Why are some cat-back systems priced so much more than others? I want an aftermarket cat-back system and I think I will be going with a "good old trusty" Flowmaster American Thunder system. It's much cheaper than Corsa, Borla, B&B and so forth. Am I missing anything by going with Flowmaster versus one of the other more expensive systems? If I spent more money, what else would I get besides better lookin exhaust tips?

 

Don't get flowmaster, it flows like crap!!!! Just do the dynomouth catback. Check out Dave's website for more info:

http://www.cardomain.com/member_page...=215971&page=2

 

As far as performance goes, even a good muffler does the same thing as the entire cat-back. The stock pipes are only .25" smaller than the majority of aftermarket systems.
As for sound, they are all close but have slightly different tones. That's a matter of taste.
Quality... they are all different, but don't think paying more will help you. One of the most expensive systems out there, no names, has the worst quality reputation of all. Some are regular steel, some are stainless. Another pro for just using a muffler on the stock system is that the stock pipes are mandrel bent stainless.
Looks... This is what alot of folks hype about. They pay lots of extra money to get the tips that float their boat. Another plus of using a muffler on the stock exhaust is getting your own tips. That way you are unique and get exactly what you like.
Just some things to think about.
My exhaust cost me a total of $140, INCLUDING professional install. It's on page 2 of my website. The sound is amazing too!
Good luck
Dave

 

Best sound for the money is a Magnaflow muffler. Little or no interior resonance and a very nice mellow rumble at idle and a great sound at WOT. Just my 2¢.

 

Like ratio411 says it's a matter of tip taste and quality. I opted to get the Borla system on my 98Z because of the ability to "tune" the exhaust and it's a stainless system with a lifetime guarantee. The tips on the Borla are a little lame but it sounds bad as hell. I bought the Magnaflow for the SS primarily for the tips and it's one of the least expensive stainless systems out there. It has a pretty mellow idle but it's at WOT that it really sounds mean as hell. I also wanted stainless systems for both cars because they will last forever and I plan on keeping both cars for a long time. The aluminized systems are alot cheaper, but you get what you pay for.

 

The only cat-back system I'm aware of that actually seems any differant from the rest is the GMMG system. Would it be worth the extra $$$?

 

Quality: High, it is stainless steel.
Performance: It flows no better than others.
Sound: Deep, muscular (sounds like Dynomouth IMO)
Price: Very high.

That's about the long and short.
Dave

 

Actually you can do a GMMG replication, the same way Dave did the loudmouth replication.

Just go to Sweet Thunder and get a pair of 18" chambered exhausts and have an exhaust shop fab up the pipes

About 80-90% of the gain of an AM catback is in the muffler. The rest is in the 3" I pipe. So if you want the 3" I pipe ... again that is something any good exhaust shop can supply for probably less than a $150 installed.

As far as the tunabilty of a Borla , that is nothing more than a zed style cut - $50-$60 installed. Want to tune it, put some washers or nuts on it to gap it.

Good Luck

 

The problem with depending on a muffler shop for fabbing a system with so many bends, or modding the I-pipe is that very few muffler shops can do mandrel bends. This equiptment is pretty much soley manufacturer territory due to the high cost. A muffler shop simply does not need to have a mandrel bender so bad. It would probably cost as much as everything else they have in equiptment combined.
That being said... think about getting a 3" I made, if it wasn't mandrel bent, it wouldn't flow what a 2.5" mandrel pipe does, and wouldn't even be close to the 2.75" stock mandrel pipes. After the I isn't as critical though, you have 2 pipes taking over for one, mandrel or not, they can handle it.
That .25" extra doesn't do anything for our cars anyway... not until you get into mods above and beyond bolt ons.
If you custom make a GMMG, make sure you use 2 of the chamber mufflers. They don't flow well, you need 2 so you only have half the exhaust to flow each. Also, keep the stock I, it's a waste to use a non-mandrel 3"
When I did my system I had them reuse as much of the stock pipe as they possibly could in order to keep the stainless pipe and mandrel bends.
Dave

 

Dang!!! DynoMax is tha bomb. Ratio411, did all of the cars on the sample .mpg on your site have the same set-up as you?

 

I agree.I have a Dynomax catback on my '98 and it sounds SWEET.Not too quiet,DEEP rumble,and I can still hear what the passenger is saying! I only paid $190 for the I-pipe and race-welded muffler.I didn't get the the tail pipes and tips,I just used stock.
Kevin

 

RxNupe:
Yeah, I think the set-up is sweet.
The only difference between the exhausts on those 3 cars is that Dark Angel has a Loudmouth cat-back that was converted to Dynomouth. So he has a 3" I-pipe instead of 2.75", sounds the same though...
The great thing about using the bullet is that you absolute control over the sound of your car. If you are light on the throttle the sound is very docile and you can sneak around, if you want to intimidate... Look out!

Nikkev:
I have heard really good things about your set-up too, but this is different. We are using a DynoMax race bullet in the I-pipe as the muffler. I know a guy with your set-up, it's more expensive and softer in sound.
Dave