[romeo_f]

Good afternoon everyone, so given that there is almost null reviews on this system I took the time to make a review that would help others decide on their purchase. I will divide the review in 3 sections: Quality/Installation, Driving/sound and dyno/sound.

1.- Quality/Installation:
So once I unpacked the exhaust everything came in great condition, AA is known to make good quality products and the finishing on the pieces and welds were in pristine condition, clamps and accessories were also top notch so in this department we are good.
Installation, this is where it began to get interesting, first of all I removed the OEM piece which is easy peasy, I proceeded the to install the first piece which connects to the OEM down pipe to find out that it does not come with new exhaust gaskets, so be sure to buy some before you get at it, (I dont know why not include a 40 bucks piece on a 3k+ system) but oh well, the tricky part comes when installing the rear section, fitment is not perfect and you will need to modify the right exhaust bracket (drill 2 new holes) so the exhaust tips are aligned with the bumper, you will also have to trim a heat shield to avoid rubbing and even then I can hear some contact when starting the engine but nothing after that. So thats about it on installation. I used my OEM tips but thats me Im not a huge fan of oversized tips.
I weighted the stock system at 83 lb vs 59 lb of the AA so thats good 24 lb on weight savings.


2.- Driving/sound
Cold start is ridiculous but once the engine is at idle again is almost stock like sound. Driving on efficient mode produces a nice growl from 2k to 3.5k rpms then it quites a bit down all the way up to redline. Cruising on highway is comfortable, sound's up maybe 15% more than stock. Driving on sport + with the flap open, definitely turns up the sound pops and bangs are ridiculous (im coding this out) sound turns a lot more throatier and it almost scratches on the droneish side.

3.- Dyno/sound
This part was the bummer for me, let me say first that the runs were made in the same week, and same tank of gas. First run is stock everything, my car is a 2020. Second run is with the catback installed sport+ flap open, 3rd run was made on efficient mode, flap closed.
Blue line: stock power
Orange line: AA catback flap open
Purple line: AA catback flap closed

So we can conclude by the results that the oem piece is really well made for stock power, and that the s55 in stock form likes some back pressure in the exhaust, im sure that the performance on this exhaust will shine once you go into the stage 1 map but if you are looking for just power in stock ecu, there's barely anything there.

Summary:
Ease of installation: 8/10 because of the fabrication and the hassle to go and get new gaskets.
Quality: 9/10
Fitment:7/10 Very tight tolerances
Performance: 8/10, I honestly expected more hp but the weight savings themselves kinda tips the scale to the middle again.
Sound: 9/10 Sporty drone free sound when flap is closed (Also the best dyno #)

I have the 3 videos of the dyno runs and you can hear the sound differences, if you are interested and would like to hear the different sounds I can send this to someones e mail and help me post them on youtube.
Hope you like it.

[romeo_f]

Here are the dyno runs

[Detoxified]

I have the full catback system as well and I agree with the fitment concerns. It fits, but the tolerances are very tight.

[speedsnice]

I have the catback on my e36 M3 and the tolerances are tight on that one too. I guess the tight tolerances go back to the older parts too.

[mike@x-ph.com]

Thank you for sharing your feedback

[twboy1999]

5hp to the crank
not bad i guess

[romeo_f]

Originally Posted by twboy1999

5hp to the crank
not bad i guess

That's to the wheels sir

[Driver87]

Just ordered their equal length. Wonder if that comes with the gasket? Hopefully the firmest is better with this one. Thanks for the info

Do you have the part number by chance?

[romeo_f]

Originally Posted by Driver87

Just ordered their equal length. Wonder if that comes with the gasket? Hopefully the firmest is better with this one. Thanks for the info

Do you have the part number by chance?

Yes 18307851168

[Detoxified]

Originally Posted by Driver87

Just ordered their equal length. Wonder if that comes with the gasket? Hopefully the firmest is better with this one. Thanks for the info

Do you have the part number by chance?

FYI I ordered replacement gaskets from VRSF for my downpipe install this weekend. They came very fast and were shipped the day after I ordered.

[mike@x-ph.com]

We offer 18307851168 gaskets. 2 options: Genuine & Elring for half the price

[Commanderwiggin]

The ecu targets a specific torque which is derived by modelling equations based on airflow, temps, pressures, etc... so it doesn't really care what exhaust you have on the car and it most definitely doesn't like backpressure on the turbos so that part of your analysis is not correct. If you want more power, you need to map the ecu.

