Banks Monster 3 Inch Stainless Steel Exhaust

jeremy1701

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 12, 2009
Location
Kenosha, WI
TDI
2010 Jetta, 2002 Bettle
Hi,
This site claims that, "Banks Monster Exhaust systems... Take your diesel performance to a whole new level. Get more quickness off the line, more power throughout the RPM range, less heat, and better fuel economy… all in one simple bolt-on package."

Anyone try this? I've heard anecdotally that some are getting a 10 mpg increase. Can this possibly be true?


http://www.parleysdieselperformance...l-exhaust-for-2009-2010-vw-jetta-2-dot-0l-tdi
 

deserthi

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 19, 2011
Location
Calif desert
TDI
2010 Golf TDI 6 spd Man
10 mpg increase sounds like a pipe dream....It looks like what I almost did last weekend. Take the muffler off and just replace it with a piece of pipe. $60
 

JSWTDI09

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 31, 2009
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada
TDI
2009 JSW TDI (gone but not forgotten)
Hi,
Anyone try this? I've heard anecdotally that some are getting a 10 mpg increase. Can this possibly be true?
I seriously doubt it. Do you believe everything a salesman says?

Seriously, the muffler and exhaust pipe is not where the restriction in a CR diesel exhaust system comes from. The only possible way that a new exhaust system would help mileage would be to completely replace the entire emissions system. This would be highly illegal and require a new "tune" and lots of custom parts. No "Cat back" system will ever achieve anything close to this.

Also you might want to do a search for Banks exhaust here. One member here bought a Banks system and it did not fit properly. He had to do some serious modifications just to make it fit. He was NOT happy.

Have Fun!

Don
 

Pelican18TQA4

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2002
Location
Philadelphia, PA
TDI
'13 Jetta Hybrid
Also you might want to do a search for Banks exhaust here. One member here bought a Banks system and it did not fit properly. He had to do some serious modifications just to make it fit. He was NOT happy.

Have Fun!

Don
That member would be me and you are correct, I had to do some SERIOUS modifications just to get the exhaust to fit. In the end, the exhaust wasn't worth the cost of the box it came in. And, on top of that, Banks was totally unresponsive to my concerns. I wasn't looking for any money back or anything, just acknowledgement that they would re-evaluate their Jetta exhaust...nada! By the way, there was absolutely no change in fuel economy and I highly doubt that there was any positive change in horsepower or torque, either.
 

ToeBall

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2010
Location
Houston, TX
TDI
2010 VW Jetta Wagon TDI
Me as well. The thing rattles against the suspension subframe, I had to have the tip cut off and reweld it to line it up because it stuck out to far. I had to bend exhaust hangers over time to get it to fit at all. There was a minimal change in sound (until I redid the exhaust from the turbo back, now it sounds great, though loud). Also no change in millage (turbo-back did gain 2 mpg).

Basically, there's too much restrictive stuff between the engine and the cat-back for it to make any real difference.

Here's my complete thread on the experience, including a video of what it sounds like on page 4.
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=282802
 

DzlPower

Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2013
Location
North Carolina
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI GLS, 2009 Jetta TDI
I totally hate to perform thread necromancy but it's very difficult to get the attention of people when it comes to picking an exhaust for the newer mk5 and mk6 jettas. If this exhaust sucks then please by all means suggest a better one.
 

Ol'Rattler

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 3, 2007
Location
PNA
TDI
2006 BRM Jetta
Who ever said A5 and A6 exhausts actually suck?

What places like Banks do is to pray on folks with limited technical knowledge. The trick is to make you think that there is a problem or need more power and to get you to make a purchase not from a technical standpoint but an emotional stand point.

Boy oh boy, I'm so pumped, product XYZ is going to make my car/truck/bike have so much more horsepower/torque/economy ETC. because they said so...........
 

pknopp

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2011
Location
WV
TDI
2012 Jetta Sportwagen
I totally hate to perform thread necromancy but it's very difficult to get the attention of people when it comes to picking an exhaust for the newer mk5 and mk6 jettas. If this exhaust sucks then please by all means suggest a better one.
From what I've read you aren't going to improve on the factory exhaust. If you have a good system, there is no gains to be made in spending money on a new one.

If you have to replace the factory one for some reason, I imagine I will just go to the place I have do all my exhaust work and have them bend me up one.

Because of the restrictions in place to address emissions exhausts have little to no effect. If you want to spend who knows......$3,000 to re-do everything, maybe you would see some differences.
 

TNriverjet

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2011
Location
Mid TN
TDI
2013 JSW TDI 6MT
I've seen a replacement "high flow" DPF advertised somewhere... Has anyone got any experience with those? That would be a good option for power and mileage increases while keeping everything "clean". It would be especially helpful if it was a serviceable unit that had a cartridge that could be cleaned.
 

Jeffbucc

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2010
Location
Cedar City, Utah
TDI
2010 Jetta Sportswagen TDI
Love my Banks.....after I cut the tip off and re-welded it so it didn't poke out of the back of my car 4". Not having subframe rattling but I did have to bend the heat-shield to the side so it didn't rattle. Only reason I got mine is because I got it cheap and it matched my midpipe diameter. Borla is a good exhaust, but if you are just getting an axleback with out the full turbo-back exhaust, it is just a waste of money imo.
 

bdisco

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2010
Location
Flashing my lights behind you, CT
TDI
'10 4dr Golf & '12 T-Reg.
I have the Banks on my ’10 Golf and the fit is pretty good the tip does rub up against the rear valance cutout but does not stick out too far. As far as performance gains the only thing you might get is you added lightness by getting rid of the heavy muffler and went with a curvy-straight pipe. There is little to no difference in sound. I went with the black tip, it’s pretty big and would not look out of place on my F250.
 
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Piranhafreak

Active member
Joined
Mar 13, 2019
Location
United States
TDI
2014 Jetta Sportwagen
Just another guy who made the mistake with BANKS exhaust. It just does not fit right I’m sure I could mess around with it cut weld etc but it still isn’t worth it or the aggravation.
 
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