These ****** exhaust tips...

GSB

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These exhaust tips are a Royal pain. They look ridiculously bling and over the top when clean, so I've never been a fan anyway, but they seem to be dirty in less than 100 miles and require fastidious attention to keep them as clean as the rest of the car. After only 5000 miles they're scabby as hell, and even despite regular cleaning there's now nothing short of a machine polish that will remove the black carbon deposits from them.

So, I've treated them to an engineers purcussive maintenance (with a big hammer), and taken them off. The car looks a little more, "honest", without the overly macho tinsel of high performance dangling under the bumper like a set of chromed testicles, so they're staying off...
IMG 4375
 
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Gotta be fair mate, they just look like you've never cleaned them with the chrome off lol. Autosol cleans mine up perfectly and takes less than a minute.


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Gotta be fair mate, they just look like you've never cleaned them with the chrome off lol. Autosol cleans mine up perfectly and takes less than a minute.


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That's exactly what I've been using, every weekend since I got the car in October, but in 200 hours of running I've had to take them off three times to properly clean them up, and despite all the regular attention they're still filthy after only handful of hours. Sod 'em, they can stay in the cupboard.
 
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Sure I'll get plenty abuse for this but.......I've given up trying to clean mine and dont even bother now :)

Si :)
 
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Mine get a clean once a month with autosol and this manages to keep them clean. Just go over them each time you give it a wash every week

IMG 1587
 
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I've got no problem with mine, I just use a gentle scrub with wire wool once a week and they keep nice and clean. I think it helps to have the exhaust mod too (EGR) as that makes a more even spread of soot....
 
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They look pretty decent off Grant tbh.

I've replaced mine once (£38x4) and now religiously wipe them with a baby wipe every other day and use gtechniq M1 every fortnight when I wash the car.
 
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My car is coming up to 6,000 miles. I've never cleaned them specially other than a wipe when the rest of the car is washed. It's a car for going places not an ornament. I'd rather spend my time enjoying driving the car than fussing over its backside.
 
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I just give mine a clean with a stainless steel cleaner about every fourth wash and they still look like new after 8000 miles.
Did the same on my GTI and after 70000 miles and six years they still looked new.

After opening up my flaps :relaxed: I find they don't soot up as much.
 
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I'm thinking of taking mine off and sand blasting them then just powder coating them black. Chrome just is not worth it esp in exhaust gas situations
 
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I read on another forum a while ago to get them looking new again you put them in an oven bag? think it's a bag which you put the oven grilles in which contains some sort of de-greaser, leave to soak then rinse?
This is meant to get rid of carbon off the chrome grilles so should work on the exhaust tips :)
 
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Futile exercise cleaning exhaust tips. Was better in the seventies when they were just left to rust and fall off!
 
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In the work car park in the last few weeks another blue pre facelift S3 SB has turned up (a reason for me to upgrade and out stage the other PFL S3 saloon in the car park...lol) but has black pack and has complimented the look with replacement black exhaust tips which look very good. Standard S3's IMHO look better with Chrome tips to complete the grill and trim.

Agree they are pain to clean but I use any old chrome cleaner (currently 10 year old bottle of car plan stuff) to clear the soot and then give them a spray with WD40 which makes them easier to clean for the next time. 2-3 minute routine as part of the weekly wash and shine
 
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I read on another forum a while ago to get them looking new again you put them in an oven bag? think it's a bag which you put the oven grilles in which contains some sort of de-greaser, leave to soak then rinse?
This is meant to get rid of carbon off the chrome grilles so should work on the exhaust tips :)

We've used this stuff on barbecue grilles to degrease / clean if that's what you're referring to?
http://www.ovenpride.com/
Would probably work on exhaust tips right enough.
 
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These exhaust tips are a Royal pain. They look ridiculously bling and over the top when clean, so I've never been a fan anyway, but they seem to be dirty in less than 100 miles and require fastidious attention to keep them as clean as the rest of the car. After only 5000 miles they're scabby as hell, and even despite regular cleaning there's now nothing short of a machine polish that will remove the black carbon deposits from them.

