I love my 2k auto SE. It's a very smooth car and the engine is fairly strong but quiet. I want to change all that. I want a faster car (selling is not an option). I want a frankencar intake with an apexi filter but from what I hear that will not happen. I have heard that with a y pipe I will get bang for my buck.

1. So should I buy a stillen y pipe or a catman? I know the catman is stainless steel and that is a must because I live in Boston. Im not sure if the stillen is SS though. They are pretty much the same price so any opinions are appreciated. Also Will i pass inspection? I have a cali spec car.

2. Should I buy a stillen intake since frankencar is, I think dead? Or should I just buy my friend's old weapon r that's lying in his trunk and is like 2 months old? Thanks

 

i would go with the cattman pipe over the stillen. i have the 1st generation and ive had no problems so far that couldnt be cured with a little header wrap. i would get in on the group deal with frankencar that i saw a while ago. if you want the apexi then most likely you will have to wait either way. i would stay away from the weapon r but thats just my opinion. you will pass inspection, just make sure the car has been driven 15-20 mins before you take it in and you will have nothing to worry about.

 

I thought stillen was the best...

 

you will find a difference of opinion on that. ive never purchased from stillen mainly due to org memebers experience with bad customer service and because of outrageous prices on some of their products.

 

Get the Cattman Y-pipe, cat-back exhaust and do the ghetto airbox mod for an intake thats on my web page. I've tested just about every intake available for 2k-2k1s and the GAB is the best.

 

I know what intakes sound like and love the sound they make but I have never heard what a y-pipe sounds like. If all I have is a (probably cattman y pipe) and some sort of intake will the sound from the y pipe be loud? Will a y pipe on an auto car with an otherwise stock exhaust have a droning sound or hardly noticeable or only noticeable under WOT...?

 

If you keep your OEM muffler, no matter which exhaust you choose, you wont have a drone. You get a straight through muffler with a Y-pipe and you'll get a drone.

 

1. You forgot about Budget Exhaust. Budget has the best prices out there and has not had any flex failure issues in the past like stillen and cattman. For the amount you would pay for a single y-pipe from $tealin and Cattman, you could have any FULL exhaust set-up you want from Budget. Their website is www.budgetexhaust.com. FYI their prices are in canadian, so the y-pipe is only about $150 US (i think its like $375 from stillen and cattman). I have a budget y-pipe, test pipe, and b-pipe and I love the set-up. I paid about $350 total; a full cattman exhaust set-up costs over a grand.

2. I bought a stillen intake and latter a frankencar midpipe to go with it. I regret buying stillen because they are so overpriced, but am very happy with the stillen/fankencar set-up. I would just get Frankencar. I know some have complained about the lag on the apexi filter, but i got great service from them.

IMO an intake w/midpipe and y-pipe is the best bang for your buck. I had just a stillen intake and budget y-pipe on my 2k auto for a long time and it is not noticable unless you floor it. Now, after adding the test pipe and b-pipe it is quite loud.

 

I've been on this site for quite some time and I really just don't get it when people bash Stillen. I bought the intake as soon as I bought the car several years ago and couldn't be happier. I also have the Y-Pipe and just love it, I mean love the damn thing. The reason that I bought both mods is that several different org members had both mods dynoed and the results were freat for the $$$. The Stillen intake was dynoed at roughly eight H.P., the Y-pipe was dynoed at twelve H.P. I have not had a single problem with either mod. Good luck in your decision.

 

Here is why I bash Stillen (dubbed “$teallin” for obvious reasons): A k&n air filter with “stillen” written on it and a braket (but no midpipe) costs $180. A frankencar with a midpipe costs $135. Stillen sells a fstb for 190. Courtesy sell it for $60 and many others for less. A stillen RSB costs $240; same thing is $110 from cattman or addco. Stillen front rotors cost $210; race concepts sells then for $100. Need I go on?

