New Milltek 2.5" catback exhaust review

[Docwyte]

So a little while ago my friendly FedEx guy dropped off a massive box from Milltek on my front porch.

I rip apart the box, silently cursing Milltek for their incredibly anal job of packaging the exhaust. Really guys, excellent job, there’s no way short of the apocalypse that this exhaust is going to get damaged in shipping. Finally, I begin to see some polished bits poke out from all the plastic, foam packing and cardboard.
The quality of the welds is exceptional, the entire system is made from high grade stainless steel, so those of us in the salt belt don’t have to worry about the exhaust disintegrating into powder after only 1 winter season. Everything you need to install the system is included, even a small adapter pipe to mate it to your stock downpipes if live in an emissions nanny state.

I already had a “classic” Milltek resonated exhaust with their downpipes (with gutted cats) on my car, so I chose to do an apples to apples comparison and installed the new Milltek catback exhaust with the resonated pipes on the car. I left my "classic" Milltek downpipes on the car for now.

Firstly, what’s so special about this “new and improved!” Milltek exhaust? To begin with, the entire exhaust is a solid 2.5” in diameter, mandrel bent stainless steel tubing, with a tube resonator and a high performance muffler on each pipe, with the two pipes being joined by an “X” pipe. In comparison the old Milltek exhaust was 2.25” with the two pipes being joined by an “H” pipe.

The exhaust went together very easily, with no need for shims, cursing or the use of a “BFH”. The tips are centered in the rear valence and fill it appropriately. This is a job that can easily be done at home with simple hand tools, a jack and a set of quality jack stands. I give it a 2 out of 5 on the wrench o meter as far as difficulty, you’ll spend more time jacking up the car and taking the old exhaust off vs putting this new Milltek system in place.

The exhaust has a nice, deep burble at idle and it easily passes my drone test where I put the car in 6th gear and cruise around at 1700rpm. Absolutely NO resonance inside the cabin of the car at all and since I have an avant, drone tends to be accentuated vs a sedan. When you blip the throttle for a heel toe downshift you’re greeted by a refined bark drawing some attention from your fellow motorists. When I was able to unleash the S on a freeway on ramp the Milltek let’s loose an awesome bellow as the pedal hit the floor and the revs swung towards the redline. Power progressively builds and the top end is a truly epic event. My highly refined butt-o-meter dyno registered noticeable gains in top end power over the old Milltek system.

Upcoming will be sound clips and video of the car, stay tuned! We got hammered with two feet of snow this weekend, so wasn't able to get pictures and sound clips...

[dparm]

On the contrary, snow = donuts = sustained periods of WOT...so get us some sound clips!

[drew]

How does the new version compare in terms of sound to the old version? The old system with downpipes was the best sounding system, IMO.

How does the X-pipe change the sound/tone?

[AngeloB5.5]

where did you purchase? what did it run you?

[Mautino09]

Can't wait to hear the sound clips of this.

[Docwyte]

I haven't heard the car from the outside, but from the inside the car sounds louder with the X pipe vs the H pipe. Sound quality seems the same though. I got the exhaust from Greg@Griffin, contact him for costs.

[mbgt72]

come on, no pics!?!?! Glad to hear such a good review about the new setup, I'm looking forward to the new DP's as well.

[Docwyte]

My car is so filthy right now I literally didn't want to take pics. Two trips up skiing and this big storm have the car coated in grunge...

[M|R]

My car is so filthy right now I literally didn't want to take pics. Two trips up skiing and this big storm have the car coated in grunge...

we wont judge

[SoCalS4Avant]

we wont judge

Yes, we will, but it will all be better by the time he shows pics.vids!

[Apat]

What a tease ......

[Docwyte]

I'll get some sound clips up later tonight of the idle and static revving sound. Can't do any drive bys till the roads clear up.

[Docwyte]

Here ya go, yes the car is filthy!

[meistah]

where did you purchase? what did it run you?

x2

[65vetteC6]

That sounds good

[bangoman]

Costage? Sounds good!

[tangcla]

Did you get any photos of the exhaust when it was off the car?

[Mr. Corey]

Sounds nice!!!

[drew]

Here ya go, yes the car is filthy!

Sounds almost exactly the same as my Milltek downpipes + FI catback.

Thanks for the clip.

[Docwyte]

Bear in mind I have the resonated center pipes installed on the Milltek catback. I'm sure it'd be louder if I put in the straight pipes. My car is going up on a rack the end of this week and I'll get some pictures of the exhaust from under the car then, I didn't have a chance to take any pictures of it before.

As far as cost it's best to contact Greg@Griffin for price and availability.

[vdubjetta02]

Would love to hear the Non resonated version of this!

[Docwyte]

I'll probably put on the non resonated pipes in a bit just to see what difference they make in sound...

[simplesedan99]

i might have to get me one of these...sounds dirty haha

[AngeloB5.5]

that sounds very nice.

[BUD-S4]

Sounds really good! Take off the resonators so we can really hear it!

[Docwyte]

Right now since I have catless downpipes I don't really want to take off the resonators. This is my daily driver and I don't want it to drone or be too loud. I'll probably pop the straight pipes in for a few days to get some sound clips and just see what it sounds like, but will end up putting the resonators back in...

[dparm]

Reminds me of the original Milltek but more aggressive. I'd say it's a slightly more refined version of the Magnaflow catback.

Would be curious to hear some acceleration from outside the car.

[Docwyte]

Might be awhile before that happens, it snowed another 4-6" today, roads are a mess. Gotta wait for things to dry out before I do some hoonage and record it!

[BUD-S4]

Might be awhile before that happens, it snowed another 4-6" today, roads are a mess. Gotta wait for things to dry out before I do some hoonage and record it!

I'm flying into Denver tonight! The more snow the better! ;)

[Docwyte]

You'll be unhappy if you're going skiing. We got 2.5 feet in the last few days down here in Denver and NOTHING in the ski areas...

[cellg8]

very nice. congrats!