APR vs Miltek Turbo Back Exhaust for Golf R

[Scuby_snax84]

This has probably been brought up before but I am curious to know peoples thoughts on these two products.

I can see on here people tend to go both ways. I can get the Milltek TBE for around $2800 delivered (give or take a few $ depending on Catback) and the APR TBE is $3995.

I want to know is the APR worth the extra $1100-$1200?

I queried someone on this and got the reponse that milltek are cheap chinese made mufflers and the sytem is a lower performer. Is there truth in this? I thought Miltek were custom made mufflers in the UK?

I do realise that an ecu upgrade is necassary and when i get the exhaust fitted it will be with other parts and I will putting the car in for a custom tune.

I want to get the best performer for my car but don't want to spend extra money for very minimal difference.

Please let me know your thoughts.

[dave_r]

Mate you can get the Milltek even cheaper than that direct from the UK as the VAGOC forum are doing a G/B through JKM, full system will cost you around $2k landed plus whatever customs add on, expect 15%? It would still be a fair bit cheaper than 2800 without the GB but if you're getting it from a local dealer for that price then all good. No point going direct unless you can make a good enough saving to deal with the hassles.

You will need an ECU tune though but I don't know if APR's software will be suitable if you're not using their hardware. You'd have to search around for info or ask them directly.

[Corey_R]

I don't believe for a moment that Milltek are "cheap chinese exhausts". They are a UK company, though I guess they could have changed their country of manufacture. But I hadn't heard of news of such?! There is at least one Milltek distributor on these forums, so hopefully they'll chime in.

The main portion of the price difference between the two comes from the downpipe design. Not that you can buy the Milltek DP on its own, or that APR publish the catback only price - but look at the cost of the Milltek cat-back only, and the APR DP only, and do the math


APR are using a divorced downpipe with a "splitter" which protrudes into the K04 turbo housing to separate the turbine gases and wastegate gases. Miltek just use a regular bellmouth which is much cheaper to produce. Which is better? Well, different people disagree on that, just look at other threads here

For what it's worth, APR themselves use a bellmouth on their K03 exhausts, but after extensive testing on K04 engines they came to the conclusion that the divorced downpipe is better.

Also, as dave_r mentioned, APR include the cost of the ECU upgrade in the exhaust price, whether you get the full TBE or just the DP (catback don't need an ECU update as it's "just for sound"/looks).

[zbeasty]

Ferret has Milltek exhaust and APR 2+ so they will work together. He did have to pay for the upgrade rather than it being included if he had bought the APR exhaust but I can't remember how much that was.

[dave_r]

In that case, where are the videos

[zbeasty]

In that case, where are the videos

Of Ferret's car? Don't know if he has done any. It goes alright with a 12.9s pass at WSID and 198kw at the wheels at the dyno day in April.

Need more 2 or 2+ cars to turn up at the next dyno day to be able to start comparing mods. There are a few more around in Sydney now so hopefully there are a few there. If Ferret and Corey are both there the only real difference between their cars AFAIK is the exhaust (Milltek vs APR) then you could get a fairly good comparison of the 2.

[Corey_R]

I've only got the APR DP. I didn't want to change the stock cat-back.

[zbeasty]

I've only got the APR DP. I didn't want to change the stock cat-back.

Cat back is only for sound anyway. You have HPFP, Intercooler and 2+ software don't you?

[Corey_R]

Yep........

[Mr_Bob]

I bought a Milltek TBE, but have only had time to do the Catback so far.

From inside the car, the sound change is minimal, just a tiny bit more rasp.
(passengers may not even notice that it has an exhaust)

I wasn't expecting to notice any change in performance, but strangely it does feel like it gets onto boost sooner, feels a bit more urgent.
Maybe i'm just using more throttle so i can hear it

[Corey_R]

You should get a very large change in sound once the DP is done. But that obviously also has a large change in performance too. It's a shame you haven't done the DP first so you can compare the noise levels with the stock cat-back vs the Milltek one!

Even with the stock-cat-back, if I suddenly go WOT, I've had cars in front of me swerve - presumably cause I've scared the **** out of them with the volume. I'd be nice if there was a cat-back system which actually reduced the peak volume!

[DDTW]

I bought a Milltek TBE, but have only had time to do the Catback so far.

Is yours resonated mate?

[Xciteu]

I guess this question is somewhat relevant to this thread. My R is about 3 weeks away and I'm about to add an MTM catback exhaust. I would love to complete the system with a down pipe but I'm of the understanding that I would need a tune. How do I get around this if my R's ECU is encrypted(all 2011 model cars are meant to be)? I live too far to have it done in workshop and wanted to get a bluefin tune to do it myself, but getting a response from them is pretty much a no go

[Scuby_snax84]

Cheers for the responses people.

Comparisons between the two would be good

Has anyone had any troubles with the quality of the milltek? (rust or broken welds or anything else)

I'm even considering a custom system. I've been doing a bit of reading about bellmouth vs divorced/divided, interesting reading especially when you look at our turbo/wastegate design.

[DDTW]

My R is about 3 weeks away and I'm about to add an MTM catback exhaust.

They sound pretty darn good but $5k is alot of coin for just the Cat-back IMHO. May I know how much did you get yours for?