Cat back System vs. St. Pipe ?
 

I am considering removing the stock cat back and simply replacing it with a straight pipe back to the rear. Midas Muffler will do it for 125.00, or I could get a Racing Beat cat-back on a group buy for about 450.00. The straight pipe sounds fine, is much cheaper, and weighs nearly nothing. If it eventually rusts out, I'll get another one.
what do you guys think?

Umm.. I don't think a straight pipe will sound fine. Maybe with both stock cats it would be 'tolerable' to some to use the term loosely.. but I am assuming you want to do a DP and hi-flow/MP later on? That would be unbelievably loud with just a straight pipe, louder than you can imagine. Spend the $$$ for a nice exhaust system, it is worth it.

Might be pretty loud depending on the rest of your exhaust system. You have not told us what that is.

What do you want to do, have a nasal sounding car that can break glass from five blocks away every time you accelerate ast 2K RPM's? Spend the money on a decent exaust system, you will be happier and your hearing will love you later in life. lol

well whatever you decide... i have a straight pipe i'll sell you for 50 bucks shipped. wasn't on my car that long, i just got a different midpipe... lemme know cause otherwise i am just gonna chuck it!

your decision lies on where you want your power not the sound that the back of your car makes. for highend power use the high-flow system and for balls to the wall off the line get the straight pipe.

I have a downpipe installed, I got the idea from a friend who had done it to his car. I can't remember if he had the pre-cat or not. I know I don't recall it sounding loud though. Maybe it has been to long since I heard it.

I made my own straight pipe from pre-madrel bent sections from JC Whitney. Much better than pinch bent pieces from any muffler shop. I made mine for $90.

I still have both cats, so mine isn't too loud. At idle, you can't hear it from 50ft away. I have heard from others though that with a downpipe, you will want some kind of muffler.

Be careful though and watch your boost. With an open intake and my new straight pipe, I was getting boost spikes up to 15psi. So, my cheap exhaust cost me a Greddy boost controller!

thanks, my buddy must have had his pre-cat intact

thanks, my buddy must have had his pre-cat intact

Removing the pre cat should be one of the first things you do after buying the car. In my opinion, *no* FD should have that thermal reactor bolted up to the car.

I had a downpipe installed at ~30k miles, and my precat was already failing. I tapped it on the ground and chunks of platinum fell out. There is a reason that in Japan the FDs don't come with them.....

Re: Cat back System vs. St. Pipe ?
 

I can sell you a full stainless steel catback if you want. Let me know.

http://members.aol.com/zerobanger/cb1.jpg
http://members.aol.com/zerobanger/cb2.jpg

$125 + shipping.