Down pipe

Downpipe and Catalytic Converter Kit from Performance Tuning.

Rating scale is from 1 to 10. Low being 1 high being 10

Rating: 7.3
If you already have a cat-back exhaust system, I would definitely recommend getting this upgrade. If you don't have a cat-back exhaust, get that first.

Fit: 8
The overall installation was without incident. However within 100 miles there was an audible rubbing. The rubbing occurred between the stock heat shields and the external ones on the new catalytic converter. A simple adjustment was made and the problem has not reoccurred to date. As a side note this system will not fit all 15g turbo applications. Contact the manufacture for specifics.

Finish: 6
The ATR Downpipe and Catalytic Converter exhibited a fair degree of refinement in their manufacture. The bends of the Downpipe maintained a near constant diameter throughout with no signs of buckling. Though only subjected to a visual inspection the welds appeared for the most part solid though one non penetrating pinhole was quite visible. Grinding of the weld material was attempted along the inner surface of the junctions, but actual material removal was very minimal. Grinding was additionally ineffective as the grinder's efforts, while centered around the weld junction, followed an apparently random distribution within a 3/4 inch band. (Special thanks to C. Dean Preston for the technical review)

Performance: 8
As expected with the new system installed the car was slightly louder. Under everyday driving this would hardly be noticed in my opinion. So far, fuel consumption has gone down by an average of 2mpg. The torque curve of the car is much more predicable now and lacks the turbo kick it once had. As a side note, if your car runs over the stock psi, via chipping, the kick is still there.

Comparison

	Stock Piping	After-market Piping	Difference
Radius	1.125	1.25	11.1%