RM

I just got through installing the exhaust. Fit could have been a bit better but it isn't too bad. As mentioned before the flanges are too small. It was not possible to use supplied washers with the bolts because of lack of room around the flanges. Exhaust came in three pieces, where the stock exhaust is one piece. The front pipe is just a bit short in my opinion. The first bend on the front pipe has very little clearance to the inside and may rub or vibrate although I have heard no vibration sounds yet. I bent the heat shield a bit at this point to give a bit more clearance. If this pipe were 1/2" longer it would give the extra needed 1/2" clearance here.

If you are doing the installation yourself, it would help to have two people to remove the stock exhaust as it is quite heavy. I did it alone, but it was a handfull lifting the stock system down. I spent about an hour and a half installing although I'm sure I could have done it quicker but I wasn't in a hurry and it was the first time I had the S4 on my lift so some of this time was spent just looking.

I could tell the difference in sound the minute the car was cranked. Much deeper sounding idle, but not loud. I could also tell the difference from stock sound at all speeds. I felt that the exhaust never got loud even at full throttle, not a whole lot of difference from stock but again it is a deeper sound that you are aware of at all times. I like the sound as I can now hear the motor.
I have not installed the air filter that came with the kit yet so it may get a bit louder sounding with the filter installed.

I already had an MTM chip and I felt like I could feel a difference in power with the new exhaust especially at the high end of the revs. I went through the gears to redline up to about 120mph and the car felt faster, even the 0 to 60 felt faster, but past 60 felt a lot faster. Part of the gain may be attributed to the weather as this is the coldest I have driven the car, it was 25 degrees, and the first time I had seen the snowflake. All in all I am happy with the change and I love the throaty(not loud) sound.

John

I was thinking about purchasing some high-temp black paint to touch it up. Good review and glad you like it.

John
MTM Stage1 + LLtek Cat-Back (soon)

RM

I'd prefer black or stainless, but who's going to see it?

matthewk

actually you can see the can from the rear and the reivers side. look for my pics.

BrianN

I painted my rear LLtek muffler black for stealth and IMHO, for good taste reasons. My car is black and the red stood out from behind and from the driver's side. Perhaps the red is too *pimp* for me! ;-)

John

rating of the paint?

RM

I didn't actually look from the rear of the car until today. It will be painted, I also have a black car.