[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by BradMacklin

With the axleback or full system? I sent them an email trying to figure out which model I would need since it lists two that look similar to me.

Just saw your new reply. I will send you a PM

both systems with stock downpipe have no drone

[BradMacklin]

Well I will hopefully be able to install the Remus Axleback system here shortly and I'll be able to give some feedback. I had heard good things for the money from searches I did. If I want more sound there's always more pipes to play with down the line.

[OUGrad05]

Originally Posted by johnung

I've got a 2015 335ix that I've heavily modded over the past two years to be a sleeper daily driver using the stock turbo and standard 93 octane pump gas.

Some folks aren't listening to you and your budget in their recommendations. Based on what you said, here's what I'd recommend:

1) Upgrade the Charge Pipe.
The plastic one will break. Don't cheap out because leaks are expensive to troubleshoot. Evolution Raceworks makes the best. I've read good things about VSRF. Alohasurftoad says CTS and he knows his stuff. Replace the o-rings on both ends of the CP to avoid future leaks. O-ring on intercooler end is directional and will leak if installed backwards. See photo.

2) Upgrade to a drop-in oil-less high flow airfilter such as aFe Pro Dry (~$75) which is washable in soapy water and reusable. Save old stock filter to pop in while aFe is air drying after wash. Consider upgrading bottom of your stock airfilter box to an M Performance Intake (~$180) that has extra air hole in front. See red outline in photo. Some guys just cut or drill holes in the same spot in their stock box. This will provide better breathing and a horsepower/torque bump.

3) Upgrade to BootMod3 N55 EWG Stage1 91 or 93 octane. (~$595 including Ethernet/OBD cable to install). This is a smooth powerful tune that you can install from your laptop in your driveway in about 20 minutes. It also comes with a free automatic transmission tune that takes another five minutes. Much more crisp shifting.

BootMod3 has user selectable settings that allow you to adjust the exhaust burbles and pops. It's a product with a responsive tech support, an enthusiastic helpful FaceBook users group and that does consistent new product releases that are included free with the initial user license.

4) Exhaust
Your stock exhaust has a catted 4" downpipe, a midpipe and an axle-back muffler. Leave the midpipe alone. Guys who mess with it often complain of drone and excessive noise. Then they reinstall it.

The downpipe only needs to be replaced if/when you decide to upgrade to BootMod3 Stage2. (The intercooler would also need to be upgraded.) Stock to Stage1 may feel more dramatic than Stage1 to Stage2.

Catless downpipes are cheap, smell like gasoline and fail emissions. They has less back pressure which allows the turbo to spin faster to provide higher boost pressures needed for Stage2.

Fabspeed catted HJS downpipe is most expensive, is guaranteed to not through a Check Engine Light and is dyno tested at an amazing 93% of the performance of their catless downpipe. It also contributes a great sound.

There are catted DPs that eliminate gasoline smell but don't pass emissions. There are a couple others that will pass emissions but I haven't seen any performance tests vs catless that prove that they are in the same league as FabSpeed.

Axle-back exhausts provide performance and sound. There are some extremely expensive models. In the midrange are the AWE, BMW M Performance and REMUS. Sometimes you can find them used. I'd suggest REMUS if you are buying new. Bang for the buck! Great deep sound!

Hope this helps!

Extremely helpful post. I think charge pipe is a must, downpipes not so much. At least not now. I love the fact that BM allows for some trans tweaking. Comfort shifts are too soft, sport is pretty good but in sport and sport plus it won't shift into 8th gear in auto mode which is ridiculous.

I'll take a look at some axle back exhaust systems. I like the idea of an axle back, it may be the compromise I need. I do not want to throw a code, I do not want to have issues when I resale or trade it in. Axle back from BMW (then it's only BMW parts), Dinan or Remus may be perfect.

