There are few things in the car realm more annoying than a bad exhaust. Leaky exhaust systems can hurt performance, fuel economy, throw check engine codes and prevent your car from passing smog. A high-quality performance exhaust can be one of the most rewarding mods you can do to your vehicle. Every time you accelerate, shift or rev the engine you get a visceral impact from the sound and feel of your exhaust cracking and burbling.
A good exhaust setup can also be one of the best style upgrades for your car, whether it’s a side, single or dual exit, a chrome or titanium exhaust tip can make your car stand out. An exhaust system is a relatively expensive mod, that’s why it’s important to do research to find the best exhaust system brands and types to fit your vehicle and your customization goals.
Aftermarket manufacturers spend thousands of hours of prototyping and testing their custom exhaust systems to ensure every piece - from the headers to the muffler – performs to their specifications. Want to know how exhaust systems work or compare a slew of performance exhausts? Check out our
exhaust buyers guide for an in-depth comparison.
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Whether you want more performance for your sports car or simply better style and sound for your daily, our experts have tested tons of different custom exhausts, mufflers and tips for diesel and gas applications.
In-Depth Look at Custom Exhausts
You may want or need to replace your stock exhaust for many different reasons. As a car ages, the exhaust system can wear out due to rust, leaky gaskets and clogged catalytic converters. Replacing an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) exhaust with a custom exhaust is usually cheaper because they are more abundant and have a higher demand in the aftermarket. After 7-8 years, OEMs stock making replacement parts so finding a stock exhaust system that performs to original spec can be difficult and costly. For example, replacement OEM catalytic converters can range between $945-$2475 depending on make – that’s more than a full custom exhaust system! Aftermarket companies like Magnaflow and Flowmaster sell direct fit catalytic converters and custom exhaust systems for a fraction of that price.
A custom performance exhaust typically ranges from 2”-4” in diameter and can either split to form a dual exhaust or stay as a single from header to tailpipe. Custom exhausts benefit from improved flow and reduced restriction and can add up to 25 horsepower depending on application. Large displacement engines like V8s and V6s use two exhaust headers from each side of the V to gather the fumes from the manifold to route underneath the car. Once below the floor, a performance exhaust system will either connect to form a “Y” or stay separate all the way to the rear of the vehicle.
For turbo and small displacement applications, a single performance exhaust will feed into the catalytic converter and either exit via a muffler to the rear bumper or split just before to give the look of a “true dual” exhaust system. Either system has advantages and disadvantages – for an in-depth comparison of performance exhausts, check out our
Exhaust Systems Comparison write up.
One thing is for sure, a custom exhaust will make an impact on the sound and style of your vehicle. A chrome or titanium exhaust tip is almost always an upgrade over the OEM system. Stock systems, particularly in turbo applications are excessively muffled to meet strict government standards and regulations only applicable to manufacturers. A good exhaust sound is rewarding and improve your driving because you will have a better sense of where your car is in the rev range and how hard your pushing it. When blipping the throttle on downshifts or deceleration, hearing the cracks and pops from overrun is an addictive sound.
Whichever you choose, we want you to be satisfied with your selection. That's why our experts at AutoAnything are here to answer all your questions about performance exhausts. Call us at 1-800-874-8888 or take advantage of our live chat option, and one of our seasoned agents will be happy to help you with your decision.
