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Hi all. I recently purchased a 2003 C5 with an automatic transmission. The car is bone stock. First upgrade is to add an exhaust. Number 1 on my list is the B&B Bullet. I love the sound but I've only heard it on a manual transmission. Does anyone have any insight on how it will sound with my automatic? Any highway drone? Of if anyone has any recommendations for the nicest sounding exhaust for an automatic...
What are your long term mod goals? LT Headers? Heads/Cam? These will greatly effect the sound coming from your catback of choice. I personally went with the Corsa Touring w/ X-pipe. I was always "kind of" happy with this choice but, the sound (note) was never quite low enough for me until I did the Heads/Cam. I am completely happy now. Nice low rumble at idle (with lope ) Aggressive sound at cruise. Screams like a banshee at WOT. Perfect.
FYI, You can always add electric cut-outs for when you want to be obnoxious.
I think I'm just going to leave it after the exhaust and intake. I'm not looking for super performance. Just want a mean grumble to match the mean looks of the car!
I am running the exact exhaust you are talking about, there is alot of drone but it sounds great at idle and when you step on the gas there is not a better sound. Hope this helps
Just had the Dual Tip Borla Stingers installed today, needless to say, gas mileage sucks now ha ha ha. Sounds and looks F'ing awesome! Start up is just mean, idle is awesome, take-off blows me away, cruising speed is very comfortable like alot of people have said, a touch louder than stock at cruising speed but when you lay into it, forget about!!!! My 2004 Convertible is an auto and this just sounds insane on it! I love the burble and pop on revs. As soon as i turned the key at the shop, i said thats how a vette should sound!
There's a lot of good feedback here on the Borla Stingers. Maybe I should reconsider the Bullets. It's all subjective though. I'm looking for loud and mean. But still smooth. I don't want anything that sounds like a tin can full of nails.
Anything you hear online over your speakers, sounds way different in person. I'm a picky bastard and i was sitting on this decision and asking alot of questions. Everyone has an opinion on which setup sounds the best. The guy that was installing mine said he liked the Bullets, but when i turned the key he said the same that i did, "thats what a vette should sound like". I'm a happy man!
I have Corsa's,with headers,x-pipe,and it sounded fine.Then I had England Green install a new Cam,and it sounds even more awesome.Have people pulling up to me all the time and saying how good it sounds.Some employees even have been behind me getting on the freeway and they say it's loud as all get out,but inside it's not that loud.Getting cut outs soon,so will see from there.Anyone in the Houston area needing performance work,Steven & Jason at England Green are the best.Honest,and want over sell you if you don't need the product or work,GREAT GUY'S who are honest.There aren't that many out there!
I think I'm just going to leave it after the exhaust and intake. I'm not looking for super performance. Just want a mean grumble to match the mean looks of the car!
I started that way as well. Just wanted a 12 second street car. I got the NXT step catback. Sounds just like stingers, nice and loud, not much drone at all, very tame at low rpms. After going high 12's with vararam and catback, wanted more. Next thing I know I have headers, offroad x pipe, LS6 intake, ported TB, RPM trans, ECS brace, RPM rear with 3.90's, spec twin clutch, drag radials, etc. Car has gone low 12's now, and I am making a run for the 11's with stock internals. But I knew that wouldn't be enough so I just got a bottle, and am going to be doing heads/cam this fall/winter.
As for deciding on a catback, think about this. My catback got TWICE as loud when I added headers and got rid of the cats. When I do heads/cam it will significantly get louder again. I LOVE loud!
I put a set on for a mamber with a 04 A4. They sorund great!!! Nice rumble at idle, no drone, great WOT sound. Cant go wrong with them!
I think he's speaking about mine!! Yes--the Corsa Indy's are fantastic! Did 300 miles or so this week (road trip) and was amazed: they really do NOT drone!
They look great, have good sound at all rev's, and the Pro Series Tips are really nice...
I understand that others may prefer different brands for various reasons--but I could never understand someone not liking the Corsa's...
As I posted above, I am very happy with the sound of my Corsa Touring since I added heads and a cam. However, make no mistake, I would rather have Borla Stingers. I would have them if it wasn't for the drone. It is not a lot but the Corsa's have none. Mine is a DD and on occasion I drove a couple of 1000+ mile round trip runs. Though I must give mad props to Borla. I listened to my friends 500+ hp C5 Z06 do a few laps at Portland International Raceway. I was track-side as he flew past me at 150 mph. The only thing it sounded like was NASCAR
Last edited by Bluefire; May 11, 2010 at 01:57 AM.
I ran B&B Bullets on my auto for a short while. The sound they made during shifts bothered me. It was a cresting the roller coaster kind of sound that I was not able to control. It sounded more like a long whining sound. It bothered me almost as much as the drone the Bullets had at cruising speeds. I LOVED the Bullets at WOT.
I replaced them with Corsa Indys and I am very happy with the music.
I decided to go for borla stingers. I should have them installed on my car in about 24 hours, but I should not be disappointed, love the way they sound
Not a really good soundbite but this is with Borla and LG Street Headers with high flow cats
As i said before, hearing this over the computer speakers does not sound anything like it does in person. I have a stock system with just the Borla catback and it sounds 100% better than this clip. So don't make your judgement on the way they sound on the computer for sure! I revved it up outside the garage yesterday and my 3 year old son was inside the house standing at the door, he started crying, but my 3 year old daughter was giggling and smiling! She loves going fast, he gets scared and holds on to my hand with a death grip.
I had Borla Stingers on when I got my car and could not stand the drone.
At startup and idle, it did sound mean, but when driving around, the drone was just unbearable to me.
I traded them for a set of Z06 Ti's and the guy even took off the Borla's as he wanted them, and put his Ti's on my car, it was a good trade as I like the peace and quiet.
Muffler bypass/ generic x pipe for me- no drone, plenty of good sound and great flow and I still pass emissions. To me it sounds just as good and the corsa and slp systems
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