When we first bought our cars in 2000 we didn’t have many choices. I was totally going to buy my y-pipe from stillen or cattman until Budget and Warpspeed came out with parts for our cars at half the price. Frankencar didn’t even exist (I don’t think) when I bought my intake. Stillen and Cattman dominated the market before and people had to pay their prices if they wanted to mod their cars, now they have other options. Just my .02

 

The Stillen filter is twice the size of the Frankencar and also has a velocity stack. Stillen does their research. They dont build products unless they are proven to be worth it. I applaud them for the work that they do. How often do you hear about problems with any of Stillens products when isntalled correctly? I've had no problems with mine and I know other people who feel the same. If it wasnt for Stillen there would be almost no aftermarket support for the maxima IMO. *edit* Also, there are no install problems with the FSTB and RSB. The RSB looks twice as nice. I'm not attacking you with this, its just that people bash them before knowing what they go through to make the products they sell. Yes a bit pricey, but you get what you pay for.

 

Well said steve, now if only I could find a smiley of one of those little dude's clapping.

 

 

Not only is all of that TRUE, but, do any org members remember about initial fitment problems with Cattman y-pipe and other aftermarket providers? I did not do the instal on the y-pipe or on the intake, imagine how much $$$$$ I, or others would have dished out for multiple installations?

 

I'll have to look into budget. The big thing fo rme though with a y pipe is that it has to be durable. I live in Boston and the winters are tough. I know the cattman y pipe is stainless steel so it should not rust but what about stillen's or budget? Are they Stainless steel? Should I take my y pipe, and intake for that matter, off for every winter?

Cattman has fitment problems? I am going to go to the custom exhaust place down the street for a y pipe install so I want to pay for intallation once and so it better fit. Im thinking to just buy the stillen one and call it a day if there's an issue about fitment problems. Will the stillen y pipe last during the winter?

 

I will have an apexi filter up for sale soon

 

Why not get the WSP Y & B pipe and use the HKS rear section?


Thats the cheap way out and somewhat more quiet than the rest.

 

The Budget is stainless steal too and the Stillen is ceramic coated i believe. I think I read the ceramic might be better for cold winters, but im not sure. Maybe someone else can confirm this. I dont think there is any reason to remove your mods for winter.

I know there were a few fitment issues with cattman in the past. I havent heard any problems with stillen, wsd, or budget. I have not heard of any fitment or flex issues with the Budget y-pipe at all. Mine fit perfectly.

 

HKS rear section? Isnt that like close to $400?

 

do the modds i did , you''ll be very happy.........i noticed a sizable differance in power.check my sig

 

It can be had for $350ish which is cheaper than the Stealin and Greddy exhausts.

 

True on the Stillen, but the Greddy is a full catback for 150 more. The cheapest would be just a no-name straight through muffler...

 

Regardless of which Y-pipe you get...

All will produce uneven exhaust flow(it takes the bends out and creates an unequal length downpipe), creating a gargle or burble so the speak with the OEM muffler.

All have smaller and stiffer flex sections which will allow more N/V/H exspecially on colder days. Between 2,000-2,500rpms there is a slight harshness. The intake note does changes to a slightly deeper and has a slight pulsing tone as well. You can feel more engine vibrations on your gas pedal as well.

All will produce gains from idle to redline.

Intake IMHO isn't worth it. My car actually feels better and more positive with the stock scoop/GAB combo or just a plain K&N filter Vs. aftermarket WAI. If you want my Frankencar, I'll sell it at a cheap *** price.

B-pipe doesn't do much, but the gains are there. A Test-pipe/Y-pipe combo should be good enough and will keep your car almost stock sounding.

 

Get a supercharger and Nos ..that will fix the problem

 

N/V/H on colder days...what does that mean? noise? vibration? What is a test pipe?

If someone has a frankencar with an apexi filter I am interested.

Can anyone tell me whether to buy the stillen or cattman y pipe if I want no fitment issues and no winter weather issues?

 

I said quiet too. HKS $350 + WSP B pipe $50. Thats cheaper than Greddy and more quiet.