best performance muffler?

I thought about putting this in the intake and exhaust forum, but I want answers specific to the 2nd generation for a choice of muffler. I'm looking to put in only a muffler, because I do not have the time or money to do a full exhaust, although I wish I did. I know it's stupid, but this is one of the last mods I'm going to do with my car as far as I know, and it's sad but I wanna do it right. Let me know what you guys have done with your mufflers, what you recommend and stay away from, and what knowledge you would want to pass on to me. It'd be much appreciated...thanks!!

if you just do a muffler, your gonna sound like a honda. you will need the unequal header to get that subie rumble...i wish i had a sound clip of what mine sounded like with just a magnaflow muffler, i wanted to throw up everytime i drove it until my borla header came in

ugh thanks for the heads up. where can I get the header, and how much will that set me back?

the headers you and get for like $160 on ebay for borla headers or you can do like me and bend the tube up yourself and go somewhat straight pipe

bending it wont change the fact that it will still be the same length

just remember that the authentic borla headers have weld problems and usually crack, get the knock off uq length headers, same sound less worries!

haha I wouldn't mind going knockoff, I'm on a somewhat tight budget. As long as it holds together and is the uq, then I'm set.

As far as mufflers go, I've come across alot of different Borla ones that seem to all fit the 98 gt sedan (maybe 3 or 4 different ones). I also found an SPT one that fits too; that runs around $220, while all the Borlas are under $150. I don't want to go straight pipe either (I've thought about it but would rather have something a little more muffled I guess). Any thoughts?

Just get an axleback to look like you've got a large muffler... for aesthetics qualities (some SPT axlebacks go for like $60 2nd hand)

 

Then just purcahse an intake, cosmoracing ones go for like $90 and fit perfectly... +performance points, +appearance points

I'm all set with the intake haha. It's awesome; nice sound, great throttle response, noticeable power jump too. There's plenty of air flowing in, I just wanna get most of it out now

What's an axelback?

Whats the point in doing a muffler if you dont plan on doing any other upgrades? What do you have now? I will assume nothing that really matters, so if you just want something a little better get a SPT axle back and call it a day.

i did a custom 2.5 inch straight midpipe and bought a universal 2.5" in and 3"tip magnaflow muffler and welded on the hangers in the right spot

If you go custom and plan on staying N/A 2.5" is too big, you will lose torque (I have a 2.5" setup) 2.25" is the way to go for N/A. But I plan on swapping my motor so the 2.5" what be a problem much longer.

Yep. Nothing that really matters haha. At this point, I tell myself it's time to quit, but I'm saving up a little money each day (highschooler budget with a minimum wage job), and all the little things will begin to add up. I've spent most of my time fixing the car so it'll run perfect, and I'm just starting with the performance equipment. As much as I'd love to do a custom job, I don't have the time or the skill to really mess with the exhaust like that, although someday, I will learn . I've seen some of the SPT axle backs out there, and it looks like it might be a good option. I'm gonna plan on keeping it N/A, but did see a supercharger build thread on sl-i.net. BOSS.

i wont loose my torque cause my header and cats and the pipe between the cats is till 2" for compression reasons then after the cat its 2.5 so i should be good on the torque issue

I have Borla header, and stock cats. I've compared dyno plots with someone else with the same engine and the right size exhaust, yea you will lose torque.

Cheap ass ebay melon shooter muffler-30 dollars

Using your hook up at work to have a shop put it in- 40 dollars

Having the shop weld the big hole shut behind your cat.-15 dollars

Having the best sounding exhaust in town for under a 100 bucks- Priceless

 

And thats my story

i envy you ppl who know others that can help you weld and bend and etc! its quite expensive to do it outside...

found a sound clip on youtube of a legacy with a borla and a vibrant performance muffler, sounded perfect from the clip. i plan on doing this to my 95 with a P&P 2.2

So is Borla the only company that makes headers for our BD cars other than the knock offs? Where can you fnd the knock of ones and does any one have some reall feed back on them. I would like to put some unequal lenght headers on my car to give that nice rumble but the Borla ones are just so expensive. Also what is a good muffler I have seen people say Borla, Flowmaster, Magnaflow and what not but not say which one from each company. Are they just universal ones?

there are not very many systems out there. one of the only ones i have found is stromung from boxer4racing.com. most seem to just buy a universal one from they guys you listed or vibrant performance.

Wait! You're looking for a performance muffler for your 2nd Gen (BD/BG/BK)?

 

The 2nd gens come with unequal length exhaust manifolds stock, so unless someone has put an EL on it, you'll definitely keep the boxer burble if you just add the muffler. It was only on the 04+ (4th gens) that Subaru changed over to ELH on the NA 2.5s. Go with an axle back if you can as that will be a better fit IME.

 

That said, I'm not sure you'll see much if any improvement (other than a more bassy rumble) with just a muffler. Prodrive, if you can find it makes a good single NA 2.5 muffler as does HKS, Borla, SPT and Ion makes one too IIRC.

Wait! You're looking for a performance muffler for your 2nd Gen (BD/BG/BK)?

 

The 2nd gens come with unequal length exhaust manifolds stock, so unless someone has put an EL on it, you'll definitely keep the boxer burble if you just add the muffler. It was only on the 04+ (4th gens) that Subaru changed over to ELH on the NA 2.5s. Go with an axle back if you can as that will be a better fit IME.

 

That said, I'm not sure you'll see much if any improvement (other than a more bassy rumble) with just a muffler. Prodrive, if you can find it makes a good single NA 2.5 muffler as does HKS, Borla, SPT and Ion makes one too IIRC.

 

 

Are the HKS, Borla, SPT or Ion mufflers a direct fit or will I still have to custom fit it

Are the HKS, Borla, SPT or Ion mufflers a direct fit or will I still have to custom fit it

 

All make direct fits, for the 2nd gens. You could also find an 02+ WRX AM setup and add an extension in the axle-back portion - should be good to go. Just don't crazy large (piping-wise) otherwise you will lose power, guaranteed.

sorry subietonic but my 95 has an equal length style manifold. they both come off the head and merge at a y collector, both side are very similar in length compared to an unequal length set-up

^ Factory OEM? First I've heard of that. All of my BD/BKs (96, 98 and 99) all are UEL.