custom or vendor exhaust which is better?
 

sup guys I'm into looking for an exhaust for my car. I am buying hotshot headers but can't decide if to buy a test pipe then a cat back or just go to a shop and make a 2.5inch header back exhaust which would way cheaper and cant see a down side. help me out guys which is probly better.

i have a custom exhaust setup on my coupe....with a HKS muffler and a magnaflow resonator...some of my friends tend to like it better than the Hi power...

HI power???? how does it sound?

HKS Highpower exchast its a vendor exchast

From experience, you'll get equal or more horsepower from a custom one than a vendor one, and usually you'll save money in the process. Just make sure its someone who knows what hes doing. Ive seen some hack jobs before.

ok you guys sealed the deal for me then, its gunna be custom. The guy around here does real nice work. One last question, what size piping? I was thinking 2.5 or maybe 2.75? Also, I guess another question, what muffler is good? I like the duel tips that came stock on my car so I would want a duel tip muffler that is nice and quiet at 3000rpm and lower then has a real nice vrooom, vrooom noise above that. Yes I ask alot from the parts I put on my car but only the best will do for me lol. Thanks in advance.

2.5 is plenty for a N/A car. Anything bigger and your going to be loosing trq from loss of back pressure. 3 inches if your going F/I. I personally like the single large round exhaust. As far as mufflers go, go with something japanese. Doesnt matter the brand, they usually all sound pretty good.

the guy i'm going to doesent have a mandrel bender so thats why i was thinking of going 2.75 to compensate for the 180 degree bend over the read axle.

well that sucks. 2.75 at crush bent will drop below 2.5. so your going to have inconsistance air flow, but still better than the 2.5 with crush bends i guess. My only suggestion is maybe to look around for anyone who could mandrel bend an exhaust before you spend the money on the crush bent one. But if no luck, go with the 2.75.

ok yeah I will look around now i'm not in a huge hurry or anything. But if I do find a mandrel bender what size is the best, 2.5, or 2.75?

With mandrel, go with 2.5. You wont make any more power and ittl cost you less.

ok found a mandrel bender. Need to know whats a good header, I was gunna go with hotshot.

Hotshot is a good company. I have em for my 2nd gen Probe gt turbo project. I cant vouche for the 240sx ones though.

I've had them on my probe too. Thats why I thought I would go with them.

I considered the same thing for my car, but it seemed more cost efficient to run a manufactured exhaust for my car. Everything bolted up like it was supposed to and the cost wasn't bad either. I probably spent $100 more than if I would of had it custom made. Plus, it kept the agravsion down. I didn't have to run all over getting bolts, gaskets, etc. It was all there and ready to go. I just jacked the car up and went to town. Make sure you have a 24mm wrench before thinking about tearing into it. It took more time locating that than the whole dissassembly and install.

I just installed a HotShot header, test pipe, and full catback Megan racing exhaust on my 93 S13. All together, shipping and taxes included came in around $600. It's all 2.5" mandrel bent piping, stainless steel. The header is awesome. The install was fairly easy and it sounds great. I could email you a soundclip as soon as I get one, if you'd like.

I got the header from Enjukuracing.com. The catback and test pipe I got through ebay.

I would definitely recommend buying all of it and installing yourself. There's no greater satisfaction than DIY!

Sorry for the novel.