[Hitokiri]

The \"Cat\" is \"Back\"

I know many many people probably asked this question before but I hope you Foci owners can endure it one more time just for me...WHAT CATBACK DO YOU SUGGEST IN BUYING?

I'm not planning to drive my car in straight lines all it's life (actually it's my daily driver) so horse power isn't the number one thing. I just wanted something that would give me horsepower but at the same time be dependable and quiet. So far I heard that FocusSport, Magnaflow, and Bosal all make great catbacks for the ZX3 and I narrowed it down to these three. Without an biases (if possible) which one would you say be the best bang for the buck?? Thanks!

 

[EggYolk]

Re: The \"Cat\" is \"Back\"

Well with what you said about noise and daily-driving:
Focus Sport stealth or Magnaflow with a good resonator. If noise is any issue with you, then don't go Bosal.

 

[FocusOnPunk]

Re: The \"Cat\" is \"Back\"

not to mention the bosal styling is about as polarizing as can be. personally, i hate cans, so it was off my list immediately.

 

[x415fsx]

Re: The \"Cat\" is \"Back\"

take a look into borla,,,,from what i heard they have a real good sound to them that isnt as loud as alot of the others

 

[Hitokiri]

Re: The \"Cat\" is \"Back\"

I heard of Borla too when I first started looking for a Catback but I took it off the list because I heard that it was too loud...

And yes I don't want my exhaust sounding like a coffee can with a blender inside to I guess the Bosal is off my list (Bosal wasn't my front runner anyways)...I also heard that the FocusSport cat w/silencer was a very good buy and wasn't loud at all...I heard the Magnaflow could be loud also but do they make a resonator for it??

Thanks for all they help!

 

[Bmorezx3]

Re: The \"Cat\" is \"Back\"

obviously you haven't done too much research.

Bosal = Quiet and smooth.

as for my recommendation: THERMAL!!! very smooth (even with my high flow cat) and not the least bit obnoxious. it's got some balls to it, but definitely one of the quieter systems out there. FS Silent being the only one i have heard of being any quieter.

in terms of volume

FS Silent<Thermal<Bosal<Magnaflow<Borla<MBRP

Nate

 

[x415fsx]

Re: The \"Cat\" is \"Back\"

ya,,,the quietest iv heard is the focussport stealth system

 

[MikeyJA]

Re: The \"Cat\" is \"Back\"

my magnaflow is extremely quite! actually TOO quiet for my liking. i am very happy with it but under normal driving conditions it can hardly be heard and even when you get on it you cant hear it from even a quarter mile away. especially for the price and quality of it, i would have to say that i am very very pleased over all.

 

[02InfraZX]

Re: The \"Cat\" is \"Back\"

I really liked the Apexi but it was rediculesly priced, I don't like the "PAINT CAN" tip so I did'nt want something like HKS, after much debating (like all the stuff I buy for my cars) I chose the Magnaflow it has a little wrasp to it if you get on it (I also have a Volant intake) but when you get up to speed and set the cruz or keep it at a decent RPM it is not loud at all IMO. I've heard if you put a race header or shortie header with a hi flow cat the thing is LOUD but with the cat back only I like it. Hope this helps.

 

[Andy Smith]

Re: The \"Cat\" is \"Back\"

I heard of Borla too when I first started looking for a Catback but I took it off the list because I heard that it was too loud...

And yes I don't want my exhaust sounding like a coffee can with a blender inside to I guess the Bosal is off my list (Bosal wasn't my front runner anyways)...I also heard that the FocusSport cat w/silencer was a very good buy and wasn't loud at all...I heard the Magnaflow could be loud also but do they make a resonator for it??

Thanks for all they help!

I thought the borla and focus sport "sport" exhuast were pretty similar sounding. I'd go with the magnaflow for bang for the buck. If you're really paranoid about noise you'll have to pay up for the apex'i or HKS ones that are out of the factory quiet and durable.

 

[Andy Smith]

Re: The \"Cat\" is \"Back\"

I really liked the Apexi but it was rediculesly priced, I don't like the "PAINT CAN" tip so I did'nt want something like HKS, after much debating (like all the stuff I buy for my cars) I chose the Magnaflow it has a little wrasp to it if you get on it (I also have a Volant intake) but when you get up to speed and set the cruz or keep it at a decent RPM it is not loud at all IMO. I've heard if you put a race header or shortie header with a hi flow cat the thing is LOUD but with the cat back only I like it. Hope this helps.

That pretty much sums up what I say as well.

 

[MichaelXi]

Re: The \"Cat\" is \"Back\"

If noise is any issue with you, then don't go Bosal.

WRONG!!!
Only w/ a Race-Header Or ORP will you get any "Noise" from a Bosal.
BTW, Bosal ALSO has a "Silencer", just like FocusSport.
I have NO Idea where you got that notion...

take a look into borla,,,,from what i heard they have a real good sound to them that isnt as loud as alot of the others.

