gfoo
05-16-2006, 09:38 PM
Just installed my spanking new Autoexe Stainless Muffler, and here's a short take of my initial impressions:
Looks:
The Autoexe catback is lovely - very unique 2 box design and the tips are the tapered kind (ie cut at an angle) each lasercut with the Autoexe logo. Very nicely polished midpipe which connects beautifully (and easily) with the exhaust outlet. Most importantly, the exhaust tips have a perfect visual alignment, unlike other exhausts i've seen where one tip protrudes out more than the other. The Autoexe definitely doesn't have this problem. Also, the 2 box design has a lower profile than stock. Previously, i used to scrape and even dent the exhaust box when clearing humps or even parking - not so with the Autoexe.
HP/torque increase:
Now I'm not really one of those 'wake up the neighbours' type of guys that go for loud exhausts, and would rather have a muffler that improves my ride's performance. Now this is about the 3rd AT car i've owned in the past 3 years ( a Honda Civic, and then a Mazda 3) and i've tried about everything from 'kui-tao' the muffler at Manz, getting Sebring catbacks, changing resonators, pipe sizes etc etc. In fact, for the 8, this is the first time i'm getting a jdm brand.
From my experience, and also that of my previous club buddies, ATs are really hard to 'tune' exhaust-wise. You'll either get no benefits other than sound, or even lose HP/torque. This is as a certain backpressure is needed to generate torque. In my Mazda 3, i once had a straight through setup with an increased pipe size, and it totally killed my low end torque.
The Autoexe performs really well, at least on my AT. There is a noticable increase in low end torque, and the car just feels substantially lighter. Revs are much more responsive, and the slight lag felt when launching the car seems to have melted away. Linear acceleration is also much faster (at least across 1st 3 gears), and i'm reaching 120-130kmh much faster on 2nd gear alone (NB mine is the 4spd AT). I'm very pleased with the low-torque gains on the Autoexe - finally i have that slight 'lurch' from start which the manuals seem to have, but the ATs don't.
Sound:
As mentioned earlier, if you want those really loud exhausts, look elsewhere. The Autoexe starts off idle with a really low, bassy growl. When first installed, it was barely audible, but sounds louder now. In time, the db will increase to an extent. On higher RPM revs, exhaust sounds deep and wet, and def not those shrilly Remus' we hear on the expressways from time to time. Think of a younger Pavarotti, low but not overtly bassy, and definitely not as high pitched as Jose Carreras.
Installation:
Installation was a breeze, and took under an hour at Monster Garage at Ubi, who's the only authorized dealer in Singapore, so these guys know their stuff. Now what i really like about the installation is the care and time they take to make sure stuff goes up properly, it's almost like they're installing on their own cars. Now if you've ever experienced the crap service at FK and other exhaust places, you know what i mean.
Overall impressions:
The torque/hp improvement was a shocker esp on low end, esp when mine's an AT. I've heard of bros installing Fujitsubos and HKSs that have either no or negative benefit. In this respect, I'm mighty pleased with the Autoexe. Sound is not loud, but a soft low bassy growl when idle, which develops into a mature wet sound at higher revs. The only other exhaust I know which works great with ATs is the RE Amemiya steel muffler, which is also available only at Monster Garage. The RE from what I heard has a very unique kind of sound.
I'll post a further review on the sound once it breaks in further, what happens at higher speeds and hopefully, dyno results.
Rating
Low-end torque: 4.5
HP gain: n/a
Sound: 2
Looks: 4
Installation: 4
OVERALL RATING: 3.5
Available in Singapore with JASMA Cert from Monster Garage
http://www.boomplustoys.net/images/autoexe/Autoexe_Muffler_for_RX8.jpg
Looks:
The Autoexe catback is lovely - very unique 2 box design and the tips are the tapered kind (ie cut at an angle) each lasercut with the Autoexe logo. Very nicely polished midpipe which connects beautifully (and easily) with the exhaust outlet. Most importantly, the exhaust tips have a perfect visual alignment, unlike other exhausts i've seen where one tip protrudes out more than the other. The Autoexe definitely doesn't have this problem. Also, the 2 box design has a lower profile than stock. Previously, i used to scrape and even dent the exhaust box when clearing humps or even parking - not so with the Autoexe.
HP/torque increase:
Now I'm not really one of those 'wake up the neighbours' type of guys that go for loud exhausts, and would rather have a muffler that improves my ride's performance. Now this is about the 3rd AT car i've owned in the past 3 years ( a Honda Civic, and then a Mazda 3) and i've tried about everything from 'kui-tao' the muffler at Manz, getting Sebring catbacks, changing resonators, pipe sizes etc etc. In fact, for the 8, this is the first time i'm getting a jdm brand.
From my experience, and also that of my previous club buddies, ATs are really hard to 'tune' exhaust-wise. You'll either get no benefits other than sound, or even lose HP/torque. This is as a certain backpressure is needed to generate torque. In my Mazda 3, i once had a straight through setup with an increased pipe size, and it totally killed my low end torque.
The Autoexe performs really well, at least on my AT. There is a noticable increase in low end torque, and the car just feels substantially lighter. Revs are much more responsive, and the slight lag felt when launching the car seems to have melted away. Linear acceleration is also much faster (at least across 1st 3 gears), and i'm reaching 120-130kmh much faster on 2nd gear alone (NB mine is the 4spd AT). I'm very pleased with the low-torque gains on the Autoexe - finally i have that slight 'lurch' from start which the manuals seem to have, but the ATs don't.
Sound:
As mentioned earlier, if you want those really loud exhausts, look elsewhere. The Autoexe starts off idle with a really low, bassy growl. When first installed, it was barely audible, but sounds louder now. In time, the db will increase to an extent. On higher RPM revs, exhaust sounds deep and wet, and def not those shrilly Remus' we hear on the expressways from time to time. Think of a younger Pavarotti, low but not overtly bassy, and definitely not as high pitched as Jose Carreras.
Installation:
Installation was a breeze, and took under an hour at Monster Garage at Ubi, who's the only authorized dealer in Singapore, so these guys know their stuff. Now what i really like about the installation is the care and time they take to make sure stuff goes up properly, it's almost like they're installing on their own cars. Now if you've ever experienced the crap service at FK and other exhaust places, you know what i mean.
Overall impressions:
The torque/hp improvement was a shocker esp on low end, esp when mine's an AT. I've heard of bros installing Fujitsubos and HKSs that have either no or negative benefit. In this respect, I'm mighty pleased with the Autoexe. Sound is not loud, but a soft low bassy growl when idle, which develops into a mature wet sound at higher revs. The only other exhaust I know which works great with ATs is the RE Amemiya steel muffler, which is also available only at Monster Garage. The RE from what I heard has a very unique kind of sound.
I'll post a further review on the sound once it breaks in further, what happens at higher speeds and hopefully, dyno results.
Rating
Low-end torque: 4.5
HP gain: n/a
Sound: 2
Looks: 4
Installation: 4
OVERALL RATING: 3.5
Available in Singapore with JASMA Cert from Monster Garage
http://www.boomplustoys.net/images/autoexe/Autoexe_Muffler_for_RX8.jpg