[drumnjuny]

installed my AA single mid and AA rear section yesterday, can confirm, they get a 6.1/10 for fitment lol pretty bad even for aftermarket.

Dings and bent pieces should be expected, came packed insanely well though, certainly was shipped this way. 2/10 for QA



But hey after I got it all to fit without (mostly) rubbing, sounds are 8.9/10 lol!!!

Tips hang like where the OE position is, which is like, 1.5" too low, not surprised lol based on the way the rest of it fitted.

Flange at the downpipes, you can line up one or the other but not both perfectly flat LOL somehow it doesn't sound like it's leaking through i can see 1 of the 4 studs is not perfectly tightened / flange isn't perfectly flat

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by drumnjuny

installed my AA single mid and AA rear section yesterday, can confirm, they get a 6.1/10 for fitment lol pretty bad even for aftermarket.

Dings and bent pieces should be expected, came packed insanely well though, certainly was shipped this way. 2/10 for QA



But hey after I got it all to fit without (mostly) rubbing, sounds are 8.9/10 lol!!!

Tips hang like where the OE position is, which is like, 1.5" too low, not surprised lol based on the way the rest of it fitted.

Flange at the downpipes, you can line up one or the other but not both perfectly flat LOL somehow it doesn't sound like it's leaking through i can see 1 of the 4 studs is not perfectly tightened / flange isn't perfectly flat

Thank you for the feedback. the exhaust has got tight tolerance but it'll fit well per all the reviews on the forums. Did you install it yourself?

[Commanderwiggin]

My AA single mid fit 10/10 perfect as a reference.

[romeo_f]

Originally Posted by drumnjuny

installed my AA single mid and AA rear section yesterday, can confirm, they get a 6.1/10 for fitment lol pretty bad even for aftermarket.

Dings and bent pieces should be expected, came packed insanely well though, certainly was shipped this way. 2/10 for QA



But hey after I got it all to fit without (mostly) rubbing, sounds are 8.9/10 lol!!!

Tips hang like where the OE position is, which is like, 1.5" too low, not surprised lol based on the way the rest of it fitted.

Flange at the downpipes, you can line up one or the other but not both perfectly flat LOL somehow it doesn't sound like it's leaking through i can see 1 of the 4 studs is not perfectly tightened / flange isn't perfectly flat

After installing and driving I had to go back to fine adjusting 3 times on each of the 5 adjusting points AA provides in this system to reach that sweet spot between no rubbing and perfect alignment.

[drumnjuny]

Originally Posted by mike@x-ph.com

Thank you for the feedback. the exhaust has got tight tolerance but it'll fit well per all the reviews on the forums. Did you install it yourself?

Yessir installed it myself on Monday. Tight tolerances is right, but honestly unneccessary. Plenty of room to have left 0.5-1" clearance from all the suspension components.

In other ways, the tolerances are tight in the least favorable ways. Unless I did something vastly wrong (i didn't), the AA rear section starts about 2" off of where the longpipes from the midpipe end lollll. Only by misusing the hangars and pushing the AA rear forward (and therefore up - since the hangar is fixed in location) just to get down to like 1.5" to get the supplied connecting clamp to have both clamps fully engaged on the each pipe.

Super interesting, the tips are still super low and too far out IMO... and the tip to rear section tolerance is 0. not 0.1mm... 0.000mm lol. Even just slipping them on requires jammed so tight the only way to go on more is to hit it with a mallet which i obviously didn't do b/c the tips already came chipped from AA so why make it worse lollll. so maybe the whole can needs to go back and up more? In that case why not just weld the hangar on 2" forward in the right spot and have it sit properly without flexing the rubber hangar mount lol

pretty sure its just pieces made in a average quality factory in taiwan or china. "welded in house" means a wide variety of things these days, that's my 2c, and there are VERY few companies (like, name them on one hand, Akrapovic and and and that's it) that make their own pieces.

if i'm not mistaken Akra is the exception b/c they bought the TI and AL mines, smelting facilities, and supply titanium alloys in a wide range of quality to a lot of industries and then also make exhausts.

so it's nothing against them for doing it, but I also haven't read a single person on the forums saying fitment is bad - only that the piece is super super high quality. Sorry but outside the flange welds (which are by far the easiest to do), the other welds are average quality at best, and the fitment was along the lines of, "if you use 10 floor jacks to line it up and then tighten each bolt and nut in the entire exhaust 1 turn at a time in a cross pattern" it will fit perfectly. is it possible? sure. is it "good fitment" absolutely not lol.

