Borla exhaust worth it or not?
Re: Borla exhaust worth it or not?
I have one. While I can say that I think I have noticed an increase in performance, this can be purely psychological to justify the $400 I spent.
I don't have a sound clip but the borla has a very noticeable drone in the 2,000 - 3,500 rpm range. Above 4,000 rpm, the borla sound just like the stock exhaust from within the car.
Kinda ironic as this is the opposite of the ricer type cars which make less noise when not gunning it and sound like a fart can on WOT.
I don't have a sound clip but the borla has a very noticeable drone in the 2,000 - 3,500 rpm range. Above 4,000 rpm, the borla sound just like the stock exhaust from within the car.
Kinda ironic as this is the opposite of the ricer type cars which make less noise when not gunning it and sound like a fart can on WOT.
Join Date: Aug 2004
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Re: Borla exhaust worth it or not?
the increase in performance is your imagination.
the borla is nice in the 2,000 - 2,500 range, but by the time you get to 3K there's _no_ difference from stock. im betting they did this to get rid of the drone at around 70 - 80 mph. i can describe the sound this way: it sounds like the stock exhaust accompanied by a 'boominess' that's an octave lower than stock.
mine was worth the $330 i paid for it (used, off this forum) but hardly worth the $600 that vendors are charging for them --
the borla is nice in the 2,000 - 2,500 range, but by the time you get to 3K there's _no_ difference from stock. im betting they did this to get rid of the drone at around 70 - 80 mph. i can describe the sound this way: it sounds like the stock exhaust accompanied by a 'boominess' that's an octave lower than stock.
mine was worth the $330 i paid for it (used, off this forum) but hardly worth the $600 that vendors are charging for them --
Re: Borla exhaust worth it or not?
I don't believe that 'former NXMX5' is correct when he says that the "increase in performance is in your imagination".
An engine is basically a pump - you put stuff in, and you pump stuff out.
I'm assuming that you've put better air filters in (so you have more air entering your engine) - you need to get rid of this extra air.
The stock exhaust may be able to handle it, but a less restrictive exhaust will let the air flow easier, therefore, 'freeing' up more of the existing power in the engine.
As is frequently mentioned on this forum - where are the dyno charts?
Maybe Borla has some on their webpage - take them with a pinch of salt, they are not going to say their product doesn't make any more power.
I'm not going to touch on the topic of back pressure, and air flow - that's way to technical.
However, to answer the original question - Is it worth the money?
$600 is a lot of money - if you're not married, then it's no problem!!!
An engine is basically a pump - you put stuff in, and you pump stuff out.
I'm assuming that you've put better air filters in (so you have more air entering your engine) - you need to get rid of this extra air.
The stock exhaust may be able to handle it, but a less restrictive exhaust will let the air flow easier, therefore, 'freeing' up more of the existing power in the engine.
As is frequently mentioned on this forum - where are the dyno charts?
Maybe Borla has some on their webpage - take them with a pinch of salt, they are not going to say their product doesn't make any more power.
I'm not going to touch on the topic of back pressure, and air flow - that's way to technical.
However, to answer the original question - Is it worth the money?
$600 is a lot of money - if you're not married, then it's no problem!!!
Join Date: Aug 2004
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Re: Borla exhaust worth it or not?
you can't argue performance and dyno charts and then back it up with "that's way too technical" --
you have a stock exhaust manifold and stock catalytic converters to get through before you come to the muffler section. that's your constriction. by the time you get to the muffler there's no real increase in horsepower because you've already ruined your flow through the rest of the exhaust system. you need to change the air flow way before that (headers, hi-flow cats, etc.) to 'get rid of this extra air' that a K&N supposedly lets in.
additionally, while less constrictive exhaust systems increase power in the high RPM range, they kill your torque in the low RPM range, so the car will seem less punchy if you decrease the backpressure and don't compensate that loss somehow.
borla themselves hardly makes any claim of horsepower increase:
http://www.borla.com/applications/lo...System/140083/
you have a stock exhaust manifold and stock catalytic converters to get through before you come to the muffler section. that's your constriction. by the time you get to the muffler there's no real increase in horsepower because you've already ruined your flow through the rest of the exhaust system. you need to change the air flow way before that (headers, hi-flow cats, etc.) to 'get rid of this extra air' that a K&N supposedly lets in.
additionally, while less constrictive exhaust systems increase power in the high RPM range, they kill your torque in the low RPM range, so the car will seem less punchy if you decrease the backpressure and don't compensate that loss somehow.
borla themselves hardly makes any claim of horsepower increase:
http://www.borla.com/applications/lo...System/140083/
Re: Borla exhaust worth it or not?
