Keith Tanner wrote: I'm not going to apologize for having the best exhaust on the market. You only buy it once.
What I like, as a lazy engineer, is that it's an entire system.
I could nickel and dime a cheaper one, sure. But it's easier to let someone else do the work, and worth the money.
Crap- I'm going to have a tough enough time getting the old stuff off. It's a mess.
z31maniac wrote:chiodos wrote: Never heard a miata exhaust that sounds better than racing beat, quiet at idle but if you get on it its got some sound to it but not too loud at all. Some would like louder but I feel it's perfectly subtle. you would like itI had a Racing Beat cat back on my 1.6 Miata. Surprisingly quiet even with a header and no cats/resonators through the rest of the system. But it's HEAVY.
I have the Racing Beat setup on my 1.6 as well. It seems to have gotten progressively louder and dronier over the 5+ years its been on there. I am at the point where I thinking about selling and putting a stock one back on. It is not doing anything for me except make not want to drive the car more than 30 minutes a time.
Maybe I can find someone who will trade me a staock takeoff and some cash for it.
In reply to Type Q:
Not sure if it'd help you, but I have a stock 1.8 system you can have for free.
My 2000 Base had a Cobalt header, Roadstersport midpipe, and Cobalt muffler.
It sounded REALLY good. I don't feel that it made a lick of power more than stock, but it sounded really good.
For mufflers alone, here's what I've discovered. The RoadsterSport sounds quite mellow, almost deep with no hint of rice. You can hear it from inside your helmet at an autocross but not suffer from drone on the highway (though earplugs aren't a bad thing). The Enthuza XR lightweight is drone-tastic at 3000 rpm and had me considering downshifting on some highways to protect my hearing, but was GLORIOUS otherwise. The Mazdaspeed Miata muffler is surprisingly an improvement over the "normal" Miata muffler: still heavy but more audible at WOT without being loud.
If you have a 99 header, anything is an improvement. I'm a fan of my RacingBeat.
If you want rasp and burble, pay an exhaust shop to cut out your resonator. It's not louder but adds a ton of character to the car for cheap (under $50). This plus a "quieter" muffler might be exactly what you want.
Regarding aftermarket midpipes, Enthuzacar will custom-make you one for slightly cheaper than Flyin' Miata and both are excellent. You should expect around $40 for your cat at a scrapyard that takes them so, sorry to say, FM's recycling program isn't worth it.
I picked up a used Magnaflow muffler for cheap for my 99. $25. Sounds great and not too loud but loud enough to hear it. If I were to go complete exhaust system (which I would like to in the future) I would go with the FM complete system - header and all.
I'll let you guys know what I think of this one. The full FM package was tempting, but I don't much care for the performance cat since mine is working fine. Plus, the RB header can be purchased anywhere for the same price. That'll come later :)
Also thank you everyone for your input! Really is appreciated!
alfadriver wrote:Keith Tanner wrote: I'm not going to apologize for having the best exhaust on the market. You only buy it once.What I like, as a lazy engineer, is that it's an entire system. I could nickel and dime a cheaper one, sure. But it's easier to let someone else do the work, and worth the money. Crap- I'm going to have a tough enough time getting the old stuff off. It's a mess.
On my NA I have a Jackson Racing header and everything behind it is FM. It sounds great (plenty deep, not drony). And I'd guess it will outlast the car, the next car and probably a few more after that. I don't think it's the lightest system available but never having to worry about it EVER again is nice.
BoxheadTim wrote: In reply to Type Q: Not sure if it'd help you, but I have a stock 1.8 system you can have for free.
Thank you. IIRC you are 200 or so miles from the bay area. I think I'll try to find find something closer to home. 
If the wife is up for road trip in the mountains, I might take you up on it.
In reply to Type Q:
Well, we're coming down for the Rolex Motorsports Reunion but my wife already said we're taking the ND and I don't think the exhaust will fit. Might look a bit odd with an exhaust sticking out the trunk.
I'll have to go to Ikea in Sacramento sometime in the next four weeks, if that works for you I can take the exhaust with me as I'll be taking the truck anyway.
FWIW, I run the RS3 muffler on my '04 with OEM manifold and mid-pipe. I don't use the baffle and find it just right. Loud enough without being obnoxious, no appreciable drone under steady state conditions, and a nice burble on the overrun. If I were going to replace the whole system, FM would get the call.
BoxheadTim wrote: In reply to Type Q: Well, we're coming down for the Rolex Motorsports Reunion but my wife already said we're taking the ND and I don't think the exhaust will fit. Might look a bit odd with an exhaust sticking out the trunk. I'll have to go to Ikea in Sacramento sometime in the next four weeks, if that works for you I can take the exhaust with me as I'll be taking the truck anyway.
I'll PM you about this.
Does anyone know if 1.6 and 1.8 OEM systems interchange?
Type Q wrote:BoxheadTim wrote: In reply to Type Q: Well, we're coming down for the Rolex Motorsports Reunion but my wife already said we're taking the ND and I don't think the exhaust will fit. Might look a bit odd with an exhaust sticking out the trunk. I'll have to go to Ikea in Sacramento sometime in the next four weeks, if that works for you I can take the exhaust with me as I'll be taking the truck anyway.I'll PM you about this. Does anyone know if 1.6 and 1.8 OEM systems interchange?
on the NA, yes. i put a 1.8 stock exhaust on my 1.6. (sold my exhaust, someone traded me oem 1.8 catback system + cash)
https://youtu.be/7FxMxj0zQz0
but Fujitsubo is out of your budget.......
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