So how does the STOCK GT exhaust sound?
1/9/05, 09:53 PM
#1
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I dontplan on doing much to my GT when I get her, but i do like the sound of the flowmasters....but if the car sounds awesome stock, i wont bother....
What do you all think of the sound/tone/rumble produced by the stock exhaust?
What do you all think of the sound/tone/rumble produced by the stock exhaust?
1/9/05, 10:03 PM
#2
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mustangs sound alright from the factory, but by no means does a stock mustang sound awesome...just get your mind set that you're going to buy flowmasters....had mine installed 3 days after purchased....would have installed an off road h-pipe at the same time, but haven't been able to find one as of yet....was tempted to cut the cats out and weld in 2 1/2 pipe in place...but since i purchased one of the first ones.....i figured there would be plenty of warranty bugs to work out.
you'll love it once you get it, but you'll soon find ways of making it better.....I promise....that's how it works
you'll love it once you get it, but you'll soon find ways of making it better.....I promise....that's how it works
1/10/05, 07:05 AM
#3
The stock exhaust is not very loud, but the sound is really good. This is the best sounding stock mustang in the last few years.
Given that, I will still get an aftermarket to turn the volume up
Given that, I will still get an aftermarket to turn the volume up
1/10/05, 07:51 AM
#4
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Yeah, the stock sound is actually pretty good on this car.I have already had many people ask me what exhaust I have put on the car.That being said though, I will still put on a Banks cat back system since I work for the company..little perk 
1/10/05, 03:30 PM
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It sounds great! As loud as some aftermarket systems IMO. I think MANY people will opt to keep it in. The notes and burble get the hairs on the back of your neck to stand up.
It is quite loud for a stock system, but once you get used to it I think some may want it to be about 30% louder.
I'm hoping the aftermarket won't change the notes/tones too much because I think they really sound great.
Like I said, most people (here and the general populous) will probably love it and will opt not to replace it.
It is quite loud for a stock system, but once you get used to it I think some may want it to be about 30% louder.
I'm hoping the aftermarket won't change the notes/tones too much because I think they really sound great.
Like I said, most people (here and the general populous) will probably love it and will opt not to replace it.
1/11/05, 06:32 PM
#6
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I agree with Dan.
It sounds great. Especially when shifting into 3rd gear. Every one in my car thinks I am driving faster than I am when I take off fast. The sound fools them.
The engine also purrrrs real nice between 110 and 125 mph.
I got to go out and drive now....sorry.
It sounds great. Especially when shifting into 3rd gear. Every one in my car thinks I am driving faster than I am when I take off fast. The sound fools them.
The engine also purrrrs real nice between 110 and 125 mph.
I got to go out and drive now....sorry.
1/11/05, 06:46 PM
#7
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Before I bought the car I had every intention of going aftermarket on the exhaust, but after hearing the stock system and also hearing that the aftermarket exhaust systems didn't provide much added performance, I have decided to just buy some nice looking tips to put on.
1/14/05, 11:36 PM
#8
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If you are going to upgrade, would it not be better to wait until the stock exhaust gets a little worn. I plan on making upgrades after I get some use out of the stuff I already paid for.
1/15/05, 08:34 AM
#10
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Stocks do sound solid. But I decided to go with the JBA axle back kit. I am very happy.
Sounds awesome on ignition and take off from 1st gear. I thought it was starting to get quieter but I think that I'm just getting used to the sound.
I took it in to the dealer for my 1st check up. I was still standing in the service lane when the tech pulled her out. Well upon ignition I really got to hear what everyone else outside of the car does..... and it was one heck of a roar. Every person in the service department turned around and even a few people walked out there to see what all the noise was. Got even louder and nastier when the guy pulled it out of the door. While in the waiting room, I even heard him fire it up back in the service garage.
Just imagine if I could remove those darn cats.........
Sounds awesome on ignition and take off from 1st gear. I thought it was starting to get quieter but I think that I'm just getting used to the sound.
I took it in to the dealer for my 1st check up. I was still standing in the service lane when the tech pulled her out. Well upon ignition I really got to hear what everyone else outside of the car does..... and it was one heck of a roar. Every person in the service department turned around and even a few people walked out there to see what all the noise was. Got even louder and nastier when the guy pulled it out of the door. While in the waiting room, I even heard him fire it up back in the service garage.
