Best SS Exhaust for the money

[steeleshark2]

Ivan at Southwest Speed sells an awesome Doug Thorley Stainless Catback that is inexpensive compared to the competition. Just pm him for pricing. As for headers that are not as expensive as the main name brands, I would again go with Doug Thorley or even look at these:
http://www.mandrelbendingsolutions.c...ers/Categories

OBX have been on backorder for a long time. That is the only reason I am not recommending them.

[sixty9fordkiller]

Originally Posted by nomadicdogg

I am just generalizing with my knowledge of their steel products that compete with mine. They dont pass the same safety standards that they are required, which is why there has been a big step in by the govt....
now on a stainless header, maybe they are comparable, but to be honest. I work hard to earn my money from an american company. Im glad to spend it on a product from another american company which is paying another hard working american to make it.
I will admit, I am biased though. But I still would think there are other options close in price.
cheaper is not always better.
if you have had good luck, that is a good thing. Im just not willing to risk that if I dont have too

What he said! Cheaper is not always (even rarely) better. My MBRP catback set me back $1200. The dynatech supermaxx headers set me back another $1300. So you do the math. I spent a cumulative $2500 on a full 304 stainless steel exhaust. Flowmaster, american racing, dynatech, corsa, mbrp, kooks, slp, etc, etc, are all VERY high quality brands and they have spent hours of R&D in order to develop a product that will fit your car right the first time and ALL of the brands I mentioned can be bolted and installed in your own driveway on a saturday morning with the help of a buddy and a 12pack of your choice of brew. I would suggest that YOU do your own research and base your decision on the sound YOU like for your car. For me, it came down to quality and sound. Just put in some time to research, and save your money. Note that if you dont have tuning software, there will be an additional expense if you get headers. You can just do what Ive done. I got my airaid cai, sct x3 tuner, and mbrp exhaust with last year's tax refund. Got the headers, catchcan, with this years return. Basically, i got my full exhaust on what i call "uncle sam's layaway plan"

[faSSt]

Originally Posted by steeleshark2

Ivan at Southwest Speed sells an awesome Doug Thorley Stainless Catback that is inexpensive compared to the competition. Just pm him for pricing. As for headers that are not as expensive as the main name brands, I would again go with Doug Thorley or even look at these:
http://www.mandrelbendingsolutions.c...ers/Categories

OBX have been on backorder for a long time. That is the only reason I am not recommending them.

These look like a good deal and nice quality, has anybody bought these or seen in person? Could be a good budget route to go!

[steeleshark2]

Originally Posted by faSSt

These look like a good deal and nice quality, has anybody bought these or seen in person? Could be a good budget route to go!

I came across these initially on ebay. I am always looking so I think they are new but the company has been around for a while. I would bet no one here has tried it. You could probably call to get some references. Would be an awesome deal if they are of good quality.

[pnyklr]

Now that Solo is incorporating the "Helmholtz" mod to their cat back, that is the route I am going.

-Funk

[scythezo6]

Originally Posted by Silnus

Exactly. Don't skimp on your mods, a muffler delete? C'mon, at least buy some flowmaster's and put on there. I deleted the mufflers on my GTO and I cannot stand the way it sounds, its horrible. There is zero tone...only loudness. Pay 150 bucks for some FM's, and take it to a muffler shop, and they will weld them for 50 bucks. Sound way better and it will be a little more quiet. Would you delete mufflers on a Z06? They are around the same price now. Its called tasteful modding. Not trying to bash anyone but it is cheap.

Are we still trying to push this line of thought on people? A) A camaro, while nice and all, is not some exotic car that is exclusive and in limited production. And B) yes maybe a muffler delete is "cheap" but what about your exhaust system? $150 for your set up is a little on the low, or should I say "cheap", end of the exhaust spectra right? Why not pour in some more money and do it right and get something a little more pricey? There's holes all in this line of thinking and I wish people would just quit. And you answer your question: no I wouldn't cut the mufflers off a ZO6, but I also wound't spend my whole paycheck on a exhaust system just because its an expensive car. Its all a matter of personal preference and priority. For me, I hated how damn quiet the stock SS sounded. So I chopped off the mufflers to make it louder. It was inexpensive and I like how it sounds.

So next time anyone wants to use this guy's logic, ask yourself how 'expensive is my car' and "could I have spent more money on a different setup than what I gave now?" Its just a backwards or even hypocritical line of thought imo.


To the OP. There are a lot of options out there for a good sounding exhaust. It just depends on what you want and how much you want to spend. There is a thread on here that is stickyed that has youtube videos of different exhaust setups. Browse that and make a list and then go online and look up the pricing options.

