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Exhaust Dilemma

4K views 18 replies 5 participants last post by  CanyonRider 
#1 ·
The RB and Corksport exhausts have been discussed in depth, so have been the custom setups so I won’t discuss those routes.. So, the only 2 options left are Magnaflow Catback and Tanabe. Cheapest Tanabe I found goes for $580 + w/e shipping they will calculate once it’s actually in stock. According to my local guy here, Tanabe will have next shipment ready by mid/end of May. I’m biased towards Tanabe as I’ve had them on few of my previous cars and no other exhaust came close to sounding as good, so paying $100+ more over Cork or RB is worth it to me. Then there is the Magnaflow catback that probably has the least real gains, despite being the catback, because of the pipe design/bend at the muffler entry (+ the 180 turn inside the muffler) I can have the Magnaflow within a week for $650 shipped. I’m guessing it’s safe to assume that the M6 catback will sounds just like the M3 with 2.5L since I can’t find a true magnaflow sound on youtube for M6 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3v44Bg681s
So I guess my question is, has anyone heard what the Tanabe sounds like yet? There is 0 videos or sound clips that I can find but maybe I’m not looking hard enough.
 
#2 · (Edited)
I'd go with the tanabe over the magnaflow for weight, since the tanabe has hollow mount brackets and thin wall tubing and no extra pipe length for ridiculous bends.

Also if you have had the Tanabe Medallion exhaust before you should have an idea what their sound bias is (midrange or deep, drone, no drone, farty etc...). I would assume it would be similar on the 6, which would allow you to guess at the sound based on existing clips of muffler deletes and other exhaust options on the 3rd gen 6. Most exhausts I've heard sound pretty good on this car ( RB, flowmasters, muffler deletes, magnaflows) with exception of the corksport unit which is a little too farty for my taste.
 
#3 ·
"farty" - haha nice.
I actually watched some clips on youtube of Tanabe setups on civics, accords, lancer, just to get an idea what it would sound like on smaller displacement engines since I had them on blown V6s. And I do like it + the weight saving like you stated. I'm impatient though, "mid to late may, from japan" from my past experience could end up being mid to late june.

I just found a custom fab shop about an hour out, might swing by sometime to see what they could build me. What do you think about using Borla S type #400497 instead of the magnaflow can? It's shorter and only 7lbs. I'd have them install it similar to Akira's setup. But this custom job would cost me over $700 since each of those mufflers is $200.
 
#5 ·
I just sent them an email to see if they give me a quote. As of right now I'm leaning towards the Borla unless they can sway me away from it. at $400 just for the mufflers + at least a $100 for nice tips, that's already a price of the Cork or RB, without accounting for work. But could end up being a hell of a combination and well worth it, especially at 15-16lbs total weight.
 
#6 ·
I doubt that will be the final weight. I found one of the shortest tips I could and single side 2.5 piping, tip and hangars as installed still weighs 5 lbs. So you are probably looking at 24-28 lbs depending on pipe diameter, y-pipe style and tip size/style.

My Flowmaster dBx muffler weighs 9 lbs so I'm at 14 lbs total exhaust weight. Corksport unit is 28. I have no idea what the RB or tanabe unit weights are.

Factory axleback is 39lbs cut off 2 inches upstream of the flange.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Just find a local exhaust shop with a good reputation for treating customers well and doing a decent job. Exhaust fab is just a trade skill. You don't have to find some performance tune shop to do it. I paid $100 per hour rate and it took an hour and 15 minutes to fab my setup with pre mandrel bent piping I brought. They did good work to fit things up with what I brought, but they didn't have mandrel bend capability, which is why I bought prebent stuff.
 
#8 · (Edited)
I'll add my 2 cents... You mentioned prices before work being done? Don't pay someone to put a muffler on!

>:)


Also, your post is really confusing... I feel as though some of your comments are conflicting.
 
#11 ·
I have a ton of stuff to install in the meantime, but it won't take more than a couple of weekends. I also wanted to get the exhaust done prior to the OV tune becoming available for 16s.

I'll add my 2 cents... You mentioned prices before work being done? Don't pay someone to put a muffler on!

>:)


Also, your post is really confusing... I feel as though some of your comments are conflicting.
No, the factory built cat/axlebacks I will install myself. I was referring to prices of fabricating piping for the custom job

I know my post is confusing, let me sum it up for you :)

  • Don't want cork or RB, too popular and don't sound all that great to me
  • Really want Tanabe, but no idea exactly how it sounds on this car or when it will really become available
  • Custom catback is an option if I could find a reputable shop, at this point I cannot.. I'm anal about exhaust piping (see what i did there) if I go custom, I want to make sure it looks perfect.


They did good work to fit things up with what I brought, but they didn't have mandrel bend capability, which is why I bought prebent stuff.

This is the key, no regular muffler shop will have the capability of mandrel bending unless I go with a performance shop. I don't think I can buy pre-bent parts unless I get all the exact dimensions and angles first.
 
#14 ·
Yeah I have a 4.5" Dia shorty Borla slash cut tip (perfect DIA for this car btw). For some reason it was only $60 compared to another nearly identical borla unit that was $80. And tips are heavy too with the thick gage double wall construction.
 
#15 ·
For $1200, you could take a tech-school welding class and buy a new Lincoln Mig welder. You end up with skills and a new welder.


I buy pre-bent (mandrel) 45s, 90s, Ys and Us along with straight sections from Jegs/Summit and weld my own. You can be as fussy as you want. I've re-done the exhaust on my 6 at least 3 times over 10ys.


Good luck,
CR
 
#16 ·
+1 on summit racing, I got everything for my exhaust there.

You'd still need/want a lift, a tube expander (unless you want flow impeding forward steps inside your exhaust all over the place), a torch (for hangers) ...and a lot of practice and ingenuity since you'll lack experience.

I think trade skills are ridiculously undervalued in society today for whatever reason.

I think we are getting off topic now...
 
#17 ·
I think trade skills are ridiculously undervalued in society today for whatever reason.
This. I agee 100%. I'm willing to pay money for work like this where experience pays off. I probably won't end up doing custom though. I'm looking at RB or Tanabe so far.
 
#19 ·
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