OK gang.... time for the first of these.... My exhaust developed a nasty rattle at MOTD... I'm gonna take it off and diagnose on Saturday... but I'm starting to think I may have nuked a baffle in the muffler or something.... soooooooo it may be time to retire the one-ball and go for something else. My wish-list: * single sided - to accommodate my air horn rig * compatible with M7 USS * with my RMW header, loud and deep/throaty at WOT, but quietish while cruising Nominations?
Since a battery relocate is out of the question (not on your list) then why not give Juston at CMC a call and he'll make you a custom system. He will work with the RMW no worries and loves V-band joints -- only the best.
Good suggestion... I remember now that you're a big fan of CMC. Seems like my other options are Alta and Ireland... Just curious - how did the cost of your CMC compare to similar aftermarket ready-made exhausts?
I liked the sound of the Alta I had but fitment was typical craptastic (supposedly corrected in later versions). It didn't work with the USS either. The Ireland is sort of homemade looking
I went with the MinSpeed exhaust w/resonator and I love it...nice throaty sound with just the right amount of backpressure burble. It does take a little getting used to at highway speeds, but in a matter of days you will no longer be overly cognizant of it...mine was an easy install, first time no problemo. http://www.minspeed.net/MCS.htm
I fell in love with the burble at MOTD sadly an exhaust upgrade is not an option for a while. I like the JCW but it would be nice to hear the burble better from inside the car. Let us know what you end up getting.
Well, with my straight exhaust I lost the burble, but I was never a big fan... You might still have it with an around-the-battery-box setup. The CMC is expensive, but the work is very nice indeed, and you are on the same side of the continent as Juston, unlike me! It's worth a call at least. I have his number is you want to PM me. I agree that the Ireland looks home made. The Alta for the R56 turbo is very impressive, so if they make a similar system for the R53 maybe it's worth a look. Of course the R56 is 3" which is massive. Randy Webb always thought 3" would work for the R53, even though not many are using such a large system diameter.
3" is overkill on a 1.6L. It's 100% marketing hype, not based on actual performance. A 2.5" will probably make more power. <---- has 3" from turbo back on the Subaru with 350hp.
I don't have any problem with how the Ireland looks now that they have a decent tip. But I don't know if anyone has fitted it with a USS, or on a cabrio, or with the RMW header (not a fitment issue, but a sound issue). MinSpeed is a good option I had forgotten. Good sound and burble... wonder if anyone has it AND an RMW or Mynes header? Not likely...
I have been running a megan header cat-less for all my exhaust systems I have ran on my car. I have had an Alta and after 5k miles the resonator was shot. I am currently running the Borla Race that was used before I put it on my car. So the couple thousand miles from the previous owner plus my 6K i have put on it to top it off I have driven my car hard with it. So far no sign of anything wrong with the exhaust except for being very loud at WOT, comfortable cruising. While at the Dragon I kept getting this question "What exhaust are you running because it sounds crazy good" and then I have gotten "Your car smells but its sounds SOOOOO GOOOD". I would say since the borla race is double side and the borla for Justacooper is single and use the same 2.25 tubing I bet you could run it with the cooper rear valence. Just putting that out there as a possibility.
I'm strongly considering finding that corner garage guy with a mandrel tubing bender and having one made up - can't be all THAT hard. Only consideration will be which mufflers and resonators. I'm considering a straight thru resonator in the center tunnel, and a good muffler (Borla? Flowmaster?) beside the battery, leaving the other side for the train horns. Problem is, finding "that guy", as well as choosing mufflers. Ah well, more important things on my list right now anyway!
Yeah, we have a VERY good custom exhaust guy here who does all the work for both the classic car guys and the performance guys... I've considered that route as well... only challenge is that you never know what it's gonna sound like until it's done...
I had the Alta single sided exhaust but did not like it and had too many issues. I know you want single sided. If you decide against that I am REALLY liking the Miltek coupled with RMW header.
I tried this route with a single side ala Cooper. Problem I had was the "Guy" knew what to do and said he would make me happy. He didn't. It sounded like a hair dryer, he tried a cherry bombish flow through muffler, one after cat one more out the back. Didn't like it. He fliped them around said that this his last recomondation. Big/small block V8's he can do, not so much 4cyl supercharged. I took it off and put the stocker back on. I also noticed less off the line power with this 2.5" system. Oddly enough, Dyno day up here in Colorado revealed interesting results with cars running stock vs. cars with aftermarket exhaust. I was surprised that one of the higher results was on a stock system(?). Must be altitude!
Well... my exhaust is OK... header flange had broken loose and was rattling - I welded it back and all is well... for now.... other than a little leak that I'll fix when I have time...
I've had an all Burns system and it was ut: loud. I'm not sure if the mufflers did anything. Longboard
Cheap = free in this case. I have a welder. :cornut: There's just something manly about squeezing under a car on jackstands with a MIG welder and a helmet on... for a minute I felt like I owned a Mustang or Camaro or something instead of a clown car.