FI TDX vs. Top Speed Exhausts
 

I'm trying to decide between the FI TDX exhaust against the Top Speed Pro1 exhaust.

They sound similar with respect to each other, but of course, the FI is true dual, and the Top Speed is single pipe until the split before the tips. Then again, the Top Speed is more than half the price of the FI. I saw some dyno sheets of both, and the FI does make more power and torque, but enough to justify the cost?

I know the price puts these exhausts in different brackets of spending, but they seem to increase nearly the same amount of power, and seem to sound the same. (At least on youtube.)

Price aside, do you guys have any thoughts or recommendations between the two exhausts?

[My Opinion]

1. After hearing both in person, Top Speed in no way shape or form sounds close to F.I. I don't see the two being even grouped together.

2. Looks dept, F.I. is better to me.

3. Performance gains can't be denied... F.I. check.

4. Price, yes F.I. is costly, but you get what you pay for not just in parts, but in quality, performance, sound, looks, and CUSTOMER SERVICE.

5. It's your money and of course do as you wish, but my :twocents: would be don't buy something now just because you can, just wait a bit longer, save up more and get something you want, And can be proud of. :tup:

[/My Opinion]

I have the top speed exhaust and y pipe and have to say for your money it is one of the best possible exhaust setups you can get. The sound is perfect I have heard FI in person as well and believe my car among other TS to sound very similar. You are saving quite a bit of money and build time/arrival of ur exhaust is much quicker from what I have read. Both have good customer service and both build quality products one just has a larger product name than the other. As for performance I have seen dynos from both and there are lots of them. and on several of them they are very very close to one another in both tourqe and hp. You won't be upset with either of the exhausts they r both great products. Good luck.

They really are worlds apart in sound? I haven't had the pleasure of hearing either exhaust in person, so all i know are the youtube clips.

Hm. How long is the average turn around time for the FI exhaust? i've heard that it can take quite a while before you can get one.

I don't believe the sound bit but its just me and maybe its bc I have the y-pipe as well. Regardless ur gonna love whichever one u choose.

It's about 8 weeks, but like they say, good things come to those who wait :tiphat:

I got to drive a friends Z with the F.I w/ 18" resonators yesterday. All I can say is, what a sweet exhaust note. Not to loud, perfect for me. My my friend is still running his sock Cats.
I personally fell the F.I w/ 18" resonators is the way to go. Everything is top notch.

it appears that those with the TopSpeed are pretty happy, considering that its half the price of the FI it's really not a bad second option

+1 with F.I.

I still run the stock cats so it isn't overly loud. It's as quiet as the OEM exhaust at highway cruising speeds to be honest. It will get loud when you give it some gas however.

The tone of the car is quite deep from inside and out. You do gain a more distinct "Chewbacca" howl that you hear on 350'z/G35's/FX's. Under WOT the exhaust note is amazing - akin to VW's VR6 motor.


EDIT:

Apart from the Top Speed CBE, you could also check out the Invidia Gemini. That sounds great as well and less $$ than the F.I.

My TS has the resonator and burnt titanium tips love it!

I just checked out the Invidia - didn't know how incredible the exhaust sounded!

Apparently it only makes +10 or so hp over stock, versus the FI and the TS making +17 or even more. Not sure if it's crazy different, but I'd imagine everything counts, haha.

Hm. Maybe I'll wait around for a used FI or something, and jump on it asap. Pretty sure I won't be the only one.

Where in south fl. U live id be more than happy to show u the TS in person.

I'm in Jupiter, FL. I'm actually eyeing the local sale in the classifieds for the TS exhaust. :tup:

Another thing is my Z isn't actually here yet...it's somewhere in the ocean, haha. Can't wait to finally get it. So it's not like I'm in a rush to get an exhaust.

+1 on the Top Speed

Im not sure why everyone loves the Fast Intentions so much. Ive had nothing but great experiences with my Top Speed. They have great customer service, my exhaust came from Texas to Tennessee in only 2 days, everyone that owns a Z and has heard my car in person wishes they had bought this exhaust, its significantly cheaper, theres no waiting time, and the build quality was great. Dont believe you are getting a significantly better product just because you are paying more for it!

Proven power and made the most so far for a catback exhaust.

Yeah, F.I. Its a top notch product and gets the best gains, period. There are plenty of other companies though with nice systems. Make sure you do your research. Companies like Berk, Ark, Stillen(they run sales all the time and you can get some good deals) even Password JDM has a system in the works that sounds pretty darn good. Explore your options, but you def cant go wrong w F.I.

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another vote here for F.I. cbe. :tup:

I agree the F.I. exhaust may make slightly more HP, but at most its going to make 6-7 more which is absolutely not noticeable, and the Top Speed exhaust weighs less

+1 Top Speed

Right now we are 8-10 weeks out for shipment. That is very accurate and in some cases we ship early. I know that it might seem like a pain to wait but it is well worth it.

I only require a $200 deposit when you place your order and do not charge the remaining balance until your exhaust is being built. Your exhaust is hand built in house and then will ship directly to you.

If you have any questions or would like to place an order, please do not hesitate to call me directly...

