Powerflow West Midlands - Avoid! (aka Top Gear tuning)

[JPB]

I'd recommend forum members avoid this place if you're after good quality work and results commensurate with what you're hoping for.

Initial consultation was good, they came straight back to me and provided options and costs for each option. After a phone call explaining explicitly that I didn't want any drone, just a few pops and bangs and was even open to a valved exhaust system to keep it quiet when I want it, a sports back box was suggested by the team.

I went for this option and drove away with someone that was INCREDIBLY droney. There was no other note but drone, drone, drone. A few pops but vastly overridden by the drone.

After 45 minutes of driving my ears were ringing.

They swapped things back for free and offered a partial refund (£150 of £350 that I spent) which was good. But the main issue was the fact I had to spend £200 to come away with the exact OPPOSITE result of what I asked for and now I'm back to square one.

I had a bsckbox delete before and this backbox was even more droney than that.

Overall, I was very disappointed in the welding work as well. You can see my photos in this post. Do you think it's a good weld job?

Anyway, Powerflow as a brand seem to just ship parts out to any old dirty chop shop (or so it seems) and the parts look nice with good welding, but there's no way to sort out problems with Powerflow themselves. Only a fax number on their site. Also sister company Top Gear tuning is linked up.

The owner was nice and very polite. Another worker there was really quite rude and seemed a bit of a monkey.

Avoid!

 

[john-e89]

Is that a photoshopped pic…?? That….i can’t even call it welding…pigeon shit is off the scale…!!

I can’t believe they make something that bad, let alone have the brass neck to charge for that garbage…!!

Absolute shite. :thumbsdown:

 

[Pondrew]

Is that a photoshopped pic…?? That….i can’t even call it welding…pigeon s**t is off the scale…!!

I can’t believe they make something that bad, let alone have the brass neck to charge for that garbage…!!

Absolute shite. :thumbsdown:

Probably why is was droning. I would be amazed if that wasn't leaking like a sieve.

 

[Mr Tidy]

That welding is shocking. It's worse than the "pigeon-shit" welding that was common on 70s Japanese motorbikes!

My Z4MC came with Powerflow back-boxes fitted by a previous owner and they do sound great, although when I'm pootling there is some drone when accelerating. But no drone above 2,000rpm so I just keep the revs up a bit!

Anyway I noticed they weren't sitting level, probably because only one of the boxes had a hanger bracket on it! So after a bit of research it seems Powerflow make or sell the products and have a network of "accredited" fitters, so fitting quality only seems to be as good as the place that fits it.

Passenger side.



Driver side.



I took it to my nearest Powerflow fitter in Slough who made up and fitted a hanger for just £30 so that was a great result.

 

[Special Kay]

Ouch!!! I feel your pain. That welding is beyond shocking. I was looking at them many months ago, as they are not far from my sisters house. Fortunately, I never pursued with getting an exhaust from them. I think for me personally it was a blessing in disguise.

 

[AndyBeech]

That first pic..... :lol: :lol: :lol: I'm no expert in welding but wtf

Learnt many years ago these exhaust places are trash, just a bog standard box that fits any car with a set of tips welded on the end. Fine on a banger I guess. They've no idea how it's going to sound on your specific car (unless it's a Ford ST of some description as they no doubt do hundreds of those) so it's a complete guess whether it'll actually be any good until it's on.

Anyway, unlucky, but onwards and upwards! Straight pipe it is then! :wink:

 

[JPB]

Agreed with most of the comments here. I'm hoping anyone who finds this Powerflow exhausts review or top gear tuning review which is also affiliated, heeds the advice here and avoids like the plague.

 

[coldel]

That photo! Again no expert but that looks like the output of a trainee having a bit of a punt at it.

Definitely get this sort of thing on to more public spaces like Google Reviews etc. because that drone ignored, looks like it could just drop off at any point.

 

[Beerman]

They should be giving you a full refund and not a partial refund.

Too many of these custom made exhausts look no better than scaffolding bodged together.

 

[MikeyH]

There used to be a guy in the 70s called Mike the Pipe, everyone raved about him. Made his own custom exhausts. Wonder if the company still exists.

 

[enuff_zed]

Jeez!
It also looks like they’ve hacked the two pipes apart in a failed attempt to get them to line up.
What an absolute abortion!

 

[CliveN]

You do get what you pay for. A well sorted exhaust such as Remus would have cost a lot more…..

 

[brattney02]

@Mr Tidy Yikes, that welding looks rough!

 

[Mr Tidy]

@Mr Tidy Yikes, that welding looks rough!

TBF it's much better than JPBs!

As I can only see it when the car is on a ramp I can live with function over form and it is still intact 5 years later. And £30 for the fabricated bracket and welding was cheap as chips.