[Laid Black 335i]

Hey everyone,

Downpipes are a mod that I have been wanting to do for a while now. I went ahead and ordered the new VRSF 3" Downpipes after reading good reviews about them from others on here. Here is my review.

Price: Got them for $385.00 shipped from Tiago@VRSF. Need I say more? I won't get into the debate about paying $800 for AR downpipes.

Quality: Package arrived well packaged. The pipes are very nice with very nice quality welds and clean bends. The inside is not as smooth as AR's but are acceptable and pretty good. Also came with nice gaskets and all hardware.

Fitment: Great! I got my DP's installed today by Adam (member "Clem" here on e90post). He is pretty much the "Go To" guy for anyone in the Maryland, DC, and Virginia area. He has done DP installs on about 25+ N54 cars here in the area... everything from AR, Riss Racing, Macht Snell, Raceland, and now VRSF. From his view, everything fit well and there were no issues. Although space was tight up there, nothing was touching each other.

Sound & Power: I have an OEM exhaust still. But with the added DP's, it's only a little bit louder. It's nice that I can also hear the turbo's spool a little better when the music is muted. I've only driven about 30 miles after the install but I can definitely feel quicker spool. I think the car is still getting used to the new downpipes. Hopefully tomorrow, I will feel it even more after the car gets used to it.

Anything you would change / don't like about them? The downpipe's overall are great for the money. However, I measured the end that bolts up to the stock exhaust and it tapers down to 2.25" and NOT 2.5" (see picture with measurements). However, I don't anticipate any significant decrease in power (or any loss at all).

Would I recommend this product to anyone with an N54? Yes.

1. Box Shot: Fast Shipping and nicely packaged


2.


3.


4.


5. The end of the pipe slims down so that it can bolt up to the stock exhaust. The length is 1.5"


6.


7. Stock DP's vs VRSF DP's. The VRSF DP's are definitely pretty! Too bad we can't see them underneath the car!


8. Stock DP's vs VRSF DP's


9. Let's get these babies installed!!


10. Installed. No fitment issues. Barely any space but it clears everything about 1/8th of an inch.


11.


12. O2 Sensors: They do NOT touch!


13. This is the end that clamps down to the turbo. As you can see, it is 3"


14. This is the end that bolts up to the OEM exhaust. This is the only negative I have about these DP's. They should taper down to 2.5" but from my measurements they taper down to about 2.25"


Thanks for taking the time to read my review. I will also have pics of the inside coming up as well. And maybe even a sound clip which I will upload to YouTube.

[ErvGotti]

Looks good, no fitment issues, and priced well it looks like we have a winner.

[Laid Black 335i]

1.


2.


3.


4.


5.


6.


7.


8.

[skim7x]

Thanks for the review! I really appreciate your honesty regarding the tapering down. Sometimes I worry that these early adopters get a good deal on these pipes as an intro deal and feel bad telling the truth when they find a downside because they got the deal... so it's hard to really trust these early reviews, but your candor brings up the credibility.

Regardless, these look like great quality and I'll probably end up getting a set... I doubt the 0.25" will make a difference in power =P

[Transport3r]

I'd assume the pipe is 2.5" OD.
Is that the same as the OEM piping?

*for clarification i meant the exit end of the pipes*

[Wedge1967]

Did you not read anything about the DP's?

They are 3" and the last 1.5" reduce for the 2.5 connection to the stock exhaust.

Originally Posted by joshuo

I'd assume the pipe is 2.5" OD.
Is that the same as the OEM piping?

[Brey335i]

It tapers to that because the oem piping is that size. 2.5 is larger than the oem pipe ID. Just saying. So that's not a downside. It's a necessity for a leak free connection.

With the size of our turbos, you will not see any gain from even going to dual 3" that far back. So that shouldn't even be a worry at this point.

The welds aren't the best I've seen, but they're damn good for the price.

Also, I like the fact that there's more space to fit the wrench around the downpipe bolts.

[cn555ic]

Great review. After looking at them closely. They look nothing like Ar pipes in terms of quality but that's not to say for this price they're well worth it. So much better quality than the other cheaper brand DPs like PLM and Raceland. If I went with a cheaper brand, these would be it.

[Laid Black 335i]

Originally Posted by cn555ic

Great review. After looking at them closely. They look nothing like Ar pipes in terms of quality but that's not to say for this price they're well worth it. So much better quality than the other cheaper brand DPs like PLM and Raceland. If I went with a cheaper brand, these would be it.

Yup, there was no way I would even consider putting PLM / Raceland on my car.

[335_MI6]

Very nice, I kinda regret ordering my ar downpipes

[Laid Black 335i]

Originally Posted by 335_MI6

Very nice, I kinda regret ordering my ar downpipes

Yea but at the same time AR Design is the only one that makes it for XI's. So you have no choice, lol.

[Wedge1967]

I just installed my VRSF DPs yesterday and I let Chris from HPF install his prototype 3.5" single pipe exhaust on my car so he could shoot some video. I really wished that we had time to roll it onto the dyno because I have never in my life made that much power. Prior to the install of the DPs and exhaust I was at 402 rwhp and 438 ft/lbs. My car was stuppid fast and when we took it for a drive it was beyond stuppid. We were on a really good section of road and I spun through 1-2-3-4th before it hooked up. The exhaust is absolutely the best sounding exhaust... Keep an eye out for the video. He should be posting it on the HPF prototype exhaust thread.

