Cat back
 

So I have been shopping around and I am thinking about a custom cat back magnaflow exhaust. This guy on my road had a 04 s4 v8 with a magnaflow and it sounded awsome. The reason i am thinking about this is I know that magnaflow also offers high flow cat which i would do later down the road. I was just wondering the communities thoughts on a custom cat back magnaflow system. cost wise it is alot more affordable than a bolt on. I am really close on pulling the trigger on this and any comments and thoughts from everyone on here would be appreciated. thanks.

I have the full maganflow catback & Catted downpipes on my RS4. I bought both from a wholesale guy for 1300 shipped. I dont check this forum often but if you text I can send some video recordings to you 570-606-7687

Custom exhausts are a viable option IMO. You don't pay for any advertising overhead but you also don't get any product R&D which can sometimes end up being risky. With the RS4, the risk is drone. I think a crossover, in the "H" configuration, may help that dreaded drone-noise problem. Based on "forum wisdom" (an oxymoron), installations without a crossover can be noisy, and even "X" configs have been reported as droning at low rpms.

ECS's "H-Pipe" accessory is a center muffler eliminator. I've been running it for over 7 years. Reportedly, they specifically went with the "H" design after extensive testing with both the X and the H. It drops 10 pounds (I measured it), and a small power bump is advertised as well (around 5HP, if you believe manufacture's claims). Only $300 and it's VERY easy to install. Plus it retains the car's oval exhaust tips as well as the muffler flaps. So that's another option to consider. Good luck!

Thanks for the reply so i went ahead and did it i got a cat back magnaflow and so far 3hrs drive home i really like it . Very resonable $600 installed and went with ss. no x or h pipe. I plan on doing a magnaflow cats in the future. So with one upgrade come the need for another. while on the lift I looked at the drc suspension. and it had some leaks passengers rear. so after driving home and the ****ty NE roads here in NH my front drivers side started clunking going over bumps. Would the drc fail all of a sudden like that>? never had any other problems except after the exhaust ws put on. It is snowing again and hopefully tomorrow i will get it on a lift to check and make sure it isnt the exhaust banging around. better not be. but this noise is new and the roads here are aweful .

I like the sound of the Magnaflow. Not too loud. Did you notice any gain with your new exhaust?

Some weeping of oil from the pressurized DRC shocks are normal. That's just waaaaay too coincidental to start hearing clunking on the way home from the muffler shop. Waaaaay too unlikely. Take it back and complain that you hear clunking from the back of the car, and that you've never heard that before. And do NOT mention anything about suspension, which could very quickly become a case of finger-pointing scapegoating.

I love the sound of the magnaflow very deep not to crazy loud. the guy who put on the cat back told me he thinks it is good for 10-20hp. I dont know how true that really is but i can tell you it does breathe wayyy bettewr and to me it seems a little quicker but it could also be i am just listening to the exhaust doing its thing... either way i love it and future plans are to have magnaflow downpipes installed.

So as far as the clunking and banging i need 2 lower drivers side control arms.

Welcome to Audi

My apologies, I completely missed where you wrote clunking at the FRONT driver's side. Yup, control arms. I'm on my third complete set at 60,000 miles. The first two sets were on Audi's dime. The last set I had to cough up the dough. Advice: Replace all 8 up front. You can change a few at a time if you're on a tight budget, but it's only a matter of time...

Do you think that a front strut mount will cause alot of noise like a control arm?

Yes I'm sure it would make a lot of clunking but I haven't read about trouble common to that area. Just the control arms, usually the uppers, but the lowers wear out too.