01Civy

Why is there cat back systems that are bought and shipped for around $180 by some off brand no one has ever heard of and then there are the Magna Flow or Greddy systems that are like $800. What is the difference?
I want get a cat back system (well actually i want to start at the head, but for now) but i want a nice low exhaust tone. Not that high pitch rice sound.
Has anyone bought those cheap Ebay systems and if so, let me know what you think. Any input is much appreciated.
Thanks

lowlife9

i think you already know the answer to that.all around quality material,fitment, reliability , sound, you get what you pay for.ive found a company on ebay that sell exhaust systems that fall in between the cheap ebay stuff and more top end stuff try tsudo.

lightningslp77

The difference? Reliability.

With Greddy, Apexi, Tanabe, HKS, etc...yeah you're going to burn a clean hole through your pocket but at the same time you know you're getting good welds, reliable performance, good sound, and most of all GREAT FITMENT.

Alot of the products manufactured by the companies above also include warranties with their items should they fail you.

Now with Ebay...You're going to get 50/50...it's like tossing a coin in the air. In the auto industry the most common phrase you're going to hear is "you get what you pay for" or "do it right the first time"...but I say 50/50 because there's still a chance you might get a decent product.

I have firsthand experience with the "ebay" brands and honestly my friend and I both bought "Apexi N1 catback exhaust knockoffs" for my civic and his integra and well both the pipes matched up PERFECTLY and gave our cars a nice deep tone with an aggressive idle.

With exhausts the hardest thing is getting the fitment right, not every pipe or weld is going to come perfect.

Another example were two guys that I met at our local tuner shop a couple hours away and they were both talking about "OBX" parts. Both had bought The "OBX turbo manifolds"...

The results? One of them has been running great for 6 months now. The other? It developed a crack in one of the welds, he lost power and before you know it he was pulled over on the side of the highway picking up the pieces to his scattered turbo.

So yes, I have experienced good results with Ebay....but at the same time...MANY haven't. If you plan on going that route or shortcut...it's without a doubt a 50/50 chance your taking.

The performance will obviously not be the same nor the craftsmanship, but the concept of the product is usually all there.

Tomj333_EM2

Well, i have a genuine apexi n1.... and also have had the chance to try a Greddy system.

But my buddy, who has a EG4 has a cheap ebay system... and tbh it sounds just as good as my current apexi, sounds very Type R like.

The only differences, are really probably build quality, you can see mine is of a higher standard but not by that much if im honest.


hope that helped

baron340

iTrader: (4)

You just answered your own question...

lightningslp77

How did he answer his own question?

Just because it's an ebay kit does not neccessarily mean it's going to have the "rice" sound.

The Ebay kits are built to the same Specs as other Aftermarket name brands (piping, diameter, etc)...they're just not made with the same QUALITY...(ie cracks, unequal bends in the piping, early rust buildup).

The exhaust you'll pick up will most likely sound good. It's the people that open up our civics on the exhaust end with no backpressure that sound absolutely mind numbing and retarded....ie Headers + stock downpipe + huge fartcan = rice at high rpm or pre-shift.

If it's sound you want...change the muffler. Leave the exhaust manifold and downpipe and resonator the way they are and you'll have good sound without alot of rice. Don't believe me? Check out the youtube videos for some sound clips.

My car had the same results at one time when I was a wee little boy. It sounded great for a dual muffler application but the minute I swapped the manifold and downpipe it sounded like I had 3 kids in my backseat with the windows down screaming as I cruised through the city trying to stay un-noticed.

flashburn

Ok, I've just ordered my self an Ebay manifold. This is what I recomend. If you have a welder, or know a welder, take the pipes to him, pay another 50 bucks and have him reweld everything with stainless, or do it yourself. I know everyone is like, mah 50 bucks come on, just get the real thing. Fact of the the matter is stainless pipe is stainless pipe, its the welds on the ebay kits that aren't stainless. Which seperates, IMO, them from real apexi kits etc.

So I got an ebay kit for my audi. On ebay, 180 bucks shipped. From apexi - 860 shipped. I took it to a welder, gave him 75 bucks, he ground the welds and rewelded it with stainless, and it looks great today still. I know its more hassle, but pipe is pipe, there is no reason to spend 800 bucks on piping! Period.

