# Cat-Back Exhaust Systems Comparisons



## alexnds (Oct 1, 2005)

Gents:

I am having my entire exhaust system replaced in the next few days with a Cat-back exhaust system from WarpSpeedperformance.com

It's a 2.5" system and I'm getting the Y-Pipe, the catalytic converter, the muffler and the "B" pipe all replaced as a whole. Total cost, about $600 and my local muffler shop will do the work for about $130. 

It just happens to be the case that my entire exhaust system is hanging on by dear life and when the car was on the lift, I saw just how bad the condition of it is. It's not loud, but just rotting away from age (13 years is a long time for a factory system). So I decided that rather than getting a cheapo system from local muffler shop, to splurge some cash and do the exhaust upgrade route. Not sure if spending $730 on a 13 year old car is logic to justify to my wife, but heck, what can you do if your exhaust is going to fall off and you've decided to keep the car?

My question are:
(a) I have heard that up to 18+ HP is possibe with a mandrel bent system and assuming the system is a whole is optimized for less back pressure. Is this true? Anybody know of any dyno tests?

(b) I plan to add a CAI later, but is the 18+ HP true of exhaust and intake combined or exhaust only?

(c) How does Greddy system, 2.25", vs WarpSpeed 2.5", vs Catman system, 2.5" compare, assuming all things are equal and every section is replaced? 

(I think a 3" system by the way is too big for a non-turbo or Supercharged car)

(d) Does anyone here have experience with any of these systems?

By the way, I'm not getting the Magnaflow muffler, but the more quite Q-series muffler. I wanted more power, but almost stock noise level. I'll let you know how it sounds once it's on the car.

Any input into performance gains, dynometer results, and comparisons amongs the 3 main systems highly appreciated.


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## Matt93SE (Sep 17, 2003)

you're not going to see 20hp out of any exhaust on these engines. you'll see some gain, but it's not going to be a huge difference. never will. these engines are choked inside the head due to small cams and intake/exhaust runners in the heads. they simply cna't pump enough air.

the warpspeed is quality stuff.
cattman is VERY high quality, but much more expensive.
the Greddy is expensive junk. they sound good and look good, but the build quality is horrible. I've seen many of these exhausts rust through in less than a couple of years. they recently switched to all stainless on them so they should be better, but I'm still not very happy with their products.


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## nismosleeper (Jan 16, 2005)

I would not spend money on a catback system. It may sound a little better, but for five hundred less, I got 2.5" from the y pipe back. I gained a noticable different on top end, probably like 14hp w/ that and the y pipe. Dyno is just a waste of money unless you need to tune it IMO. You can get a muffler shop to make the piping for you and it won't be much more than their install price if you shop around, although if you like shiny things and a nice quality exhaust spend the money; just saying that I wouldn't. Also, if you want bends, you could look around town; I found some 2.5" bends for $12 each, and if you give them to a shop they can use those, but you won't gain much, if any more. Good luck with the wife .


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## alexnds (Oct 1, 2005)

*Warp Speed system*



nismosleeper said:


> I would not spend money on a catback system. It may sound a little better, but for five hundred less, I got 2.5" from the y pipe back. I gained a noticable different on top end, probably like 14hp w/ that and the y pipe. Dyno is just a waste of money unless you need to tune it IMO. You can get a muffler shop to make the piping for you and it won't be much more than their install price if you shop around, although if you like shiny things and a nice quality exhaust spend the money; just saying that I wouldn't. Also, if you want bends, you could look around town; I found some 2.5" bends for $12 each, and if you give them to a shop they can use those, but you won't gain much, if any more. Good luck with the wife .


Thanks both of you for the input. With the wife part, it's a tough sell, given the fact that I've already spent way too much money on the car after buying it due to the fact that the car was badly neglected by the previous owners. It had 5 owners before me. Essentially, the car can never be sold to even close to a break-even point in relationship to the money spent on it. Thus, I figured, since I need a new exhaust anyhow, might as well make it a good one and let's enjoy the car a bit, since I hope to keep it until 200,000 miles. (It has 146k miles now).


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