[BMW1986]

On my E90 N54 xi I made the a set of AP's fit mainly because I refused to spend $800-$1,000 on a set of DP's. The x-drive market is too limited. I had a very slight modification to the pipe and it worked perfectly. I really only had to mod the pipe due to having a AT; otherwise if I had a MT it would have worked perfectly! Good luck and they look great!

[ontopofm]

ordered

[JDLM]

Originally Posted by BreakPoint

Thanks, you sure showed me!

I'm American, an American Veteran at that, silly me.

State abbreviations aren't exactly at the top of my "things to know" list.

No offense, don't use that as a cop out to anything makes others look bad (just my opinion)

[msp2three35i]

order placed. i'll make sure to post pics and comments when they arrive.

[Bme30]

i think I'm going to order some too!

[thebigragu99]

I would love to see a pic of them from the inside!!

[stealth-twntrbo]

Originally Posted by ar design

That is a production jig. Which proves nothing. Usually, to copy a product, you create a jig based off the original, and go from there. To actually show the product was designed and created, it has to be done on a car. Not in a jig. Come on man, you know better.... And that is CLEARLY chinese work. They are 100% unable to create anything, only copy, when it comes to this stuff.

Huh these look better than the quality of my Racelands, which have been holding up for 2 plus years on my car with no cracks and no fitment issues. Chinese junk or not does it make power and will it hold up? My car dynoed made 397 on 93 oct so I'm pretty happy with my $200 racelands that many were bashing because they were cheap chinese crap.

[vasillalov]

I've got my AR dps about 2 years ago before they raised the prices. I bought them directly from AR. Recently, I had to work under the car and I took a look at the condition of the downpipes and the exhaust. I have AE Performance exhaust which is also hand made here in USA as far as I can remember.

So, after two winters in Chicago, the only thing that was rusting on the AR downpipes and AE Exhaust were... ready for it... the actual bolts that connected the different pieces.

BTW, AR + AE = match made in heaven!

The local BMW race shop that installed these for me could not believe that they were made from different companies. Everything fit like a glove! That alone speaks volumes...

[b00sted4v]

damn wish you had them made for the xi model too

[Midnight Magic]

Originally Posted by BEAR-AvHistory

A good plan is you are better off justifying your price based on the perceived quality of smoother tubing & less welding to cause leaks etc.. Does not look good or influence potential buyers by going after a competitor for copying something that has the same general shape as yours. You are just moving their product for them. If you say it’s the same as yours but much cheaper why buy yours?

Haven’t done any fabrication in a thousand years but any piece of pipe going from the turbo outlet to the exhaust pipe input is going to have a similar shape in the same car.

I can understand your being pissed if you believe your R&D has been ripped , but it would be better to take the beef private or to court.

+1

[ihvabmr]

This is the exact reason why I never did any business with AR Design. Their arrogance was what steered me away. I could easily afford AR Design DP with no problem. But with their constant bashing of their competitor and trash talk, IMO, was quite shocking coming from a company with their stature. Very disappointing to say the least.......

[OniKoroshi]

Where's the love for the e60's?

[rader1]

Originally Posted by ihvabmr

This is the exact reason why I never did any business with AR Design. Their arrogance was what steered me away. I could easily afford AR Design DP with no problem. But with their constant bashing of their competitor and trash talk, IMO, was quite shocking coming from a company with their stature. Very disappointing to say the least.......

Exact same here, i knew the black friday sales were coming and the ARs would probably be going for a good price. But i still chose AA because, essentially, they weren't AR. I wish i'd known about these pipes before i ordered though. However, jeff@topgearsolutions is still the man and i couldn't be happier with my order or jeff

[VaDuro]

Love the direction of this post, so as a consumer I feel the need to chime in and give my unbiased 2 cents. I just got into the 335 last month and I am eager to put it all together.

So far I just got my JB4 and have not operned her up which is frustrating on the highway. Outside of that I am in the market for top quality parts that would maximize my investment. While looking for the top quality stuff, of course AR DP's for my XI are the next upgrade, the rims can wait unitl the spring. Getting to my point.....

