When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Ok C5 peeps, I am going to upgrade my exhaust and need everyones opinion. Which is the more superior product between these two or is there even a better product out there that beats both?
I get a ton of compliments on my Corsa system. I got the black tips configured all lined up in the center (tigershark) so I don't have the bucktooth look anymore or a reason to install one of those gaudy mirror things in the center. I have to vote for them, their factory is right around the corner from my house in lovely Berea, Ohio...
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '25
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
I have never owned a Borla exhaust but did have a Corsa Indy Pace Car exhaust on my ‘03. Absolutely loved the sound and the quality was top notch.
In all honesty, I think both of those brands are high quality and you would be pleased with whichever one you chose. You might want to try and listen to an example of each before making up your mind.
Corsa and Borla both make top quality exhaust systems. I have had Borla Stingers and Performance Series, Magnaflow Performance Series, B&B Route 66 and PRT, NXT and GHL Bullets. IMO the best sounding exhaust systems out of all of them are the NXT and the Borla Stingers equally then the Magnalow with Kooks LT Headers since they had the deepest tone and rumble. I voted Borla since I never owned a Corsa exhaust.
Totally depends on what sound you like and your tolerance for drone.
Another factor that will make a difference in the sound is heads, cam, headers, x-pipe and cats.
I’ve had, of course my OEM Ti’s, GHL, B&B bullets and PRT’s, and Borla ATAK.
IMHO, the B&B bullets sounded best, but the drone is significant and they were the loudest inside and outside of the car, all of the time.
I’ve owned 3 sets of bullets over the 7 years I’ve had the car. If all I did was show it, they would be fine, but even just pleasure driving it with them full time does get old sometimes.
The Borla ATAK is a great sound with zero drone, but doesn’t sound quite as good as the bullets do outside. It’s the best trade off for me so far.
I recently sold my last set if bullets to free up some $$$, but I may buy another set down the road and keep my ATAK so I can swap back and forth when I want. I got more compliments on the sound of my car with bullets than any of the others.
I like a deep muscle car sound and to me all of the Corsa’s I’ve heard have a tinny more exotic sound, but sound is so subjective from one person to the next. Like Vetteman Jack said, you really need to hear them and choose for yourself what you like.
I’ll vote Borla because it’s my favorite trade off overall.
I’m not a fan of the sound of the Borla, I have the b&b bullets with long tubes and cats, love it. If I had to choose between borla and corsa, corsa extremes would be my vote.
Corsa. Zero drone. Doesn't have the deeper sound of years gone by, but it's unique, and super mild until you send it to WOT. I had a set of Corsa Indy's on the back of my car for years, really miss them but can't go back.
Better to hear them for yourself or listen to tons of youtube videos lol. Personally I'm a big fan of the Borla ATAK, deeper tone as opposed to the higher pitched Corsa Xtreme.
I had the Corsa's on my C4. When I upgraded to my C5, it came with Borla S-Type Stingers installed. Between the two, I prefer the Borla's. They have a deeper, throatier sound to them. If you're worried about drone, they also make drone-less versions like the Corsa's.
You need to separate and understand you questions.
1) Quality: Both are high quality kits. As long as you get the S-Type 2 Borla systems with full size mufflers I see people claim no drone. Corsa is notorious for zero drone.
2) Sound: Corsa will sound more "hollow" since there is no packing in their muffler design, it will have a raw raspy high pitched scream at WOT. Borla will be more mellow/deeper tone.
3) Big picture: keep in mind your full system. If you will keep the stock manifolds and midpipe with cats, then you could afford to get the Corsa Extreme or Borla ATAK system. But if you get LT's and X pipe, those systems can be LOUD outside the car, but inside still don't have any drone. So if you like to creep by or come home late at night etc, they CAN become a bit much. In that case the Borla S-Type 2 or Touring may be better. . LT's/X pipe and Extremes/ATAK are essentially "straight piped" but with no drone. So you can imagine what that sounds like.
Go to youtube and listen to videos.
Corsa Extreme and Borla ATAK would be "similar"
Corsa Sport and Borla S-Type 2 would be "similar"
Borla Touring would be slightly quieter and more mellow.
Borla S-Type "classic" will drone.
You need to separate and understand you questions.
1) Quality: Both are high quality kits. As long as you get the S-Type 2 Borla systems with full size mufflers I see people claim no drone. Corsa is notorious for zero drone.
2) Sound: Corsa will sound more "hollow" since there is no packing in their muffler design, it will have a raw raspy high pitched scream at WOT. Borla will be more mellow/deeper tone.
