Exhaust question...Don't you hate me?

[HotSauce]

You should be mad by now. I'm looking to upgrade the muffler on my 1997 1.8T. I would just like to gain a bit richer of a sound, a throaty, snarl, if you will. I'm not looking for a soup-can wailor by any means. I'm also on a bit of a budget, so any tricks here? I remember my dad kocking the baffels out of his older cars with the blunt side of a broom stick.

So, how can I not sound like some Asian import, but still gain a bit of noise?

 

[Mutinyno9]

check out Borla, APR, milltek

 

[ImolaS4]

Go to your local muffler shop and have one custom made. They are the cheapest way to go always. You will be stuck with the standard type of resonator (which will be louder) that isn't specifically tuned to the A4 exhaust flow.

If you don't want to go that route and would rather put your faith in a tuned exhaust, then go with:
APR
Borla
Milltek
Neuspeed

The loudest will be the Borla. Milltek and Neuspeed will be the quietest (I think the Neuspeed is the quietest), but they are all louder and throatier than the "elephant" under the car now.

 

[HotSauce]

Alright, maybe down the road I will go a full system, but another question. If you replace the side-by-side style exhaust on the 1.8, and replace it with the spread, dual tips, that seem to come with most systems, how do you get it to look professional. Do you have to replace the entire rear skirt on the car?

So, after market muffler, I want a deep, throaty sound, a rumble if you will, but is still relatively quiet for every day driving, and I want to do it cheap, custom is the way to go?

 

[K212]

[ QUOTE ]
ImolaS4 said:

The loudest will be the Borla. Milltek and Neuspeed will be the quietest (I think the Neuspeed is the quietest)

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm looking for the same thing, quiet for everyday driving but more efficient than the stock exhaust. Is the Neuspeed exhaust sound as loud as the japanese import exhausts? I really do not want it That loud. Any thoughts?

 

[ImolaS4]

Loud is a subjective term, but none of the aforementioned products sound like rice rockets. They are louder than stock, but the sound is throatier than any JDM could hope to be.

Yes... a custom made exhaust is typically cheaper than these "tuned" exhausts, but it will not have a tuned sound. It will be louder and have a raspier sound than the OE exhaust though.

 

[HotSauce]

By raspier, what exactly do you mean?

I guess the best way to explain this is with an example. The growl of a big V-8. A Corvette or something. A deep, muddy (Not pinging), growl. Not loud unless you listen for it, but definately noticeable when you want it to be.

 

[ImolaS4]

Raspier meaning that the sound won't be rounded and full. Even big V8's can have raspy sounds. The old Mopar Hemi engine cars of the seventies had raspy exhausts.

My best description is that it will sound like there is a background of paper crackling. It's like the difference between Sting's singing voice (kind of scratchy) and Pavarotti's singing voice (rounder, fuller, clearer). They are both enjoyable, but Pavarotti's voice is a cleaner sound.

Did I explain it well enough?

 

[HotSauce]

Does Pavarotti make an exhaust? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif That's what I'm going for. How do I do this cheap?

 

[ImolaS4]

Pavarotti isn't cheap because his voice is tuned! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angel.gif

If you want cheap then ask any local rock band to come sing for you - I'm sure they'll charge you a case of beer for their trouble!!
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

Seriously though, it's a simple case of, "You get what you pay for." The Neuspeed exhaust is well tuned and has a conservative growl. The APR and Borla pipes are louder and more aggressive sounding. They all cost top dollar for their tuned sounds.

 

[HotSauce]

This is like buying car audio. I walked in and the convo went something like this:

Me- "Hi there, I'm looking to upgrade my car's audio system."
Salesman- "What kind of car do you drive?"
Me- "A 97' Audi A4"
Salesman- "Audi, huh, that'll cost you about $400 extra."
Me- "Excuse me?"
Salesman- "Nothing for an Audi will ever be cheap, if you want to do it right."
Me- "*Sarcastically* Great...You wouldn't be hiring by chance, would you?"

 

[ImolaS4]

You may be right... to a point. There is nothing like getting a tuned system with all the fit and finish of a stainless steel exhaust. It has been tuned to sound right as well as increase the flow- this will enhance the experience as well as maximize the power output. If you puzzle together universal pieces from a muffler shop, you will get a system that works - it will be a bit louder and you may even increase hp by 5% - but you will not have the same level of quality, engineering and craftsmanship that goes into a tuned system.
If budget is your priority, then the custom exhaust is the way to go. I know a few people who have done the custom exhaust mod and they are very happy with the results.