Is borla really worth it?
 

I'm thinking of getting a full borla exhaust. My friends tell me its a waste of money but if i get it will there be any substantial difference in hp or am i better of putting a custom exhaust?

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

Jassack,

It is a very slight hp increase when switching to an after market exhaust from stock. What you want find out is what you want your car to sound like because mufflers such as Flowmaster, Borla, Magnaflow, GMMG, etc etc all have their own sound.

Reference the following to help guide you to a more suitable solution:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/exha...en-f-body.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAJqkpAyF1U

Borla is a good brand, though it is not on the link above, do sift through the other brands on there. The second link has the Borla behind an LS1. Hope this helps.

Post what you chose,


Rabi C.

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

i personally dont believe in borla. i also have a 305 tbi, and i love how my exhaust sounds. 1 5/8 headers, 2 1/2 in high flow Y pipe, 3 inch exhaust pipe going to my flowmaster 80 series, then nice chrome tips out the back, i forgot how big the chrome tips are. i think there 18 inches long and 3 1/2 inches. gave my car a real nice tone.

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

I had it on my 97 Z28. My car came with it already on there though so I've no idea what difference it made. It did dyno over 328 ft-lbs at the wheels though staying above 300 ft-lbs from 2000 RPM - around 4500 RPM.

Sounded nice at idle and part throttle. Then it snapped crackled and popped out the intercooled tailpipes when you got on it, shifted, or let out. ANNOYING!!!!


I wouldn't pay money for it and the price has gone up substantially over the years.


I think the GMMG exhaust sounds the best. There are clips of it on various 305s here at TGO. I'm doing true duals though so unless they just sell the mufflers my car will never have that sound cause I'm not paying $700+ for a two mufflers and scraping the rest of the catback.

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

if you want to make substantially more hp, then save your money, and get a new motor. It takes alot of work to mod a 305tbi motor to get significantly more power out of it. If you want to make it sound better, buy exhaust. If you want it to be quicker, either spray it or get new gears. my 2cents.

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

I think its overpriced. Stainless is nice, but not nessasary. There is no performance advantage over the other less expensive systems.


BTW, I see you are from Tomball, Im 5 min from there. Welcome!

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

love my borla exhaust!!! looks great, sounds great, not 2 sure how much hp gain. u should buy

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

way over priced!!!

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

ditto...love mine

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

man in my opinion its way over priced. I got flowtech shorties to a custom bent s pipe with no cat back to a flowmaster with chrome tips out the back. its sounds mean as hell and everyone loves it. you are just paying for the name BORLA.

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

Oh cool...over by old town spring?

__________________________________________-

what im looking for is something that sounds good but not like everyone else...thats why i was thinking borla.

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

borla is overpriced but since it is stainless rather than aluminized steel it will last longer, if you have the money and you like the sound enough, than it wouldnt be a bad idea to go for it

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

I loved mine on my old TA
305 TPI/A4/3.70 gears

http://www.cecoatings.com/images/Car...ummerFunTA.wmv

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

Nope, Im at 249 & Louetta....literally like 5 min from tomball if the traffic isnt bad. Check out the winter gathering post in the south central region if you havent already. Looks like a lot of cars are going to show this year.

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

Oh ok i'll look for you more often. i head that direction every morning for work.

----------------------

Ok I'm kind of opposed to spending that much money but I WANT THAT SOUND!!!! Is there anything thats emissions legal that sounds like that other than swapping the engine because this is my daily driver and i'm not ready to swap the engine.

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

You could always custom 3" and put your own mufflers in.

I havent used these but I hear about bullet mufflers all over TGO being the muscle car loud sound. Maybe e-mail and ask if they have a video of these in use.

http://www.bulletperformance.com/um_dual_9c.htm

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

Dont know why I didnt think of this before...

The big thing with borla is that you can by-pass the muffler after the I-pipe or use the plates to allow as much or as little exaust to by-pass the muffler as you wish.

I had a 3" flowmaster catback with a cutout on the I-pipe right before the muffler. (it was on my old 4thgen) I liked the Borla "crackle". So, I made a custom cover plate for my cutout. ( drilled a 2" hole in the center) Sounded awesome, best sounding exhaust I ever had. I'll see if I can find a clip for you.

