[phlabrasca]

I decided to try this combo since everybody has been using Joe-Z.

K&N was $265 shipped and I forget what the catback was $1300 or so.

Update:

Installed the K&N intake... Sounds MUCH better... Sounds like a V8 should. You can start hearing the difference at roughly 2k rpm and full throttle it really does sound like a race car. The car no longer sounds like chewbacca when accelerating. Did not really feel the difference however that might of been because I was distracted with the sound which was LOUD.

Got the Borla cat back installed today. It sounds beastly. I love it. There is drone, but that's expected on an aftermarket exhaust. The car turns heads when I go over 2k rpm, every time.

At full throttle there is absolutely no comparison from stock to aftermarket. It is LOUD. It idles slightly louder.

It was definitely worth it for the sound alone, it sounds good and can get really loud. HOWEVER, Borla is known for making poorly fitted exhausts, and I was the recipient of one... The installer basically told me Borla f'd it up and if I hear rattling to come back and he's going to try to work with it. He said the exhaust might start rattling when it warms up, and it did. He said some guy had one put on his Mustang a week ago and same thing happened.

...So I'll have to go back which I really hate doing. I'll get sound clip up / vid tomorrow.

 

[phlabrasca]

No I did not buy it with a certified pre-owned warranty because they simply cannot offer it, only at a Lexus dealership.

Thanks for the info, depending on the complexity, I might install the intake myself.

I'm in Chicago.

Oh, and the catback is out of stock which is a bummer...

 

[phlabrasca]

Intake arrives tomorrow. Exhaust ships Friday and arrives Monday.

 

[phlabrasca]

Installed the K&N intake... Sounds MUCH better... Sounds like a V8 should. You can start hearing the difference at roughly 2k rpm and full throttle it really does sound like a race car. The car no longer sounds like chewbacca when accelerating. Did not really feel the difference however that might of been because I was distracted with the sound which was LOUD.

I'll get a vid up when I get time.

Borla catback ships out Monday and should arrive Wednesday.

 

[phlabrasca]

Got the Borla cat back installed today. It sounds beastly. I love it. There is drone, but that's expected on an aftermarket exhaust.

It was definitely worth it for the sound alone, it sounds good and can get really loud. HOWEVER, Borla is known for making poorly fitted exhausts, and I was the recipient of one... The installer basically told me Borla f'd it up and if I hear rattling to come back and he's going to try to work with it. He said the exhaust might start rattling when it warms up, and it did. He said some guy had one put on his Mustang a week ago and same thing happened.

...So I'll have to go back which I really hate doing. I'll get sound clip up / vid tomorrow.e

 

[phlabrasca]

I was screwing around tonight... Not sure if I'm happy with the results.

1. The drone can get so loud at one point it will rattle some of the interiors.
2. I can no longer chirp the tires from 1st to 2nd?
3. I couldn't even pass a BMW 750 today from 60mph to 120? Both full throttle and I was simply maintaining my distance with him?

Starting to think I have not benefited performance wise... I might put it on a Dyno tomorrow if I can find one...

 

[phlabrasca]

Toyota is reinstalling the stock intake for me tomorrow. The installer is modifying my exhaust to make it fit tomorrow as well.

I e-mailed K&N regarding a refund for the product. It sounds awesome but the horsepower claims are exaggerated and it has not benefited me in any way.

There could be many factors including a poor install. I'm just not willing to do testing. Dyno runs in my area cost $100. I'm not paying nearly 50% of the cost of the intake to determine the power gain/loss.

My suggestions to others wanting exhaust/intake: Do not waste your time. If you want an exhaust, go with Joe-Z. I've heard zero complaints about fitting issues.

 

[phlabrasca]

...And was smoked once again. This time I lose to a stock 2004 Mustang GT 0-80 :/ Jumped the line faster than me, and continued to get away from me. Sport mode without paddles.

 

[phlabrasca]

I think something is wrong with the car. In automatic it will sometimes lag in 2nd gear switching to 3rd and just rev high before it switches to 3rd. Extremely frustrated right now because I cannot isolate the problem....

 

[phlabrasca]

Put the stock intake back on. Tank average moved from 16.8 to 17.3mpg just on the ride home. Floored it, got the chirp back from 1st to 2nd and even 3rd. Sure its not as loud accelerating, but the Borla catback does a pretty nice job of fixing that.

Getting the Borla re-fitted later today and then never touching the car's internals ever again unless somebody comes out with a supercharger.

 

[phlabrasca]

Exhaust had issues with the heat shield and it was fixed. The Borla exhaust sounds good with the stock intake, it's a good v8 sound and the drone isn't bad , now that I've had it on for a few days.

I'll be selling the K&N intake for $100 if anybody wants to buy. I think that's a reasonable price considering it was only used for a week or so.