[mcintoshf30]

Originally Posted by OUGrad05

Extremely helpful post. I think charge pipe is a must, downpipes not so much. At least not now. I love the fact that BM allows for some trans tweaking. Comfort shifts are too soft, sport is pretty good but in sport and sport plus it won't shift into 8th gear in auto mode which is ridiculous.

I'll take a look at some axle back exhaust systems. I like the idea of an axle back, it may be the compromise I need. I do not want to throw a code, I do not want to have issues when I resale or trade it in. Axle back from BMW (then it's only BMW parts), Dinan or Remus may be perfect.

Get a Valvetronic axel back and you won't regret it. I'll be getting on board sound clips soon so you can hear. Also if you're ever looking for power but no CEL go Fabspeed catted downpipe, highest flowing at 200. You could even swap your midpipe for AWE's if you wanted more sound. All of these things can be taken off and put back on the car no issue. No need to worry about resale; I've never really understood this paranoia

[OUGrad05]

Called a local performance shop today, they have access to quite a bit and brought up a brand I had completely forgotten about, but long been a fan. That's Corsa!

Any thoughts on Corsa? I'll do some forum searching tonight, I've always liked their sound, supposedly no drone but need to make sure.

[anddy10]

I installed recently a REMUS Axle-back exhaust on my 2014 435i Xdrive.
I actually purchased it from Mike at X-Ph who I can say is great at replying back to you regarding any problems.

This is my official first post so I'm linking a short clip of the exhaust note right after install. The Exhaust is my only 'mod' to the car so no DP, Tune, Bootmod, etc.

My priority was definitely no drone, and REMUS definitely has it on lock, and the fact that it has a valve to quiet down while in 'Comfort Mode' and loud during 'Sport Mode' was a plus! On top of that it's a great looking exhaust.

Video was made with a warm engine at about maybe 4-5k RPM.

Thank you,
https://youtu.be/q31lwTOy9i4

[BradMacklin]

Nice. I'm looking forward to mine. I'll do a before and after video as well. I'm a tough nervous about cutting the pipe since I've only ever had direct bolt on exhausts before but I bought an exhaust cutting tool so I expect the install should still be pretty smooth.

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by anddy10

I installed recently a REMUS Axle-back exhaust on my 2014 435i Xdrive.
I actually purchased it from Mike at X-Ph who I can say is great at replying back to you regarding any problems.

This is my official first post so I'm linking a short clip of the exhaust note right after install. The Exhaust is my only 'mod' to the car so no DP, Tune, Bootmod, etc.

My priority was definitely no drone, and REMUS definitely has it on lock, and the fact that it has a valve to quiet down while in 'Comfort Mode' and loud during 'Sport Mode' was a plus! On top of that it's a great looking exhaust.

Video was made with a warm engine at about maybe 4-5k RPM.

Thank you,
https://youtu.be/q31lwTOy9i4

[RedLeather]

I've got a 2015 335i also. I'll be another to say that the Borla ATAK has zero drone, even after installing a catless downpipe. I love the sound as well.

[f32ftw]

I have the AWE exhaust axleback and midpipe. With the stock catalytic converter it sounds amazing but once you remove the cat it becomes raspy, a little too loud for my taste and you may even have some drone.

[OUGrad05]

Trying to avoid starting another thread specifically about charge pipes.
I'm pretty sure I'm going Borla exhaust at this point (Corsa still in the mix, working through that). Need to figure out the charge pipe situation.
Evolution Racewerks
CTS
VRSF
What other brands out there should I consider? I've read a lot of very mixed things on VRSF so I'm tempted to say nope to that.

Also, I found last night something called a TIC? Turbo to intercooler charge pipe or something similar? Is this TIC something I need to worry about? There seems to be far less issues associated with the TIC vs the charge pipe.

I'll be ready to order within a week Super excited.

[thejeremyman9]

Originally Posted by OUGrad05

Trying to avoid starting another thread specifically about charge pipes.
I'm pretty sure I'm going Borla exhaust at this point (Corsa still in the mix, working through that). Need to figure out the charge pipe situation.
Evolution Racewerks
CTS
VRSF
What other brands out there should I consider? I've read a lot of very mixed things on VRSF so I'm tempted to say nope to that.