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

[QUOTE=racer J;3553406] Then it snapped crackled and popped out the intercooled tailpipes when you got on it, shifted, or let out. ANNOYING!!!!
QUOTE]

Whats an intercooled tailpipe?

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

i bout GMMG for one thing and thats for the sound and it sounds awesome. i had a FM american thunder cat back and wasnt a fan of how it sounds, i am happy with my set up now. is it over priced...yes

if you drive your car everyday get stainless. i had my FM for 5 years and only put about 2k miles on it and had alot of rust...i dont drive in the rain!

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z...tuff/borla.jpg
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Strange, I drove mine with Flowmaster everyday for 2 years (in the rain too) and didnt have a spot of rust on it. In fact I sold that car to a friend, who still drives it in cali and the car has over 125k on it, with the same catback. So in other words.. that catback is now on 100k+ miles and 6 years........and I picked it up used... so theres no telling before I had it.

Do you drive yours in those michigan winters?

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

The Hooker Aerochamber cat-back sounds very nice, as does the SLP 2otL cat-back.

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

EDIT: ROCK90RS already posted same reply I was going to give.

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

thanks rock, a picture is worth a thousand words. I was picturing an intercooler strapped to a tailpipe and scratching my head..

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

Found the clip. Its all I have and its from inside the car. Im sure it would not sound the exact same on an L03 but you can get the idea.

Exhaust mods as follows...

3" flowmaster catback with a cutout on the I-pipe right before the muffler/ axle bend, and a custom "borla" cover plate for the cutout. Car also had ORY and LS1/T56. :burnout:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02r1h53jn44
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LOL! Yeah,...sounds like something id do. :D :doh:

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

It's worth it to you only if you buy it. It's your money and decision.

If it were my money, before I dropped that kinda cash load, I'd do my best to seek out someone that had the system on their car, and willingly pay $20-$50bucks for a full throttle ride!! Been there, done that. Money for the ride well spent.

Good luck

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

I'm Torn.... :huh: Not really sure what i want. I listened to slp and hooker and i wasn't as impressed with them as borla. I do like the idea of custom making a block off plate though. Did you just weld that plate inside the exhaust or did you figure a way to bolt it on?

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

Well you could always make it straight through, no muffler, and that will add a certain type sound to it that might be what your looking for. I suggest looking up no muffler applications

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

No, I used a cut out.

http://www.jazzproparts.com/photos/categories/359.jpg

I cut a hole in the block off plate (where the wingnuts are) similar to the adjustable plates that come with the borla system. Thats really where borla gets its sound it has a cutout "built in" to the rear of the catback.

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

see what Im talking about with the borla system, notice the tailpipe on the right side. Borla mufflers alone a fairly quiet, I had them on my vette and removed them because they were too quiet. The by-pass is what gives them that great sound on an f-body.

http://www.ws6project.com/user_stor/...lex%5B1%5D.jpg

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

I loved the sound of mine. But I prob wouldnt spend the $ on it if I was in the market for Ehaust. It came on the car when I got it.

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

How much you guys think a custom exhaust will cost opposed to just getting borla? I would think it would be about the same

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

borla cost around 500 bucks right? my custom exhaust: 70 for the flowmaster 80 series muffler, 50 for the 2 chrome tips, and about another 200 for the shop to fab a 2 1/2 in. high flow y pipe, which i have to say is beautiful, very good work, then 3 in intermediate pipe all the way to the muffler then 3 in. going to the tips. custom exhaust for me was 320. i love the sound of it, and the performance of it to. some places might do the same work for less money. all depends on who you know.

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

Cost a little more than that. try 859. Yea a little much. That seems like a pretty good alternative. I'll probably do that. I'll let you guys know what it looks and sounds like once i get it on.

