Downpipe Bmw

Competition VS InoxPower

Why should you choose an Inoxpower downpipe for your BMW, compared to a generic model offered at a third of the price?

It's a legitimate question that can go round in your head, especially if you're not very expert on this topic.

The problem is, ONLY AFTER you've fitted a downpipe, will you realize you've wasted your money.

If you want to get the most out of your BMW, without wasting money on poor quality products, there is only one choice, InoxPower.

And to prove it to you, we did something that nobody does. We took an inexpensive downpipe (one of the best-selling models) and pitted it against an Inoxpower product.

Do you want the best for your BMW?

There are two types of people, those who let their mechanic do everything, trusting blindly and generally without understanding much, and those who demand the best, know the components, select them personally and (possibly) have them assembled.

If you are reading these lines, you are unlikely to fall within the first group of people, but it is more likely that you are a lover of your car, who demands a high-level product.

So first I want to highlight why many "pseudo-prep" mechanics hold downpipes in low consideration and often tell you that one, for better or worse, is as good as the other.

When you install the  downpipe  it is always advisable to go and "recalibrate" the ECU, to optimize the parameters suitable for the new pipe under the  turbine .

By recalibrating the ECU (=mapping it), you can, if you wish, vary many parameters that influence the power supplied. It therefore follows that by mapping the control unit, performance increases significantly.

But this also happens WITHOUT replacing the downpipe. (ps,  HERE  we explain the technical reason why you should avoid doing a mapping, without first having also changed the downpipe).

The reality is that the downpipe is a performance "optimizer". Basically it allows you to get a better result by removing a cork. 

To give you a trivial and simple example, imagine the downpipe as if it were a mask on your mouth.

You can also run with a goggle on, but your stamina is limited by this cap (the goggle).

The same happens to your engine, which is unable to vent gases efficiently because of this "plug" (the stock catalytic converter).

By removing it you will give your engine more sprint, and above all a longer life (much longer).

Now, having understood this, with another trivial example, down to earth, bread and salami, I will let you understand another important thing you need to know about the downpipe.

Let's take for example a car that has 300 hp as standard. With the map alone we assume that you get to 360hp, with the addition of the downpipe, without increasing any pressure (turbo and injectors), you go from 360 to 380hp.

Here the downpipe allows you to make that further upgrade in a natural way (such as the oversized intercooler does), without having to "force" the turbine or injection pump and therefore without jeopardizing the reliability of the engine.

And here are the differences...

Including this part, quite simple, you must know that a badly made downpipe, the cheap one at 2 cents, prevents you from getting the most out of your engine.

With a bad downpipe you may see no power increase at all, or have really low, unnoticeable boost.

And this is precisely the trick that many "preparators" fall for (the few and rare really good ones obviously don't fall for it).

The increase that you have already obtained with the ECU map compensates for the installation of a poor downpipe.

But in the end, the only loser is the car owner (you), who ends up spending money on a product that doesn't work as it should.

Going back to the example above, you would end up with 360hp instead of the 380hp you could have gotten with an Inoxpower downpipe.

If you don't even have a roll on the counter, you'll never find out.

PS. Even if you have it, you should have rolled with both downpipes, but don't worry, we did it for you, you'll see it shortly.

But first look at this photo below

What you see here is the comparison with an InoxPower downpipe compared to a cheap 150/200 € downpipe, the Chinese ones resold online on various portals or web platforms.

There is one rule that we always follow, that of giving you the best downpipe for your BMW, with no expense spared.

It is important to us that your car achieves the best performance, that it makes a sound worthy of its engine, and that it makes you happy every time you step on the gas pedal.

If to do this, if to make you happy, we have to maintain higher prices to develop a premium product, then we will.

In fact, that's exactly what we do.

They are not all the same

And now we come to the point of the matter. 

The left downpipe is an Inoxpower model, while the right one is a super cheap low end one.

For us, the differences are already visible to the naked eye, but for you it may not be so obvious.

First, both downpipes mount on the same engine (although the Chinese one looks bigger, but that's the perspective of the photo, both have the same inlet).