[akotten]

Originally Posted by Laid Black 335i

Yea but at the same time AR Design is the only one that makes it for XI's. So you have no choice, lol.

As of right now, yes AR is the only option for XI. I'm trying to convince VRSF to produce an xi version, but he said it would take ~3 months and of course mostly 2.5" due to clearance issues (AR is the same way for xi). Also, those welds look a bit hot judging by how much weld built up on the inside, but they should work ha.

[OneReaction]

Originally Posted by Wedge1967

I just installed my VRSF DPs yesterday and I let Chris from HPF install his prototype 3.5" single pipe exhaust on my car so he could shoot some video. I really wished that we had time to roll it onto the dyno because I have never in my life made that much power. Prior to the install of the DPs and exhaust I was at 402 rwhp and 438 ft/lbs. My car was stuppid fast and when we took it for a drive it was beyond stuppid. We were on a really good section of road and I spun through 1-2-3-4th before it hooked up. The exhaust is absolutely the best sounding exhaust... Keep an eye out for the video. He should be posting it on the HPF prototype exhaust thread.

Spun through 3rd and 4th? You should stop racing in rain/snow lol. You do realize that for this car to spin through 3rd gear means you can light up the tires to 100 mph, 4th gear is over 130, which at low to mid 400 whp is simply impossible unless you are in a 1800lb fwd gutted hatch on 195 bald all seasons.

[zeel]

Downpipes are a great mod on the n54. That garage looks mighty familiar. Hail Clem! lol

[thebigragu99]

Like I said the neck down is a bit drastic for my taste,but for the money it can't be beat.Nice reviews!

[bobfried]

Thanks for the review, will be getting these over the AR's.

[Laid Black 335i]

Originally Posted by Wedge1967

I just installed my VRSF DPs yesterday and I let Chris from HPF install his prototype 3.5" single pipe exhaust on my car so he could shoot some video. I really wished that we had time to roll it onto the dyno because I have never in my life made that much power. Prior to the install of the DPs and exhaust I was at 402 rwhp and 438 ft/lbs. My car was stuppid fast and when we took it for a drive it was beyond stuppid. We were on a really good section of road and I spun through 1-2-3-4th before it hooked up. The exhaust is absolutely the best sounding exhaust... Keep an eye out for the video. He should be posting it on the HPF prototype exhaust thread.

Wow... 402 rwhp prior to DP's and Exhaust?? What mods did you have prior to DP's and Exhaust b/c that's a lot of power.

[Wedge1967]

PROcede v5 rev 2.5 running the 11-1 Stage 3 AT maps with DCI, HPF 7" FMIC, and PWM Meth 80/20 mix. Stock DPs and exhaust. Differance between stage 2 and stage 3 was only a few hp/ft lbs. But the stage 3 put me over the 400hp mark. Uncorrect... I can tell you my butt dyno the other day with the VRSF and the HPF 3.5" prototype exhaust, I was well beyond this and probably pushing the same numbers BrianMN put down a few weeks back with his 440 hp and 500 ft/lbs. The car was just all over the road. You watch youtube where the car just blows the tires off in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.... Hopefully Chris from HPF includes some of that in the video you should be posting soon. We had cameras mounted on the rear bumper, rear window and dash. For Chris to say my car was the fastest 335 he's ever been in is worth something considering the guy builds some of the fastest M cars in the world.

Originally Posted by Laid Black 335i

Wow... 402 rwhp prior to DP's and Exhaust?? What mods did you have prior to DP's and Exhaust b/c that's a lot of power.

[SeanS54]

I'm glad to see more cost effective mods for us bimmer guys...nice not having to pay the BMW premium... I would have been all over this but I bought my MS downpipes a couple of months earlier...

[FastBimmerN54]

Originally Posted by Wedge1967

PROcede v5 rev 2.5 running the 11-1 Stage 3 AT maps with DCI, HPF 7" FMIC, and PWM Meth 80/20 mix. Stock DPs and exhaust. Differance between stage 2 and stage 3 was only a few hp/ft lbs. But the stage 3 put me over the 400hp mark. Uncorrect... I can tell you my butt dyno the other day with the VRSF and the HPF 3.5" prototype exhaust, I was well beyond this and probably pushing the same numbers BrianMN put down a few weeks back with his 440 hp and 500 ft/lbs. The car was just all over the road. You watch youtube where the car just blows the tires off in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.... Hopefully Chris from HPF includes some of that in the video you should be posting soon. We had cameras mounted on the rear bumper, rear window and dash. For Chris to say my car was the fastest 335 he's ever been in is worth something considering the guy builds some of the fastest M cars in the world.

It's cool your liking the power so props for that but I'm sorry nobody is spinning 4th gear in dry conditions, not even at 500WHP. You might want to get some better tires so you can enjoy the power

[Wedge1967]

I need to get rid of the run flats, but they are like new. It was dry and smooth asphalt so not a lot of traction to begin with, but fun to play on if you don't want to eat up the tires.

Originally Posted by FastBimmerN54

It's cool your liking the power so props for that but I'm sorry nobody is spinning 4th gear in dry conditions, not even at 500WHP. You might want to get some better tires so you can enjoy the power