So It's time for me to install a new exhaust on my 2004 MCS, I noticed a small leak on my exhaust one day but couldn't find the leak. The next morning I started my car and it sounded like a cheap honda .. So I jacked it up and found that the exhaust snapped right after the pre-cat, funny thing is that my entire exhaust is stock and has absolutelly no surface rust showing.

Eventually I figured it broke due to my driving style, I tend to push her close to redline 2-3 times a day , and since the OE engine mounts are made out of marshmellows the entire drivetrain tends to rock back and fourth extremelly hard if you dont have a torque stabilizer or w.e. they call it..

So after reading a few outdated threads on exhaust systems and engine mounts I narrowed down the upgrades that I'm considering to purchase..
I found tons of positive feedback on the OBX 4-2-1 header, and fact that it's only about $200 shipped to my door its definetelly a go. Also, I'd like to keep my driving style so I added a BSH lower engine mount to my shopping cart in order to brace the engine a bit, i'm considering upper mounts and tranny mounts eventually but from what I've read the lower mounts require a 1500 mile break in period, and during that short time the cabin gets really loud at idle. So I'm going to let the lower mounts settle before changing the others.

Now this is the part that I'd like some feedback on. Apperantly OBX builds cat back systems as well but I couldn't find any feedback on them.
Here is a link to it on ebay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/OBX-Exhaust-...sories&vxp=mtr

It's also really cheap compared to others, since I'm a college student I have a strict bugget and can't afford to do anything too fancy to my car ..

What do you guys think about this cat-back system?? i plan on running this with my stock Cat welded onto the OBX header.. Is anyone on here running something similar?

 

i have a similar set up. i have the megan headers and the lower bsh mount. i have both the race and street versions of the mount and can tell you its not a matter of the break in period, its always going to sound like that. honestly i think its cool, it makes my car seem stronger and louder through the whole rpm range not just at idol. this mod was the single most noticeable thing i have done to my car and is something you will notice the second you turn on your car. as far as the diferences in the race and street version of the mounts, i didnt see much of one. they both will make the cabin louder and both will vibrate some things like the dash or anything thats loose, just at a different tone from one another. but they also do a very good job of keeping the engine from rocking. most noticably when going into first gear iv found that when dropping the clutch out it keeps it from jolting into gear so it creates a smoother transition and probably in the long run a little less wear on your transmission..

i think the set up your considering doing with the obx mani, stock cat and the obx cat back is a very smart and cost effective choice. i dont know anyone running that obx cat back but sure is a lot cheaper then most other stuff out there. it does however seem to have a lot of pieces you would have to put together and i might be a little worried about fitment issues. also in that picture on ebay it didnt look like it had the middle pipe that usually holds the resonator which connects to the cat. plus that add didnt say what size the piping diameter of the exhaust is. im sure you could do some more research on it tho and find out if its a good system or not. if you really wanted to save money you could do the one ball conversion to your stock cat back for not more then 50 bucks probably. a lot of people have done that and everyone iv read about has been very happy with it. then if you still want slowly save up for a nicer exhaust system....just my thoughts

 

whoa i just realized how last i am responding to this

 

Yea I drove a buddy's MCS with that lower bushing on and realized what I was missing, the car drives completelly different than mine.. I appreciate your advices..

I see you're running no cat, hows that working for you?? CEL light on?

 

yeah iv had the cel light on for over a year now and it doesnt bother me. i dont even notice it anymore. i love having the cat out tho. the sound you get is amazing and the extra hp is a bonus. already got a fix it ticket for it last month tho. the cop thought it was my mufflers so i just went into court and showed the judge pictures of my car with the stock mufflers on and i got off scot free. also took the time while my invidia was off to polish up the mufflers and tips so they look new again. now its all back on and sounds better then ever since i also put my cam on while the stock exhaust was back on

 

im also a college kid on a budget..soon to graduate in two months
and i literly buy almost all of my mods used. my best advice is to save for a good used cat back, a brand new catback turns into a used one as soon as its installed on your car. an obx/ebay exhaust compared to a better one is night and day. i found a used milltek header and catback exhaust for 600 bones shipped on ebay!!!(yes that was an awesome deal but deals are out there.... it might take a couple weeks and some patients but that just gives you more time to save a bit more money. ive seen jcw/magnaflow/invidia exhausts sell for 250-400 all day.

from experience with seeing and hearing obx exhausts in person is brands like obx and other ebay brands really dont have the build quality with the welds and a lot of the time fitment is a B****. a lot of research and testing goes into nicer exhausts too so they have a specific tone and zero raspiness to them along with the best performance.

this is my two cents, bottom line a nice used exhaust will leave you smiling and you wont have any headaches along the way.

if this wasnt local pickup only id be all over it!! just showing you though deals are out there!!! as a famous jedi once said, patience luke. YA I JUST QUOTED STAR WARS!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Borla-Exhaus...588bf4&vxp=mtr