Ebay LCR downpipe and cat

CJRamze

Proud Seat Owner
Jun 29, 2008
2,014
2
Caldicot, South Wales
I've got mine.
Less than 5 days from order to delivery, Now thats service.
The quality is very good and when I'm home I'll be taking some photos for you all.

On the day of fitting I'll have a word with Charlie (My local exhaust tech) and ask him for his professional opinion on quality and ease of fitting (or non ease as it may be)
 

Mark300zx

Active Member
Apr 24, 2008
1,457
8
Surrey/SW London
Thanks for all the info, I have just ordered one myself, could anyone possibly tell me which holes were drilled and how much by, also more info on which corners were chopped please?
 

Gti-Joe

Guest
I presume this is the only ' ebay' downpipe that'll fit on the LCR? I'd be interested to know what flange mods need to be made in detail also! cheers:)
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Gti-Joe

Guest
aLso it's a long shot but does anyone have to hand the measurements for the down pipe and decat ( just the length roughly)
 

CJRamze

Proud Seat Owner
Jun 29, 2008
2,014
2
Caldicot, South Wales
Update:
Spoke to Charlie my exhaust tech.
He fitted it to the car for me with a custom sound and tip.

After speaking to him he said it was no easy job, the flange needed to be cut in three places to make it fit, Then the holes needed redrilling to match (Both of these were mentioned earlier)
He then put it on the car and I dont know if its my specific LCR but it fouled the lower part of the car and caused rubbing.

He chopped the end of the downpipe, extended it and altered the angle to make it fit correctly.

Not only that but the second lambda sensor (After the cat) was blocked off, You could fit a sensor in there but it wouldn't give correct airflow/exhaust readings.
He cut this bit out, Re welded it and gave it the correct airflow.

He also said the CAT in the car he'd never seen it before, Most british made cats have a ceramic coating and colour however this just looks like wire, He said he'd be very suprised if this passed emissions and be even more suprised if my Check Engine Light didn't light up.

After two days of driving around the CEL light came on however the car is driving as normal.
I took it to a friend with VAGCOM and he confirmed it was the lower sensor, Removed the code and CEL light hasn't lit up yet.

If you've purchased one of these and you've not yet had an MOT take it to a "Friendly" MOT garage because I really dont think this is going to pass emissions.


Bearing in mind mine is stock ecu etc I've not had it mapped out however I will when I have the cash :)
 

Gti-Joe

Guest
Update:
Spoke to Charlie my exhaust tech.
He fitted it to the car for me with a custom sound and tip.

After speaking to him he said it was no easy job, the flange needed to be cut in three places to make it fit, Then the holes needed redrilling to match (Both of these were mentioned earlier)
He then put it on the car and I dont know if its my specific LCR but it fouled the lower part of the car and caused rubbing.

He chopped the end of the downpipe, extended it and altered the angle to make it fit correctly.

Not only that but the second lambda sensor (After the cat) was blocked off, You could fit a sensor in there but it wouldn't give correct airflow/exhaust readings.
He cut this bit out, Re welded it and gave it the correct airflow.

He also said the CAT in the car he'd never seen it before, Most british made cats have a ceramic coating and colour however this just looks like wire, He said he'd be very suprised if this passed emissions and be even more suprised if my Check Engine Light didn't light up.

After two days of driving around the CEL light came on however the car is driving as normal.
I took it to a friend with VAGCOM and he confirmed it was the lower sensor, Removed the code and CEL light hasn't lit up yet.

If you've purchased one of these and you've not yet had an MOT take it to a "Friendly" MOT garage because I really dont think this is going to pass emissions.


Bearing in mind mine is stock ecu etc I've not had it mapped out however I will when I have the cash :)

Cheers for the update mate! mine arrived last week and i had similar thoughts with the cat... so have proceeded to bash the whole thing out.

I'm dredding the fitting!
 

S3 Nattie

Active Member
Sep 10, 2009
120
0
Update:
Spoke to Charlie my exhaust tech.
He fitted it to the car for me with a custom sound and tip.

After speaking to him he said it was no easy job, the flange needed to be cut in three places to make it fit, Then the holes needed redrilling to match (Both of these were mentioned earlier)
He then put it on the car and I dont know if its my specific LCR but it fouled the lower part of the car and caused rubbing.

He chopped the end of the downpipe, extended it and altered the angle to make it fit correctly.

