Berk Exhaust Production with X-Pipe

theDreamer · 03-07-2010, 09:39 PM

So besides Mike, does anyone have this installed yet?
Geez, I might be the first (get mine tomorrow or Tuesday).

370zdub · 03-07-2010, 09:41 PM

I don't think so, I'm pretty sure mine was the first to show up but due to the weather here there hasnt been anyway for me to get it on.

radio5boro · 03-07-2010, 10:22 PM

its still a little cold out here in nyc, and i get mine wed. I doubt i'll install it this week or next, i've been lazy. and i'll be installing it at my friends yard along with the FI HFC's.

Matt · 03-07-2010, 11:20 PM

Mine will be installed on Tuesday. While I'm a network engineer for a living, and computer nerd on the side, I'm terrible at stuff like taking/editing/uploading videos. I'll have a review though!

kdoske · 03-07-2010, 11:51 PM

awesome, can't wait to hear a video from someone who will have what my setup will be once I can actually purchase a Berk CBE (Stillen G3 Intake, HFC, Berk CBE clip).

Shift · 03-09-2010, 05:19 PM

Well it' here Berk is in the house.............. Now if I wasn't out of town working I'd have it on by no,w.

hybridnation · 03-09-2010, 07:04 PM

Just got mine installed today. Took about an hour and half, no lift got down and dirty underneath. Sounds great. Everything went in perfect. Great job Berk.

370Zsteve · 03-09-2010, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hybridnation

Just got mine installed today. Took about an hour and half, no lift got down and dirty underneath. Sounds great. Everything went in perfect. Great job Berk.

please post some pics of exhaust tip alignment ASAP, thanks!

Also, how was the exhaust packed, what packing materials used (if any), condition of the box upon delivery.

Congrats! post a video, let's hear the damn thing Bubba!

370Zsteve · 03-10-2010, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt

Mine will be installed on Tuesday. While I'm a network engineer for a living, and computer nerd on the side, I'm terrible at stuff like taking/editing/uploading videos. I'll have a review though!

WELL?????

Matt · 03-10-2010, 08:55 AM

My exhaust shop was too busy to install it yesterday. It was the first day of 70+ degrees and sunny, so everyone and their mother was there.

Today, pouring rain for 12+ hours, I'm sure they'll be able to fit me in.

B1nks · 03-10-2010, 03:24 PM

Here is a pic from the Iphone, got the BERK exhaust installed today and the driver side was SLIGHTLY lower than the passenger but all in all pretty damn close. All I have still is an Iphone so quality sucks.

Matt · 03-10-2010, 05:40 PM

Ok, time for my "official" review!

First off, this is my 1000th post on these boards! Hurray! Thanks everyone for making this such a great community, for both knowledge and friendship!

For information purposes, I drive a 370z Nismo. I upgraded the stock cats to Berk HFCs a few months ago and wanted to upgrade my Nismo CBE to something better.

As some of you know, I recently purchased the Berk CBE as part of one of their Group Buys. The wait was long, but not as long as others. Future buyers should not have this problem, of course.

I received the exhaust yesterday, and I immediately was disappointed. The box was tore up, and the packing inside was ridiculously inappropriate for the value of the contents. I had no paper, no peanuts, no nothing protecting the exhaust pieces other than the really thin pieces of bubble-wrap (less than a few mm thick!). Luckily, no damage was done to any of the pieces.

I went to my local shop for the install this afternoon. After seeing both systems, the NISMO CBE and the Berk CBE, side by side, I have to say, I really didn't have my expectations that high. The systems were eerily similar, except for the separate mufflers and the better designed X-pipe of the Berk. Me and the mechanic got the Berk bolted on in less than 30 minutes. The entire process was a bit longer than an hour, and I was charged $80. As always, my shop lets me drive the car on and off the lift, and lets me help/watch as much as I want. Good guys. But I digress...

Onto the actual review of the exhaust!