3) Big picture: keep in mind your full system. If you will keep the stock manifolds and midpipe with cats, then you could afford to get the Corsa Extreme or Borla ATAK system. But if you get LT's and X pipe, those systems can be LOUD outside the car, but inside still don't have any drone. So if you like to creep by or come home late at night etc, they CAN become a bit much. In that case the Borla S-Type 2 or Touring may be better. . LT's/X pipe and Extremes/ATAK are essentially "straight piped" but with no drone. So you can imagine what that sounds like.
Go to youtube and listen to videos.
Corsa Extreme and Borla ATAK would be "similar"
Corsa Sport and Borla S-Type 2 would be "similar"
Borla Touring would be slightly quieter and more mellow.
Borla S-Type "classic" will drone.
This is an accurate description of the Corsa sound. I have a Corsa touring axleback with long tube headers and catless x pipe. Very raspy and loud at WOT, but sounds stock when you're cruising on the freeway. Snaps, crackles and pops like crazy on decel.
I'm surprised there's no discussion of Billy Boat here. They're generally regarded as good quality and well liked by posters here.
This is an accurate description of the Corsa sound. I have a Corsa touring axleback with long tube headers and catless x pipe. Very raspy and loud at WOT, but sounds stock when you're cruising on the freeway. Snaps, crackles and pops like crazy on decel.
I'm surprised there's no discussion of Billy Boat here. They're generally regarded as good quality and well liked by posters here.
Popping on decel can be handled by tuning as well, so it's not all based on an exhaust. I have Cam/Intake/Exhaust car and I may get ONE pop on decel with my Corsa.
I've read of people saying the BB PRT's can drone. That is the only BB system claimed to not drone AFAIK.
Corsa is 100% drone free and is what Corsa is known for. It wasn't until Borla made the S-Type 2 that they offered a minimal drone or drone free system. BB PRT seems to be mostly reported to be drone free but not 100% IMO. Drone is my nemesis. I can tell if a car will drone simply by first start up and idle.
I'm currently working on adding a midmount muffler to my Corsa system to make the raw Corsa sound a little more mature and refined but not to lose the essence of the Corsa sound. I did a DI/DO internal x pipe Magnaflow muffler but it became WAY too quiet. So next step may by a simple X pipe with small bullet mufflers and Corsa just to take some of the raw/rasp out.
If I'm at a 10 with Corsa system before, I want to be around an 8 or so. My car now with the midmount Magnaflow is about a 4-5. SUPER tame even at WOT.
As other have said, you'll want to hear for yourself and decide. Neither Borla or Corsa have drone. I personally prefer the lower tone of the Borla over the higher tone of the Corsa. That's just me though.
Thanks everyone!!! Great response and so
knowledgeable!!! Very helpful! I 🤔 I am going with the Borla S-type Classic… I really like the deeper grumble and the price difference was about $500 so I believe I will be happy! If not I may have some nice Borla exhaust for sale!! Lol
Thanks everyone!!! Great response and so
knowledgeable!!! Very helpful! I 🤔 I am going with the Borla S-type Classic… I really like the deeper grumble and the price difference was about $500 so I believe I will be happy! If not I may have some nice Borla exhaust for sale!! Lol
I had just installed the Borla S in my Z06 and the drone was terrible. I literally removed it the next morning.
Ok C5 peeps, I am going to upgrade my exhaust and need everyones opinion. Which is the more superior product between these two or is there even a better product out there that beats both?
I have a Corsa Indy Pace Car Cat back on my 2000 Ragtop and it sounds perfect. Zero drone at cruise and not too loud, but just a nice throaty, muted tone. Ive had zero issues with it so if it ever needs replacing, I would buy it again.
I've run Borla single tip Stingers on my black 99 coupe for over 18 years. The pipes still look brand new after 120k miles on them. Quality is top notch. They do have a drone in 6th at 1800 RPMs. This was solved immediately by going to a 4.10 gear. This gearset completely eliminated the drone zone by keeping the RPMs up slightly over the 1800 when cruising in 6th at 80mph.
I run the Stingers with Kooks 1 7/8 longtubes and off road xpipe. I've gotten many compliments on the sound. One from a toll booth collector that said "I thought that was a motorcylce making that sound so i stepped out to check it out". I've had a neighbor's son tell his dad (a c5 and C7 owner) "Johnny's car sounds the best". I even had a CHP bike cop that pulled me over in Marina del Rey tell me "man that thing sounds great, but you have to try to keep it quiet for me in the Marina". Had a Santa Monica cop tell me over his loud speaker at a red light "sounds good buddy, try to go slow in the that thing"
I had Billy Boat Bullets on a silver 99 coupe and quality was sub par. They were loud and throaty but the exhaust hangers broke on one side after about 15k miles.
I've not run Corsa exhausts but I've heard them. They aren't for me.
Last edited by Johnny Hardcore; Jun 29, 2021 at 07:39 PM.
Corsa vs. Borla
