# AFE exhaust?



## zoomie35 (Aug 25, 2007)

Anyone have an AFE cat back exhaust on a Turbo? I am looking for a cat back system, not hearing good things about Borla, can't find others. The AFE looks good, was wondering if anyone has installed on. Thanks!


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## BenandAmanda (Dec 4, 2013)

SPM makes a nice one.:thumbup::thumbup:


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

SPM,Eurojet,APR

Edit: in that order

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## plex03 (Nov 10, 2011)

drtechy said:


> SPM,Eurojet,APR
> 
> Edit: in that order
> 
> posted using tapatalk


APR has a catback for a Beetle? I know they have one for the MKVI but I thought it was too short. 

Magnaflow makes one too, by the way.


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

plex03 said:


> APR has a catback for a Beetle? I know they have one for the MKVI but I thought it was too short.
> 
> Magnaflow makes one too, by the way.


Humm APR doesn't list a cat back for it but I know some people have run it on the beetles, may just have to cut a little to make it fit

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## plex03 (Nov 10, 2011)

drtechy said:


> ... may just have to cut a little to make it fit


Actually, it's the other way around from what I recall. The tips were too far under the rear bumper cover so if anything they had to be cut and extended.


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

plex03 said:


> Actually, it's the other way around from what I recall. The tips were too far under the rear bumper cover so if anything they had to be cut and extended.


Makes sense since the Beetle is slightly longer than the GTI, although when I used a GTI downpipe originally I had to shorten it lol. Guess it's only the rear section that is elongated.


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## misterwes (Feb 2, 2012)

If I could go back (mainly don't want to drop the money right now for another exhaust) I would go SPM, I already have the down and mid pipe... Would love their catback


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## zoomie35 (Aug 25, 2007)

*Borla*

Anybody buy the Borla catback? seems cheap enough in autoanything


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

zoomie35 said:


> Anybody buy the Borla catback? seems cheap enough in autoanything


I used to have it, too much drone, they offer this silly venturi piece to put in the pipes but to me if I have to add a piece of hardware to it to make it not drone I might as well go with a system that doesn't drone out of the box.


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## plex03 (Nov 10, 2011)

zoomie35 said:


> Anybody buy the Borla catback? seems cheap enough in autoanything


I have it and I got mine through AutoAnything too. 


It is loud when you get on it and you do get a noticeable amount of noise in the cabin if you're highway cruising at higher speeds/higher RPMs. 

I haven't done the venturi thing and on the highway, I usually have the stereo cranked up quite a bit so I've learned to deal with it. 

It all depends on what you're looking for. It's in no way a bad product, it's just a matter of taste.


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## jokerny77 (Jul 1, 2008)

Eurojet is the only way to go, look for a used gti one if you can fits perfect with no modification needed sits nice and flush with the bumper


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## IndyTTom (Oct 23, 2007)

drtechy said:


> I used to have it, too much drone, they offer this silly venturi piece to put in the pipes but to me if I have to add a piece of hardware to it to make it not drone I might as well go with a system that doesn't drone out of the box.


A friend of mine with a GSR got a Borla Cat back and at first he loved the sound but after driving a few days on the highway the drone was unbearable. He ordered the Venturi piece from Borla and when he received it 
it was the wrong size. He did go to his local muffler shop where they fabricated a similar piece that fit his pipe and he says the drone has gotten to a point where he can tolerate it. I had a Borla cat back on my Audi TT
and sure it does sound great as long as you don't have to drive on a long highway trip. Couldn't stand it after about a month so I sold it and put a Brittish made exhaust on it. Can't remember the name but that cat back sounded 
fantastic and without any drone. Anyway, I would never buy another Borla cat back again. When I am ready to put a cat back on my Beetle I will either go SPM or Eurojet. The last time I checked Eurojet didn't sell just their Cat back
for the Beetle but only the Turbo Back but perhaps that has changed. I have the Apr Downpipe along with my stock exhaust. It is almost as quiet as stock. I think a bit of a deeper rumble would be nice.


