Cupra 280 exhaust improvements

b8er1234

Active Member
Aug 29, 2012
252
30
Kent
As we know the stock exhaust of the cupra 280 could sound better. Im just after ideas and costs involved what others have done. E.g muffler delete and cost or full cat back system and cost involved, silencers removed etc

Cheers
Jamie
 

aaaa_kk

Active Member
Nov 19, 2016
115
18
Crawley, West Sussex
I'm looking at doing this myself at some point too so I've done a lot of research.

Removing the middle section should cost around £50, changes the sound a bit but doesn't make it too loud. DSG cracks/pops should be louder but it won't sound exactly like a 290 with the same exhaust. Removing the large resonator before the middle section will make a big change, but there will be drone when cruising on motorways.

Something that could be worth trying is removing the middle section and having a smaller custom back box made (or remove all together) as the stock one is very large, will be a lot cheaper than a full cat back and should still change the sound a lot. Haven't seen anyone do this as yet though.

Full cat backs can vary from around £400 if a custom exhaust company make it, up to over £1k for the branded exhausts.

After everything I've read and all the research I'm probably going to go for a non-res milltek cat back at some point. They are expensive but should be the best all round system for sound and no drone, and I could also get the milltek downpipe in the future.

Hope this all helps!

Aaron



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Last edited:

will8391

Active Member
Feb 20, 2014
129
0
Manchester
I had exactly the same thought when I got mine. Looked at many different options and heard many different options.

In the end I went down the full custom route and came across a company on the Wirral that specialist in doing custom race exhausts.

Spoke the people there explained what I wanted and they explained that the exhaust on the 280 had been very restricted from factory which meant there was a lot of potential to gain from it.

Mine has now been fitted for over 6 months and it's only got better. I never tire of the DSG snap or 'fart' as it's referred to along with the crackle on the overrun.

Cost from this company was £475




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Boab

Knows nothing about cars!
Mar 22, 2017
94
0
Edinburgh
That sounds damn near perfect. I'm thinking custom myself as tbh I can't afford Milltek and put petrol in the car.
 

will8391

Active Member
Feb 20, 2014
129
0
Manchester
That sounds damn near perfect. I'm thinking custom myself as tbh I can't afford Milltek and put petrol in the car.



I was in the same position I could not justify the cost of a milltek system and after hearing a custom exhaust I would never buy branded again.




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b8er1234

Active Member
Aug 29, 2012
252
30
Kent
Thanks for the responses and loving that sound! What work was done exactly to achevie that?
 

will8391

Active Member
Feb 20, 2014
129
0
Manchester
Thanks for the responses and loving that sound! What work was done exactly to achevie that?



It's a fully custom CAT back system. 3 inch pipes with one resonator and oval tips. Pictures show 2 resonators however I had the middle one removed just to be even louder. This was put in as an option by the company.

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aaaa_kk

Active Member
Nov 19, 2016
115
18
Crawley, West Sussex
It's a fully custom CAT back system. 3 inch pipes with one resonator and oval tips. Pictures show 2 resonators however I had the middle one removed just to be even louder. This was put in as an option by the company.

385eff89110d9dc2d004f239778b4ad8.jpg

7c15d6946a29b9828a26b85277f23256.jpg

b2494767e04fcd49ac61d86500ace7ba.jpg

9d9fcecf786170e2001aa290f3128079.jpg



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That looks really good quality and well made! I'll probably go custom instead of saving for a milltek


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Xpo

Active Member
May 7, 2016
96
18
Sweden
I have a fully built custom system (2.5") similar to the one will8391 has. Welded all the way with free flowing dampers, with the addition of small dampers on at the end(after the Y).
I'd say it's the best compromise between loud/ less drone.
I have tried every single way of deleting oem-boxes, even going straight pipe for a short while lol(horrible...)
Deleting all but the back box gives the most oem-like restricted sound, but with a bit more farts and crackle.
Deleting the back box like above, you really need two dampers(front and mid-box like pictured) otherwise you get way too much drone while cruising. Oh and people in the backseat will want to kill you haha
Then if you go downpipe with decat or racecat, you really don't have to change out the exhaust, it's way louder "just" by doing that part.
 

will8391

Active Member
Feb 20, 2014
129
0
Manchester
I have a fully built custom system (2.5") similar to the one will8391 has. Welded all the way with free flowing dampers, with the addition of small dampers on at the end(after the Y).
I'd say it's the best compromise between loud/ less drone.
I have tried every single way of deleting oem-boxes, even going straight pipe for a short while lol(horrible...)
Deleting all but the back box gives the most oem-like restricted sound, but with a bit more farts and crackle.
Deleting the back box like above, you really need two dampers(front and mid-box like pictured) otherwise you get way too much drone while cruising. Oh and people in the backseat will want to kill you haha
Then if you go downpipe with decat or racecat, you really don't have to change out the exhaust, it's way louder "just" by doing that part.



You're right about the backseat passengers in mine. You often can't really tell what they are saying when they are trying to talk to you lol

As it's only really used at the weekends I thought I'd make it as mad as I could seen as though I'm in a van all week



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Xpo

Active Member
May 7, 2016
96
18
Sweden
Haha that's what i also went for to begin with. Had to rebuild with small dampers at the end also to kill the drone.
 

b8er1234

Active Member
Aug 29, 2012
252
30
Kent
Be interesting to see/hear different variations of what others have done to compare i.e full catback as above vs central muffler delete vs just back box removal etc
 

mrbugle

Active Member
Jun 25, 2015
209
0
I'd be interested in a remote actuated set of mufflers that can be adjusted on the fly; I had a Mazda with a 4" exhaust with a 100 cell cat converter and a glass packed muffler and whilst it was fun, the drone was just awful.

I feel my Cupra is a little too quiet, not used to hearing only engine noise. Maybe between that and some reasonable induction noise ( Love the sound of a turbo inhaling) I'd be happy. Gotta stop spending money on the car though.
 

Fraser87

Active Member
Mar 3, 2017
132
0
Seeing a lot of you guys backing at the cost of a milltek. The exhaust isn't something I have put a whole lot of attention towards yet but if the custom jobs are so good why is milltek even an option. Do they bring any advantages at all over custom? Was just thinking it would be nice if the actuator worked better then you could have the madness on or off. You guys have any easy options if I just want to scrub up the two tail pipes? Not really looked at the exhaust to closely as I say so is there any kind of removable end just to improve the look.
 

aaaa_kk

Active Member
Nov 19, 2016
115
18
Crawley, West Sussex
Milltek was going to be my option, however I couldn't bring myself to spending over £1000 on an exhaust system, I've done research and apparently sometimes even the quality isn't what you would expect from that much money. To be honest I wouldn't of thought there would be any difference between going milltek and going custom performance wise, sound might be slightly different but not much.

Today I put a deposit down on a cat back BCS Powervalve exhaust system. Going to be around 4 weeks for it to arrive but I can't wait


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mrbugle

Active Member
Jun 25, 2015
209
0
Milltek was going to be my option, however I couldn't bring myself to spending over £1000 on an exhaust system, I've done research and apparently sometimes even the quality isn't what you would expect from that much money. To be honest I wouldn't of thought there would be any difference between going milltek and going custom performance wise, sound might be slightly different but not much.

Today I put a deposit down on a cat back BCS Powervalve exhaust system. Going to be around 4 weeks for it to arrive but I can't wait


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I'm interested in something similar, may I ask how much it's costing please?
 
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