Hello all,
I had some issues with an Active Autowerke exhaust I purchased and I'd like to share my experience with you all.
I purchased the Gen II exhaust (price well over 2K) in February, however I could not install it until late April until all the snow had melted.
As the system is pushed as a straight bolt on system with absolutely no customization required, I figured any muffler shop should be able to install the system. I dropped my vehicle to a local muffler shop on a Saturday with the AA exhaust. 5 hours later I get a call from the shop saying they tried everything but the system wouldn't fit. They indicated the exhaust system was too long and as a result, the center section was touching portions of the subframe and the tips were touching the edges of the bumper (screen shots attached).
Once I arrived at the shop, I was told that the certain hangers were bent to accommodate the fitment issue however the exhaust tips were still touching the bumper. The costs I incurred that day were 559.00 worth of labour instead of the "worst case" 300.00 I was initially quoted! Mind you my car was NEVER involved in any accident.
The following Monday I informed AA. The sales rep informed me he'd talk to the owner then get back to me. Monday afternoon I receive a call and was told to get pictures and send it to them. I left work early, quickly drove back to the shop so that it could be hoisted up and took photos of the issue and sent it off as requested. The following day (Tues) I receive a call from the sales rep indicating they are looking into the issue and will inform me when they decide how to move forward.
Friday evening, I receive a call from the owner. After lengthy discussions with him trying to blame the problem on the installer I convinced him there's no way this could fit as it is too long! He then told me to measure the section below the headers to see if it was possible that they sent me an M5 part (The primary section is longer on the m5 than the m6).
This time I brought the car to a muffler shop in the outskirts of my city, that previously built me customized cat back systems from scratch (another half day taken off work as he is not opened on the weekend). We measured the primary section and concluded there's absolutely no way the system could fit without trimming 2 inches off. While at the shop I phoned the owner with the measurement of the primary section. The measurements I took were way longer than the measurements he told me on the phone. He informed me he would go measure again and get the sales rep to call me back. I waited 20 minutes at the shop and didn't hear back from anyone. I phoned the shop back but the sales rep was out to lunch. I left the shop at this point assuming the issue 100% with the length of the primary section.
The next day I phoned the owner. At this point he informed me the primary section I had was the correct size (although I was confident he wasn't sure himself). I explained to him that I don't have any more time to waste and that I would have to opt for a customized solution. I expressed that I felt it was 100% their fault as the exhaust system was NOT a plug and play solution as advertised.
I asked him based on the 559.00 I incurred and the cost of paying to get it customized to fit, what was he willing to compensate me for. He said all he could do was refund me 272.00 which was the cost of a regular AA installation (which he did).
From reading other posts I didn't think i'd get any money back. Although I wasn't compensated for all additional costs incurred exceeding the initial 300 I should have paid, I know it could have been worse. The price to customize the exhaust system (cut the center piece a couple inches) was 280.00. At the end of the day It took 3 half days off work, and 567.00 worth of labour.
Thoughts on the exhaust? I went from a muffler delete to this, it sounds EXACTLY the same as the muffler delete with no rasp. Was it worth it? Not in my opinion, I would have had my own cat back built from scratch and purchase mufflers of my liking, less of a headache...
I had some issues with an Active Autowerke exhaust I purchased and I'd like to share my experience with you all.
I purchased the Gen II exhaust (price well over 2K) in February, however I could not install it until late April until all the snow had melted.
As the system is pushed as a straight bolt on system with absolutely no customization required, I figured any muffler shop should be able to install the system. I dropped my vehicle to a local muffler shop on a Saturday with the AA exhaust. 5 hours later I get a call from the shop saying they tried everything but the system wouldn't fit. They indicated the exhaust system was too long and as a result, the center section was touching portions of the subframe and the tips were touching the edges of the bumper (screen shots attached).
Once I arrived at the shop, I was told that the certain hangers were bent to accommodate the fitment issue however the exhaust tips were still touching the bumper. The costs I incurred that day were 559.00 worth of labour instead of the "worst case" 300.00 I was initially quoted! Mind you my car was NEVER involved in any accident.
The following Monday I informed AA. The sales rep informed me he'd talk to the owner then get back to me. Monday afternoon I receive a call and was told to get pictures and send it to them. I left work early, quickly drove back to the shop so that it could be hoisted up and took photos of the issue and sent it off as requested. The following day (Tues) I receive a call from the sales rep indicating they are looking into the issue and will inform me when they decide how to move forward.
Friday evening, I receive a call from the owner. After lengthy discussions with him trying to blame the problem on the installer I convinced him there's no way this could fit as it is too long! He then told me to measure the section below the headers to see if it was possible that they sent me an M5 part (The primary section is longer on the m5 than the m6).
This time I brought the car to a muffler shop in the outskirts of my city, that previously built me customized cat back systems from scratch (another half day taken off work as he is not opened on the weekend). We measured the primary section and concluded there's absolutely no way the system could fit without trimming 2 inches off. While at the shop I phoned the owner with the measurement of the primary section. The measurements I took were way longer than the measurements he told me on the phone. He informed me he would go measure again and get the sales rep to call me back. I waited 20 minutes at the shop and didn't hear back from anyone. I phoned the shop back but the sales rep was out to lunch. I left the shop at this point assuming the issue 100% with the length of the primary section.
The next day I phoned the owner. At this point he informed me the primary section I had was the correct size (although I was confident he wasn't sure himself). I explained to him that I don't have any more time to waste and that I would have to opt for a customized solution. I expressed that I felt it was 100% their fault as the exhaust system was NOT a plug and play solution as advertised.
I asked him based on the 559.00 I incurred and the cost of paying to get it customized to fit, what was he willing to compensate me for. He said all he could do was refund me 272.00 which was the cost of a regular AA installation (which he did).
From reading other posts I didn't think i'd get any money back. Although I wasn't compensated for all additional costs incurred exceeding the initial 300 I should have paid, I know it could have been worse. The price to customize the exhaust system (cut the center piece a couple inches) was 280.00. At the end of the day It took 3 half days off work, and 567.00 worth of labour.
Thoughts on the exhaust? I went from a muffler delete to this, it sounds EXACTLY the same as the muffler delete with no rasp. Was it worth it? Not in my opinion, I would have had my own cat back built from scratch and purchase mufflers of my liking, less of a headache...
