Renntech tune & Akrapovic Downpipes installed *Review*
 

Hey guys

just wanted to post a quick review of my X5m and the recent mods; Renntech tune and Akrapovic catless downpipes.

I sent out my ECU(which probably takes 10mins to remove does have three tricky clips you have to unclip) once i took it out, sent it out to Renntech and got the ECU back, the day after they received it.
The car was completely different! Acceleration in the low range was much better, throttle response was def improved, and overall the car accelerated much quicker, in really wet conditions it def wants to break traction in 1st!

Three days later, I recieved my Akrapovic catless downpipes; got them installed which was a pretty labor intensive job the shop said. They kept the car overnight and I got it back the next day.
After getting into the car, i started it up and expected to hear a big difference, nothing, so as i drive away i floor it and you really hear a HUGE difference after 3.5k even with the M mode off, the car just opens up and it screams. With the M-Mode on its even louder, i couldnt imagine having exhaust, downpipes are def enough.
The sound is amazing! At redline it does have that raspy-pop that all of our X5ms have when you shift, so that def gets louder with the DP's. But overall the car just screams power, and i love the sound.

As far as performance just with this tune and the catless DP's the car is an animal! It flies! I mean the thing pulls, I i live in Seattle, and the car now literally breaks tractions when wet, in 1st and 2nd gear with just a twitch of the steering wheel you can lose traction if its wet lol I also own the e63 m6 v10 with a bunch of bolt on mods(headers, ecu, full exhaust, intake, pulleys) and even though the v10 does fly and has a crazy amount of power esp with the high rpms.
I can truly say that this x5m in a way scares me :thumbup: the fact that its such a big vehicle but flies like this is crazy! Once u open it up,it just gets up there so fast!!
I love it!

Thanks Jesse at Renntech for providing me with the ECU tune and akrapovic downpipes.

I will try to get some videos/sound clips but a review will do for now.

waiting to purchase an X5M and I have been looking at the DPs - how does this effect emissions testing?

Having run headers on a few other cars and had O2 issues and testing issues - I am leary of doing ANYTHING to the exhaust

esp since the M is already pretty raspy during shifting - i wish it sounded more like traditional V8 instead of a boat in water

I know it won't pass emissions but its a brand new vehicle and I have some time to figure out what ill be able to do about it:rofl:

People told me with catless DP's my car would be a bit "smelly" and yes there is a bit of a smell. But overall the power and how the car sounds is amazing and def takes over the little bit of the smell.

And I'll admit this car doesn't have the best sound at high Rpms especially at redline right when it shifts, and the Dp's make that sound louder but it made it deeper so it kind of "evened" it out.. Overall I def suggest getting these!

How difficult is the swap? Meaning every two years having to put the cats back in?

Btw. I do all my own labor thus asking time and effort involved

Looking for an X5///M now as well, seeing as my X got stolen this morning :(

damn

ive heard its a 5-6hr job to replace the cats. And the space to work with is VERY minimal.

Sweet!:D

Hey man..just reading the post...and your X got stolen?....how ?.