INSTALLATION - No installation instructions, but really...who needs them? There's 4 rubber hangers, 6 gaskets, and 12 bolts...it's not rocket science. There was a little adjustment needed to get the midpipes (right term?) to line up with the muffler assembly, but a breeze other than that.

LOOK - Looks pretty much stock. The tips are actually smaller than the Nismo's tips. Less of the muffler assembly can be seen from behind now, which is a good thing. If you're going for the "wow look at that guy's exhaust" reaction from people, you're not going to get it from looks...

SOUND - Absolutely breathtaking. I went from Berk HFCs/Nismo CBE to Berk HFCs/Berk CBE and let me tell you, it's 10000% better sounding. Acceleration, from inside the cabin with the windows up, gave me goosebumps! I was a little worried around 3k at first, but when I hit 4k RPM this thing let out a thunderous roar that I can only imagine was turning heads down the nearby roads. At around 6k RPM, I felt like I was in a NASCAR racing machine. It actual harmonizes with the "roar" of the VQ at higher RPMs than the Nismo exhaust did, oddly enough.

DRONE - I couldn't force any drone out of this system. From 1.5k RPM to 3k, it sounds like a normal exhaust note to me. To some, their definition of "drone" may be different than mine, but to me, there was no drone. I even went up a hill around 55mph and accelerated a little around 2.8k RPM, and still....nothing, to be honest. Again, my own opinion.

RASP - With the Berk HFCs already installed, this was the part I was a little worried about. At idle, revving the engine definitely produces some rasp, and a little hiss as it de-revs. At normal acceleration on the road, I was not able to pick up any at all. Now, there was a slight drizzle outside and talk radio playing softly in the background, so perhaps I missed it. I'm optimistic that "rasp" will not be an issue at all with my setup.

OVERALL - If I could forget about the shipping/packing issues, my experience with the Berk CBE would be a 10/10! The actual product that was put on my car definitely made up for the issues, but didn't erase them from my memory.

The exhaust gave me *exactly* the sound I wanted from my car. On a 1-10 scale, 1 being no sound and 10 being just a little too loud, my car is a perfect 9. For people with sensitive significant others, the combo of CBE and HFCs may be too much for their ears, the same goes with sensitive neighbors. For people looking for a great sounding exhaust, that finally matches the car they're driving, the Berk CBE is perfect.

Well done Berk. Fix your shipping issues and you're going to sell a lot of exhausts!

If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them. I'd like to get a video up as soon as it's a little more dry outside, as well as some pics.

BOLIO 671 · 03-10-2010, 08:02 PM

Excellent review...2 quick questions...is it safe to say under 3K RPM sounds stock? and was the experience and sound what you expected from the sound clips that were floating around?

Matt · 03-10-2010, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BOLIO 671

Excellent review...2 quick questions...is it safe to say under 3K RPM sounds stock? and was the experience and sound what you expected from the sound clips that were floating around?

Under 3k is tame. You get the tone, just not the growl or volume, if that makes sense. Driving through my neighborhood at 2.5k rpms produced very little sound, sort of like a heavy idle.

The sound clips, similar to other exhaust systems out there, don't do it justice. The berk video on YouTube is a pretty realistic comparison to what mine sounds like, but it only has idle revs, not a take off. The accelerations at 4k+ rpm are where, in my opinion, the beauty of this exhaust is heard.

BOLIO 671 · 03-10-2010, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt

Under 3k is tame. You get the tone, just not the growl or volume, if that makes sense. Driving through my neighborhood at 2.5k rpms produced very little sound, sort of like a heavy idle.

The sound clips, similar to other exhaust systems out there, don't do it justice. The berk video on YouTube is a pretty realistic comparison to what mine sounds like, but it only has idle revs, not a take off. The accelerations at 4k+ rpm are where, in my opinion, the beauty of this exhaust is heard.

