What should I do?

Echo · Jan 28, 2013

So, I'm extremely new to cars in general, and as such know very little about pretty much anything. Further more, I know even less than that about exhaust. So I'm asking for some opinions and advice as to what I should plan for the (distant) future. Right now I'm in a '95 V6 mustang convertible. My cousin has a 2004 mustang V8. Sitting next to his car, you can't even tell mine is on. I don't know his setup, but my guess is that it's pretty close to stock, because it's relativly new to him and it doesn't exactly blow you away unless you sit my car next to it. So I'm looking for something that can compete with his, but I also don't want something outrageously loud. I'm not the type to enjoy people hearing my car four blocks away and I don't want to attract too much attention.

So the only thing I know about exhaust is that X pipes make a 'racecar' sound, and H pipes make a 'muscle car' sound. I'm leaning towards H pipe. What I'm asking everyone here is to give me an idea of what I should be researching and looking at, what set-ups will work with my car, and everything I'll need to get/have done to install and such. Youtube videos to demonstrate sound are cool but I won't be able to listen except for rarly when I have time to get online at home(I'm at work while online usually...). Try to keep in mind that I don't have much to spend so I'm looking for the most acceptable option, for the cheapest cost. Which is contradictive, I know, but work with me a little? I'm just trying to get an idea of what to look into and where to focus my Googling.

CC'S95GT · Jan 28, 2013

do you still have the factory exhaust? Does your state require emission testing?
Really your best bet is to listen to youtube vids to find out what you like.

Walking Tall · Jan 28, 2013

Check out the January ROTM thread. Orange has a great sounding exhaust and a video posted.

Orange 94 · Jan 28, 2013

Walking Tall said:
Check out the January ROTM thread. Orange has a great sounding exhaust and a video posted.

[video=youtube;mBMgU0q68Yw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBMgU0q68Yw&feature=autoshare[/video]

My setup is something you can get at a reasonable price. I'm not sure what exactly it would sound like with the 3.8 but i would recommend it for a v6.

Musturd · Jan 28, 2013

Yea I love the sound of your car especially initial start up .

Echo · Jan 28, 2013

CC'S95GT said:
do you still have the factory exhaust? Does your state require emission testing?
Really your best bet is to listen to youtube vids to find out what you like.

I would assume it's factory because eveything else is. No emission testing here in SC,and I'm not even sure what that entails.

I do plan to go scouring for vids to see what I like, but I wouldn't know what I was even listening to so I'm trying to find some general direction/focus to get me started. I'll check out your set-up orange since you seem to be the head V6er around here! What kind of price ranges am I looking at to get started? I pretty much know 0 about exhaust.

Orange 94 · Jan 28, 2013

Musturd said:
Yea I love the sound of your car especially initial start up .

Thank you!

Echo said:
I would assume it's factory because eveything else is. No emission testing here in SC,and I'm not even sure what that entails. I do plan to go scouring for vids to see what I like, but I wouldn't know what I was even listening to so I'm trying to find some general direction/focus to get me started. I'll check out your set-up orange since you seem to be the head V6er around here! What kind of price ranges am I looking at to get started? I pretty much know 0 about exhaust.

"head V6er" i like it! but theres more knowledgeable people like monkey and i believe lil roush? has a lot of experience. I'll look up the price for you.

Tony · Jan 28, 2013

sounds great orange!

joekd · Jan 28, 2013

My honest answer? Throw a catback or even just a better muffler on it and call it done. Bank the money toward something better.

Echo · Jan 28, 2013

joekd said:
My honest answer? Throw a catback or even just a better muffler on it and call it done. Bank the money toward something better.

So.... What's a cat-back?

belber095 · Jan 28, 2013

cat back is the piping from the midpipe to the mufflers and then to the tips. cheapest thing you could do as far as exhaust besides just keeping it single, would be getting a divorced dual set up. that means that there is no midpipe. the piping from the collectors goes directly back to the muffler and out the tips. cost will depend on where you go. my guess is 200 plus the cost of mufflers and tips.

