My Negative Experience with the Ultimate Racing TBE System

[Butterybunz]

To start, a little back story on me. This is my second Fiesta ST, my first one I did an extensive build which included an ATP downpipe and Injen exhaust. They both fit great and I had no issues for 30k miles and a dozen AutoX events.

Moving forward to 03/22/2017, I ordered a full turbo back exhaust setup from Ultimate Racing; Catted Downpipe, Resonated Exhaust W/ 4" turndown tip. Being a new product on the market, and one of the most expensive ones, I was hoping for high quality.

System arrives 03/30/2017, but they sent me the wrong exhaust, there's no resonator on the mid pipe. I have to send this one back.

New mid pipe arrives 04/12/2017.

On 04/21/2017, I hire a mechanic with 15 years of experience as a Ford Master Mechanic, hundreds of aftermarket installs and now the lead mechanic for a shop specializing in Euro and Exotics to install an X37 hybrid turbo and this Ultimate Racing system. This is the same man that installed my GT2554R, ATP Downpipe and Injen exhaust on my last FiST. After he installs everything and I go to pick up the car, he tells me the fitment is poor for the Ultimate Racing system. Downpipe would not line up with the factory mounting point and the system sits to the left in the tunnel under the car.

Right off the bat the midpipe is rattling against the side of the mid pipe on right turns, even with upgraded exhaust hanger bushings. After less than 2 months of using the system: One of the hangers breaks. I contact Ultimate Racing wanting this to be resolved.

After a dozen emails with Ultimate Racing, the only solution they will give me is to uninstall the downpipe and midpipe, ship it to them and then if they determine their's a fitment issue... they'll refund my money. This doesn't work for me as the FiST is my daily, I would have to pay more money to have it all removed and I don't have replacement parts. I can't risk that much time and money in the hopes that they will make this right. It's not realistic for anyone. I would think the pictures I sent them would be enough, but no.

You are 100% much better off going with a cheaper system; there's nothing special about this one... and in my experience the fitment and customer service is very poor.

Pics below:

Downpipe doesn't line up with factory mounting bracket, cannot install it.

Hanger that broke after less than 2k miles.

Factory hanger rattles against side of midpipe.

 

[WeTheNorth]

Shittt deal dude, at least the community will know to stay away. Which route will you take now?


Sent from my CIA monitored device

 

[Butterybunz]

Shittt deal dude, at least the community will know to stay away. Which route will you take now?


Sent from my CIA monitored device

Most likely, I'm having a welder friend try to correct this system and reinforce the hanger

 

[Butterybunz]

Price Reference: This system's price is $1,409 plus shipping!

 

[M-Sport fan]

YIKES!

Glad I went with the cp-e Nexus.

Can I even trust Ultimate's 4" turndown, or is that S**T as well (I wanted to get one and have it stainless welded onto the spare cp-e tailpipe I bought from Haste, instead of the single 'coffee can melon launcher' that is on the end of that pipe now)?

 

[Butterybunz]

YIKES!

Glad I went with the cp-e Nexus.

Can I even trust Ultimate's 4" turndown, or is that S**T as well (I wanted to get one and have it stainless welded onto the spare cp-e tailpipe I bought from Haste, instead of the single 'coffee can melon launcher' that is on the end of that pipe now)?

The 4" turndown was the main reason I went with this system. It looks nice, it did turn gold after my first track day.

 

[sidewaysallday]

Wow, sorry to hear your troubles! That is definitely a pretty penny and to hear the back and fourth is a bit disconcerting. Thanks for bringing it to the forum. I'm interested to see if there are any responses from them or just radio silence....

 

[Butterybunz]

Wow, sorry to hear your troubles! That is definitely a pretty penny and to hear the back and fourth is a bit disconcerting. Thanks for bringing it to the forum. I'm interested to see if there are any responses from them or just radio silence....

They respond to me via email, but are standing strong on only offering for me to ship them my system back and then I only get a refund if they decide if there's a fitment issue. Not worth the risk, especially since they are in Canada and it could take weeks. I've got to drive to work on Monday!

 

[sidewaysallday]

They respond to me via email, but are standing strong on only offering for me to ship them my system back and then I only get a refund if they decide if there's a fitment issue. Not worth the risk, especially since they are in Canada and it could take weeks. I've got to drive to work on Monday!

Wow yeah that's completely ridiculous! It seems clear that they don't stand behind their products which is not what you want from any manufacturer, let alone the most expensive!

 

[M-Sport fan]

Wow yeah that's completely ridiculous! It seems clear that they don't stand behind their products which is not what you want from any manufacturer, let alone the most expensive!

True, and IF they are going to be such ASSHATS about this problem, I am considering not even giving them the business of ordering that turndown tip from them (for which they are asking more than TWICE what all others get for their 304 stainless turndowns anyway!!).

I just wish that there were other sources for a 3" in, 4" out turndown tip with the specific angle cut of THEIR turndown (the Gibson one is cut in a way that I can't stand, i.e.; parallel to the road).

 

[Butterybunz]

Hopefully getting the hanger fixed and exhaust corrected soon

 

[M-Sport fan]

It looks nice, it did turn gold after my first track day.

I was going to black satin/Glacier Cerakote it anyway, after being welded onto the cp-e tailpipe.

Glad to hear you are getting it fixed.

 

[awwwww_shift]

Hopefully this is a rare occurance. I picked up a used CBE from them, and fitment was excellent on it(came off a '14, and my car is a late '16, which I'm finding quirks unlike early '16's).

I was planning on getting the DP to mate up with it, but will hold off to see if this gets resolved. If you're still in the market for a 3", you might want to look into the thermal CBE.

-Cheers

 

[Butterybunz]

Hopefully this is a rare occurance. I picked up a used CBE from them, and fitment was excellent on it(came off a '14, and my car is a late '16, which I'm finding quirks unlike early '16's).

I was planning on getting the DP to mate up with it, but will hold off to see if this gets resolved. If you're still in the market for a 3", you might want to look into the thermal CBE.

-Cheers

Thanks! Ultimate Racing isn't doing anything for me to correct the issues unless I ship my entire system back to them. I'm unable to do this because it's my daily driver and the time/money I'd be wasting & risking in doing so.

 

[M-Sport fan]

and my car is a late '16, which I'm finding quirks unlike early '16's).

What are these "quirks" on the late build '16s you speak of?

If you're still in the market for a 3", you might want to look into the thermal CBE.

+1! That is the only other 3" CBE currently available I would consider besides the cp-e I bought (or would've considered had I known about it at the time of purchasing my cp-e Nexus system).