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Cat-back: Scam or best deal ever?

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Old 06-26-11, 02:49 PM
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Cat-back: Scam or best deal ever?

My mufflers right now are full of holes so I've been browsing the selection of cat-back exhausts for FCs. I figure I might as well upgrade to something better than stock and I ended up finding this:

http://www.andysautosport.com/mazda/...l00075374.html

I thought "wow, $521.99 is a pretty damn good deal, I wonder what Borla themselves has it for..."

http://www.borla.com/products/produc...prod_sku=14192

Wait what?!? I can get it from Andy's (whoever they are) for practically half off?!?!?!? Sound too good to be true...

Is this legit???

Note the product numbers are the same: 14192

Last edited by zecc81; 06-26-11 at 02:54 PM.
Old 06-26-11, 03:04 PM
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I assume that the Borla link is MSRP, and that the various vendors sell it for less. A top-quality Racing Beat or Apexi Dual N1 catback is usually a little over $600, so the $522 price for the Borla sounds about right.
Old 06-26-11, 03:21 PM
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I know MSRP is typically more, it just seems Borla is screwing themselves over by charging double the actual price on their website. I suppose if they sell them to vendors they make the money anyway, but still, the price difference is staggering.

Is the Borla a decent exhaust or should I spring for the Racing Beat? I'm not really looking for any significant HP gains, just a nice replacement for my rusty stock exhaust with a more aggressive sound.
Old 06-26-11, 05:44 PM
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Honestly, dont settle for anything less for RacingBeat. I went for the Corksport 'PowerSeries' catback, and it's just too big to support any power gains. If you're running NA, go with the RacingBeat true duals, sound great, look great, produces good power, and you know you will have a quality exhaust that's not too annoying to the neighbors.
Old 06-26-11, 07:50 PM
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He's looking for a stockish exhaust, not true duals ^_-

The normal Racing Beat catback is exactly what you want. Nice power gain, very quiet [but good sounding].

The Borla's pretty nice, but not quite as nice as the RB.
Old 06-26-11, 07:54 PM
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i have the same catback.,.,
Old 06-26-11, 09:24 PM
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no catback produces any notacible power for an na ...just looks good
Old 06-26-11, 09:31 PM
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Borla is the stock replacement for the Exhaust anyways,,so it is not an Upgrade.
Old 06-26-11, 10:15 PM
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had a borla catback on my n/a sounded great, not too loud whatsoever
Old 06-26-11, 11:17 PM
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Originally Posted by misterstyx69
Borla is the stock replacement for the Exhaust anyways,,so it is not an Upgrade.
Wait really? Can anyone second this?
Old 06-27-11, 06:15 AM
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Originally Posted by dennis blackstone
no catback produces any notacible power for an na ...just looks good
Well... Maybe. But I don't believe that.

I had a Racing Beat header and presilencer with a stock catback and I felt a very noticeable power gain when I swapped to a Racing Beat catback. Very clear that the stock catback was holding the engine back.
Old 06-27-11, 07:11 AM
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i had the catback when i puchased the car so i dont know how quiet the stock is. but the borla is quiet. honestly it doesnt sound like a catback [soundwise]
Old 06-27-11, 07:30 AM
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Originally Posted by Derekcat
Well... Maybe. But I don't believe that.

I had a Racing Beat header and presilencer with a stock catback and I felt a very noticeable power gain when I swapped to a Racing Beat catback. Very clear that the stock catback was holding the engine back.
I suspect SoP feeling only, unless you dyno it.
Old 06-27-11, 08:20 AM
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Yea, seat of the pants feel.

Also something interesting: I don't think I noticed much of a difference between the stock manifold/cat vs header/presilencer [on stock catback]

I have a friend who has stock manifold/RB precat eliminator/presilencer/Borla catback - comparing that to mine.. It's louder and doesn't sound quite as nice. [it does flow well - we got a couple little fireballs out of it once XD]
Old 06-27-11, 12:25 PM
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man, a few months ago you could have picked up my knightsports catback i was selling for 400......now that im back in the rotay game, im keeping it!
and i think the borla is the replacement to oem, its a damned nice exhaust. i love borla, all of their products are grade A!
specially on a lambo merc...........

Lloyd
Old 06-27-11, 12:42 PM
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Borla not an upgrade over stock?

RB better than Borla?

alot of biased people in this section..
Old 06-27-11, 08:16 PM
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Originally Posted by Karack
Borla not an upgrade over stock?

RB better than Borla?

alot of biased people in this section..
To be clear on my opinions, I believe:

Borla is an upgrade over stock

RB is better sounding than Borla [unsure about performance wise, but I tend to think they're pretty close]

^_^ Better?
Old 06-27-11, 08:27 PM
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borla rules, racing beat is played
Old 06-27-11, 09:15 PM
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Personally I say to each their own. I'd like to stick to stockish. Saw a fc run autox with a RB exhaust. I like the look, then i'd like to see something more like the tanabe Medalion or, the Apexi ws on a fc. IMO. I'm gonna run a stock class in Auto X so I have very few options in terms of mads. The Borla, and the Rb look good.
Old 06-27-11, 10:08 PM
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Originally Posted by dennis blackstone
no catback produces any notacible power for an na ...just looks good
Can I get your source?

My n/a would beg to differ....
Old 06-28-11, 03:15 PM
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Go ahead and shoot for the apexi gt spec. Sounds really nice.
Old 06-28-11, 04:04 PM
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Originally Posted by jar2
Go ahead and shoot for the apexi gt spec. Sounds really nice.
Lmao, on a turbo it might, or on an n/a @ idle. The piping is way too big to sound like anything other than *** on an n/a. Not to mention it won't help performance either, for the same reason.

For an n/a both racing beat and borla are great. Apexi N1 duals are too large and most singles sound like raspy crap (n/a) unless properly resonated.
Old 06-28-11, 05:49 PM
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I dont understand why people just dont go and have a custom exhaust fabbed. I paid 150$ for mine installed and its 2.5'' stainless steel all the way back and sounds SEXY.
Old 06-28-11, 06:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Vdub2002
I dont understand why people just dont go and have a custom exhaust fabbed. I paid 150$ for mine installed and its 2.5'' stainless steel all the way back and sounds SEXY.
Just curious to how long your custom exhaust will last?

These guys are looking for something tried and true. Nothing wrong with either route as long as the owner is happy with it.
Old 06-28-11, 08:54 PM
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when i had a na i dynoed my na then put the borla system on lost7 hp in my midrange

but it looks good


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