[chris1973]

Originally Posted by Saltyflats

Please keep in mind my car is a daily driver. I've been debating between Flowmaster Hushpower vs American Thunder.
I'm on a limited budget and looking for the best bang for the buck.
It's my 40th and a new sound is on the way!
What say you

Cat back Cherry Bomb extreme. $399.00 with shipping from Extreme Exhaust. It is by far the lowest price, one of the best sounding and best quality systems. My Camaro is my daily driver too.

I just installed mine today, it was easy.

[nomadicdogg]

Originally Posted by Silnus

Exactly. Don't skimp on your mods, a muffler delete? C'mon, at least buy some flowmaster's and put on there. I deleted the mufflers on my GTO and I cannot stand the way it sounds, its horrible. There is zero tone...only loudness. Pay 150 bucks for some FM's, and take it to a muffler shop, and they will weld them for 50 bucks. Sound way better and it will be a little more quiet. Would you delete mufflers on a Z06? They are around the same price now. Its called tasteful modding. Not trying to bash anyone but it is cheap.

same sound $400 dollars less? having a flowmaster just makes it better? cheap isnt always better, but wasting money on just getting a name brand isnt any better.
its about the sound. you put my car beside a flowmaster loudmouth and the sound is identicle.
not as nice as a borla cat back, but thats 1200.
id prefer to spend that money elsewhere

[chris1973]

Originally Posted by nomadicdogg

same sound $400 dollars less? having a flowmaster just makes it better? cheap isnt always better, but wasting money on just getting a name brand isnt any better.
its about the sound. you put my car beside a flowmaster loudmouth and the sound is identicle.
not as nice as a borla cat back, but thats 1200.
id prefer to spend that money elsewhere

+1

I read opinion and listened to every you tube exhaust video and was set on
Borla ATAK for $1,200.00. I need new rear tires $650.00 so I went with Cherry Bombs (loved them as a kid). I have say I'm glad I went with the Cherry Bombs. When I get on it my Camaro sounds like a real American muscle car. When I keep the RPMs down it's a low growl. No drone, just a low growl.

[Ivan @ Southwest Speed]

I'll bet you can end this thread really fast with two questions:

1.)What is the OP's budget?

2.)What is the OP wanting out of the system? (ie, sound, looks, "bang for the buck," etc...)

If the budget is only $400 then that really eliminates a bunch out there.....
If it's $600, then that opens up some doors....
If it's $900, then there are only a couple that might not fit in that budget.

Best Catback (money no object)
Corsa or LG

Cheapest Catback
Cherry Bomb

Everything else falls in between those 3.

Ivan

[Synyster]

There really isn't a best. It's all subjective to personal taste as well as your future plans. Adding headers in the future? Get something muffled. Staying with stock manifolds? Straight pipe that bitch.

Anyone that uses the "cheap" argument for going to a muffler shop and getting new pipes welded on is, I hate to say, blind and dumb. Why would you spend $1k for a Magnaflow Comp cat back or SLP LM1 cat back when all that is is a glorified muffler delete? For the same sound, I'd pay $250 at a muffler shop.

That's not to say that other cat backs aren't worth the money. I'm just talking about the ones that are of a "straight-through" design, i.e. straight pipes.

[Eagles07]

Originally Posted by n116ebo

Muffler delete = NO! Not legal in Texas. Also way too raspy. Just my 2 cents.

Actually as long as you have your cats and the exhaust doesnt leak all the way to the rear of the car, then it will pass inspection in Texas.

[tkrupinski]

Originally Posted by Saltyflats

Please keep in mind my car is a daily driver. I've been debating between Flowmaster Hushpower vs American Thunder.
I'm on a limited budget and looking for the best bang for the buck.
It's my 40th and a new sound is on the way!
What say you

If you want to save money just buy a Magnaflow center mount X-Pipe muffler and Magnaflow tips and have an exhaust shop install, sounds great. I did mine at my dads shop and I had just under 200 in the setup doing it myself. I think Magnaflow sells the same system for 1200. A good exhaust shop should charge around 250 for the install for a total of around 450 for everything and no drone with the mid muffler, I also did the cat delete and still no drone.

Stock exhaust manifolds S/C'D and 555RWHP so this muffler does flow very well.

[bngummow]

Originally Posted by SUX2BU

What this guy said. Cheap and sounds good with stock manifolds and cats.

If you want to also do headers you can get the entire XSPower header+x pipe+cat back system for like $730 shipped!
That's what I got and i LOVE it.

is your car loud at idle? do long tube headers make the car louder or more quiet at idle?