Best sounding exhaust

[cornerbalanced]

Brand new euro headers are basically the same price as the CPI headers: https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-2...ro-header-set/ Not in stock, but still.

I also see them pop up on craigslist and such pretty regularly for $500-600.

I'd rather get the stepped headers over OE if I'm spending $1,000+ regardless. Definitely keeping my eyes open for another used set locally...I got my last set for $500 shipped. Pretty hard to beat that value-wise. I don't get the hate towards CPI headers though; is there a big exposé thread I'm missing out on? Lots of back to back dyno comparisons showing that they suck? I generally take James Clay's advice on matters pertaining to M3s.

[heinzboehmer]

I had Euro headers on my last E46. If another used pair comes up locally I’ll snag them. Otherwise I’m not going through the hassle of coordinating shipping with some dude from Latvia like I did last time.

Brand new euro headers are basically the same price as the CPI headers: https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-2...ro-header-set/ Not in stock, but still.

I also see them pop up on craigslist and such pretty regularly for $500-600.

[cornerbalanced]

I had that setup 15 years ago. It sounds good, but man does it DRONE. I do think those Eisenmann tips are the best looking set (size/placement) of any muffler sold for the chassis.

... why are people still buying CPI headers?

Yeah. Drone isn’t great.

And they’re just what James Clay recommended to me along with Epic. Plus they’re cheap, fairly well made, and stepped. If you’d like give me the extra $1.2k for SS V1s I’d gladly take you up on that

I had Euro headers on my last E46. If another used pair comes up locally I’ll snag them. Otherwise I’m not going through the hassle of coordinating shipping with some dude from Latvia like I did last time.

[Mr.wReckless]

Interesting... I have fabspeed headers, fabspeed 200 cell catted section one, SS resonated X pipe section two- which the Eisenmann Sport will be mated to.

I wonder if it was actually the Rogue EVC section 2 (unresonated?) causing the drone more than the Eisenmann, or at least in conjunction with it? Will be interested to see if my resonated SS section 2 x pipe makes a difference there

This will be, after much youtubing (granted not the best yard stick), more or less my setup. CPI mated to 100 Cell cats, Supersprint resonated X pipe and finally Eisenmann Sport. Currently running it all bar Supersprint due to poor fitting flange which I'll have welded on thursday. But even with OEM sec2 there's not really any drone, not super loud, and after swapping the OEM back box for the Eisenmann the car got noticeably quicker.

Excited for thursday to see what an all stainless exhaust setup plus the x-pipe does to the rasp and general tone.

Regards

[Sid_E46]

Interesting... I have fabspeed headers, fabspeed 200 cell catted section one, SS resonated X pipe section two- which the Eisenmann Sport will be mated to.

I wonder if it was actually the Rogue EVC section 2 (unresonated?) causing the drone more than the Eisenmann, or at least in conjunction with it? Will be interested to see if my resonated SS section 2 x pipe makes a difference there

There is a possibility that the Rouge section 2 contributed to the drone. I later had a SG resonated section 2 with a EVC welded in and that droned as well (EVC closed). Cats will definitely cut down the drone.

[Sid_E46]

And what did you dyno with the latter setup?

Havent had a chance yet, was about to get a HTE dyno tune but then the car was rearended. Currently, in the process of finishing up my new M3 build but it will probably have a supercharger by the time I get an HTE dyno tune.

[Doost]

I had CPI headers, dual OE resonators, and a Rouge engineering EVC section 2 paired with the Eisenmann Sport at the time. Now I have SSv1's, Dual resonators welded into the SS section 1 (no cats), Dual 2.5 inch SS resonated section 2, and a SS street section 3. Took me forever to finally get a setup that had no drone, even the Dinan muffler droned with this setup.

Interesting... I have fabspeed headers, fabspeed 200 cell catted section one, SS resonated X pipe section two- which the Eisenmann Sport will be mated to.

I wonder if it was actually the Rogue EVC section 2 (unresonated?) causing the drone more than the Eisenmann, or at least in conjunction with it? Will be interested to see if my resonated SS section 2 x pipe makes a difference there

[Obioban]

Is there a dynograph showing the comparison? They are basically modeled after the SS V2s at half the cost.

Idk if they made it over to the new forum, but there was plenty of examples/dynos on M3F.

I'm pretty much of the opinion that there's only two header options that make sense on this car:
1) Used OE Euro/CSL, if you want cheap. They make as much/more power as any cheap header out there, across the RPM band, and have perfect fitment and build quality.
2) SSV1 stepped, with a matching section 1, if you want max power.

Among the options that aren't either of the above, there's a couple that seem like especially bad options-- specifically CPI and ARH (both of which give up the bottom end/low mid range without doing better than OE Euro at the top end... and, in the case of ARH, are annoying to tune for and make street legal).

[Obioban]

I made 316 wheel with nothing but CPI headers and a Buildjournal tune. The bottom-end power wasn't anything amazing but the mid and top-end power felt alright. Still, can't compare them to SSv1's.

316 is meaningless without knowing what you're car made on the same dyno, same conditions, stock.

And 316 is a peak number, which is, as I pointed out, the one area where they are not worse (or better) than other options on the market.

[jet_dogg]

I had CPI headers, dual OE resonators, and a Rouge engineering EVC section 2 paired with the Eisenmann Sport at the time. Now I have SSv1's, Dual resonators welded into the SS section 1 (no cats), Dual 2.5 inch SS resonated section 2, and a SS street section 3. Took me forever to finally get a setup that had no drone, even the Dinan muffler droned with this setup.

And what did you dyno with the latter setup?

[Slideways]

The CPIs make less power at low/mid range than other cheap headers, and don't make more at the top end. I don't understand why people buy them.

Is there a dynograph showing the comparison? They are basically modeled after the SS V2s at half the cost.

[Sid_E46]

Sid_E46 Dammit, I’m waiting on an Eisenmann sport now. Did you have it paired with cats/resonators?

I had CPI headers, dual OE resonators, and a Rouge engineering EVC section 2 paired with the Eisenmann Sport at the time. Now I have SSv1's, Dual resonators welded into the SS section 1 (no cats), Dual 2.5 inch SS resonated section 2, and a SS street section 3. Took me forever to finally get a setup that had no drone, even the Dinan muffler droned with this setup.

[Sid_E46]

The CPIs make less power at low/mid range than other cheap headers, and don't make more at the top end. I don't understand why people buy them.

I made 316 wheel with nothing but CPI headers and a Buildjournal tune. The bottom-end power wasn't anything amazing but the mid and top-end power felt alright. Still, can't compare them to SSv1's.

[Obioban]

I used to have CPI headers. There is nothing really that bad with them but they don't really make more power over much cheaper headers such as Megans.

I also used to have an Eisenmann sport muffler and the drone was horrendous.

The CPIs make less power at low/mid range than other cheap headers, and don't make more (than other headers) at the top end. I don't understand why people buy them.

[Doost]

Sid_E46 Dammit, I’m waiting on an Eisenmann sport now. Did you have it paired with cats/resonators?