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

the exhuast is nice looking, but why waste ur money? flowmaster cat back $325, magnaflow $389, borla $600-$800, do the math

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

u cant beat borla on looks, performance, sound and quality. the only thing similar is gmmg, price i similar too. read the stickies! flowmaster dosent flow good at all.. it sounds good, but keep in mind everyone and there mother has one. if u want good performance and dont want to spend the $$$ for borla and gmmg, then id say hooker all the way, great sound, and great flow. keep this in mind too, borla is t-304 stainless.. it will outlast the car. and u can always sell it on here and recoupe some of youre money spent if need be. try selling a used blowmaster? tuning plates are really cool too.
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one more cool thing about buying a quality system like borla or gmmg. no matter what u do to youre car it will back it up, any cam, any motor swap. will just make it sound more bad ***. why put a crap system on, and then have to upgrade down the road, if say u built a 450hp stroker? do it ounce do it right the first time.

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

GOOD MOTTO

If you cant afford to do it more than once, do it right the first time.

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

i think ur out of ur mind! how much power are u really going to gain switching from a flowmaster catback or magnaflow to a borla? 5 hps,if that, something u cant even feel. " lets go out and buy a catback that cost $300 -400$ more to gain a couple horses. that will be great!!!" :lol: to each is own!

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

:yup:

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

me personnaly i would like to see some flow numbers between, flowmaster, gmmg, borla, and magnaflow. after that then we can really decide which exhaust is better. or maybe im thinking to much here. i know there are alot of variables like which muffler and a whole bunch else. but in the end it all depends on your own personal opinion. personnally the money spent on getting a borla exhaust, id rather use for heads or cam, or put it towards a t-56 setup.
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oh and if your really worried about flow and want the most power, then run open headers, then run straight pipes out to the sides with a H pipe somewhere. hows that for flow!

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

all i can say is , read the stickies!!!!!

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

I'd buy Borla if it was $700 shipped to my door.

Sucks that I want Borla or GMMG and they are the most expensive cat-backs I've ever researched...besides CORSA, in which case I wouldnt care how much CORSA costs if they ever made it for our 3rd Gens...I'd buy it right away.

I think Im just gunna buy a Hooker Aerochamber kit.

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

hooker is a great choice. good quality cat back! have u tried looking for a slightly used borla? i see them in the classifieds sometimes.

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

I was looking at the aerochamber, and they are supposed to have really good flow numbers. But they are a little on the quiet side for me.

Whenever I get an exhaust, I want a flowmaster. I like the sound.

What you might be interested in would be either a no muffler solution, or putting a bullet or stainless works chambered in the I-pipe.

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

aerochamber is a good one. ;) A little on the quiet side (or rather it doesn't rape your ears while you drive) but great tone and sound. Let me see if I can find a sound clip I made of mine....

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

sweet GTA man! thats the kind of GTA im looking for!!

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

No haven't looked for a used. But i will. If i could find one for cheaper that would be great. But i dont think im gonna spend that kind of money. and on top of it i have to buy a cat which will add on another 100$ :eek: I'm tired of not having money. And i dont think i want to spend 1000$ on an exhaust.

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

I plan to dump out of a QTP 3" cutout right before my cat...or right at the muffler....before it gets muffled...or before the rear..undecided as to where yet.

So I think the Aerochamber will be different around my parts (FLOWMASTER MANIA)

I dont know about anymore but someone is selling a borla for $575 PLUS shipping...so it could come around to $525-$650...and I dont think it was ever installed...but I am unsure if its still posted or if it was an old post.
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Im not sure what cat your buying but a 2.5" high flow from Catco is only $60-$70....and thats a high flow not just a replacement 2.5"

Im not sure about 3" though....

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

DAMN WORK COMPUTER....cant hear anything, it has no sound card...car looks nice though.

Re: Is borla really worth it?
 

I love the looks and sound of BORLA exhaust. But in my opinion its not worth the price. I have custom built exhaust on my car and love it. I have long tube hooker super comps going into dual stainless 2 1/2 inch pipes, no cats, a magnaflow x-pipe, and the SHORTEST polished dual in dual out magnaflow from Summit dumped under the car. I absolutly love the sound! I had a custom exhaust shop here in Arkansas build it for me. I took them the car open headers, the muffler, and the x-pipe. Arkansas Performance Exhaust custom built the rest of it out of stainless. I ended up paying a little over $600 for everything. Thats because of how hard it is to run TRUE duals on a 3rd gen. After headers and everything I ended up spending about $900. It sounds awesome! In my opinion for the money MAGNAFLOW is the best sounding exhaust.