GOLFMK8
GOLFMK7
GOLFMK6
GOLFMKV

Downpipe What's the best brand ?

Wrath And Tears

Go Kart Champion
Location
Azusa, CA
Car(s)
17 Sport, 99 E36
Depends what you want from it. Cat or Catless? No-CEL guarantee, or use a spacer (although some people still end up needing a tune to get get rid of the CEL). They both perform about the same, but if you have a cat, you won't get nasty smell. Some companies bolt right up, or you can get one from ebay for under $100 that requires slight modification.

There is a huge thread in the technical section of the forums.
 

slow12s

Ready to race!
Location
Phoenix, AZ
to throw my $.02 in, I'm planning on going with GTI Jake's simply because his seems to be the quietest downpipe with the least amount of drone out there...it's also much more reasonably priced than the other options
 

nate704

Go Kart Champion
Location
Virginia
Personal preference really.
AWE guarantees no CEL, which i have and it is worth every penny.
IF CEL is not concern, I'd go with GTI Jake's DP.
 

GTI Jake

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte, NC
Personal preference really.
AWE guarantees no CEL, which i have and it is worth every penny.
IF CEL is not concern, I'd go with GTI Jake's DP.

The guarantee they give is nice, but 90% of my customers, who I’m sure some will chime in, have never had a CEL with the vibrant spacer I sell as an option. The other 10% have had to make adjustments (the spacer is adjustable in two different ways).
 

nate704

Go Kart Champion
Location
Virginia
let me rephrase my post:
if you want no cel guarantee without spacers or Golf R (assuming Jake is only making it for GTIs, correct me if I'm wrong), go with AWE, otherwise go with GTI Jake's.
 

Ridebjj

Autocross Champion
Location
lasVegas
Ttt. Been researching this subject a lot recently as I'm probably going stage 2 by end of the year. Jake's gear looks to be the best solution lb for lb. However I do enjoy making / learning new things in my garage so I might take a whack at that diy ebay action. Although I really don't want to go catless, so that might not be worth it as a diy when Jake's price is so reasonable.
 

The Fed

Old Guys Rule
Location
Florida
If you're only doing a piggyback or nothing at all, I see Jake's is the way to go if you don't want a mass produced pipe.
 
Last edited:

blaqsheep

Autocross Champion
Location
Canada
Car(s)
IS38 GTI
I got the eBay catless downpipe for less than $100 and welded a 200 cell Magnaflow cat. Next on my list is a resonator as it does drone within a certain RPM range. Other than that it's amazing, and less than $250 after all said and done. I couldn't imagine paying $500+ for virtually the same thing just branded. A pipe is a pipe.

I still get a CEL with the O2 sensor spacer when I'm cruising on the highway every now and then, but I just clear it.

I believe you don't need to worry about a CEL with a flash tune. If you're only doing a piggyback or nothing at all, I see Jakes is the way to go if you don't want a mass produced pipe.

This is also true. Flash tune will code out the CEL so you don't even need a spacer. Jake puts together a great package as well.
 

psychonosspaz

Go Kart Champion
Location
PNW
I've been running Jakes with his suggested J spacer with no CEL for while
 
Top