1st Gen R50 Cooper Most liked posts in thread: Megan Catback Exhaust for R50

I don't own a Megan, but was all set to buy one 5 years ago until I got a ride in a friends Cooper with one installed. It was too loud and droned too much at highway speeds for my taste/usage as a daily driver..

Paid more and got a Borla instead and have been very happy.

If possible, try to check one out before you buy..

 

I have a header from outmotoring, and I have the megan cat back. it does drone out at highway speeds, im happy with it though.

 

Have one on my wife's r50 CVT. Perfect fit direct bolt on application. Great sound and not much drone. Just enough to let you know it is still connected. Would definitely buy again and recommend often.

 

I wonder if the drone would be the same with the stock header?
I'm considering Megan when the stock system needs replacing.

 

Buy the header, don't half do it. It sounds good.

 

I had the Megan cat-back installed on my '05 R50 (two MINIs ago). Loved the look and the sound quality. It gave it a very nice, deep, throaty, British sports car character especially in the lower half of the rpm range and during around-the-town driving. I noticed during the first year after installation that the exhaust note gradually got a bit louder, finally leveling off at a point about 20% louder than when first installed.

The extra drone at highways speeds was tolerable but I confess it did take some getting used to. I actually tried to mitigate it a bit by installing acoustic insulation under the carpeting and in the boot hatch. In the end, it cut the interior sound level by ~5% and in retrospect was probably not worth the effort.

 

I've had the cat-back installed for 6 years on my cabrio. It does have a drone at highways speeds but not bad once you level off you speed and are just cruising along and I would assume that it is quieter on a Hardtop.. It is one of the best sounding exhausts out there I think so well worth it to me.. I'd buy again..

 

For $400 or so dollars, it's hard to go wrong.

 

I had the Megan on my 06 r50 for about a year. Sounded great, but the drone finally got to me. After a long trip from IN to ND and back, my ears had all they could take and it came off the car.

 

I've lived with my car for almost 2 months now. Love it to bits. But it is a city car. Great at cruising on parkways or 2 lanes at 80k. Any faster and thr engine revs too high. I guess that's where the 6th gear on the R53 is beneficial.
Took a trip across town yesterday on the Queensway. At 100k, revving at 3k, with the stock exhaust, it got annoying after 20 mins.
It's a good thing my main use for this car is city driving, otherwise I would have considered a newer Cooper with a 6 speed.