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I saw the sticky, but most of the links on that thread were dead, an I kinda need some suggestions from people who actually own the exhaust or heard it.
I currently have a catback borla exhaust on my rx8, yeah its cool, but its not really that loud or 'cool' sounding if you will.
I want an exhaust that sounds nice and throaty, deep sounding, and well... loud basically.
I can't go catless or anything because inspection where I live is strict and all that.
So, what exhaust should I get, and can you link me to it?
I have an Agency Power catless midpipe and catback. It is loud on the throttle, too loud for most people. Surprisingly tame when not on the throttle, I think its perfect. Backfires all the time. Its has a deep-ish tone at idle, but in general I would put it in the middle of the road between throaty and raspy. Very, very loud and raspy when the secondaries open around 3800 rpm. $850 for both parts.
I have heard just about all of them and the Borla is the best exhaust out there IMO, just get a BHR midpipe. I have two buddies with the Racing beat Revo and one has the Racing beat dual res midpipe and the other has the BHR midpipe and both sound great. The quality is great on Racing Beat exhausts as well.
The AP is crap sounding and the tips look like **** after a month and that will be typical of all the cheaper exhausts with thin single walled tips, you want dual walled or reverse cooled tips on a rotary.
That said, I have had the HKS Hi-power with two midpipes (BHR and SR motorsports) and it was loud as hell but I liked it, many did not. I have had the Turbo XS for quite a few years now with the BHR midpipe and it sounds great IMO, but I am turbocharged so it will sound different than an NA RX-8. The TurboXS is by far the best band for the buck, it is a true 3" cat back (not all advertised 3" catbacks are), and it has held up fine. But the TurboXS catback combined with the non resonated catless TurboXS midpipe, it is way too loud.
Exoticspeed R1-T, nice construction, but raspy, even with the BHR pipe, I don't like it.
Tanabe Super Medallion, great quality, sounds great, but is rare.
HKS Legamax, great quality, sounds great.
Greddy Spectrum Elite, great quality, sounds great.
Re Amemiya Dolphin, weird styling but great quality an sounds great, unique sound.
I have heard many others but I am lazy, keep your Borla.
This Turbo XS was bought new in 2009, this pic is from 2011 but it still shines up like this now.
TurboXS
Turbo XS
The tip on the HKS was tough to keep looking like that but this was it after a couple of years use.
HKS Hi-power
And be careful with listening to video clips, they are very misleading.
Here in Ohio all exhaust tips look like butt. I made a booboo on mine and cleaned melted shroud off with #0000 steel wool. That just worsened the problem.
If I could I would run no exhaust, since the ap isn't getting much love I'll second the hks. That would be my next choice.
Because steel wool is made from carbon steel. You never want carbon steel to come into contact with stainless steel. It will transfer carbon onto stainless steel and will make it start to rust .... add a salty winter road and it's more than a booboo ...
I used to have the Borla, sold it and went with the HKS Hi-Power... I have it paired with my BHR mid-pipe and it's extremely loud. It sounds great and much more aggressive than the Borla, I don't regret making the switch... Only problem is it catches a lot of attention and can turn your car into a cop magnet depending where you live, Lol.
For anyone curious about noise level, this is our RX8 at auto x with an HKS super Hybrid drop in filter70017-AZ004, stock CAT and the HKS hi-power (31006-BZ001) cat back. Have a close up followed by 300ft-400ft away at full throttle and then about 50ft-100ft away at full throttle.