I see that the AR pipes for my XI are in the 800-900 range on top of the other mods I would like including Intake ($400), BOV, ($500), Exhaust ($1400),Rims(1400).

Intake 25-30 whp
Ezhaust 10-15 whp
Catless DP's- ??


My point is the DP's are not as elaborate as the Cat back Exhaust or the Racing wheels but are up there in price just the same. I am sure the engineering process is truly world class, hovever there has to be some way to lower cost of production to get the AR pipes down to 500-700 Price point. I would rock the logo on my windsheild if it helps.

As far as made in china, If it is being farmed out to reduce production costs, how can we be sure there are not other placed that were skimped such as skill and materials. At the end of the day, Sorry but here is where pride kicks in but if it means speading my budget around the rest of the car, it makes sense.

At the end of the day, if the product is able to stand behind, then stand behind it, but as far as the trash talk, leave that to the intellectual property lawyers that you should be talking to instead of airing it out to your consumer base. This is not a good humor Ice Cream truck route you are operating.

[nailer335]

Originally Posted by Universal_Magnetic

There must be tons of xi's in Massachusetts, try and get one in and make some DP's for us!

This. I dont know why nobody thinks it would be worth their time to offer DPs for xi that aren't $879.

With the exception of UR, which aren't full 3" IIRC...

[taylors335]

Originally Posted by vasillalov

I've got my AR dps about 2 years ago before they raised the prices. I bought them directly from AR. Recently, I had to work under the car and I took a look at the condition of the downpipes and the exhaust. I have AE Performance exhaust which is also hand made here in USA as far as I can remember.

So, after two winters in Chicago, the only thing that was rusting on the AR downpipes and AE Exhaust were... ready for it... the actual bolts that connected the different pieces.

BTW, AR + AE = match made in heaven!

The local BMW race shop that installed these for me could not believe that they were made from different companies. Everything fit like a glove! That alone speaks volumes...

the bolts are not SS , these new pipes are also SS ! 304 SS is 304 SS regardless where its made !!

[Brey335i]

Originally Posted by taylors335

the bolts are not SS , these new pipes are also SS ! 304 SS is 304 SS regardless where its made !!

Whatever... I've had so many things supposedly 304 SS rust on me

[FastBimmerN54]

What is the overall thickness of both pipes.

I love when people rag on china and the products they manufacture when our households and lives outside of cars are surrounded by them. Arrogance at its best or perhaps ignorance. Pick 1

[vasillalov]

Originally Posted by FastBimmerN54

What is the overall thickness of both pipes.

I love when people rag on china and the products they manufacture when our households and lives outside of cars are surrounded by them. Arrogance at its best or perhaps ignorance. Pick 1

Probably yours, but not mine... I go out of my way to NOT purchase anything made in China if I can.

[e30rus]

Originally Posted by ar design

Bend for bend, those look identical to ours. And 100% made in China.

Every other 3" set out there differs quite a bit from ours.

These do not.

come on now you didn't invent DP'S ....

[n54door]

Android > iPhone

While I understand AR's plight, welcome to free enterprise.

If you have a patent on the design, sue. If not, enjoy the results of the free market. Innovate and continue to adjust your p&l turn a profit, or go home.

Quality has a cost, no doubt - but who is anyone to say quality is geographical with certainty?

And my final thought, if people didn't get their ideas from others and use it to gain opportunity and/or success we would still be cavemen!

[e30rus]

Originally Posted by n54door

Android > iPhone

While I understand AR's plight, welcome to free enterprise.

If you have a patent on the design, sue. If not, enjoy the results of the free market. Innovate and continue to adjust your p&l turn a profit, or go home.

Quality has a cost, no doubt - but who is anyone to say quality is geographical with certainty?

And my final thought, if people didn't get their ideas from others and use it to gain opportunity and/or success we would still be cavemen!

X2 nicely said!