Originally Posted by Commanderwiggin

My AA single mid fit 10/10 perfect as a reference.

Totally appreciate every piece can fit slightly different! Hope you don't mind if i ask details... Did you install yourself? If so, you know the flange nut i'm talking about LOL, did you use a swivel socket? I went way over the factory torque spec of 16 ft lbs (reusing factory stud and nut so factory spec) just to get it to even get close to mating up perfectly.

Also, can you add some details for other people in the thread? what rear did you use? Did you use the block to clear the AA brace?

Originally Posted by romeo_f

After installing and driving I had to go back to fine adjusting 3 times on each of the 5 adjusting points AA provides in this system to reach that sweet spot between no rubbing and perfect alignment.

Yeah I'm utterly shocked more people don't have this feedback, after installing it i thought I must just be unlucky b/c there are dings in the can, the mounting point for the motor is completely bent out of shape, the tips finish is really cheap and chipped already somehow, etc. Before anyone asks i didn't say anything to them b/c i installed it Monday, b/c i don't have time nor interest in fighting shops over getting me pieces that fit. That is a game anyone can play with every shop for every part and it becomes a waste of everyone's time quick. When I buy something that wouldn't pass even a 15 second visual inspection (basic Quality Control), I accept I bought something that's $1000 less than any other option haha I should expect $1000 worth of headache. Nobody who ships something in this quality would ever rectify the situation to my satisfaction so, will adjust it to make it work myself whatever that takes.

PS - Did you ever get the tips to go up? I might just quick fab a spare hangar to compensate and see how if i can get the spacing right w/o the can hitting the body, then find a replacement to fit so the tips look like they're actually connected to my car

edit: P-PS - not sure if i clarified this but i have the midpipe + rear section, which is actually different from the Signature exhaust you have. the lift i borrowed to install it, a guy there had seen quite a few pieces from AA b/c they're so popular in SoFL for all the M cars especially, he was like ya this shit never fits right lol. I literally just to this forum, only come on forums to lurk the classifieds and scoop deals but happened to peek into this forum, then this thread, and just wanted to chime in and say, you're not the only person with fitment issues

[drumnjuny]

my suggestion to anyone installing it is to not use the little brick they give you, instead use several jack stands to push the different pieces up until it fits perfectly, bolt it down tight, remove jack stands let it sag naturally and pull on it see how much clearance you're gonna have when it's moving around. if you hear it bang around, take that into account and adjust again.


FYI this is by far the most effective + efficient way to install any exhaust that comes in several pieces that need to be aligned properly. Always wondered why manufacturers don't notch things so you know exactly how it will fit together, can put it together before you even pick it up and install it, then install as one piece just like you do with most stock exhausts only reason exhausts come in pieces is for shipping so, why not assemble before you pick it up IF you know exactly how these pieces are supposed to fit together.

[SflBimmer8484]

Originally Posted by drumnjuny

my suggestion to anyone installing it is to not use the little brick they give you, instead use several jack stands to push the different pieces up until it fits perfectly, bolt it down tight, remove jack stands let it sag naturally and pull on it see how much clearance you're gonna have when it's moving around. if you hear it bang around, take that into account and adjust again.


FYI this is by far the most effective + efficient way to install any exhaust that comes in several pieces that need to be aligned properly. Always wondered why manufacturers don't notch things so you know exactly how it will fit together, can put it together before you even pick it up and install it, then install as one piece just like you do with most stock exhausts only reason exhausts come in pieces is for shipping so, why not assemble before you pick it up IF you know exactly how these pieces are supposed to fit together.

Good feedback. Thank you!

[TopJimmy]

I installed the AA Signature Kit on my F80 M3 myself and fitment was very good. Minor tweaking and angling made fitment great. The guys at AA were very helpful too.

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by TopJimmy

I installed the AA Signature Kit on my F80 M3 myself and fitment was very good. Minor tweaking and angling made fitment great. The guys at AA were very helpful too.

[doughboy]

OP, good review, but remember the sport modes / flaps etc are only for mid range effect, they do not alter max output.

So on a dyno at WOT they will make no difference to max power/ torque.

The flaps open above 4krpm or WOT even in efficient mode anyway so they have no effect on power either.

And no turbo engine ever made likes back pressure, that is strictly for NA engines (scavenging pulses etc).

The best exhaust for a turbo motor is no exhaust at all