BMW 3 Series Exhaust System Tips

The BMW 3 Series has served for years as the luxury brand’s most accessible sporty model. Whether found in sedan, wagon, convertible or coupe form, the 3 Series provides solid driving dynamics backed with a range of attractive inline six-cylinder engine choices. The last few years of production have seen the introduction of turbocharging on the top tier 335i model, which opens up a world of possibilities when it comes to aftermarket exhaust design.

It would of course be criminal not to mention the BMW M3, the ultra-high performance edition of the compact premium automobile. Thanks to high-revving V8 power, the latest M3 offers on-the-edge performance that is best explored on the track – unless your yearly budget for speeding tickets has been fully funded.

The most recent generation of the BMW 3 Series can be found in three distinct engine flavors:

• A naturally-aspirated 3.0L inline six offering between 215 and 254 horsepower, depending on the model year.
• A twin or single-turbo 3.0L inline six generating a healthy 300 horses (320 in the 335is).
• A fire-breathing 4.0L V8 pounding out 414 horsepower in the 2007 and up BMW M3.

Given that the BMW is a luxury car first and a performance car second – at least, in the eyes of BMW’s marketing department – the exhaust systems on all but the M3 are tuned to be tame, even under full throttle. What’s more, with a turbo car, swapping out the stock exhaust for a tuned aftermarket option can dramatically improve engine breathing, which is a very easy way to make extra power in a forced induction application. BMW’s turbocharged 3.0L motor is no exception to this rule.

Because the BMW 3 Series is a higher end automobile, the aftermarket can be a bit pricier when it comes to exhaust components – especially with regards to BMW-specific tuners. The following companies offer options for the 3 Series:

• Bassani
• Borla
• Flowmaster
• Magnaflow
• Corsa
• BMW M

You will note that the last brand listed is actually BMW’s in-house tuning division, which can provide a number of different exhaust options for many versions of the 3 Series. Dinan is an aftermarket company that is also focused exclusively on BMW, and exhaust systems are merely one aspect of its entire 3 Series line of products.

BMW 3 Series Exhaust Recommendations

1. Be aware of your budget. BMW M products, Dinan exhaust components and Supersprint systems can stretch the upper range of anyone’s wallet when it comes to price. Make sure you hear the difference between both expensive and more affordable BMW 3 Series exhaust systems before deciding to pay more.

2. Exhaust + turbo cars = big gains. If you are chasing down horsepower on the dyno, then you will want to make sure to go for a full catback exhaust system, not just swap out your mufflers. You might be surprised at the power you can generate through free-flowing pipes.

3. All-wheel drive. If your 3 Series is an all-wheel drive model, be sure to make that clear when ordering your exhaust components, in order to ensure that they will fit underneath your car.