Exhaust options?
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Howell New Jersey
Exhaust options?
My '97 has stock exhaust and am looking to upgrade. Dont want to break the bank and am looking for sound more than performance increases. Any suggestions? Looking to spend max around $1,000-$1,500
Racer
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 277
Likes: 10
From: West Palm Beach FL
Depends on the type of sound you want. I really like the BB fusion as it gives you the option to quite them. The corsa extreme and sport are really nice as well as the bb bullets but it really depends on what type of sound you are looking for.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 5,278
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From: Kelowna BC
With that budget I'd go with XS Power or Texas Speed headers and some Ti mufflers.
If you're OK with just sound, little to no performance, skip the headers and listen to as many mufflers as you can. How loud do you want, tough for anybody but you to decide that.
Lots of people love the Corsa units.
If you're OK with just sound, little to no performance, skip the headers and listen to as many mufflers as you can. How loud do you want, tough for anybody but you to decide that.
Lots of people love the Corsa units.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 858
Likes: 75
From: Medford, Oregon
With that budget I'd go with XS Power or Texas Speed headers and some Ti mufflers.
If you're OK with just sound, little to no performance, skip the headers and listen to as many mufflers as you can. How loud do you want, tough for anybody but you to decide that.
Lots of people love the Corsa units.
If you're OK with just sound, little to no performance, skip the headers and listen to as many mufflers as you can. How loud do you want, tough for anybody but you to decide that.
Lots of people love the Corsa units.
With a stock motor with no mods you can simply do a air intake mod, mufflers or cat-back system and enjoy for less than half of your budget. This is a wide open area of were and what to spend on. If you are planning on doing HP upgrades to the motor at a later date I would spend on getting headers, Have fun !! 
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If you are interested in just a catback system, then my recommendation would be to go with a Corsa product. I have the Indy Pace Car exhaust on mine (now called Sport) and it sounds great. You can find them for sale used in the C5 Parts for Sale section at times or can get them new from a number of forum vendors.
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If you are interested in just a catback system, then my recommendation would be to go with a Corsa product. I have the Indy Pace Car exhaust on mine (now called Sport) and it sounds great. You can find them for sale used in the C5 Parts for Sale section at times or can get them new from a number of forum vendors.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 536
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From: Brisbane Queensland
Exhaust options?
The "which exhaust" question comes up nearly every week. You will not be constrained by your ample budget, so for you the products out there are many.
A catback exhaust will provide what you are looking for now and can be added to in the future.
You really need to listen to a few different systems before making a decision. IMHO, purchasing a catback exhaust wholly based on another members recommendation is a mistake.
That being said, I have the Borla Stinger II and it's loud. It also drones at 1500-1700rpm even with a crossover pipe, so it's not for everyone. I do not have a problem with the drone, but it can cause headaches in some people.
A catback exhaust will provide what you are looking for now and can be added to in the future.
You really need to listen to a few different systems before making a decision. IMHO, purchasing a catback exhaust wholly based on another members recommendation is a mistake.
That being said, I have the Borla Stinger II and it's loud. It also drones at 1500-1700rpm even with a crossover pipe, so it's not for everyone. I do not have a problem with the drone, but it can cause headaches in some people.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,699
Likes: 147
Or since you would be replacing the mufflers anyways you could drill some 1/2" holes through the casing into the tailpipes just before where they exit out the muffler.
Cap the holes with some sheetmetal squares and 1/2" #8
coarse screws.
What happens when you put a hole into the tailpipes inside the muffler
is some of the reverse flow escapes into the tailpipe and doesn't get cancelled therefore you have more sound out the back.
You could go as high as a 3/4 hole into the tailpipes in 1 or both.
Then you could spend your 1500.00 on longtubes and get a real sweet thoroghbred sound improvement and.... 25hp
Cap the holes with some sheetmetal squares and 1/2" #8
coarse screws.
What happens when you put a hole into the tailpipes inside the muffler
is some of the reverse flow escapes into the tailpipe and doesn't get cancelled therefore you have more sound out the back.
You could go as high as a 3/4 hole into the tailpipes in 1 or both.
Then you could spend your 1500.00 on longtubes and get a real sweet thoroghbred sound improvement and.... 25hp
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 6,644
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From: OK
Or since you would be replacing the mufflers anyways you could drill some 1/2" holes through the casing into the tailpipes just before where they exit out the muffler.
Cap the holes with some sheetmetal squares and 1/2" #8
coarse screws.
What happens when you put a hole into the tailpipes inside the muffler
is some of the reverse flow escapes into the tailpipe and doesn't get cancelled therefore you have more sound out the back.
You could go as high as a 3/4 hole into the tailpipes in 1 or both.
Then you could spend your 1500.00 on longtubes and get a real sweet thoroghbred sound improvement and.... 25hp
Cap the holes with some sheetmetal squares and 1/2" #8
coarse screws.
What happens when you put a hole into the tailpipes inside the muffler
is some of the reverse flow escapes into the tailpipe and doesn't get cancelled therefore you have more sound out the back.
You could go as high as a 3/4 hole into the tailpipes in 1 or both.
Then you could spend your 1500.00 on longtubes and get a real sweet thoroghbred sound improvement and.... 25hp
well NOT really worthless, actually great advice but, can we see some pics?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,699
Likes: 147
I didn't do this on a stock muffler because my car came with a corsa and I did it on that.
I only did a 1/2" hole and it was a little louder but 3/4" would have been better.
This pic shows what I'm talking about.
I did a muffler bypass with some pep boys cutouts and plugged
my holes with a piece of rod since now I can adjust how loud I want it.
I only did a 1/2" hole and it was a little louder but 3/4" would have been better.
This pic shows what I'm talking about.
I did a muffler bypass with some pep boys cutouts and plugged
my holes with a piece of rod since now I can adjust how loud I want it.
Last edited by StrangelovesM6Vert; Feb 11, 2015 at 07:45 PM.