is350wh

Regarding freeway drone. Is there any? My answer is no and yes.

At low RPMs with some pedal compression, there is a deep, reverberating hum (even some minor sound vibrations throughout the car), which I will refer to as drone. Let off the pedal almost completely and the drone and most of the sound ceases. Push the pedal just a little more and the drone changes to the sound of the typical aftermarket exhaust that you hear on the road all the time, with exception that this note is deeper/bassier, due to the large engine (in the 350). Push the pedal 1/2 way or more and the exhaust note morphs into a crazy hot rod roar. Note that I have the F-Sport Intake, so at some point, that's taking over. I can only discern the changeover (E to I) when I really pay attention to it. Otherwise, the two blend together perfectly (the I takes over where the E leaves off). I don't think passengers would even know there the sound is coming from the E and the I. They'll just hear the perfectly synchronized sound of the two systems.

On the freeway and at any other speed. At 1,500 RPMs and almost no pedal depth (~1/16), you can barely hear the exhaust. But, push the pedal slightly more (~1/8 to 1/4) and the exhaust can be very loud, even though the RPMs barely change. In this scenario, the loud is not a good loud. It's more annoying. The RPMs aren't high enough to sound tough, and the note is very very deep, so it's more annoying than anything.

Yes, the exhaust will drone when you push the pedal without significantly increasing the RPMs. E.g., When driving up a slight-to-moderate incline (about 1/3 of my drive home), I push the pedal to increase speed. It starts to drone until the transmission "downshifts" into a lower gear. Yes, I can push the pedal faster to downshift faster, but sometimes I just like to drive as smoothly and quietly as possible (those stressful days). In short, the exhaust drones at low RPMs in high gears when the pedal is pushed about 1/8-1/4 of the way down.

It's worth noting that a BIG part of the problem here is that the Lexus IS tranny is lame. It doesn't have clean, fast, crisp shifts. And the overall system doesn't do a good job of matching engine RPMs with the transmission gearing. So, in the example above, with a better transmission, the same pedal compression when going up the hill would (possibly) downshift right away, rather than holding that higher gear while the pedal is pushed that hard.

Anyway, my guess at the cause of the low RPM drone: The exhaust air builds up and reverberates inside the F-Sport muffler when driving at low RPMs . When I gun it, the air simply flushes directly through the system, creating a totally different sound. I can't really keep the exhaust quiet in normal driving. I don't normally want to keep it quiet. But sometimes I do, and the F-Sport Exhaust will make that very difficult to achieve. The G35 does an excellent (perfect) job of allowing the driver to get just the right amount of sound from the exhaust (quiet usually, loud when desired). Lexus and/or its manufacturing partner needs to invest more time and effort to perfect the F-Sport Exhaust.

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

2009LEX is not an attorney either and was apparently unaware of even the correct way to hire one.

If you'd like some more detailed, accurate, information about the law including the government agency you'd file a complaint with, as well as information for getting SEMA involved as well (since they have a huge vested interest in ensuring the law is enforced) you can see, among many other sites, this one:

http://www.donmar.com/ConsumerBillofRights.htm

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

Because half of too much is too much?

I understand going to a shop for something like springs or shocks...or even a -full- exhaust attaching headers and whatnot... but an axle back is literally like 4 bolts and 20 minutes to do yourself with a set of car ramps.

is350wh

BTW, everyone. The dealer initially quoted 4 1/2 hours of labor, so be careful. They acknowledged that that was an error. Nothing against the dealer. I'm convinced it really was a mistake.

It was one hour of labor. $95 (plus tax) at my dealership.

2009LEX

I agree 100%.

flowrider

iTrader: (9)

STOP this foolishness. Some of us are DIYers, some aren't, and some are a mixture of both.

This throwing of stones is doing no one any good.

Lou

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

Yes, please do, he'll verify everything I've posted on the topic... as would a call to the Federal Trade Commission, or to SEMA.




The lawyer probably won't be qualified to add that there's really not even anything a new axle-back exhaust -could- be blamed for as a cause of a problem on a modern FI closed-loop car, but that's also true.

As little operational impact as an axle back has on this vehicle you should have no concerns whatsoever regarding future warranty issues if you install one from any major vendor (be it tanabe, Lexus (which is made by HKS) , HKS themselves, Greddy or whomever).

VikH

iTrader: (5)

Catback is catback, but you are buying the exhaust for sound. Some people will like the sound of F-Sport and some will like the sound of Tanabe. You shouldn't buy the exhaust to keep warranty as it is a simple bolt on item. Although there is something to be said about quality and customer service from F-Sport/Lexus.

2009LEX

I am all about the f-sport exhaust but kinda dont want the loudness on my otherwise really quite car. lets us know how it goes. I dont want to sound ricer or anything?

LexusSC430

Listen, I agree with lowrideraz...there is no point in arguing. I would just rather do it this way, I dont go after you for what you do. I used to install car stereos/systems. I just choose not to do anything anymore. The same argument could be said about mowing your own lawn...I would just rather pay someone.

As for getting an attorney...I think i would rather NOT have a need for one in the first place. Anyways, like I said earlier...lowrideraz is right, no ones way is better...its just THEIR way. Lets enjoy our cars.

09ISboy

iTrader: (1)

yup got mine installed today, and exactly how u desribed

at times i like it, at times i dont -_-

but ya i wonder how does the car sound like to people on the street? hecka loud ? or just louder a bit?

is350wh

I don't think it sounds like a ricer. It sounds more like a Mustang with a V8. If I saw a Lexus go by with this sound before knowing about the F-Sport, I would have thought it was the IS-F or an IS with a modified engine.

JoshIS408

iTrader: (11)

I currently have this installed on my 350 and ilove it. It doesn't sound ricer at all.

Edit: Heres a video, i was bored today

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17xnZsRlfmg

SpecLexus

Yo, that video sounds like you're strangling a basket of overgrown cats with emphysema. Please use better quality if you want to show off the audio of the subject matter. It really damaged my ear drums.

EyeEss

F-sport exhaust is just an axleback exhaust, I don't understand why everyone gets so excited about this. Throw on the megan midpipe + axleback and call it a day. There is no drone and you always hit the perfect tone. If you really want the car to be quiet and you installed an exhaust...maybe you should have kept it stock?