Just imagine if I could remove those darn cats.........
1/15/05, 08:42 AM
#11
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Originally posted by theelebowski@January 15, 2005, 2:39 AM
I plan on making upgrades after I get some use out of the stuff I already paid for.
I plan on making upgrades after I get some use out of the stuff I already paid for.
I'm still debating whether to replace mine. I was originally going to but I give it another few months to see if I get used to it or still like the sound level. Based on my drive last night, I'd say no. It was pretty loud. I gunned it out of a large intersection and all the pedestrians on the corner quite a distance away turned and looked. They didn't see the car coming, it was the exhaust.
But like I said, most will really like this exhaust setup. Its more than loud enough for most people. To me, it sounds about the same as the Mach 1 setup vs. the old GT setup (which was quiet) with sound/notes better than both. The burble is extremely retro and growly. Man, now I feel like going for a drive. B)
1/15/05, 11:33 AM
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Man, now I feel like going for a drive.
1/30/05, 08:56 AM
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I wouldn't want an exhust that is loud when just cruizing at highway speed. Does the Borla or others, sound loud at highway speeds? The stock exhaust system doesn't. I just think it is a little quite at startup and maybe a little quite unless you give it a fair amout of gas.
1/30/05, 09:10 AM
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I replied to another post here with this same info, but it still applies:
I live in SoCal, and went with the 50-state legal Bassani X-pipe, and the Bassani Quiet Thunder cat-backs (also 50-state legal).
If going with Bassani, only the QTs are street legal (in most states). Believe me, they are not too loud - hardly notice them at idle or cruise, but they come to life when you whomp on the gas!
Added note: every now and then when down in the 1500RPM range, and, say, climbing a hill, they may have a little bit of a drone to them (not annoying, but noticeable). A slight add to the accelerator takes care of that problem immediately!
Of course, I retained the factory catalytics.
I live in SoCal, and went with the 50-state legal Bassani X-pipe, and the Bassani Quiet Thunder cat-backs (also 50-state legal).
If going with Bassani, only the QTs are street legal (in most states). Believe me, they are not too loud - hardly notice them at idle or cruise, but they come to life when you whomp on the gas!
Added note: every now and then when down in the 1500RPM range, and, say, climbing a hill, they may have a little bit of a drone to them (not annoying, but noticeable). A slight add to the accelerator takes care of that problem immediately!
Of course, I retained the factory catalytics.
1/30/05, 12:36 PM
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Gibson, I think that for the most part (not all, mind you) that the answer you get about aftermarket vs stock is going to depend alot on the age of the person responding. When you are talking about exhaust noise, there is quality and there is quantity. My '99 GT is a very noisy car compared to the new car. Alot of that noise, however comes from a less sturdy platform, tire noise transmitted into the cabin, etc. If I were going to keep that car, however, I would get an aftermarket exhaust (mainly to drown out the other noise). I like listening to the motor more than the stereo, and the stock exhaust on the '99 needs help sound wise and is restrictive as well.
With the '05, unless you just like to listen to more noise, I fail to see the benefit of an aftermarket exhaust. They have been shown to gain very little in terms of power...perhaps 3 or 4 at the top end of the tach.
Ford spent alot of time tuning the exhaust on this car, and it shows. On my test drive, I noticed that when the engine was under load, the exhaust was very throaty. But when I was cruising on the freeway, there was more wind noise than exhaust. For me, the only thing I could see myself changing would be to an x-pipe vs the h-pipe. The x-pipe adds a little different tone to the exhaust, and I happen to like it better. Just a personal preference.
The new car, according to caranddriver, actually has more exhaust noise in the cabin at idle than the old car did, but this is where that quality argument comes in. I would argue that the '05 sounds way better stock than any fairmont based platform that has preceded it. And I am old enough to have owned 6 different late model mustangs, both fox and sn-95 platforms. I have done full exhausts to just mufflers. Nothing has ever struck the excellent compromise that I experienced on my '05 test drive. Now, after writing this, I am getting really impatient to get my '05. Thanks alot.
With the '05, unless you just like to listen to more noise, I fail to see the benefit of an aftermarket exhaust. They have been shown to gain very little in terms of power...perhaps 3 or 4 at the top end of the tach.
Ford spent alot of time tuning the exhaust on this car, and it shows. On my test drive, I noticed that when the engine was under load, the exhaust was very throaty.
