Manifold/Downpipe
What is it?
A manifold and downpipe usually comes as a one piece setup but it's not uncommon to have these separate depending on your vehicle. The manifold is also known as the exhaust manifold and is the part of the exhaust system that bolts directly to the engine.
Depending on the amount of cylinders your engine has depends on the amount of branches the manifold has. The most common type is a four cylinder engine which means the manifold will have four branches.
The branches will then join together to eventually form one or two solid pipes depending on your exhaust spec, this is usually known as the downpipe.
You can buy uprated manifold and downpipes but they usually fetch a lot of money for what they do.
What are the advantages?
If you are into your performance then you will want to maximise the performance of your ride. Buying a full system including a manifold and downpipe will help you along the way. The uprated manifolds are normally made of a fairly heat resistant metal which helps the flow of the exhaust gases.
What are the disadvantages?
Don't expect a humongous performance increase for your money when it comes to and uprated manifold and downpipe. They are not one of the cheaper modifications available so be prepared to fork out for one!