M3 E92 stage 2 affect on value

[survivalist]

Colinv6 said:

survivalist said:

How many people interrogate the ECU before buying a used car? Although I guess it could be an issue if you had a warranty claim big enough for the warranty company to investigate. However, if you don’t want people to easily identify previous models, then keeping the OEM exhaust intact and gutting a spare X-pipe makes sense. Enough of these being broken for parts that you can easily source once these days.

I’ve heard the M Performance exhaust with a decat X-pipe and it is indeed very raspy. I’d go so far as to say that a standard or mildly modded OEM backbox sounds better with a decat.

Unless you’re buying an ultra rare & low mileage investment car, then surely it’s better to enjoy it rather than worry too much about resale.

X pipe seemingly a lot more raspy than test pipes, but X pipe is bolt on/off. Test pipes need the OEM pipe cutting so not reversible without a bit of work. It’s not crazy low milage on mine at 41k but it’s tooooo clean to be worrying about ruining all the underneath with salt. Tend to just use the wife’s M140i or the Navara pickup in the winter

M3 just sits in the garage all warm and cosy

Lovelly looking car. The M3 is one of a handful of I cars I really like in white. Sadly I lack the garage space to keep mine inside. That said we have a E91 335i as a family car that, at 14 years old, doesn’t have any rust despite having spent its entire life outside. The E9x cars seem to have much better rust proofing than the E36 and E46.

[Colinv6]

Thanks. I sold my 2018 M4CS for it. Haven’t looked back. It’s got so much character, feel and soul, that’s without mentioning the noise.

Funny you say that about the E generation cars, mum and dad used to have a 123d coupe, and that thing felt like it was carved from granite.

[JEA1K]

These cars are getting to an age where people will look beyond modifications like this ... most are out of warranty so it really doesn't matter. In fact, the cars for sale which are modified in the right way don't seem to hang around for long ...

Yes there will always be people who want 100% stock but most of these items are reversible ... I mean who interrogates an ECO before they purchase a car?

Have thought about exhaust ... most I see/hear on Youtube are too loud and sound bloody awful. I think the lowest 1.5 mod is what I would be happy with ... my car isn't a daily driver but I really don't want to attract attention.

[Cl4rkyPH]

Really overwhelmed with the helpful responses. Thank you to all.

At the risk of sounding like an idiot, can someone please confirm that the “2-pipe mod” and “backbox mod” are the same thing?

I’m desperately googling to try and keep up with you guys but just getting more confused with the different nicknames people have for the same modification(s).

If they are the same thing, it seems that it is a popular mod and seems to have the backing from Survivalist too, who’s been extra helpful on this thread.

So I’m leaning towards going for this in the first instance, and might stay away from the idea of a stage 2, for now anyway!

Can anyone confirm it’s the same mod and also explain what the mod is and how it improves the sound? I don’t want it to be too ASBO but do want a bit more noise.

Thanks again to everyone.

[JEA1K]

Cl4rkyPH said:

Really overwhelmed with the helpful responses. Thank you to all.

At the risk of sounding like an idiot, can someone please confirm that the “2-pipe mod” and “backbox mod” are the same thing?

I’m desperately googling to try and keep up with you guys but just getting more confused with the different nicknames people have for the same modification(s).

If they are the same thing, it seems that it is a popular mod and seems to have the backing from Survivalist too, who’s been extra helpful on this thread.

So I’m leaning towards going for this in the first instance, and might stay away from the idea of a stage 2, for now anyway!

Can anyone confirm it’s the same mod and also explain what the mod is and how it improves the sound? I don’t want it to be too ASBO but do want a bit more noise.

Thanks again to everyone.

Yes, back box mod is generic for all the back box mod options.

Below is from Modstock who most people use for this work.

1.75 Pipe mod = Moderate - Medium
2 pipe mod = Moderate - Medium/loud
2.5 pipe mod = loud - LOUD
4 pipe mod = LOUD - ASBO

If you go to Youtube and listen to the various options and see what you think.

[JMBMWM5]

Just remember "Noise Monitors" are introduced now, and they can cause a big fine for excessive Exhaust Noise.
So If your caught it could be expensive.

[Cl4rkyPH]

JEA1K said:

Yes, back box mod is generic for all the back box mod options.

Below is from Modstock who most people use for this work.

1.75 Pipe mod = Moderate - Medium
2 pipe mod = Moderate - Medium/loud
2.5 pipe mod = loud - LOUD
4 pipe mod = LOUD - ASBO

If you go to Youtube and listen to the various options and see what you think.

Thank you.

[Cl4rkyPH]

JMBMWM5 said:

Just remember "Noise Monitors" are introduced now, and they can cause a big fine for excessive Exhaust Noise.
So If your caught it could be expensive.

Can you elaborate at all? Do you mean police traffic officers have that equipment or are you referring to MOT testers?

[survivalist]

Cl4rkyPH said:

JMBMWM5 said:

Just remember "Noise Monitors" are introduced now, and they can cause a big fine for excessive Exhaust Noise.
So If your caught it could be expensive.

Can you elaborate at all? Do you mean police traffic officers have that equipment or are you referring to MOT testers?

It was a bit of a thing in 2019. Basically like speed cameras, but designed to catch and fine excessively loud vehicles.

https://www.eta.co.uk/2019/06/13/noise-cameras-joi...