Also, I found last night something called a TIC? Turbo to intercooler charge pipe or something similar? Is this TIC something I need to worry about? There seems to be far less issues associated with the TIC vs the charge pipe.

I'll be ready to order within a week Super excited.

If you are going to get a CP, highly recommend the IC at the same time - both because you can usually get a package deal (save $) and because the install is most efficiently done simultaneously. Although yes, you can technically install a CP without removing the IC and vise versa, doing both simultaneously saves time.

Those are the main brands. There is also FTP (i would say it is "uncommon", but some have success) - this is the ebay/amazon brand if you want to call it that. There is also Active Autowerke, a big name in general for BMW. Fairly uncommon also, but there is usually a AA IC+CP package deal to be had and when i checked a long time ago it wasn't much more than VRSF. I had a bad experience with my VRSF IC+CP (boost leak, concluded manufacturing error on connections), but that seemed to be an outlier as VRSF is probably the most widely used and most people do not have issues, so YMMV. It is also the cheapest. It performs just fine after fixing my issue myself (read - Oring thread).

Most IC designs are the same stepped design, but i think ER is different, and i would say that IC is kindof uncommon. I would stick to VRSF, CTS, or AA intercooler, unless you want to take a step up to Wagner's tube and fin design.

TLDR - check CTS or VRSF IC+CP for the cheapest options. AA package is probably a little more expensive. Technically you can mix and match most IC+CP if you so choose.

TIC is generally considered to be just fine for stock turbo applications. Not a requirement in the same way as CP. Plenty of people run stock TIC on FBO cars (IC+CP+DP and stage 2) myself included.

[OUGrad05]

Originally Posted by thejeremyman9

If you are going to get a CP, highly recommend the IC at the same time - both because you can usually get a package deal (save $) and because the install is most efficiently done simultaneously. Although yes, you can technically install a CP without removing the IC and vise versa, doing both simultaneously saves time.

Those are the main brands. There is also FTP (i would say it is "uncommon", but some have success) - this is the ebay/amazon brand if you want to call it that. There is also Active Autowerke, a big name in general for BMW. Fairly uncommon also, but there is usually a AA IC+CP package deal to be had and when i checked a long time ago it wasn't much more than VRSF. I had a bad experience with my VRSF IC+CP (boost leak, concluded manufacturing error on connections), but that seemed to be an outlier as VRSF is probably the most widely used and most people do not have issues, so YMMV. It is also the cheapest. It performs just fine after fixing my issue myself (read - Oring thread).

Most IC designs are the same stepped design, but i think ER is different, and i would say that IC is kindof uncommon. I would stick to VRSF, CTS, or AA intercooler, unless you want to take a step up to Wagner's tube and fin design.

TLDR - check CTS or VRSF IC+CP for the cheapest options. AA package is probably a little more expensive. Technically you can mix and match most IC+CP if you so choose.

TIC is generally considered to be just fine for stock turbo applications. Not a requirement in the same way as CP. Plenty of people run stock TIC on FBO cars (IC+CP+DP and stage 2) myself included.

I'm not planning to go stage 2 and I'm no longer considering a downpipe so do you believe the IC is needed/necessary? I'm not doing an intercooler with no intent to go beyond stage 1.

[thejeremyman9]

Originally Posted by OUGrad05

I'm not planning to go stage 2 and I'm no longer considering a downpipe so do you believe the IC is needed/necessary? I'm not doing an intercooler with no intent to go beyond stage 1.

Highly recommend the IC. Stock one just isnt up to the task, even with stock tune IMO. Upping the boost only makes it worse. The IC is pretty cheap, very easy to install, and helps deliver consistent performance. IATs rise dramatically even after 1 pull with stock IC - you will start losing power with back to back pulls. Any aftermarket IC is dramatically better.