I figured that the sound clips don't do it justice....was pretty impressed with the Berk Video on idle rev as well as the in cabin footage put up by Minicobra...but nothing beats the actual 1st hand driver's experience...Thanks a lot for sharin' Matt

03-07-2010, 09:39 PM	#196 (permalink)
theDreamer A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 30,879 Drives: 370z Rep Power: 4210	So besides Mike, does anyone have this installed yet? Geez, I might be the first (get mine tomorrow or Tuesday). __________________ theDreamer's Z // Fast Intentions // Uprev // GTM // HKS // TEIN theDreamer's Silvia // URAS // GREDDY Houston Zs // Facebook // Twitter // Instagram

03-07-2010, 09:41 PM	#197 (permalink)
370zdub Track Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: UT Posts: 628 Drives: 09 370z 6mt,10 Ford Rep Power: 17	I don't think so, I'm pretty sure mine was the first to show up but due to the weather here there hasnt been anyway for me to get it on. __________________ 2010 Ford 6.4L Power Stroke Diesel: 588whp/1082wtrq 2007 Dodge 6.7L Cummins Diesel: 788whp/1405wtrq, runs 12's @ 7400lbs, Still miss my 370z!

03-07-2010, 11:20 PM	#199 (permalink)
Matt A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Augusta, GA Age: 41 Posts: 1,680 Drives: 2010 Avalanche LT Rep Power: 19	Mine will be installed on Tuesday. While I'm a network engineer for a living, and computer nerd on the side, I'm terrible at stuff like taking/editing/uploading videos. I'll have a review though! __________________ "Any man who can drive a 370z while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the Z the attention it deserves." Albert Einstein....modified.

03-09-2010, 05:19 PM	#201 (permalink)
Shift Base Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Glen Rock,PA Age: 58 Posts: 220 Drives: (370-Z MT Blue 7A) Rep Power: 16	Well it' here Berk is in the house.............. Now if I wasn't out of town working I'd have it on by no,w. __________________ 2009 Mt Blue 7AT * GTSpec 4 point brace * Berk HFC * Stillen GEN III * Berk CBE * Forgestar F-14 * NISMO S Tuned Spoiler

03-10-2010, 08:55 AM	#205 (permalink)
Matt A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Augusta, GA Age: 41 Posts: 1,680 Drives: 2010 Avalanche LT Rep Power: 19	My exhaust shop was too busy to install it yesterday. It was the first day of 70+ degrees and sunny, so everyone and their mother was there. Today, pouring rain for 12+ hours, I'm sure they'll be able to fit me in. __________________ "Any man who can drive a 370z while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the Z the attention it deserves." Albert Einstein....modified.

03-07-2010, 10:22 PM	#198 (permalink)
radio5boro Base Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Queens, NY Posts: 158 Drives: 09 MBlue 370z 6MT Rep Power: 16	its still a little cold out here in nyc, and i get mine wed. I doubt i'll install it this week or next, i've been lazy. and i'll be installing it at my friends yard along with the FI HFC's.

03-07-2010, 11:51 PM	#200 (permalink)
kdoske Track Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Louisiana Posts: 541 Drives: 800whp Unicorn FI Z Rep Power: 17	awesome, can't wait to hear a video from someone who will have what my setup will be once I can actually purchase a Berk CBE (Stillen G3 Intake, HFC, Berk CBE clip).

03-09-2010, 07:04 PM	#202 (permalink)
hybridnation Base Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: queens n.y Posts: 49 Drives: base 370z red Rep Power: 16	Just got mine installed today. Took about an hour and half, no lift got down and dirty underneath. Sounds great. Everything went in perfect. Great job Berk.

