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shaun1978
11-05-2008, 08:10 PM
im just wondering if anyone has used these before , and what their quality is like ?
I'm getting one custom built on thursday including a decat pipe for £340 + VAT , is this any where near a good price?

Beastlee
11-05-2008, 09:10 PM
Is it still a youngish Indian guy running the place just outside Sunthorpe? If so make your excuses and go to Custom Performance just outside Lincoln on the A15.

I had a twin exit system made for my 405 Mi-16, discussed with him what I wanted(Twin rectangle outlets with a deep but not annoying note,, even showed him pictures and agreed a price of £200 for it with one rear box. I dropped the car off in the morning as agreed and was told come back at 4PM so I went back to work (29 miles away). I got dropped off just after 4PM to find he had only started at 2:30 so was not going to be ready for another 1-2 hours. I sat around outside without pressuring him and waited for the end result.
The first time it started up it sounded terrible, so terrible I had to go and see, only to be greeted by a horrible looking pair of tailpipes that were neither level nor in parallel to the bumper lines. His only comment was that it should sound a bit better after it soots up some. I told him I was very unhappy but would give it a chance so asked to settle up. He then advised me he didn't take cards....very helpful when his place is way outside the town centre and it's after closing hours for the bank (I had a £150 withdrawl limit at the time). He eventually agreed to let me pay £150 now and the rest later so I went and got the cash.
After a week it still sounded terrible so I went back to sort this and the mis-aligned tips. He was wanting to charge another £150 to add a small silencer and straighten hte back end! I told him the alignment should be free and I would get someone else to do the silencer.

I eventually changed that car a year later but Heidi bought a Suzuki Swift GTi Mk1 and we found Custom performance which was a new family business based in an old airfield. They made custom stainless systems and also made fibreglass custom cars with amazing results. The system was exactly what we asked for and the only small issue of the downpipe to mid section splitting was sorted without question or cost despite this being a problem with the engine mounts.
We changed to a Golf GTI 16V MkII after that and they again did a full system for us with perfect results. A great price in both cases and attention to detail spent. Whilst there on other visits we also heard people coming in and asking them to fix jobs done by Rebel powerpipes.

Of course this was many years ago and things may have improved but I speak from experience for a change.

Beastlee
11-05-2008, 09:13 PM
Just found that Custom Performance have a website:
http://www.customperformance.co.uk/

They can do custom exhausts and are specialists in fibreglass kits. They also have an impressive history and I can vouch for teh Parradine car, it is gorgeous in the flesh!

shaun1978
11-05-2008, 10:27 PM
its not at scunthorpe any more but it is an indian fella, takes cards now, as i paid a £100 deposit cos he had to order the boxes in , oh well looks like more lolly down the drain!

Beastlee
12-05-2008, 07:05 AM
Like I say things may have improved, you don't stay in business that long(at least 7 years) without happy customers.
I'd be interested to see the results.

On a side note I used Powerflow systems on 3 cars as mentioned and I think that pre-made car-specific are far better. Those companies have spent a lot of time and money ensuring the exhaust is matched to the car, giving a much better result than a 6 hour exhaust design and fit could ever do. That said, the custom ones do have that unique edge about them I really want a twin exit as I thnk a car should always be balanced at the rear.

Beastlee
12-05-2008, 07:19 AM
The old car, this pic shows the right tailpipe is lower, it also angled out more to the edge of the car than the other side. You can also see where he welded up a flat back plate in the letterbox exit whihc looked terrible in real life.
uploaded/4273/1210573000.jpg

A couple more, this was my first properly modifed car, my third car ever, and it also had a monster ICE install, all of which I did myself not via some modding company:

uploaded/4273/1210573087.jpguploaded/4273/1210573120.jpg

shaun1978
12-05-2008, 08:18 PM
/Grrr To be honest Lee that does look particularly rubbish lol! I'll bung some pics up when it's been done and compare crapness!:afro: /pan

Beastlee
12-05-2008, 08:56 PM
Heidi just reminded me that my daughter, who was only 5-6 years old at the time, used to call me Nova-Boy because of the sound. It actually made it sound like I had a smaller engine than a 1.9 16V and certainly less than the 170bhp it was running!

