Exhaust Tips for the Warranty Cautious Modder

I really want a Eisenmann quad exhaust system. Really. After looking into adding an after-market exhaust that wasn't Dinan, to my Dinan modified 335i, I decided to wait until I'm out of warranty before I change the whole exhaust system on my car. A good modification that is low cost and adds a nice after-market look is exhaust tips.

I went with 3.8" chrome tips from Cyba off the E90 board. Ordering was easy and the price was far better than Dimsa tips. The Cyba tips ran $99 including shipping. Dimsa tips are $145 (special right now down from $175) not including shipping.

Locally, I went to S & K Muffler in Royal Oak, Michigan to have the tips installed. They do require that the stock exhaust is cut and the tips are welded on. Cost was $60 for the installation. It took about an hour to install, while I waited.

Is This Too Much of an Exhaust Note for a BMW?

One of the best parts of making the car you have "yours"is the research in finding what performance and cosmetic modifications make sense to your car and your taste. Choosing a pedal set or a front lip is pretty simple stuff. Deciding which exhaust upgrade to buy is the most complex of all, in my opinion. Sound, look, cost, and performance gains all go into one of the most cosmetic performance upgrades you can do to your convertible. Most performance changes you can see when you pop the hood, exhausts can beautify and increase your horsepower gains.

After spending a little time in my friend's new 2008 E93 M3 and hearing how amazing the quad exhaust of the M3 is, I decided to spend some time researching exhausts. I had narrowed down my choices to two: Active Autowerks and BMW Performance. I thought for sure I'd order one of these in the coming month that was until I heard the Eisenmann quad RACE exhaust and how amazing a quad exhaust looks on an E93.

Of course, going with a quad exhaust requires some other cosmetic changes to the rear end of the car. The best look I could find is using the 92/e93 OEM M-Technik Rear Bumper with a carbon fiber rear diffuser. An example can be seen on the E93 at right; though, not with quad exhausts. The M-Technik gives the rear a clean look in my opinion, add quad exhausts and you'll have a very sweet custom change to your E93. Non of this is cheap when you add the $2,300 for the quad exhaust and about $1,800 for the M-Technik parts.

For those interested in a less dramatic and less costly change, the BMW Performance exhaust is getting some great reviews on E90Post.com and you can pickup this exhaust for about $1,500 and it is a simple bolt-on installation.