edited by M3Pilot

I had my Supersprint for 3 years odd and it's been fine. The trouble with a stainless exhaust is for the most part they are made form very thin walled material. They don't need to be thick for rust protection like a decent mild steel one will be. This is why a a stainless exhuast can puncture very easily and have a slightly hollow sound where as one like the Supersprint will sound more rouned. The exhuast they make for the M3 hasn't been around for that long and it wasn't around when I bought mine.

215DMX wrote: This is all quite intresting to read, as I was going to get one next month (still might of course) but it reminds me that Barry from ML once told me "don't bother with a stainless system on an M3 theres too much vibration and it will crack, stick with milkd steel" . . .

Interessting opinion of ML, so even BMW does it wrong because the OM exhaust is made of stainless.

kevin wrote: Pottsy, Darren M, How long have you had yours for and how many miles have you covered with it?

Bought it with the group buy last year(if anyone remembers that) - I think around February time. My car was MOT`d straight afterwards and about one month ago it was MOT`d again so I guess that`s one year and one month with the Milltek. It is holding together but the buzz\vibration can be quite loud with the windows open especially. THe car has covered not that far off of 30k miles in this time but the buzz started some time ago - think it was the back end of last summer so probably only 5 months into having it fitted! Was quite low to start with but has got louder. The exhaust itself is louder than when new but sounds great which is why I say the sound has matured well except for the buzz\rattle.
Milage terms I didn`t do quite so many miles to start with, so it probalby started buzzing around 10k miles or a bit more.

Edited by Darren M

My car is fitted with a "Scorpion". It was fitted by the previous owner 4yrs. ago. Got the bill at home think its for £400.00 plus fitting. The only thing I have done was to cut off the DTM up swept tail pipes and have stright ones welded on. 

Pottsy,

I hope Milltek look after you and it was a one duff one. Still not a nice experience, I will get mine checked early next in preparation for Cadwell Park.

Darren M,

How long have you had yours for and how many miles have you covered with it?