Exhaust experts needed

[BumbleBeeV62011]

Alright this is the last update before posting my "review" of my exhaust and try to get you guys a video. Tomorrow morning my wife will be taking my Camaro for an 8 am appointment with a local shop to install my custom exhaust setup.
The following work will be done: cut out stock H-pipe and install magnaflow resonated X in its place, run new 2.5 inch pipes back to magnaflow mufflers (11216 if I remember correctly), and finally install the 2.5 inch tailpipes and stainless steel 4 inch double wall bevel cut tips

[Kenny Camaro]

It looks like that will be a good setup.. Good luck!

[BumbleBeeV62011]

Thanks. I'm excited and a little nervous at the same time. I'm hoping it won't sound ricey or get raspy at high rpm

[Marklar]

Originally Posted by BumbleBeeV62011

Alright this is the last update before posting my "review" of my exhaust and try to get you guys a video. Tomorrow morning my wife will be taking my Camaro for an 8 am appointment with a local shop to install my custom exhaust setup.
The following work will be done: cut out stock H-pipe and install magnaflow resonated X in its place, run new 2.5 inch pipes back to magnaflow mufflers (11216 if I remember correctly), and finally install the 2.5 inch tailpipes and stainless steel 4 inch double wall bevel cut tips

Pardon me if you mentioned earlier in this thread and I missed it, I skimmed all the comments but didn't see - what tail pipes/exhaust tips are you using? I'm planning on getting some tips for my car (with MRTv2) and I'm looking for recommendations. Pics of them installed on your car would be ideal. Your set-up sounds awesome!

[BumbleBeeV62011]

Originally Posted by Marklar

Pardon me if you mentioned earlier in this thread and I missed it, I skimmed all the comments but didn't see - what tail pipes/exhaust tips are you using? I'm planning on getting some tips for my car (with MRTv2) and I'm looking for recommendations. Pics of them installed on your car would be ideal. Your set-up sounds awesome!

I never did mention what tips I was using. I ordered a set on Amazon that were supposed to be made by cherry bomb. I have never seen a cherry bomb product that didn't have their logo on it. The tips I received had no markings at all, but do look pretty nice. They are 4 inch double wall, beveled, polished stainless steel

[BumbleBeeV62011]

Ok now for my story. I'm not happy at all. My wife took the car to the shop at 8 this morning. They said there was a truck they had to get off the rack, which they had expected to leave last night. The owner of the shop drove my wife and kids home. He seems like a nice, elderly man. By noon I'm getting anxious. My wife called and they didn't had not finished the truck so my car was still untouched. Same story at 230. Finally at 410 the owner called my wife and said my car was going on the rack at that very moment. Now, I was told it would take about 2 hours, so I'm thinking they are cutting it close to closing time. I get there at 530, only to see my new parts sitting behind the car and factory exhaust still in place. One employee came out and explained what was going on. I suppose it was obvious I was mad. The muffler tech cut out my h pipe and had to leave due to a family emergency. I understand leaving for a family emergency, but to leave my car unfinished and not call to tell me what's going on before I drive out there to get my car...that irritates me. Then, as if I'm not frustrated enough, the employee tells me it will be quieter than stock with 3 mufflers and wanted me to put a regular X pipe in and flowmasters super 10s under it. Oh, and instead of my tips, he suggested a black painted set of tips. After I let him know I'm not really happy about not having my car but understand the family emergency, he said it will be done, for sure, by lunch tomorrow and it will be perfection. I sure hope he delivers after this whole ordeal. Now I'm just worried about the sound....

[KillboyPowerhead]

I gotta think it would be quieter with three mufflers. If you did a non-resonated x-pipe like the guy said it would be a bit louder since the other two mufflers - I assume - are straight-through. With that said, the cat-back by Magnaflow consists of three mufflers and this is obviously what Magnaflow has concluded to be a good setup, so I don't think you'll be disappointed with the sound - unless you do want it loud. Another option you could do is if you do think it's too quiet, drill out holes in the pipe - like cut-outs - and you'll get a bit more volume (not sure where to put the holes offhand).

