ChrisLSx

(Currently) Stock 2004 Manual C5

In it's stock form, it was just too dang quiet (felt like I was driving a Prius), so I've been bouncing all over trying to find the "ideal" exhaust.

Today I finally said "heck with it", hacked the factory mufflers off after the axle (so they point "towards" the back) and went for a drive. HAPPINESSSSSSSSS

Sadly, it can't stay this way forever:

1. I'm going to be installing LT headers (ARH or TPS)
2. Wife can't stand to ride in it as it gives her a headache (and I admit that on anything more than a 30 minute drive it would get old))

So, I need to figure out where I go.

I'm leaning towards something like the quad tipped Borla S-Type, but would apprecaite some input from people who have this (with LT headers).



I also like the looks of magnaflow's 15281 exhaust but I've never seen it mentioned on here. I like that it has the resonators up in the middle of the vehicle (past experience leads me to believe this would reduce/eliminate any and all drone).


The biggest issue doesn't seem to be volume but rather drone (wife seemed most irritated in the lower 2000 RPM range...).

redzg

Corsa. No drone, and you can choose sport -- which is probably too mild for you -- or Extreme which might be too mild for you with stock manifolds, but with LTs might be pretty close to what you want. Regardless of cat-back, an X-pipe will reduce burble, but make the system a touch quieter, so you might want to bear that in mind. Lots of Youtube sound references of the various exhausts in various modes of operation. Some report the Corsa as hard to fit, others note no issues. One extra note -- I installed a thermal barrier kit under the carpet, and added some sound deadener to flat panels to my car, on first start up I thought something was wrong - the exhaust note inside the car was so significantly reduced.

_zebra

i installed cutouts behind my diff. that way i can run wide open when playing around & on the track but still have it quiet for road trips or when pulling into the garage at night.

neutron82

corsa xtremes do sound really good with headers and even better if you add a cam in my opinion... on stock manifolds they aren't super loud but headers really wakes them up... if you are going for loudness in the cabin then those may not be for you, corsa does a really good job of keeping the cabin noise and drone to a minimum while keeping the real noise on the outside

Stockvette03

Brackets

I had the Borla setup you've pictured above behind LT's, high flow cats and X-pipe and while it sounded horny as hell I opted to return to the factory Ti's. The Ti's are a little on the quiet side but in the interest of keeping the old ball and chain happier and keeping the car better suited for longer drives I think that's the way it'll stay. I'm getting older now too so I prefer it a little mellower. With the LT's, HF cats etc. the Ti's aren't too bad. I do like the Borla tips much better than the factories too. I still have the Borla's and will probably sell them but shipping from Canada to the U.S. would probably be detrimental.

grantv

Brackets; I wouldn't dismiss the possibility of selling in Canada. Plenty of Corvette owners here also... if I were in the market for a new exhaust (Kelowna) I'd consider yours.
I'm in the same camp as you. Although headers, Magnaflow cats and X into Ti's are a tiny bit quiet, better than too loud or annoying.

ChrisLSx

I ended up with a knockoff Borla S-type from Amazon (same as others get from Ebay). Very happy with the results. It bolted right in and looks good (tips were straight), however definitely get better clamps as the u-clamps they send are junk and WILL leak. I picked up some stainless full wrap clamps from O'Rilley and they sealed up nicely. No drone and any speed/rpm, plenty of growl, no excessive crack/pop/etc on deceleration and even the wife finds it acceptable.

Long term I plan to cut the oval tips off and weld some 4" round tips on instead. Also plan to have the exhaust ceramic coated (local guy will do it for about $150) which should really cut down the heat in the rear compartments.

Because I know headers will make it louder, I plan to install a set of round resonators in x-pipe when the headers go on. That should help keep the volume level reasonable.

CorvetteBrent

I have a supercharged 2000 C5 with long tube headers. When I bought it, it came with the ZO6 titanium exhaust. Too quiet and wimpy; I hated it. I sold the titanium exhaust and bought new Borla S-Type II. It is quieter than the regular/original Borla S-Type, with no drone but a decent V-8 rumble that doesn't drown out my CD player when I'm driving. Sometimes I wish it was a little bit louder, though. On my recently sold 1998 C5 convertible with long tube headers, I had Billy Boat PRT exhaust: great loud sound (but not as loud as the bullet-type exhaust), but drone at specific RPM. So I recommend checking out the Borla S-Type II.