Not seen anything since though, maybe the silver lining of the pandemic is that people are focusing on bigger things.

Likely to confined to cities and town centres though. Also unclear whether they will actually take the vehicle make/model/year into account or just be set to catch straight piped corsas and 'pops n bangs' mapped cars.

I've got a 2.5 mod on mine and apart from cold starts I don't get many looks. I'm also not blipping the throttle outside schools and at pedestrian crossings some seem to.

ETA - IIRC the fine is £50, so depends on how you define massive.

Edited by survivalist on Monday 15th February 19:48

[survivalist]

JEA1K said:

Cl4rkyPH said:

Really overwhelmed with the helpful responses. Thank you to all.

At the risk of sounding like an idiot, can someone please confirm that the “2-pipe mod” and “backbox mod” are the same thing?

I’m desperately googling to try and keep up with you guys but just getting more confused with the different nicknames people have for the same modification(s).

If they are the same thing, it seems that it is a popular mod and seems to have the backing from Survivalist too, who’s been extra helpful on this thread.

So I’m leaning towards going for this in the first instance, and might stay away from the idea of a stage 2, for now anyway!

Can anyone confirm it’s the same mod and also explain what the mod is and how it improves the sound? I don’t want it to be too ASBO but do want a bit more noise.

Thanks again to everyone.

Yes, back box mod is generic for all the back box mod options.

Below is from Modstock who most people use for this work.

1.75 Pipe mod = Moderate - Medium
2 pipe mod = Moderate - Medium/loud
2.5 pipe mod = loud - LOUD
4 pipe mod = LOUD - ASBO

If you go to Youtube and listen to the various options and see what you think.

That's a good summary. Basically, the backbox has no impact on power at all. It's all about noise.

The standard car silencer (backbox) has a lot of perorated pipes that sit within the silencer which is filled with wadding (not sure what it's made of) that reduces the volume. The 1.75/2/2.5/4 rating relates to how many of these perforated sections of pipe are wrapped with material that blocks the perforations. The more sections you wrap, the less effective the silencer is. A 4 pipe mod basically wraps all of the perorated sections so the backbox isn't really doing anything apart from looking stock.

The mid section (or X-Pipe) has both sets of cats and a pair of resonators in it.

Bear in mind that you can stage 1 map the M3 with the standard X-Pipe in place, but stage 2 requires the removal of the primary cats (by any means).

The only issue is that if you start with a backbox mod and like it, it will likely get louder when you do the primary cat delete and so, potentially, require another backbox mod.

[Max Maxasson]

1.75 was fairly loud on mine!

[t563sk1]

So when I bought my car it originally had the decat, stage 2 and GTS software installed - this was all put back to standard as part of a warranty claim and it robbed the car of so much character.... now that I e had it a couple of years and worked my way through the usual issues it’ll be going back to how it was but this time with a Russ Fellows x-pipe. These mods add so much to the driving experience and bring that V8 to life. Go for it!

[Cl4rkyPH]

Awesome awesome awesome. Thanks everyone.

I’m going to go ahead with the 2 pipe mod (I think it’s just lairy enough for me).

[JMBMWM5]

Cl4rkyPH said:

Can you elaborate at all? Do you mean police traffic officers have that equipment or are you referring to MOT testers?

Yea Police and some other pains in the arse are using them, not sure where is the most prolific yet, but they are out there. Anything to feck up our enjoyment.

[Cl4rkyPH]

Max Maxasson said:

1.75 was fairly loud on mine!

Where did you get yours done if you don’t mind me asking?

[Steve Barrett]

The primary cats are easy enough to reinstall if required as long as you have the standard 1's to put back

[Steve Barrett]

Also to add, the back box mod gives a lovely sound as does removing the precats, but both make it louder still so if you don't want masses of noise do 1 or the other not both.
When having the remap done to suit primary cat removal you can also choose to have the cold start deleted to keep it quiet on startup.
The biggest thing about primary cat removal and "test pipes" fitted is they are a visual MOT fail even thought it will still pass the emissions test. Chris Batten from Modstock exhaust can gut the standard primary cats giving it visually the appearance of still have them installed but obviously this isn't reversible so you'd require a used standard X pipe if you wanted to return to stock.

[JMBMWM5]

Basically the Remap on this engine just cleans up the fueling map, which can release around 35/50 BHP from memory, which is next to nothing.

[Cl4rkyPH]

Steve Barrett said:

Also to add, the back box mod gives a lovely sound as does removing the precats, but both make it louder still so if you don't want masses of noise do 1 or the other not both.
When having the remap done to suit primary cat removal you can also choose to have the cold start deleted to keep it quiet on startup.
The biggest thing about primary cat removal and "test pipes" fitted is they are a visual MOT fail even thought it will still pass the emissions test. Chris Batten from Modstock exhaust can gut the standard primary cats giving it visually the appearance of still have them installed but obviously this isn't reversible so you'd require a used standard X pipe if you wanted to return to stock.

Really helpful. This has swayed me to just go for the back box mod. Thank you.

[Cl4rkyPH]

JMBMWM5 said:

Basically the Remap on this engine just cleans up the fueling map, which can release around 35/50 BHP from memory, which is next to nothing.

I’m under the impression that 35-50bhp gain on an NA engine is actually quite good?