Exhaust Advice

b15

Most of the Zs in Chicago are running the FI Catback and they sound/look very nice. You'll probably be happy with the 18" resonator with stock cats.

I personally run the Ark Grip CBE w/stock cats and love it. I think it sounds deeper than the FI and it has less interior drone (barely any actually).

Kzonts

Any chance you have a video of the Ark Grip on your car? :-)

BlackZMamba

Ah, yes I have also heard of ARK thanks for bringing that brand up to my attention. Well, I haven't been to any meets in the city but would like to. Any more info on such meets?

Thanks for your input btw. Very helpful.

__________________

BlackZMamba

Last question - any difference between 12" and 18" resonator? Sorry I'm not an expert on exhaust systems yet. Just want to learn what I should expect if I go with one size or the other.

__________________

birdman71

I agree I have the same with OEM cats still and I've noticed substantial gains in whp and in overall sound.

There is a car in my car port/parking lot in my apartment complex that has a sensitive horn when it comes to anything. This car now parks on the other side of the parking lot because in the morning when I cold start, if it was within 5 or 6 cars of me the alarm would go off lol. Owner got pissed at me once lol. I revved my engine again setting her alarm off again lol

As for the resonators, it helps to attempt break up the sound of each combustion into more of hum sound and mellows it a bit as it passes through the CBE. Also gives a deeper sound with that conversion of combustion.

__________________

Birdman's Build:
Powerhouse Amuse/ Nismo/ Eibach/ ACT/ Tommy Kaira/ Avant Garde/ Fast Intentions/ Project Kics/ Fly 1 Motorsports/ EVO-R/ Z1 Motorsports/ Weber Sports/ Zoom/ Zele Japan

Breadz

I have fi with no resonators and love it. Can be loud sometimes though id suggest the 18 inch resonators for you

b15

Volume and drone. The latter will have less.

The Chicago Z crowd is pretty dead. I just attend Sunday cars and coffee. Great guys abd great mix of cars. Nothing is really happening now until spring though. Everyone has their car in storage. I'll be putting mine away shortly as well.

Trips

Op,

This can give you an idea of the varoius exhausts setups.

I strongly suggest hitting up a local meet so you can get first hand experience with how they look and sound.

Videos sometimes doesn't do them justice.

370Z Exhaust Sound Clip data base

__________________

Array

Not dead just hiding in Aurora

OP, for the money, performance and sound you cant beat FI. Throw on some nice HFC (assuming you dont want to swap test pipes all the time) and the sound will be amazing.

I've heard it on a nismo once around here, managed to chat with him at a Chili's and he had a FI 18 res, Berk HFC and G3's. I nearly melted.. Never thought I would hear it before I had it

__________________
2012 370z 7AT- ES2 with PSS, K&N Drop-ins, LED's all around, Berk HFC, FI CBE non-res, KW V1's
2003 A4 5MT- The Beater

~37oZ~

Honestly, The Tanabe Medallion exhaust is amazing. It's like the stock exhaust tone from a 350Z/G35 but louder and more aggressive. Zero drone or rasp. Very high quality as the rest of the products.

osbornsm

I refute that comment.

I have Blizzaks on and ready to rumble !!!

__________________

kenchan

no it's not. get your ears cleared or stop drinking or something...

kenchan

thought u lived in texas.. lol the one guy with snows in texas.

~37oZ~

What don't you like about it? It has the stock VQ hum just louder with no drone??

kenchan

I like the medalion's tone that is not the issue. (i run it on my dd even).

but even on the Z, it DOES NOT sound like the factory G35C's exhaust note. I know cause i still have my 04' G and ive heard sounds clips of the tanabe on a Z.