I don't know WHO you've been talking/listening to, but Borla is one of the VERY LOUDEST Systems on the market.

And yes I don't want my exhaust sounding like a coffee can with a blender inside to I guess the Bosal is off my list

It DOESN'T SOUND like a Coffee-Blender. The reference was to its VISUAL Styling.
The Sound is WARM, Full, Smooth, and REALLY Nice w/o being Obtrusive.
The looks are up to you and your taste.
I'm not a "Canister" fan, but I LOVE my Bosal, and the look is well done, w/ exchangable tips, easily added silencer, and a GREAT finish.

I'm trying to be unbiased, but I can't let misinformation go w/o response.

 

[bugshack]

Re: The \"Cat\" is \"Back\"

Ive run the Borla and Flowmater cat-backs and they were both loud inside the car. The Borla was the loudest. I also ran the Pacesetter and it was the quietest but it is pure junk, dont waste your money on one. I was looking for a quiet system too so I went with a Magnaflow and added a Magnaflow resonator to the front section. Its a sweet sounding system. When you step on it you know its there. When driving around ez it has a quiet purr. The system and resonator cost around $275 from 21st 1-800-276-6399

 

[Andy Smith]

Re: The \"Cat\" is \"Back\"

If noise is any issue with you, then don't go Bosal.

WRONG!!!
Only w/ a Race-Header Or ORP will you get any "Noise" from a Bosal.
BTW, Bosal ALSO has a "Silencer", just like FocusSport.
I have NO Idea where you got that notion...

Ehh...maybe he thinks it sounds that way. The bosal I had was much louder than my friends borla until about 4000 rpm. I didn't think the sounds was all that great either. The zetec with a cat sounds pretty deep no matter what you bolt to it. I measure the civility of an exhuast by it's ability to control the zetec's farts or burbles.
The bosal silencer is a restrictive plug that goes into the tip of the exhaust, the focus sport is a larger resonator that results in a quiet exhuast with no loss in power.

 

[Hitokiri]

Re: The \"Cat\" is \"Back\"

It seems that Magnaflow gets alot of votes...
I would like to know more opinions on the FocusSport though...How does that compare to the Mangnaflow system?
Thanks for all the opinions ladies-n-gents!

 

[MichaelXi]

Re: The \"Cat\" is \"Back\"

I measure the civility of an exhuast by it's ability to control the zetec's farts or burbles.
The bosal silencer is a restrictive plug that goes into the tip of the exhaust, the focus sport is a larger resonator that results in a quiet exhuast with no loss in power.

What you are calling "Farts or Burbles" is part of what makes the Zetec sound Good. It has a nice Rumble to it, and you'll find that quality in MOST Performance engines.
Go to a race track and listen when they let off the gas.
The Bosal Silencer isn't a "Plug" per se, and the reduction in HP is well under ONE PERCENT.

 

[Andy Smith]

Re: The \"Cat\" is \"Back\"

I measure the civility of an exhuast by it's ability to control the zetec's farts or burbles.
The bosal silencer is a restrictive plug that goes into the tip of the exhaust, the focus sport is a larger resonator that results in a quiet exhuast with no loss in power.

What you are calling "Farts or Burbles" is part of what makes the Zetec sound Good. It has a nice Rumble to it, and you'll find that quality in MOST Performance engines.
Go to a race track and listen when they let off the gas.
The Bosal Silencer isn't a "Plug" per se, and the reduction in HP is well under ONE PERCENT.

LOL quit fooling yourself. Yeah that 2.0L that puts out a very meager 130 hp must be so labored that it has to backfire just to run. The cars i hear on the track that backfire or pop are generally extremely high HP engines. The farting/burble is something i hear coming out of neons and cavaliers, not performance cars. Strange how my roommate's Z06 is completely smooth and fart/burble free throughout the rev range.
There are exhausts for the focus that limit the farting, people need to not accept the burble! LOL

 

[MichaelXi]

Re: The \"Cat\" is \"Back\"

Give me the Burble!!!
Put a Semi-Open Exhaust on that Z06 and listen to IT Burble.
It depends on many factors, but the "Burble" is nothing related to the "Bumble-Bee Buzz" of Honda's etc.
I think it's a NICE sound. It's NOT a Volume issue, it's a "Warmness/Tone" issue.

 

[SickWhip]

Re: The \"Cat\" is \"Back\"

I don't know WHO you've been talking/listening to, but Borla is one of the VERY LOUDEST Systems on the market.

I have a borla and it was really quite when I put it on. I even hollowed out my cat and it was still quite. But as soon as I put a 4-2-1 header on it the thing got loud as hell.

 

[llswayj]

Re: The \"Cat\" is \"Back\"

what if power gains are the only concern? the only dyno info i've come across is for the vibrant. there's claims of 7 horses to the wheels. why isn't this cat-back more popular?