Not only that but the second lambda sensor (After the cat) was blocked off, You could fit a sensor in there but it wouldn't give correct airflow/exhaust readings.
He cut this bit out, Re welded it and gave it the correct airflow.

He also said the CAT in the car he'd never seen it before, Most british made cats have a ceramic coating and colour however this just looks like wire, He said he'd be very suprised if this passed emissions and be even more suprised if my Check Engine Light didn't light up.

After two days of driving around the CEL light came on however the car is driving as normal.
I took it to a friend with VAGCOM and he confirmed it was the lower sensor, Removed the code and CEL light hasn't lit up yet.

If you've purchased one of these and you've not yet had an MOT take it to a "Friendly" MOT garage because I really dont think this is going to pass emissions.


Bearing in mind mine is stock ecu etc I've not had it mapped out however I will when I have the cash :)

I was at charlies a few weeks back and he said it was such a annoying job to do. How much did he charge to fit the downpipe and cat and to do the adjustments.

Did anyone have to pay any duty tax on these and did they find that the cat was too short to mate up to the cat back.
Would you say its worth the money or would you rather spend a bit more to get a pipewerx which has no fitting issues.
 
Last edited:

CJRamze

Proud Seat Owner
Jun 29, 2008
2,014
2
Caldicot, South Wales
I was at charlies a few weeks back and he said it was such a annoying job to do. How much did he charge to fit the downpipe and cat and to do the adjustments.

Did anyone have to pay any duty tax on these and did they find that the cat was too short to mate up to the cat back.
Would you say its worth the money or would you rather spend a bit more to get a pipewerx which has no fitting issues.

Well I've been to charlies a few times now, And I live opposite his garage....
And I'm part of two local car clubs that put a bit of business his way so the price was about £20 more expensive. But I can't see him doing that again.

Since this my EML light has come on, I had it cleared, Its come on again and theres a slightly metallic rattle sound which I'm entirely convinced is the cat.

Personally given the choice of saving up a little bit longer or going for the ebay purchase. I'd go straight for a full system at Charlies.
What with him having an LC you know he's going for perfection.

He said that the pipe didn't quite mate correctly so he had to chop that and Luckily no duty tax.
Think I might have a dummy cat and take it to a friendly VW Enthusiast for the MOT.
 

S3 Nattie

Active Member
Sep 10, 2009
120
0
Ye he did say he didnt want to do another one, said it took him most of the day to do one, was probably yours. I did get a price for £550 from Charlie for a TBE but after doing one he said it would be more like £600+ due to how long it takes.

I will be fitting it myself but im 50/50 weather to get a ebay one and do the little changes to it or just wait a bit longer and and get a pipewerx one.
 

S3 Nattie

Active Member
Sep 10, 2009
120
0
Some help please guys. I made a offer on this downpipe and cat and it was rejected but now I cannot make another offer or even contact the sell now. Im wondering if the seller does this so I just buy the downpipe and cat at the buy it now price or is it because he dont want my custom lol. I dont want to buy the item for him not to post it out etc.

Has anyone else experienced this, any info
 

CJRamze

Proud Seat Owner
Jun 29, 2008
2,014
2
Caldicot, South Wales
Hi Guys
Sorry to drag an old thread up so heres my experience thus far.
I bought the Downpipe, It arrived with no customs charges as it was a "Demo Product" so when it arrived I inspected the welds and to the untrained eye they looked pretty good.

I took the downpipe to be fitted alongside the custom system by a fabricator I trust with my life and car with but I couldn't afford his custom downpipe and CAT. So I bought the Ebay one it arrived he also inspected the welds and said the stainless was of "Average" Quality not something he'd use but not bad.

The one thing he did comment on was the flexi pipe being only single braid or single flexi I'm not sure on the exact term but he followed it up with "I don't know how long that will last"

For Christmas I got a bluetooth OBD2 kit and paired it with the android phone, I went out to do some logging, let the car warm up for 15 minutes and then took it for a gentle drive.
After driving for 10 minutes and even stopping for fuel I decided to find a nice stretch of road and gun it.

I slapped it into 2nd, floored it.
After I'd slowed down and then pulled into my parents the car just didn't sound right.
It sounds like the exhaust is at the front of my car.
Its loud but not sounding like a lorry.

I went to the rear exhaust and put my hand next to it. Not as much airflow as I'd expected
I suspect the flexipipe has snapped.

