[ShadyMilkman]

I just got my Focus ZX3 and am looking into getting a cat-back exhaust setup. I'm looking at the Pace Setter Monza Cat-Back and Flowmaster American Thunder Cat-Back. I want the car to have a good sound but I don't want it to sound like a diesel and don't want that high whiny civic noise. From what I've heard the flowmaster gives a more throaty type of sound while the pace setter has more of a purr to it. Is that true? Looking for any input. Thanks.

 

[nov173]

i got the flowmaster setup, don't get the Pacesetter as im sure everyone else will tell u. they are cheap. i think im one of the few with the flowmaster setup. i think it sounds awesome. its really deep and throaty at lower rpm's, but fades out as it gets higher then the sounds come back again lol. but overall it did make a small difference as all the others will. definitely won't sound like a honda i can tell u that. the honda's will drown mine out every time. gotta love the "v8" sound when u back off tho. let us know what u get

 

[ShadyMilkman]

i got the flowmaster setup, don't get the Pacesetter as im sure everyone else will tell u. they are cheap. i think im one of the few with the flowmaster setup. i think it sounds awesome. its really deep and throaty at lower rpm's, but fades out as it gets higher then the sounds come back again lol. but overall it did make a small difference as all the others will. definitely won't sound like a honda i can tell u that. the honda's will drown mine out every time. gotta love the "v8" sound when u back off tho. let us know what u get

Thanks for the fast reply. So you would say you didn't get a very big increase in overall sound? Good to know about the pace setter. I'm looking at the two because they're a good price for me right now. I'm leaning toward the flowmaster.


Edit: What about pace setter headers? Are the 4-1s a cheap product as well?

 

[Yellow-ZX3]

anything pacesetter is going to be cheaply made. but i had the flowmaster system on my car for 1.5 years and it sounded great.

 

[breakaway]

Try a Magnaflow.I have one on my '00 SE.Perfect fit,nice mandrel bent pipes,excellent end(NOT a can)and sounds like a real sports car.I still have the factory header/cat and flexpipe(flexpipe soon to be replaced with a 2.5" unit).I have an American Thunder (Flowmaster) dual system on my '88 5.0 GT and it is LOUD.Granted,I do not have any cats and the car is Supercharged,but I can't even think of bringing it in for a real safety inspection.It sounds good,but is louder than almost any system I have ever heard on a S/C 5.0 Mustang,except the Borla.It's the reason I did not go with the American Thunder system for my Focus.

 

[BigRed03]

I have Magnaflow and love it. At idle its quite, cept when the a/c is on you hear a rumble. At idle it sounds deep and nice. When you get on it it gets pretty whiney above 4k rpms, but over the engine noise you really cant hear it. I get complemted on it all the time not being ricey. When I first installed it my dad was pretty impressed (he owns 2 mustangs, a 5.0 and an 01 bullitt) at how deep it was for a 4 cyl exhaust.

 

[nov173]

about my flowmast... it is loud to a certain extent. i mean ur prolly not going to see many focus's out there louder than a riced out civic... i like the focus cuz it does have its own sound. but i think there are clips on here if you do a search. i don't recall any with a flowmaster. here is a vid clip of inside of car with flowmaster.
http://videos.streetfire.net/search/focus/8/8AF32E6C-5628-46AD-9950-BF1755F80316.htm

i also liked it cuz of the price. i paid like $270 for it i believe. it's a lot less than some of the other cat-backs.


Mike

 

[lildisco]

I'd personally go with Borla or Magnaflow. The Flowmaster is a 2 inch exhaust and the Magnaflow is 2.25 inch. I'd also stay away from MBRP because it can should like complete crap when you get on it. I've heard it on 3 different Foci and it's just awful.

Flowmaster is ok but the Stock piping is 1 7/8 inch. So you're not going to see much of a performance gain, just mainly for sound. Magnaflow and Borla are 2.25 and well worth the $$$$.........you get what you pay for......

 

[nov173]

i thought the flowmaster was bigger than just 2 inch

 

[viney266]

I know its pricey, but I do love my borla. It sound great.

 

[venomfocus]

My pacesetter was working well for 5 years. finally got a hole in the muffler weld. i repaced it with a flowmaster its a bit louder now.

 

[ZTS Dragon]

I have had a MBRP for over a year now and still think it sounds great. Plus it was only $200.00 plus s/h. No problems so far and not to loud. My wife and neighbors do not even hear me pull up in the driveway.

 

[ShadyMilkman]

I'm relatively new to working with exhaust systems and would like to start with a cat-back setup. I'm just wondering what the output diameter is on the stock cat. Will I be able to just bolt on the cat-back to the stock cat?

 

[BigRed03]

well, technically the flex pipe bolts to the cat before the cat back. I installed my cat back before my flex and it bolts right up. You may have to go and get 2 sets of bolts, nuts and washers because the magnaflow that i got didnt have those things in there. The stock system is something like 2 inches, but even still, the aftermarket kits bolt right up even though they are bigger.

 

[ShadyMilkman]

Okay, cool. I'm thinking of getting headers, a high flow cat and the cat back exhaust set up but will be putting it on in pieces. A buddy of mine was telling me that I might not have to yank the engine to do the headers because of their placement - is that true?

 

[magic2119]

focus sport exhaust. = #1

 

[lildisco]

Okay, cool. I'm thinking of getting headers, a high flow cat and the cat back exhaust set up but will be putting it on in pieces. A buddy of mine was telling me that I might not have to yank the engine to do the headers because of their placement - is that true?

No you don't have to and it's a matter getting to the bolts. It has been done many times before without yanking the engine. But if you're doing a full exhaust i'd look at getting an SVT Borla or SVT Magnaflow......well worth the money and prices tend to go up as years go by.

 

[TNT13]

Don't forget that flex pipe. 1 7/8" to 2 1/4 - 2 1/2.
Also the catback is really a flex-back on the focus.

 

[Chick]

One word.




BORLA.

 

[Sojirou]

focus sport exhaust. = #1

Lol i'd have to agree, i put mine in about a month ago and i love it, great sound (kinda sounds like a borla from all the clips i've heard online) but what was great was all the praise i got from the other people in the shop when they niticed that i swapped out the old exhaust with the FS cat-back in an hour.....with a casted right hand...(fractured index finger from towing jet-engines...long story). But at any rate...FS Catback==>[] []