Another EXHAUST thread.....low budget ???s

[bigrobby]

99.5 A4 1.8TM fwd apr 93 octane 147k

basically I want to
-Free Up Exhaust
-NOT have my car sound like a Fartbox Honda or anything close
-NOT spend much if any money (If i HAVE to spend a lot, I just won't do it.)
-BUT I can weld. and have all sorts of random exhaust pipes around.

The real question is what running the stock muffler and cat with the resonator pulled out is like
I've seen posts saying you don't notice it too much and posts that say it's crappy sounding and has an annoying highway drone.
I've seen conflicting videos too...some cars loud; some not too obnoxious.

What's the real deal?

and if it's annoying, is there a cheap, not so bad sounding resonator i can put in there. You know the goals, cheap, free flowing, and still sounds like a german car should.

thanks for any help.

[Don Supreme]

Cheap
Fast (Good)
and
Reliable

You can only have 2...

[Kyle H]

Cheap
Fast (Good)
and
Reliable

You can only have 2...

an exhaust needs to be reliable?

[SpoolinPelican]

I got a catless 3" DP from ATP, and went to an exhaust shop and had them run 2.5" stainless off of that into a resonator then out the drivers side before the rear tire. I think all said and done it was about $350 including the test pipe. Cousre I am still on K03 and didnt have a chip at the time so gains were minimal but I got 3 mpg. It sounds pretty good to me. Trust me I hate ricer sounding exhaust as much as the next guy. I like the tone it has. If you are intrested I can try and get some sound clips.

an exhaust needs to be reliable?

yea like when you have solid mounts and keep breaking the weld on the rear bank cuz you shift so hard and have to keep taking it back to get rewelded.(not an audi) I would call that unreliable.

[biketsai]

HFC-2.25-2.5" piping- and get a nice magnaflow

[sixfiveoh]

Cheap
Fast (Good)
and
Reliable

You can only have 2...

Or you can have all 3 by buying a quality exhaust used

[bigrobby]

Cheap
Fast (Good)
and
Reliable

You can only have 2...

reliable wasnt one...haha i can weld. not sounding like a fart would be the third


quality used would be nice.

any suggestions on a magnaflow to replace the resonator? where to buy?

[djwimbo]

an exhaust needs to be reliable?

I almost ripped mine off when I pulled it onto the alignment rack at school. Does that count?

on topic. I put mine together for $400. Unfortunately it looks ricey, and is way too loud. The exhaust I'll be fabbing up from start to finish will be ~$1K maybe less, depending on resonator options.

[JumboBlack1.8]

seriously don't goo with something cheap....it will sound bad....I'd say buy a used Borla....i think theres one for sale in the classifieds for a couple hundred.....it's worth it

[andyrew]

/\/\/\

What he said.. The next step you have is taking out the middle muffler, and replacing your end muffler with a magnaflow or similar. That can be done on the cheap if you buy used on ebay and do it yourself. Or you could run a "turbo" style muffler for like 20 bucks...


But first, buy the borla, awesome sounding exhaust. If its to quiet take out the first muffler (but keep it if you ever run a test pipe, as you'll want it back in)

[Don Supreme]

an exhaust needs to be reliable?

You say that now......... wait until it rusts and drops off the car onto the road (Ask me how I know....)

[Nebone]

If I were to buy another cat back it would be a quality but used one. New one will look used after a week and costs double.

[Kyle H]

You say that now......... wait until it rusts and drops off the car onto the road (Ask me how I know....)

How do you know?!


(sorry, had to)

[GetAwayFromMe]

Just cut that shit. Who needs a mufler?

[Don Supreme]

How do you know?!


(sorry, had to)

I used to have a 94 altima (several years ago) and seriously one day I was driving and the back half of the exhaust was so rusted it feel off onto the road with parts stilll attached to the car, so I had to drag the exhaust behind me, sparks flying an all ---- that was a horrible, expensive experience as I was pretty far from home.

[Yaktizzle417]

Just make yourself a downpipe using the flange from your cat, and then 2.5in straight pipe with no resonators to a magnaflow muffler.

Sounds amazing, trust me.

[bigrobby]

any highway drone from no resonator?

[Kyle H]

I used to have a 94 altima (several years ago) and seriously one day I was driving and the back half of the exhaust was so rusted it feel off onto the road with parts stilll attached to the car, so I had to drag the exhaust behind me, sparks flying an all ---- that was a horrible, expensive experience as I was pretty far from home.

lol.

[lawnferie]

Just make yourself a downpipe using the flange from your cat, and then 2.5in straight pipe with no resonators to a magnaflow muffler.

Sounds amazing, trust me.

i got a custom exhaust with pretty much this setup. the magnaflow at the end is 14815. sounds great! little drone on highway at ~2700 rpms but you get used to it because it sounds so good

[01b5a4qms]

personally, if you can weld, i say do a strait pipe. it's practically free. me being a broke college student who can weld made a 3in. strait pipe exhaust from scrap metal from my local exhaust shop. yea it's alot of welding, but it's good and is the least restrictive. yea you have that highway drone, but i love the way it sounds and it get the job done. and it hasn't rusted off yet! ;D

[explosionsteve]

theres a used borla in the classifieds. I got one used (updated flex) for 400 shipped. It includes the DP and sounds great! I would recommend something like that. Exhaust shops in my area laughed at me wanting them to mandrel bend one custom. You can probably do it like $100 cheaper doing it your self, but a good sound is a bit of a gamble. Go borla or tech.

[bigrobby]

sound clips? youtube isnt helping me much. i'd like to hear the no resonator magnaflow and stock exhaust with resonator gone.

i'm assuming that the resonator is the biggest post cat restrictor right?

[Yaktizzle417]

Are you sure you actually searched?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgwd5J92aj0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBO-Vl_Ae-4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxk-zdC9M7o

all of mah car
=]

[bigrobby]

were those all the same car? and what magnaflow muffler was it?