I just bought an '04 GT and I've got my exhaust choices narrowed down to the mazdaspeed or borla based on sound and brand confidence. I just need to know about that damned popping that was in the videos for both of 'em. The guy that posted the borla video said that it stopped after about 100 miles but I've never really heard of a "break-in period" for an exhaust. Is this true? Also, high-flow cat and/or headers necessary this early in tuning? Aside from a mazdaspeed intake its bone stock.

 

Want more power get a 3" Exhaust!

 

Stock exhaust is my favorite. Get a high-flow cat-pipe and exhaust header and keep the stock catback.

 

stock exhaust can handle all that? it would be quite a bit cheaper than getting a full kit but I suppose aside from flow I'm still looking to drop a little weight

 

No exhaust will give you tangible benefits. Get a high flow cat or a straight pipe if your laws admit that.
All in all you have to read a lot in here for the headers won't give good gains too.
I have the mazdaspeed exhaust btw

 

C: Grow a set of ********* and make your own decision. I didn't see an option for that on the voting tab so I'm adding it here.

Since this isn't a "what sounds better thread" since there are 10000 of those already. And there's only a few thousand people who have posted about their impressions of both exhausts... this thread seems to be about your inability to make a decision. So grow a pair and pick one.

 

+1

Should I wear jeans or dress slacks tomorrow?

 

I'm purchasing a borla soon, I have a friend that has it and it sounds amazing. With a 1,000,000 mile warranty and the Borla brand, you can't go wrong.

 

Definitally go with the Borla!

 

2.5" exhaust, see sig....

 

Borla FTW!

 

Well clearly I can't make the decision otherwise I would've just gone out and bought one. I was just torn between the Borla brand name and the Mazda-specific part. I've just always been a fan of one make tuner companies (Nismo, Spoon, Dinan...) because it seems like they could focus more resources it to each model since they have fewer to develop for. Either way, I just wanted to see if anyone had any extreme opinions concerning either one.

 

The "damned popping" is a small backfire that occurs when unburned fuel gets into the exhaust and ignites. All of the exhausts have a backfire with the rx8 by design, you just hear it more in a louder exhaust than stock.