I went the opposite and have just the resonated x-pipe with no mufflers at the back and it's pretty loud; as for the quality I think it sounds pretty good, although I can image having two mufflers out back rather than just one would sound better, but of course not as loud

[BumbleBeeV62011]

I don't want loud or I would have done just the resonated X. I understand it's technically a muffler but it does have a true X flow. I also checked out a lot of videos of similar setups, most of them had stock pipe diameter, but had a nice sound and weren't overbearing. I'm looking for as much rumble as my little 3.6 can get, but not much louder than stock while cruising. I don't mind making some noise when I open it up, as long as it's not ricey

[BumbleBeeV62011]

The disappointment continues. Last night I was told it would be done by lunch today. Lunch time comes, and still no word. I got impatient about 230 and called. The owner says he expects it to take another hour. An hour later my wife sends me a message saying to call the shop because the installer needed to talk to me. It seems he couldn't get the mufflers to fit and wanted me to use different mufflers. By this point I'm beyond irritated. I went up to the shop after work and found the X pipe sitting in place, but not welded. The drivers side pipe was ran back to the axle, but no passenger side pipe. The driver side pipe was bent almost directly into the floor pan (where the spare tire would be), no wonder it wouldn't fit! After i made some adjustments, the installer was nowhere to be found, the muffler fit without touching anything. The issue is that the muffler is a little long so it would make it a tight fit to get a tailpipe and tip in the opening. After getting frustrated, I told him just leave the X pipe up front and straight pipe the rest. He says ok, it will be about an hour. I took my wife to eat and return one hour later. The car was exactly how I had left it. Now I'm livid! The owner was there this time and pulled me aside. He was very apologetic and promised to make things right. We agreed on what I believe to be a fair deal. He has a shipment coming in tomorrow. He said he will trade my mufflers for any others of my choosing, or if the mufflers are considerably cheaper he will just let me have them. Now, I discussed my goals and sound I want with the installer. We seem to think alike, so against my better judgement, I am allowing him to choose a few mufflers to try. I asked to try finding another magnaflow muffler with a smaller body, but if not just see what they could find. I'm hoping I don't regret this decision

[Camaro1037]

Sorry you are going through those issues . Just kind of confused by you are allowing him to choose for you. It appears as the shop is over whelmed if not maybe not that skillful. Far as sound on your setup I can't make an opinion on that setup. All I know is my Borla setup with
Solo performance high flow cats makes a great sound for the V6.

[riozlander]

I hope things work for the best in the end.
Sadly this is why I am not that upset when a shop quotes me a higher price then I thought
Just to avoid these kind of problems

[Silent...]

Sounds like the shop doesn't know their A## from whole in the ground. My shop took one look at my vehicle, selected the right sized MagnaFlow straight through muffler with the needed offsets on the openings, and was done within an hour. I inspected the work and it's nice. $300 and done.

[BumbleBeeV62011]

Well, here we go. It's finally done, and since they didn't get what I asked for off the truck today I had to settle for something else. He sent me videos of magnapack mufflers on my car and also full boar. Both are round mufflers, which I was unsure about to start with. They didn't get oval mufflers from the shipment so it was either round mufflers, bullet mufflers, or flowmaster super 10. I liked the sound of full boar the best and finally at 6 p.m. It was done.
My thoughts. I like the tone. It sounds like an exotic/European sports car. At idle it gives a nice growl that you can hear in the cabin, but it's not loud. When you rev it up...I think of a 350z or R35. The tone isn't as deep at high rpm but definitely not what I would call ricey.
On light acceleration it just growls and interior noise is not bad at all. Cruising at low speeds I can barely hear it. It's completely different on the highway at 75. The interior gets a little loud at 1800-2k rpm on a hill. On flat ground at highway speeds it's just a little louder than stock.
Now, under hard acceleration, I'm smiling the whole time. The exhaust note is awesome, but not really loud. Again, it sounds like a 350z to me. I took my wife and kids out in it and had to open it up a little bit to get in the other lane. When I pulled into the parking lot the guy I passed pulled up and said "that sounds freakin awesome". That made me smile lol.
Finally my thoughts on the installation. I'm not impressed to say the least. Welds are not looking really good. He slipped the pipe into the tips and welded it. No problem right? Maybe if you couldn't see the pipe inside the tip. The rear hanger on the driver side is not really snug so you can see the pipe/tip moving inside the hole in the diffuser. That reminds me, the tips are not centered but at least they stick out evenly.

[Kenny Camaro]

Man, I don't know... what if you totally hate the sound? What are they gonna do? A big run around and a big leap of faith in a shop that is disappointing you. Hope it turns out great.