[BeetleGuy81]

Hello everyone... I'm not one to post much but I felt I really had to get this off my chest... Over a year ago now I purchased an Ansa Exhaust off ECS... WORST THING I HAVE EVER DONE!!! the install was easy but the damn thing never fit right the tips couldn't be straightened... A few months from install the res. took a crap and the rattle was so awful I had to have a shop cut it out... Mind you this is exhaust looks nice and is stainless steel so now I have about a 20 inch pipe that doesn't match the rest of the exhaust so the $400 exhaust is crap... when I contacted ECS about this they required me to remove the exhaust and send it to them for INSPECTION... This is my daily.. I don't have another car... or the original exhaust anymore.. so I'm screwed... so I had that cut out like I said, the exhaust also rubs or makes contact on the rear beam... which is insanely annoying! I figured maybe I need new exhaust mounts.. so I got those installed them.. its even worse now. before it rattled and hit at speed bumps.. now it just sits on the beam and sends vibrations through out the WHOLE car specially on highway speeds.. I figured screw it ima see if I can adjust it.. being that I was already under the car I went ahead and cut the exhaust with a saw saw and made the pipes sit straight by using u bolts and a union piece of pipe... but nothing fixed the exhaust resting on the beam... Worst mistake of my life buying this garbage... I hope no one buys this, it is not worth the money at all... head to your local muffler shop get a custom system done and for a lot less then what this thing sells for.. I plan on going to a local shop and either removing this garbage and getting something custom or having this thing cut up more and fixed... so far between the exhaust and fix I've got a $500 price tag on this exhaust... Word of advice... STAY AWAY FROM THIS EXHAUST!!!! I am not making anything up, I've shortened what am telling you my experience so that you don't read a book, but I did everything possible to get this thing on right and it just wasn't made properly... I hope anyone else that has this exhaust can post their experience with it...

 

[Smileybug]

What size is the exhaust? If its 3", its just a plain old tight fit. I've got one on my GTI and its definitely got some rattles from fitment, despite multiple attempts to get it to work. 2.5" should fit fine, but a 3" really will just be a tough one to fit with zero vibration. My shop even ground down some of my rear beam to help, and it did help, but didn't get rid of it. Its just the nature of the beast. Mine is a 42 Draft Designs exhaust.

 

[billymade]

Seeing how ECS has essentially; not been helpful in your after sales technical problems, why not contact the manufacturers customer support, directly? I would think; they would make it right for you, what do you have to lose?

AP Exhaust Technologies, Inc.

Toll Free: 800-277-2787
Phone #: 919-580-2000
Fax #:
Address: 300 Dixie Trail
Goldsboro, NC 27530

http://www.ansaautomotive.com/contact-us/consumer/
Email: [email protected]

 

[BeetleGuy81]

I had a shop fix it already... The resonator is long gone so neither Ecs or the actual manufacturer are going to help now... I recently had a shop remove the stretchy mounts and put in one that didn't allow the exhaust to sag over the rear beam... doesn't hit anymore although I am now getting loud vibration noise between 60-80 its just an annoyance, I bought this cause its supposed to be better performance without the noise... either way.. thanks guys...

smileybug its the 2.4/2.5 not sure right now..

 

[OmahaTDI]

Man that sucks!

I feel your pain as I had a similar, albeit, self-induced "cluster" when I attempted to get a leather 3-spoke GLI steering to work with my NB.

I thought about a 2.25" ANSA exhaust when I was looking a couple of years ago, but despite the price difference I bought a 2.25" Magnaflow. I liked the angled tips better on the MF and got it for about the same price as the ANSA. No problems with it. I'm running it on my a 1.9L TDI. Only wish it sounded beefier...

 

[cha2ga]

That tdi needs a catectomy and mufflerectomy.

 

[billymade]

BeetleGuy81, any updates on the exhaust?

 

[BeetleGuy81]

BeetleGuy81, any updates on the exhaust?

billymade, i didnt contact them cause ive already cut the resonator out over 6 months ago, i cut the muffler to straighten out the tips last week.. Just not worth the hassel of contacting them... Ill eventually have another exhaust done at a local shop and never spend money on a bolt on kit... $300+ on an exhaust never again for me.. Ive had less issues with ebay items... Just be sure if any of u buy this your aware you may have fitment issues and even worst if your lowered..

 

[cha2ga]

So you put an oversized exhaust. A lowered car. The exhaust was not properly installed because it was hitting. It failed due to vibrations induced by faulty installation. It was then modified.
And the vendor and mfg are culpable? I don't get it.

 

[BeetleGuy81]

It probably takes a genius like you to install an exhaust Cha2ga but I did contact them when the issue started. Its not oversized its the same as stock only it was stainless steel and made noise compared to stock you should check it out go to ecs hell buy one you'll love it. The resonator or whatever that larger portion with the mesh or honeycomb inside, not the cat., Was loose inside and rattled like a beat shopping cart.. this is my day driver to and from job to job so I can't have the car down for two, three weeks to remove the exhaust send it to them so they can see whether or not its bad. So I had a local shop remove the section out completely. Either way the exhaust never fit properly its not bent correctly for the rear beam and the actual muffler hangs at an angle never straight all of which has now been fixed by local shops...

 

[cha2ga]

I'm glad you got your issues repaired. Have a great day. God bless you.

 

[Johnny Ohio]

On the flip side, I've had a Ansa Silverline 2.25 catback since 2006. Fitment was great.

Sounds better today,than when new.

Nice European growl.

Hate to hear you had probs. But, I'm at stock height, so I don't know.

 

[BeetleGuy81]

Johnny, are your tips straight or at an angle? Is the middle piece with the hangers straight, does it rub anywhere on the heat shield and is it 1.8t? I played with every single bolt trying to adjust it properly and it just wouldn't sit right, changed my exhaust hangers and mounts nothing same thing,even new motor mounts nothing, I must have got a bad welded one or something, but the fact that they didn't even offer any help is what killed it for me.. they wouldn't even give me a %off if I ordered a new one so I can send them the faulty one back. I had to either stay car less till they receive and send me back another after they figure out what's wrong with it or spend another 300-400 bucks on a new one. I didn't do either cause A: I don't have mommy and daddy to pay any of my bills or rent and B: that's not how I felt they should've handled the issue.. but anyhow... that's not the only issue I've had with ecs... Bad belt tensioner,coolant flange that popped at a seem, and control arms I got once were bent, sent them back explained the issue and I got back the same exact control arms with a note saying they're perfectly fine when they had a 2 inch difference in angles at the ballpoint mounting area.. I'm starting to doubt if they have quality control at all at ecs...

Ok I'm ranting lol sorry ...

 

[Johnny Ohio]

The tips are straight. I used the stock hangers and have not had any issues.

It is a 1.8t.

 

[BeetleGuy81]

Then I def got a faulty one... :/ but I've learned not to throw my old parts since soo at least I got something out of it... Sucks tho..

 

[cha2ga]

Luckily with my Tdi I just did a catectomy and mufflerectomy! And unfortunately I forgot to keep the old parts.

 

[Johnny Ohio]

Cha2ga, Nice, now bigger injectors and you can paint the grass black. It's diesel thing or so I've heard.

 

[peg leg timm]

I just got one of those $209 3" exhaust off of eBay last month and it fits fine, sounds great, a tiny bit of rattle but this being the 6th car I have built I kind of expect it.

 

[BeetleGuy81]

Would've been cheaper at a local shop to be honest I've already gotten several quotes all between 100- $180 :/ that's for mandrel bending and none from downpipe back for 2.5"...

 

[billymade]

So, did you ever; get the situation resolved? Did you contact Anza?