03-10-2010, 05:40 PM	#207 (permalink)
Matt A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Augusta, GA Age: 41 Posts: 1,680 Drives: 2010 Avalanche LT Rep Power: 19	Ok, time for my "official" review! First off, this is my 1000th post on these boards! Hurray! Thanks everyone for making this such a great community, for both knowledge and friendship! For information purposes, I drive a 370z Nismo. I upgraded the stock cats to Berk HFCs a few months ago and wanted to upgrade my Nismo CBE to something better. As some of you know, I recently purchased the Berk CBE as part of one of their Group Buys. The wait was long, but not as long as others. Future buyers should not have this problem, of course. I received the exhaust yesterday, and I immediately was disappointed. The box was tore up, and the packing inside was ridiculously inappropriate for the value of the contents. I had no paper, no peanuts, no nothing protecting the exhaust pieces other than the really thin pieces of bubble-wrap (less than a few mm thick!). Luckily, no damage was done to any of the pieces. I went to my local shop for the install this afternoon. After seeing both systems, the NISMO CBE and the Berk CBE, side by side, I have to say, I really didn't have my expectations that high. The systems were eerily similar, except for the separate mufflers and the better designed X-pipe of the Berk. Me and the mechanic got the Berk bolted on in less than 30 minutes. The entire process was a bit longer than an hour, and I was charged $80. As always, my shop lets me drive the car on and off the lift, and lets me help/watch as much as I want. Good guys. But I digress... Onto the actual review of the exhaust! INSTALLATION - No installation instructions, but really...who needs them? There's 4 rubber hangers, 6 gaskets, and 12 bolts...it's not rocket science. There was a little adjustment needed to get the midpipes (right term?) to line up with the muffler assembly, but a breeze other than that. LOOK - Looks pretty much stock. The tips are actually smaller than the Nismo's tips. Less of the muffler assembly can be seen from behind now, which is a good thing. If you're going for the "wow look at that guy's exhaust" reaction from people, you're not going to get it from looks... SOUND - Absolutely breathtaking. I went from Berk HFCs/Nismo CBE to Berk HFCs/Berk CBE and let me tell you, it's 10000% better sounding. Acceleration, from inside the cabin with the windows up, gave me goosebumps! I was a little worried around 3k at first, but when I hit 4k RPM this thing let out a thunderous roar that I can only imagine was turning heads down the nearby roads. At around 6k RPM, I felt like I was in a NASCAR racing machine. It actual harmonizes with the "roar" of the VQ at higher RPMs than the Nismo exhaust did, oddly enough. DRONE - I couldn't force any drone out of this system. From 1.5k RPM to 3k, it sounds like a normal exhaust note to me. To some, their definition of "drone" may be different than mine, but to me, there was no drone. I even went up a hill around 55mph and accelerated a little around 2.8k RPM, and still....nothing, to be honest. Again, my own opinion. RASP - With the Berk HFCs already installed, this was the part I was a little worried about. At idle, revving the engine definitely produces some rasp, and a little hiss as it de-revs. At normal acceleration on the road, I was not able to pick up any at all. Now, there was a slight drizzle outside and talk radio playing softly in the background, so perhaps I missed it. I'm optimistic that "rasp" will not be an issue at all with my setup. OVERALL - If I could forget about the shipping/packing issues, my experience with the Berk CBE would be a 10/10! The actual product that was put on my car definitely made up for the issues, but didn't erase them from my memory. The exhaust gave me exactly the sound I wanted from my car. On a 1-10 scale, 1 being no sound and 10 being just a little too loud, my car is a perfect 9. For people with sensitive significant others, the combo of CBE and HFCs may be too much for their ears, the same goes with sensitive neighbors. For people looking for a great sounding exhaust, that finally matches the car they're driving, the Berk CBE is perfect. Well done Berk. Fix your shipping issues and you're going to sell a lot of exhausts! If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them. I'd like to get a video up as soon as it's a little more dry outside, as well as some pics. __________________ "Any man who can drive a 370z while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the Z the attention it deserves." Albert Einstein....modified.

03-10-2010, 08:02 PM	#208 (permalink)
BOLIO 671 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: GUAHAN Posts: 1,198 Drives: To & From then Back Rep Power: 3399	Excellent review...2 quick questions...is it safe to say under 3K RPM sounds stock? and was the experience and sound what you expected from the sound clips that were floating around?

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