So.
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.
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.
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there is other news.
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.
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.
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there's a Mule IX
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For the last far too many years my daily has been my company car.
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The most recent being the 120D M Sport, which has been a great little thing.
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However, the issue with it being a company car is that I can't meddle with it.
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Well, maybe a cheeky tuning box
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but nothing I'd really want to be doing.
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Factor in the ever increasing taxation of company motors and it becomes less and less desirable.
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That and a few other recent changes made me decide it's time for a change.
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The car would be handed back
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(which took some negotiating with HR), in favour of the car allowance.
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So the search for my own daily began.
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As did the usual insane levels of thinking, reading, searching and calculating.
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So much so as I suspect the recent heatwave was caused by the excess heat from my brain going round and round 24/7
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Eventually the massive list was refined, refined some more and the final decision made.
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With a bit of prompting by Pete and Ben
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.
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A call later, a contract signed, it was then a matter of waiting until I could collect.
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Finally, last Friday, that happened! So, meet Mule IX.
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The first daily Mule I've had and the start of potentially many more.
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![Image](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1885/30648196398_bcbe420119_b.jpg)
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![Image](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1887/44517870801_e5bbeff1f8_b.jpg)
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![Image](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1882/44468078322_3b78b980a5_b.jpg)
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I'll go into more detail about the drive etc later, along with a raft of photos and videos
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(standard
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).
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Sufficed to say though it's an awesome machine!
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50p says you're now thinking
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"so what are ya going to do to it, Phil?".
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Well, as you'd expect, I have a bit of a list
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I'll do a show and tell on them as when I do them.
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One I've already done though and it just needed the following items.
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![Image](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1857/44518757471_93a9216163_b.jpg)
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No, it's not a joke, honest
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I'll explain:
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Ok, so these exhausts all have a valve in them, that opens and closes essentially half the exhaust depending what mode you're in.
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In Sport and Sport+ modes it's open, meaning you get full shout, pops and bangs.
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However, drop to Comfort mode etc it closes and the world becomes a very quiet place.
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What this mod entails is getting the engine warm, switching to Sport, so the flap opens, then disconnecting the valve control plug in the exhaust.
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That way no matter what mode you're in it's always full noise.
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The balloon and ties are just to cover the plug and connector, keeping them clean and dry for the future.
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This is the result:
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![Image](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1847/44518757111_77d908e9e0_b.jpg)
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The stock exhaust is pretty quiet, even in the Sport modes etc.
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This will keep me going until I swap for the M Performance exhaust.
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I'll be doing a couple of other bits this weekend, before the bigger stuff starts.
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![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)