So, I've treated them to an engineers purcussive maintenance (with a big hammer), and taken them off. The car looks a little more, "honest", without the overly macho tinsel of high performance dangling under the bumper like a set of chromed testicles, so they're staying off...
View attachment 121011
I'd had them like that since last November until the weekend before last, when mine came back from my mate. Looks quite raw and purposeful without them but I did miss the proper finished articles. I'll be buying a spare set of chrome ones to swap over every so often and to put back on when the car goes back.
LOVE Navarra blue Grant...
 
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I know people have probably seen these already but I just love showing off my mate's work...
IMG 4654

IMG 4634
 
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Must admit I didn't like the chrome quads either, the plus has got a clasp between the pipes which makes them even more in your face. Satin black is a bit more subtle IMO


P1190418
 
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That's exactly what I've been using, every weekend since I got the car in October, but in 200 hours of running I've had to take them off three times to properly clean them up, and despite all the regular attention they're still filthy after only handful of hours. Sod 'em, they can stay in the cupboard.

Are they easy to remove? I assumed they would be welded.
 
I'm surprised they're not stolen if they're that easy to get off!


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Are they easy to remove? I assumed they would be welded.
Get under the car, find the inner edge of the trims and gently tap all the way around evenly with a rubber mallet, until the begin to slide off, then tap back a couple of times into a waiting hand.
 
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I read on another forum a while ago to get them looking new again you put them in an oven bag? think it's a bag which you put the oven grilles in which contains some sort of de-greaser, leave to soak then rinse?
This is meant to get rid of carbon off the chrome grilles so should work on the exhaust tips :)

You mean one of these!
 
I see the Golf R facelift will have a Performance Pack option that includes an Akrapovic titanium exhaust. That'd cure the problem!

I bet we won't get it over here, as it'll probably bump the price over the £40K threshold our dear old Chancellor just inflicted upon us...
 
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Or how about that pressure washer they had on Top Gear the other week?! :D
 
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These exhaust tips are a Royal pain. They look ridiculously bling and over the top when clean, so I've never been a fan anyway, but they seem to be dirty in less than 100 miles and require fastidious attention to keep them as clean as the rest of the car. After only 5000 miles they're scabby as hell, and even despite regular cleaning there's now nothing short of a machine polish that will remove the black carbon deposits from them.

So, I've treated them to an engineers purcussive maintenance (with a big hammer), and taken them off. The car looks a little more, "honest", without the overly macho tinsel of high performance dangling under the bumper like a set of chromed testicles, so they're staying off...
View attachment 121011

They are a royal pain in the *** for sure and it's become an obsession lately cleaning them all the time- neighbours must think I'm mental!!! I'd like to get hold of some carbon covers if anyone knows of some out there


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Just keep on top of them and I found that regular metal polish once a month or so keeps them shine less then a 5 min job
 
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I use Meguiars metal polish and it leaves a barrier on the exhaust and a great shine.
The exhausts tips below are now ten years old and still in great condition.
Meg50
Ex50
 
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My S3 exhaust tips were crusty as and now pitted after only 13k miles but took to them with a lot of wet wire wool, drill attachments, auto sol and megs nxt polish

Came up a lot better than before but still not a finish I am 100% happy with - both mine and my wifes 2009 8P A3 1.8TFSI

IMG 3073

IMG 3072
 
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Get under the car, find the inner edge of the trims and gently tap all the way around evenly with a rubber mallet, until the begin to slide off, then tap back a couple of times into a waiting hand.

That's me decided on not removing them then, haha. If they are that easy to get off and they only get tapped back on... it will be my luck I will lose one.
 
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That's me decided on not removing them then, haha. If they are that easy to get off and they only get tapped back on... it will be my luck I will lose one.
They won't come off mate, each one held on by four big spring jaws.
 
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I think a dirty tip shows that it's been used properly.
 
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They are a royal pain in the *** for sure and it's become an obsession lately cleaning them all the time- neighbours must think I'm mental!!! I'd like to get hold of some carbon covers if anyone knows of some out there


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These will look amazing I'm sure but holy SH1T they will sting your wallet!

https://carbon-designz.com/audi-s3-8v-carbon-exhaust-tips.html

Mine were bespoke made by a friend so weren't that much....
 
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I found this vid useful when cleaning mine... hope it helps

 
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