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## [email protected] (Apr 28, 2009)

plex03 said:


> I have it and I got mine through AutoAnything too.
> 
> 
> It is loud when you get on it and you do get a noticeable amount of noise in the cabin if you're highway cruising at higher speeds/higher RPMs.
> ...


This is Alvin from Borla Performance. Thought I'd chime in here about our exhaust and share comments from recent customer who has our catback for 6-months. Customer is very happy and he's logged over 10k miles on his stock vehicle.

Please keep in mind that we designed our exhaust for a stock Beetle Turbo with stock air-box and no aftermarket tune. We understand and never forget that sound is subjective and while we have a very successful product for the Beetle Turbo, it may never be loud enough. If you have any questions or concerns please contact myself ([email protected]) or Chris Baas ([email protected]) in customer service.

Thanks for your interest in Borla!


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## 12TURBO (Jul 29, 2012)

[email protected] said:


> This is Alvin from Borla Performance. Thought I'd chime in here about our exhaust and share comments from recent customer who has our catback for 6-months. Customer is very happy and he's logged over 10k miles on his stock vehicle.
> 
> Please keep in mind that we designed our exhaust for a stock Beetle Turbo with stock air-box and no aftermarket tune. We understand and never forget that sound is subjective and while we have a very successful product for the Beetle Turbo, it may never be loud enough. If you have any questions or concerns please contact myself ([email protected]) or Chris Baas ([email protected]) in customer service.
> 
> Thanks for your interest in Borla!


I like the tone and the increased level of sound above OEM that comes from a Borla exhaust and have owned 3 different Borla exhausts for 3 different cars.

The first was a 2007Cayman S and it sounded great but DRONED !!! and the second was a 2009 MINI Cooper S and it sounded great but it DRONED!!! and third a 2012 Turbo Beetle and it sounded great but DRONED!!! 

I could be wrong but there seems to be a pattern. BTW everyone I have ever known that has owned a Borla says it DRONES!!!

Drone is the only complaint that I have with any of the Borla products I have owned but because of the drone I will not ever consider Borla products for any car I own now or in the future unless borla reduces the drone produced in their exhausts.


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## Grip Driver (Feb 16, 1999)

I bought a Borla cat back for my R32, installed it, removed two days later and sent it back. The drone was unbearable. Bought a Magnaflow and never looked back.


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## [email protected] (Apr 28, 2009)

Grip Driver said:


> I bought a Borla cat back for my R32, installed it, removed two days later and sent it back. The drone was unbearable. Bought a Magnaflow and never looked back.


My original mk4 R32 is still rocking the Borla Cat-back with CAI... No cabin resonance issues whatsoever. I got 10k track miles and drive it daily to/from the track.

Sound is subjective and we offer many systems where the customers want it even louder. We understand we cannot please everyone with every system we make.
We don't get complaints from customers with our Beetle Turbo exhaust with factory intake and tune. Feel free to contact our customer service with any questions. 1-877-462-6752


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## oidoglr (Jan 26, 2009)

Grip Driver said:


> I bought a Borla cat back for my R32, installed it, removed two days later and sent it back. The drone was unbearable. Bought a Magnaflow and never looked back.


Bwahaha. I had a Borla on my R32 for 2 years, and kept thinking it was too quiet. Magnaflows on R32s are far too raspy for my taste. 

OP, all of the exhausts for the Beetle are going to sound more or less the same, just variations of loudness and rasp, unless you pair it with at catless or race cat downpipe. VW's 2.0T motors are definitely lacking in aural delight.


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## 12TURBO (Jul 29, 2012)

[email protected] said:


> My original mk4 R32 is still rocking the Borla Cat-back with CAI... No cabin resonance issues whatsoever. I got 10k track miles and drive it daily to/from the track.
> 
> Sound is subjective and we offer many systems where the customers want it even louder. We understand we cannot please everyone with every system we make.
> We don't get complaints from customers with our Beetle Turbo exhaust with factory intake and tune. Feel free to contact our customer service with any questions. 1-877-462-6752



I couldn't agree more "Sound is subjective" but that's not the issue, the issue is Borla DRONE !!!!


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