$600 bucks is not alot, when compared to the average sport motorcycle exhaust system going for about the same price... and its smaller.
Remember this is a stainless steel system, muffler and all... and will last a lifetime. Not some old midas muffler and such.
The sound is very nice... the longer i've owned my Borla the more i like it.
Remember this is a stainless steel system, muffler and all... and will last a lifetime. Not some old midas muffler and such.
The sound is very nice... the longer i've owned my Borla the more i like it.
Re: Borla exhaust worth it or not?
Originally Posted by figitt
$600 bucks is not alot, when compared to the average sport motorcycle exhaust system going for about the same price... and its smaller.
Remember this is a stainless steel system, muffler and all... and will last a lifetime. Not some old midas muffler and such.
The sound is very nice... the longer i've owned my Borla the more i like it.
Remember this is a stainless steel system, muffler and all... and will last a lifetime. Not some old midas muffler and such.
The sound is very nice... the longer i've owned my Borla the more i like it.
Re: Borla exhaust worth it or not?
Well i explained this in a previous thread maybe a year ago... it would seem to be only on cars with Automatics... its just the fact that the car is held in that rpm range by the transmission more often than a stick. all cars do it... its just a medium volume droan sound... certainly not too loud, but if you go with the magnaflow, you will see that its TOO loud. I had both at one point. The Borla has a very refined "european" car sound and not that raspy cheap sound of the magnaflow. Just my opinion.
Re: Borla exhaust worth it or not?
Originally Posted by upstate
Corsa has no drone.
Note: not happy with BORLA ordered mine 3rd May though the official UK importer. BORLA has so far refused to tell me what has happened to it (are the latinos on strike again?). If they had not made me give a 50% deposit I would have well and truly blown them off by now.
Re: Borla exhaust worth it or not?
Corsa will make them though. I had an XLR that had one third the production and they made them.
Ask for Jim Browning Jr. in sales he is the owners son. I'm sure with interest they will make them. Let me know what the out come is. I may be able to help get this ball rolling.
Ask for Jim Browning Jr. in sales he is the owners son. I'm sure with interest they will make them. Let me know what the out come is. I may be able to help get this ball rolling.
Re: Borla exhaust worth it or not?
I own the Borla and have been thoroughly satisfied with it. At first i hadn't noticed much hp increase. However when i also added the K&N filters, I noticed a rather large increase. Also, the drone is not a hideous sound, it sounds like a purring german engine. Its a wonderful looking exhaust that costs a pretty penny and gives a little extra kick...
Re: Borla exhaust worth it or not?
Originally Posted by bollox
What Corsa exhaust - does not appear to exist.. have searched the Corsa web site and there is no mention of one for the crossfire??...
Note: not happy with BORLA ordered mine 3rd May though the official UK importer. BORLA has so far refused to tell me what has happened to it (are the latinos on strike again?). If they had not made me give a 50% deposit I would have well and truly blown them off by now.
Note: not happy with BORLA ordered mine 3rd May though the official UK importer. BORLA has so far refused to tell me what has happened to it (are the latinos on strike again?). If they had not made me give a 50% deposit I would have well and truly blown them off by now.
Re: Borla exhaust worth it or not?
After I install my new ecu and pulley and test it at the track, I'll get the exhaust done and test again. I don't have access to a RW dyno, but I have my track all day long. There was an issue getting my ECU done and I won't get it till saturday now. I'll do track testing next week. I did stock testing last week.
Once that is all done, I'll punch 2 of the cats out, attempt to make a dual exhaust and then buy some type of aftermarket muffler.
Once that is all done, I'll punch 2 of the cats out, attempt to make a dual exhaust and then buy some type of aftermarket muffler.
Re: Borla exhaust worth it or not?
Originally Posted by woody
I was wondering what had happened with your Borla. It really annoys me when you get companies who claim to be 'the distributor' for stuff but never actually keep anything in stock, they just place an order when you do - what's the point of that?
This must be bull. I can see them advertised on ebay (3 last time I looked).
Will now be exploring how to get my deposit back due to having completely lost interest in giving BORLA or USAUTOMOTIVE my money. Maybe I will wait and see what woody comes up with.