Thank you, Tony

I understand that you are happy with your TS exhaust, it is a good system.

Where we have always been different is in our customer service and quality. You get to deal directly with the owners of the company and we build our systems in house. Sure our systems may be more money but you are paying for a hand built system here in the US. Not often is that the case with most other systems.

I just feel until you have had an experience with us it is a little unfair to judge us by saying, "Don't believe you are getting a significantly better product just because you are paying more for it!"

That's all...

Thanks, Tony

The TS weighs less because it is not a "True Dual" CBE. Another reason why we make the most power!

Tony

Not denying your exhasut is very well made or sounds awesome or even makes better gains. I dont believe any of these facts can be argued. But 6 more horsepower for an additional $1000 or more?(generall more). Thats the only place that i have a hold up. And i also understand your exhaust is hand-built, which is why theyre more expensive, but mass production is not always a bad thing. So again, not bashing anyone, and the advantages of the F.I. exhaust cant be denied by anyone (including myself) but as far as pure value goes, I will stand with my decission

Depends on the needs, too. I think $1000 for extra 6 hp on N/A is great. Even better when you realized you have a lot more breathing room if you decide to go F.I. Remember, mod bugs hit us continuously and it hit us hard since you reach a certain point on the build.

+ 1 more for F.I. :tup:

I understand your point and respect your view.

One thing to clear up though. It is a big exaggeration to say my CBE is $1,000 more expensive than the Top Speed.

Our CBE ranges from $1,100-$1,535. So unless the Top Speed is $100, where are you coming up with the large disparity in price difference?

To add one last things, you cannot (generalize) when you are specifically comparing the price of my system to the Top Speed!

Thanks, Tony

Does anyone have any notes on cabin drone with either the F.I. or the TS exhausts? That is one thing I desperately wish to avoid. Noise is one thing, but constant drone will drive me insane.

Tony, I am definitively interested in the F.I. exhaust. I'll give you a call if I decide to go ahead and put a payment on the exhaust. I'll keep researching in the meantime though, trying to go for the best price vs. performance vs. sound on the exhaust.

Most bang for your buck is TS. Also, I have no cabin noise unless I'm WOT. I like FI but to me they feel like Apple.

+1 on F.I. for more hp gains
+1 on TS for price

:confused:

+1 TS = Speed
+1 TS = Quality
+1 TS = Sound (more of a personal preference)
+1 FI = Brand Name
+1 FI = HP increase (depending on dyno your looking at)
+1 FI = Quality
-1 FI = Price
-1 FI = ship out time (~8weeks)
-1 TS = Having to sometimes fix rattle on crossmember in rear
+1 TS = Weight Reduction

Both are good exhausts depends on what you want and how much your willing to spend. You wont be upset with either one of them.

I had Fast Intentions first and then sold it and got myself a TopSpeed.

Reasons why I sold my Fast Intentions:
-Couldnt lower my car more than 1.5 inches without scraping the mufflers.
-Freeway drone (It was a little more bearable with stock cats but still there). Sometimes it made my interior rattle more.
-A bit raspy with HFCs (i had the 12' SS).

Im very happy with my TopSpeed. Good ground clearance, no drone and no rasp :tup:

+1 for fast intentions!! Great shop!

How similar are the exhausts in sound? You miht just sway me on the TS exhaust, haha. I like the F.I., but it might be too much money for my blood.

Not my car, but i have the same setup. Sound is absolutely incredible. No rasp, no drone but sounds mean under acceleration! This is the TopSpeed btw with high flow cats
Westwood's Pearl White 370z Exhaust sound clip 720p HD - YouTube

Ha ha, thats funny. I have no issues at all being compared to Apple!

Thank you, Tony

:bowrofl:

lol, nice Tony :tup:

I haven't had the pleasure of dealing with Fast Intentions, however I have bought a Top Speed unit... direct from them.

I'll share my experiences..

#1. They were kinda hard to get in touch with. I must have called 4-5 times before actually getting to order the system.

#2. Once the system arrived... the box looked terrible. Opened it up and the packaging was terrible. There were 2 dents on the system. 1 on the resonator, 1 one one of the mufflers. TS offered to exchange it, but insisted that it was packaged properly and that I'd have to send it back. The dents didn't affect performance, so I kept it.

#3. I installed it, along with the Top Speed Y pipe. Technically, everything fit pretty good. However the bottom of the system was resting on the brace, which made a terrible rattling sound. I had to wedge a piece of rubber under it to get it to stop.

#4. The tips were not completely straight in the bumper cut outs. One of them was slightly off center, and the tips poked out of the bumper a little too much.

#5. After about 5-6k miles of driving and wear, one of the tips started to rust. This was supposed to be a stainless system. Why is the edge of the tip rusting?

Anyway, the sound and power of the system made it worth it. At around $500, it's certainly not bad choice. But if you believe in having quality parts, I would go with the Fast Intentions. I know that I would buy one (if I could bring myself to pay for it.)

I now have the Stillen cat back which I'm pretty happy with. Combined with the berk HFC it's a little raspy and quiet, but the performance seems to be slightly better than the TS with stock cats.