Ah a little note, we'll call it Chinese because it's made in China, but sold for European.

Having said that, the first thing you notice is the entrance.

Since you are not an expert in exhaust systems, you may not be aware of the fact that there are different steels used for different uses.

We use two types of steel. The Inoxpower downpipe flange is made of a special steel, different from that of the exhaust body (also in specific steel for exhausts), which is used to follow the expansion of the turbine.

This leaves the turbine with maximum freedom of expansion, preserving it from wear, but obviously this is something that nobody knows and that the manufacturers of cheap downpipes obviously don't say.

As you can clearly see from the photo, the flange finally remains flush with the rest of the exhaust.

While on the cheap downpipe you can see a step between the body and the flange.

This is because we carefully take care of the profiles, so that the flow of exhaust gases is smoother and with less turbulence.

Being precise is more expensive in terms of time, but it is important to make a well-made exhaust.

Another difference can be seen in the tube, ours is a single bent piece, with minimal welds, while the economic downpipe is full of welds, the same tube is not a profiled tube, but a welded tube, with lower production costs .

You can see it in the photo, with the cross weld.

Fewer welds means a more direct flow, fewer swirls, and over time greater strength and durability of the downpipe, which being highly stressed can crack in a short time.

The materials we use for InoxPower downpipes are of the highest quality, just to give you a super product.

In fact, to save money, in addition to poor welding, cheap downpipes are made with low quality steel, unsuitable for the stresses of the engines and the continuous thermal variations to which they are subjected. The scarce material, combined with a lower thickness detected during the measurement phase, shortens the life of the downpipe which often cracks during use.

In addition to the attention to detail, the use of materials suitable for the purpose, which guarantee a long life for the engine and downpipe, behind the InoxPower downpipes there is a study of the flows to guarantee (based on the original project) the best possible outflow of exhaust gases, with a design that is as direct as possible.

How do we do it? Through a reduction in the number of welds, to have a pipe with as few angles as possible.

We have invested in machinery that allows controlled hydroforming and deformation of the tubes.

Where possible we bend the pipes instead of welding them, and all this to give you a product with superior performance.

Sure, welding would cost less, but as we have already explained, we don't want to give you the cheapest downpipe in the world, we want to give you the best performing downpipe for your BMW.

Now, if you happen to have a 28-year-old car that's worth less than the cost of an InoxPower Downpipe, we understand that you can't spend all the money on a piece of exhaust. 

But our product line was created to satisfy all the latest generation BMWs with crazy engines (and even their slightly less powerful little sisters).

As we have already repeatedly stated, our customers have M8, M3, M5, in short, prestigious machines, which they have chosen for their unique characteristics (certainly not for the price). 

InoxPower cannot disappoint this kind of clientele, who pay attention to substance, who want the best.

Obviously, we also pay the same care and attention to the most common BMW owners, but always special to us, owners of X5 35d, or 428i convertible, or a compact 230i to name a few by chance.

For these lovers of their BMWs, who want a downpipe designed for their car, which resonates aggressively, which releases all the possible power, the only choice is InoxPower.

The numbers speak

Well, if after having seen the photos where you can see the evident defects of the cheap downpipes, compared to the InoxPower model and if having explained to you the reasons why only with the InoxPower downpipe you can get the most out of your BMW you still have some doubts, then here is the last test.

Below you can see a Dynojet dyno of an S55 engine, engine that stock has around 430hp. 

The red bank was done with map+cheap downpipe, and around 495hp was recorded in total.

The blue bank was done with the exact same map (row 13) but this time with InoxPower downpipe, which gave an increase of another 27 hp.

Ok, it's an increase of about 5%, for some it's not much, others will argue that it's impossible, but the fact is that this 5% is thanks to the InoxPower downpipe.

This means only one thing, there will be two M4 owners, one who exceeds the 500 hp wall, the other instead will have saved a few hundred euros useful for a couple of full tanks.

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THE BEST FOR YOUR BMW, YOU CAN ONLY CHOOSE INOXPOWER