bmwe21.net forums

I know that personal taste is the big factor here but in your opinion what is the best system to fit to the 6 cylinder e21. Based on exhaust note, performnce and looks (primarily sound)

2 straight pipes all the way through with no silencers..... mwah ha ha ha ha!!!!

6 branch and straight pipe to twin silencers - I'm not biased obviously.

Dave @ e21 revival has a 6 branch and a straight pipe to a single silencer and it sounds awesome. Might be a little much for a daily but if you've got young ears you'll be fine.

I just replaced the back box with twin 3" pipes like so:



I think you'll agree its loud enough
But if you can afford it go for a 6 branch as well.

there are different size middle box's available aswell, my panzer had on about 60 cm long and i now have a 30cm long one, so should be louder time will tell

i am thinking 6 branch - 2 x 2" inch pipe straight through - silencers

any suggestions on particular brands / types of silencers

Just buy stainless in whatever size you choose. No point in keeping the centre resonator section so straight pipe makes sense. 6 branch is bloody expensive and actually made my car quieter!

Where are you? I know someone in Guilford area who makes up bespoke exhausts and can supply whatever silencer size you want.

how come there's no point in keeping the centre resonator, does it not keep it a bit quieter?

I just bought a make your own ashley exhaust kit off ebay, and gonna get someone else to weld it up when i can afford it.

good luck getting a 6 branch, i hope you've got a spare 400 quid lying around!

im thinking of modifying an e30 one cant be that different?

Resonator has made little, or no difference on the cars I have heard. My own was louder with standard manifold than the 6 branch though, by quite a margin. Most important thing with 323 is to lose the section that's squeezed flat to go up over driveshaft etc. Really restrictive as the pipe is literally squeezed flat. As Murran pointed out before, going with a single silencer will save you a chunk of weight too.

huh might just get rid of my resonator and just fit a 6 branch to bring the noise level down a bit then, added bonus of better flow haha