So far the things wrong with this setup have been.
1) The Downpipes lower sensor hole was welded shut and had to be cut out and re-done
2) The Pipe didn't fit correctly and was fouling the car's undercarriage and had to be adjusted
3) The "CAT" which was supposed to be 110Cell was a complete crock of **** and not only did it flag up the lower sensor to inform me it wasn't performing correctly, but due to it not performing correctly its over fuelling. Eventually due to its incessant rattling I had it cut out completely and the car still overfuels (as a car does when its decatted and on an OEM map)
4) The Flexi pipe is single braid and appears to have snapped.

Merry Christmas!
I'm going for a proper custom downpipe and 100Cell Cat!
I dont have the money so this is a credit card item!
 

DaNnY_LaD

Big Turbo Leon Cupra R
Jun 2, 2007
4,814
1
Manchester,Walkden
www.myspace.com
Ive got one on my Cupra R with Zero problems and its Running Great with my Revo stage 2...I would Recommend a De-cat though as the Cat Was **** But we all knew that anyway..

currenlty the only mods ive done to make it fit is the Downpipe flange Holes (3 Of) everything else went straight on...Doesnt Knock Rattle or Bang...

Plus Im seeing great Results with it fitted so its a right Bargain in my Experiance..
 

CJRamze

Proud Seat Owner
Jun 29, 2008
2,014
2
Caldicot, South Wales
Maybe I just had the one off, but I thought I'd post my experiance.
My Local garage is currently closed but hopefully when its open I'll have him check the DP.
If its just a lower weld thats gone I'll see about repairing it.
but if the quality of steel is showing weak spots I'm going to go for a bespoke system :(
 

DaNnY_LaD

Big Turbo Leon Cupra R
Jun 2, 2007
4,814
1
Manchester,Walkden
www.myspace.com
Strange that...

Far point about it cracking but to be far its for a LHD S3,TT 4wd not a leon cupra R so it wont fit ''Perfect'' but for £120 its a real bargain...

Its still stainless so it can be repaired but do you have a OEM Rubber dog Bone Mount? I hear various people Snapping stuff when Slamming down Gears in WOT...

i know its ''close'' to the heat sheilds but mine doesnt rattle tbh....have you emailed them? and explained?2-3 days ago i had my Downpipe and manifold glowing red and it still taking the abuse it was created for..
 

S3 Nattie

Active Member
Sep 10, 2009
120
0
Maybe I just had the one off, but I thought I'd post my experiance.
My Local garage is currently closed but hopefully when its open I'll have him check the DP.
If its just a lower weld thats gone I'll see about repairing it.
but if the quality of steel is showing weak spots I'm going to go for a bespoke system :(

I think I seen your car about a month ago at charlies when you was having the cat taken out. Had a quick look under you car and it seemed quite a tidy fit. I seen how they modified yours to fit.

I must say though since I bought mine I soooo wished I waited to get a piperwerx one. I think mine must be a very bad relentless downpipe and de cat because mine rubbed really bad on my propshaft (looked like there was alot more clearance on the LCR I looked under but on a S3 its VERY tight). Mine hangs really low and scrap when in multi-story car parks and im getting coilovers in the coming weeks.

After all the playing around with it with grinding and re-drilling etc, I would have rather waited and spent a bit more to get a piperwerx which fits on perfectly fine from what ive read and doesnt hang to low or need any modifying.

Mine is all sorted now but having done everything myself, the fitting and modifying, if I was to do it again id 100% get a better quality product. I seen how much a garage wanted to fit it and do the modification and they wanted £140 to do that it. So by the time you have bought it and got it fitted if you dont do it yourself you might as well get a quality product, thats my opinion, does sound very nice though lol.
 
Last edited:

CJRamze

Proud Seat Owner
Jun 29, 2008
2,014
2
Caldicot, South Wales
The rattling was caused by the CAT not the fitting/pipe.
I dont think the CAT.... Was a CAT at all and Charlie was suspicious too

I dont suspect the pipe itself has snapped I suspect that single flexi pipe on the angle.
I pulled out of a junction floored it in first, then second then came off the power and it sounded like a tank so I suspect the weakest point of the pipe is that flexi hose.

It performed well on the dyno, on a standard car with just the exhaust system altered pulling 233bhp, Hopefully its just that flexi pipe it can be repaired and I can get on with it.
However if Charlie recommends a new one I'll go with Charlie!

Shame I didn't see your S3 down there dude, I live two doors down from Charlies and that day it was being decatted I was working from home. Kept looking out my window to see my car!
 
Genuine SEAT Parts and Accessories.