But when I was cruising on the freeway, there was more wind noise than exhaust. For me, the only thing I could see myself changing would be to an x-pipe vs the h-pipe. The x-pipe adds a little different tone to the exhaust, and I happen to like it better. Just a personal preference.The new car, according to caranddriver, actually has more exhaust noise in the cabin at idle than the old car did, but this is where that quality argument comes in. I would argue that the '05 sounds way better stock than any fairmont based platform that has preceded it. And I am old enough to have owned 6 different late model mustangs, both fox and sn-95 platforms. I have done full exhausts to just mufflers. Nothing has ever struck the excellent compromise that I experienced on my '05 test drive. Now, after writing this, I am getting really impatient to get my '05. Thanks alot.
1/31/05, 06:01 PM
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Originally posted by smitty@January 30, 2005, 3:39 PM
Gibson, I think that for the most part (not all, mind you) that the answer you get about aftermarket vs stock is going to depend alot on the age of the person responding. When you are talking about exhaust noise, there is quality and there is quantity. My '99 GT is a very noisy car compared to the new car. Alot of that noise, however comes from a less sturdy platform, tire noise transmitted into the cabin, etc. If I were going to keep that car, however, I would get an aftermarket exhaust (mainly to drown out the other noise). I like listening to the motor more than the stereo, and the stock exhaust on the '99 needs help sound wise and is restrictive as well.
With the '05, unless you just like to listen to more noise, I fail to see the benefit of an aftermarket exhaust. They have been shown to gain very little in terms of power...perhaps 3 or 4 at the top end of the tach.
Ford spent alot of time tuning the exhaust on this car, and it shows. On my test drive, I noticed that when the engine was under load, the exhaust was very throaty. But when I was cruising on the freeway, there was more wind noise than exhaust. For me, the only thing I could see myself changing would be to an x-pipe vs the h-pipe. The x-pipe adds a little different tone to the exhaust, and I happen to like it better. Just a personal preference.
The new car, according to caranddriver, actually has more exhaust noise in the cabin at idle than the old car did, but this is where that quality argument comes in. I would argue that the '05 sounds way better stock than any fairmont based platform that has preceded it. And I am old enough to have owned 6 different late model mustangs, both fox and sn-95 platforms. I have done full exhausts to just mufflers. Nothing has ever struck the excellent compromise that I experienced on my '05 test drive. Now, after writing this, I am getting really impatient to get my '05. Thanks alot.
Gibson, I think that for the most part (not all, mind you) that the answer you get about aftermarket vs stock is going to depend alot on the age of the person responding. When you are talking about exhaust noise, there is quality and there is quantity. My '99 GT is a very noisy car compared to the new car. Alot of that noise, however comes from a less sturdy platform, tire noise transmitted into the cabin, etc. If I were going to keep that car, however, I would get an aftermarket exhaust (mainly to drown out the other noise). I like listening to the motor more than the stereo, and the stock exhaust on the '99 needs help sound wise and is restrictive as well.
With the '05, unless you just like to listen to more noise, I fail to see the benefit of an aftermarket exhaust. They have been shown to gain very little in terms of power...perhaps 3 or 4 at the top end of the tach.
Ford spent alot of time tuning the exhaust on this car, and it shows. On my test drive, I noticed that when the engine was under load, the exhaust was very throaty.
But when I was cruising on the freeway, there was more wind noise than exhaust. For me, the only thing I could see myself changing would be to an x-pipe vs the h-pipe. The x-pipe adds a little different tone to the exhaust, and I happen to like it better. Just a personal preference.The new car, according to caranddriver, actually has more exhaust noise in the cabin at idle than the old car did, but this is where that quality argument comes in. I would argue that the '05 sounds way better stock than any fairmont based platform that has preceded it. And I am old enough to have owned 6 different late model mustangs, both fox and sn-95 platforms. I have done full exhausts to just mufflers. Nothing has ever struck the excellent compromise that I experienced on my '05 test drive. Now, after writing this, I am getting really impatient to get my '05. Thanks alot.
I guess the question becomes, is a 30% increase in volume worth a slight decrease in quality? Or, how good does (lets say) a Borla axle-back sound vs. stock?
I can tell you one thing, if I'm not very impressed with Borla (who I've always liked a lot), I will be keeping mine stock. It just sounds so good.