Echo · Jan 28, 2013

belber095 said:
cat back is the piping from the midpipe to the mufflers and then to the tips. cheapest thing you could do as far as exhaust besides just keeping it single, would be getting a divorced dual set up. that means that there is no midpipe. the piping from the collectors goes directly back to the muffler and out the tips. cost will depend on where you go. my guess is 200 plus the cost of mufflers and tips.

I about half understood that. I would definitly prefer to go with two as opposed to single.

EF5.0 · Jan 28, 2013

Basically what he is saying is: The cheapest option for you on your v6 would be divorced duals. To make that a little easier to understand divorced duals just means no H or X pipe. Usually a shop can do it fairly cheap, and it (In my opinion) gives it the best sound for a v6.

As far as mufflers thats up to you. Thrush welded are fairly cheap options that sound really good.

One thing you will need to realize is that no matter what you do to your v6, your exhaust will not be as loud as your cousins v8.

I know you said you can't listen to youtube videos consistantly but I will link a couple here to give you a few ideas of what to expect.

Divorced duals with Thrush Welded: [video=youtube;dAA-mQ8eUU4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAA-mQ8eUU4[/video]

H-pipe with Thrush Welded:[video=youtube;YZYMqxrgctE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZYMqxrgctE[/video]

Mac Catback (keeping the stock y-pipe):[video=youtube;3tVZsY-ce_Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tVZsY-ce_Q[/video]

X-pipe with CherryBomb Extremes (single chambered): [video=youtube;ApuqcCKQo7Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApuqcCKQo7Q[/video]

Hope this helps some.

Echo · Jan 28, 2013

EF5.0 said:
Basically what he is saying is: The cheapest option for you on your v6 would be divorced duals. To make that a little easier to understand divorced duals just means no H or X pipe. Usually a shop can do it fairly cheap, and it (In my opinion) gives it the best sound for a v6.

As far as mufflers thats up to you. Thrush welded are fairly cheap options that sound really good.

One thing you will need to realize is that no matter what you do to your v6, your exhaust will not be as loud as your cousins v8.

I know you said you can't listen to youtube videos consistantly but I will link a couple here to give you a few ideas of what to expect.

Divorced duals with Thrush Welded: [video=youtube;dAA-mQ8eUU4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAA-mQ8eUU4[/video]

H-pipe with Thrush Welded:[video=youtube;YZYMqxrgctE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZYMqxrgctE[/video]

Mac Catback (keeping the stock y-pipe):[video=youtube;3tVZsY-ce_Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tVZsY-ce_Q[/video]

X-pipe with CherryBomb Extremes (single chambered): [video=youtube;ApuqcCKQo7Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApuqcCKQo7Q[/video]

Hope this helps some.

Helps alot. I'll try to jump back on tonight to listen to these. I realize I'm running a losing race but right now it's like a lion and a housecat. XD. I appreciate yall going lay-man for me.

chris91 · Jan 28, 2013

I think the Yellow one with the Mac exhaust sounded the best.

g36 monkey · Jan 28, 2013

I hate the sound of divorced duals. To me: get a stock GT cat back off craigslist, put sick tips on it, get an H pipe.

Done deal. Might be a little louder, but at the end of the day it'll definitely sound alot better. You can punch your cats out if you want a little more noise. Just be careful, the louder V6's get, usually the worse they sound.

Orange 94 · Jan 28, 2013

g36 monkey said:
Just be careful, the louder V6's get, usually the worse they sound.

Agreed.

I have mac cat backs on mine. Havent been able to look up what i paid, but i did a quick search and looking at around 3-400 new with tips.

g36 monkey · Jan 28, 2013

I paid $20 for my mac set up out of the junk yard

Echo · Jan 28, 2013

I'm not looking to get too loud at all really I'm just going for a little more oomph. What about divorced duals sounds bad in your opinion?

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