If you could see from the side you would see a flat back on the tailpipe connected to a 1.5" pipe, it was terrible.

pitslayer
13-05-2008, 03:54 PM
as a rule i never ever pay a deposit for anything upfront, i just walk away and get someone else to do it

shaun1978
13-05-2008, 04:54 PM
apparently he had to order the boxes in from powerflow specially so obviously didnt want me to be a no-show , Lee - if I remember correctly around that time when your pug was done he made the silencers himself instead of buying them in ready made, IIRC is was one of my mates that sold him the tooling and started him off...

Beastlee
13-05-2008, 06:12 PM
He used an off-the-shelf box on mine, definitely not home made. All Powerflow fitters are supposed to use their boxes. Unless it's a very odd system the boxes should be on the shelf. At Custom Performance they let you into the back room and you can select exactly which boxes and tailpipes you want. Only if you can't find the exact items they refer to the catalogue, you probably wouldn't want to see the exhausts that would be made at that point!

Kyle, I agree, if someone needs a deposit before they make something for you, especially if you are going to leave your car with them, they obviously have no faith in their product. OK it's custom but I'm sure the system could be modified to fit something else with minmal loss to the company if was so bad you refused to pay, However I again refer to the fact you will have left your car with them....

Oh and that goes for food too, I will not pay a pub for my food before I eat it, I'll pay once I'm happy it was edible thanks!

shaun1978
24-05-2008, 01:43 AM
Well its fitted...
Heres the de-cat and front pipe
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d80/brocky1978/PICT0135.jpg


Heres the backbox
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d80/brocky1978/PICT0136.jpg


Heres what it looks like from the back bumper
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d80/brocky1978/PICT0139.jpg


Oh and its very LOUD

Beastlee
24-05-2008, 08:23 AM
I see he's no different with his work then, what does the tailpipe look like straight on? I'm not surprised it's loud, the box on the 405 was twice that size and the noise was ridiculous. I personally wouldn't be happy with the standard of the rear box hangars either, those sticky out bit should hae been trimmed back.

As long as you are happy though.....I notice there's no comment yet LOL

Nutter_John
24-05-2008, 08:28 AM
Only comment i have about it is that it is no suprise that it is loud that box is a little on the small side and he has not fitted any inline resonators .

Word of warning I very much doubt you will be allowed on any UK racing track as you will breech the noise limit

If your not happy and don't want the hassle of going back to them I would suggest you give Findlay a call at www.dynoflow.co.uk as he sorted me out with an inline resonantor which dropped the noise down by 16 db's and he is a top bloke

shaun1978
24-05-2008, 09:12 AM
i went to take it back yesterday but hes gone on holiday ffs , the tailpipe is straight tho.

bradc
24-05-2008, 10:21 AM
I like the tip, it looks as if the plastic bit there on the corner is melted though, right next to the tip?

shaun1978
24-05-2008, 10:29 AM
the rear bumper is slightly damaged brad , so that finisher part doesnt quite fit right , it did touch though and get a bit too warm

Beastlee
24-05-2008, 01:10 PM
Sorry to hear you're not happy, I can't believe he's still in business TBH.

shaun1978
24-05-2008, 02:24 PM
well, as john has posted up that site, if i get no joy ill buy a resonator from there.

Davezj
24-05-2008, 10:16 PM
I was going to say exactly the same thing, "it looks like the exhaust has melted the inside of the bumper"

and

"race tracks have noise limits to allow you to run"
not sure exactly what they are. but if you are running 100db or above then i think you will have a problem. someone else can fill you in on the exact levels for each track, as i haven't tracked mine yet, but i got a db meter form ebay £15 to check this very issue.

Beastlee
24-05-2008, 11:37 PM
well, as john has posted up that site, if i get no joy ill buy a resonator from there.

Or visit John and Christian at Custom Performance and get tehm to sort it whilst maintaining the Powerflow warranty, assuming either still has a franchise.