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Downpipes
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:20 pm
by Daetlus
I ask this here, simply because I don't care for the opinions of most of 3SI.
Who uses what, and why?
I'm pretty sure I'm going with Stillen due to the O2 Bung placement locations and good quality I've heard about.
Re: Downpipes
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:25 pm
by bluej
still in bung? hwa? o_O
(sorry, no TT so i'm not much use for you)
Re: Downpipes
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:32 pm
by vr4
i still love my stillen. the ips and egay specials are stillen copies without the downstream bungs. my DR downpipe also fits very nicely but doesnt get rid of any cats. stillens are hit or miss. fit 1 of my 2 91s perfectly. the other was off by about 2mm on 1 bolt hole. still gotta try it on my 97.
Re: Downpipes
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:40 pm
by Monochrome
[quote=""Daetlus""]I'm pretty sure I'm going with Stillen due to the O2 Bung placement locations and good quality I've heard about.[/quote]
Excellent choice. This is the DP I recommend the most to people. It's tricky to install and remove though. What I do is, I use a jack under the collector to force it into place, then use the impact with a thin wall 1/2" drive 19mm and a swivel to tighten the exhaust nuts that attach it to the turbos.
My only real complaint about it is the weld gets in the way of one of the nuts that attach the flange to the front turbo. You can still get the DP on snug, but it bothers me that the nut gets bound up on one side. Never experimented with grinding the weld down a little.
Every DP seems to have some kind of issue be it install, or quality (like the knock off DNP pipes on e-bay breaking apart after 5K miles for example), but Stillen seems to be the one with the fewest issues and the front O2 bung is a perfect spot for a WB.
Re: Downpipes
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:43 pm
by vr4
[quote=""Monochrome""]Excellent choice. This is the DP I recommend the most to people. It's tricky to install and remove though. What I do is, I use a jack under the collector to force it into place, then use the impact with a thin wall 1/2" drive 19mm and a swivel to tighten the exhaust nuts that attach it to the turbos.
My only real complaint about it is the weld gets in the way of one of the nuts that attach the flange to the front turbo. You can still get the DP on snug, but it bothers me that the nut gets bound up on one side. Never experimented with grinding the weld down a little.
Every DP seems to have some kind of issue be it install, or quality (like the knock off DNP pipes on e-bay breaking apart after 5K miles for example), but Stillen seems to be the one with the fewest issues and the front O2 bung is a perfect spot for a WB.[/quote]
i grinded the welds on mine and the nuts sit perfectly now. took no more than a minute with a cut off wheel to grind them down nicely.
Re: Downpipes
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:52 pm
by oxrageous
I had a Stillen on my TT and loved it. Fantastic mod.
Re: Downpipes
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 9:11 pm
by pezcore
+1 for Stillen. 1 Less cat to gut
Re: Downpipes
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 9:33 pm
by Daetlus
I'm gutting my pre-cats tomorrow anyway
It's one of those manhood exercises.
Re: Downpipes
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 11:28 pm
by vegasidol
Yay for Stillen!
(I wish we had time to gut my other precat this weekend too.)

Re: Downpipes
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 11:57 pm
by EricVR4
I've got an ATR and really like it. Fits perfect, and is easy to install/remove. Can't get them any longer though, so I would go with the Stillen for the reasons stated above.
Re: Downpipes
Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 2:14 am
by J-Groove
I have the IPS 3" with welded in O2 bung. It eliminated my front precat and I gutted my rear.
Fit perfectly.
I highly recommend it.
-John
Re: Downpipes
Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 5:53 am
by Daetlus
I don't trust IPS, heard too many bad things, and Jeff rubs me the wrong way.
I do use their site to price match with HPF quite a bit though

Re: Downpipes
Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 12:50 pm
by Darkhelmet
I had an ebay $100 special on my last TT. ok contruction. was still in one piece after a year of use when I sold the car. the only downside is that it took 3 of us to shoehorn it into the car, but once it heatcycled a few times it retained the proper shape

Re: Downpipes
Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 3:39 pm
by aaronatstate
i have the tanabe, eliminates main cat, and front cat (although i have precat eliminators too) and it fit perfect, no trouble installing at all. it comes with all the bungs needed for 1 or 2 gen really nice IMO
Re: Downpipes
Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 4:00 pm
by J-Groove
[quote=""Daetlus""]I don't trust IPS, heard too many bad things, and Jeff rubs me the wrong way.
I do use their site to price match with HPF quite a bit though

[/quote]
Good idea with the price matching.
A lot of those "IPS is bad" threads confuse me. As I've never had a problem contacting Jeff, or any problems with orders. He has always gotten back to me, be it by phone or e-mail in less than 24 hours. The only time I've ever had an issue with IPS was with my first order, I ordered up my Defi blue racer gauges from him, this was prior to them being on any sites, I had just been talking to him about gauges and he told me he could get me a set.
Well, about a week and a half later I still hadn't received them. I talked to him on the phone, he said "he would take care of it." next day at noon they were at my doorstop. They were supposed to be drop shipped to me from Defi, Defi never shipped them, Jeff called them up and got them to overnight them to me. I've been buying from him ever since.
I personally think a lot of people post up on 3Si before trying to contact IPS. I've also had problem with 3SX, part of my order didn't show up one time, I called them, they took my word for it that I didn't receive the item, they shipped it out to me the same day. Again, just call the company first, I just think a lot of people bitch before trying to work to resolve the situation.
-John
Re: Downpipes
Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 4:12 pm
by Terry
I heard there's this other company that is pretty awesome too.
Terry
Re: Downpipes
Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 5:36 pm
by Daetlus
[quote=""Terry""]I heard there's this other company that is pretty awesome too.
Terry[/quote]
Yeah, seriously I heard of that too, I think it's called like Maximal Performance....It's great how I can say that, and you can't, because then it's advertising....
Owned!
Re: Downpipes
Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 6:20 pm
by Daetlus
[quote=""J-Groove""]Good idea with the price matching.
A lot of those "IPS is bad" threads confuse me. As I've never had a problem contacting Jeff, or any problems with orders. He has always gotten back to me, be it by phone or e-mail in less than 24 hours. The only time I've ever had an issue with IPS was with my first order, I ordered up my Defi blue racer gauges from him, this was prior to them being on any sites, I had just been talking to him about gauges and he told me he could get me a set.
Well, about a week and a half later I still hadn't received them. I talked to him on the phone, he said "he would take care of it." next day at noon they were at my doorstop. They were supposed to be drop shipped to me from Defi, Defi never shipped them, Jeff called them up and got them to overnight them to me. I've been buying from him ever since.
I personally think a lot of people post up on 3Si before trying to contact IPS. I've also had problem with 3SX, part of my order didn't show up one time, I called them, they took my word for it that I didn't receive the item, they shipped it out to me the same day. Again, just call the company first, I just think a lot of people bitch before trying to work to resolve the situation.
-John[/quote]
True, but you shouldn't have to call them.
Re: Downpipes
Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 6:41 pm
by Terry
[quote=""Daetlus""]Yeah, seriously I heard of that too, I think it's called like Maximal Performance....It's great how I can say that, and you can't, because then it's advertising....
Owned![/quote]
But I can force you to say it....close enough.
Terry