My .02

01Civy

Thanks for the info gents. I am a pretty good welder and im not really concerned with trust build up. In fact i was thinking about taking a braided wire wheel to the muffler and the tip and then dousing it with lemon juice. That will rust it overnight and give it an even coat of rust at the same time. im sure there are no other muffler/tips around like that.

lowlife9

are you jokeing

lightningslp77

Well as long as you don't forget to coat the reverse muffler bearings with the lemon juice as well.

lowlife9

just dont get to big of a diameter tubeing if you plan on lowering your car you will run into bad clearance problems with ebay exhaust .

01Civy

I might do it. I like to have a unique ride. But that might be a little to far. I think if i does rust i might paint it black. On the other hand i might just do it right and get a real muffler and tip.

lightningslp77

pffft i say get the BIGGEST piping available...i like for my civic to have no backpressure to where my friends have to push my car from stopsigns so i can build up enough power to get moving let alone have my car stall in the winter even though its automatic.

plus...everyone looks at you when you hit speedbumps or dips in the road because sparks fly out from the rear like a fireworks show...you'd have to see it

01Civy

The sparks sound entertaining. But why not strap some magnesium blocks to the low points on the car. You say you have an automatic? Are there high stall torque converters for these auto trannys? i was thinking that would make it a lot quicker. it did so in my 72' roadrunner. dam quicker

lightningslp77

magnesium blocks? that does sound genius now that i think about it...i'd at least put an even layer around the bottom of my gas tank.

i haven't heard of any for our models but you'd be surprised what you can find on google lol.

baron340

iTrader: (4)

I really hope you are kidding.. but looking at some of your past posts and your sig (I'm assuming its your car).. i am not so sure.

lightningslp77

yes baron lets put one of the most explosive elements out of the periodic table under my 12 gallon fuel tank and wait for sparks.

and then me and civy are going to coat our SU-304 stainless steel exhausts with lemon juice for that "deathrace" look so we can rust our daily drivers from the inside out.

*slaps forehead*

baron340

iTrader: (4)

Hey man.. like I said, reading some of your posts one can never tell, and I've seen some ricers do some pretty sketchy stuff to be 'unique'

lowlife9

just ad a flame thrower and you'll be all sethay lightningslp77 was your car ever featured in a magazine it looks familiar ???????

01Civy

While were at it we should pull some Dukes of hazzerd **** too and jump our cars through some rings of fire or something.
What? Im down.

lightningslp77

hahahaha...the flamethrower idea plus jumping cars = great success.

i'm all about being unique...and to make a rally civic would be pretty cool lol.

nah lowlife my car has gotten alot of attention, it's been showcar material but never made the pages. you never know, that may change

01Civy

I treated my civic like a rally car for a camping trip once. Back when it was stock except for a short ram intake. I did thins awesome E-brake drift through an S turn. it was a on a dirt road with a little bit of a bank to the corners and it had been raining. i'll never forget that. It was probably 150-180 feet of sideways travel time through both corners. Awesome. My one passenger was like "OH **** DUDE, OH ****. GET IT BRO. GET IT. OK.....OK DUDE ..... dude how are we still sideways.....is this going to end?"
heres a pic of it shortly after that

lightningslp77

hellz yeah 01civy...thats the way to do it!!!!

since our cars are front wheel drive we're limited to strictly E-braking for drifts but i've gotta admit i have been able to pull some off myself on sharp turns. and as far as rallying and going buck wild in the boondocks it's no Subaru but it sure as hell is fun!!!

...well until your underneath the car getting a new alignment and replacing your control arms...lol but yeah alot of people baby their cars...shift early, and really miss out on the fun stuff our civics are capable of handling. glad to see there are a few people left out there that still know how to tear it up lol.

01Civy

So i got my $80 ebay axle back exhaust today and bolted it up.
You get what you pay for.
It hangs to high and the silencer dosnt come out. Those are really the only problems with it right now. I think i can get longer rubber exhaust hangers so it isnt pushed up against my bumper. Right now i have bailing wire holding it in place (get er done). Also the stock exhaust bolts are too long. With them tightened as far as they'll go the spring is still loose.
My car is really quiet now. Before i had that high performance Red Neck Exhaust. You know the kind they do with out the rear muffler and a 90 degree turn down pipe under the car. It was mildly loud at high RPM. Well i guess i'll have to get the plasma cutter and cut the silencer out.