Background Information
So, I posted a thread above asking if anyone has experience with Fi exhaust on their MK6 GTI, and it seems like nobody has any experience. As a result, because my friend's friend got me a sweet deal on the exhaust, I'm going to give it a try and write a review on the exhaust system.
This is my first time writing a review, so it's not gonna be as structured as others', so bear with me on that.
*I am not affiliated with Fi at all as of today (12/13/2016).
What is Fi?
Fi Exhaust (Frequency Intelligence) is a company based on Taiwan, and makes aftermarket exhausts for high end performance cars, such as BMW M, Mercedes AMG, Ferrari, Lamborghini, etc. What is unique about Fi is that the company utilizes valvetronic technology to control the exhaust.
Valvetronic? What's that?
Some say the term "valvetronic" is patented by BMW, but I can't confirm that and for the ease of my writing, I am just going to call it "valvetronic."
Valvetronic, in essence, is the technology of having a valve inside the exhaust system that allows the exhaust to branch into two paths. When the valve is opened, the exhaust gas is passed through a less restricted route, allowing more fluent flow of the gas and thus, increase power output as well as exhaust sound. On the other hand, when the valve is closed, the gas is passed through a more restricted route (but still less restrictive as the stock tubing), and the flow of gas is restricted. This will create a more civilized engine sound and power output compared to having the valve opened, but still better than stock tubing.
Why Fi?
Why did I choose Fi? Well, I have the following reasons:
1. Fi is a Taiwanese company, and since I grew up in Taiwan, I want to give the company from my hometown a try.
2. Video reviews of the exhaust system on mk7 GTIs show that the loudness of the exhaust with valve closed is not much different from stock, so I have some confidence in it. I had a stock exhaust setup with muffler and resonator deleted, and even though the exhaust note is very nice, the drone was killing me and my roommate gave me shit for the drone. As a result, I want something that gives me the ability to control whether I want it loud or gentle.
Plus, my buddy got a set on her E92 M3, and with the valve closed it sounds pretty much like stock, so I figured if it's going to be quiet and civilized on a V8, it should be fine on a 2.0T.
3. The company was at SEMA, with Ferrari, GTR, and some other cars. You can't really go wrong with companies that are showcased at SEMA, right?
Notes:
I do not have the exhaust yet, as I placed the order on 12/12/2016. According to the company's US distributor, it takes about 3 weeks for the system to arrive in Los Angeles, CA, so I should have the exhaust on my car in about a month or so.
Since this is a review, I will try to be as detailed as possible when it comes to build quality, installation, and performance. I plan on to take lots of pictures of the exhaust parts, as well as installation if the shop lets me take photos during the installation process. As for the video, unless I can somehow borrow a GoPro with car mount, I can only use my iPhone to record the sound.
If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below and I'll try my best to answer them. Thread will be updated as frequently as possible.