Kybball#1

iTrader: (20)

Anyone heard this setup on a IS350, I really want those headers but wonder if it will be too loud? raspy??...

IS350HKS

iTrader: (4)

my set up is Invidia with Tanabe is already really loud !

Kybball#1

iTrader: (20)

how loud is it in the cabin? any drone? any raspyness?

MiiK350

iTrader: (8)

I will bet you the price of the headers + install that PPE+Invidia+Tanabe is going to be extremely RASPY. It will be louder, and will drone. Only thing that will not drone is a stock setup.

Kybball#1

iTrader: (20)

o well maybe ill just save that grand or more the headers plus install would cost....

MiiK350

iTrader: (8)

What exactly are you aiming for? Performance? Sound?

KI_GSE21

iTrader: (5)

I have the HKS Hi-power with Invidia and I think the exhaust note is perfect. I have considered the PPE headers and I am in the same position as you. With the PPE (with or w/o cats), it will be much much louder. I believe one guy was going with the setup and was going to put up a video clip but never heard back from him.

Hopefully someone will have a sound clip or something in the near future before I make up my mind.

MiiK350

iTrader: (8)

Your setup would sound way better bc it will rasp a lot less. It will be much louder, but an advantage you have with the hks is the silencers.

juice14

Just getthem, if you dont like them sell then on the classifieds, im sure someone will buy them for 100bucks less than ppe's price

andrewshu3

iTrader: (2)

the headers sound perfect with their true dual exhaust..no raspiness at all.

Kybball#1

iTrader: (20)

Yea KI, i want the extra performance but i dont want it stupid loud...

KI_GSE21

iTrader: (5)

Another concern for me is that, I am from Canada, and here the government requires an emissions test (similar to California smog test) where you drive your car into their facility, they run the car to check the exhaust fumes and see if the cats are doing their job. This is done once my car reaches 6 years of age.

So it means that, 2 years down the road and if I do have the headers, I will have to pay for someone to uninstall them for the emissions test and pay to reinstall them after the test (also buy new head gaskets). As you all know, the headers installation is somewhat labour intensive (requires several hours) and I am just not sure if I want to go through that hassle.

I used to have a TSX and it was a 30minute job to get under the car to install/uninstall the test pipe (cat delete) if I needed to. With the ISX50, there are 2 cats and its the primary cats (attached to the headers) doing 80-90% of the work, which is a totally different ball game compared to the TSX (separate cat and separate 4-2-1 header design).

So this is really the thing that holding me back. The price is reasonable for the PPE headers, performance proven, and great quality. It's just the stupid emissions requirement in Canada that really sucks.

Maybe if PPE puts up another sale or something, I might be tempted to pick up set and worry about the emissions thing later. Oh well, I am pretty satisfied with the power on the 350 but most car enthusiasts just want to extra more power here and there

MiiK350

iTrader: (8)

In terms of sound, get the HKS Hi power, or Megan Drift Spec. Both will rasp the least, and have baffles.

KI_GSE21

iTrader: (5)

I would still choose HKS over Megan because Megan Racing's quality for performance parts (headers, test pipe, downpipes, exhausts) are hit and miss. They don't have very good quality control.

FYI, the highly sought after Lexus HKS is manufactured by HKS Japan. One can conclude that HKS is a reputable tuner and manufacturer for exhaust systems. If budget is not a constraint, I would opt for HKS by paying a little more and be very satisfied with the setup. Not to say Megan Racing is bad or anything, I know their coilover suspensions are good because they are sourced from BC Racing in Taiwan (who are specialized in coilovers).

Tanabe is also a good choice but Tanabe in Japan has kinda died off. Tanabe is readily available but it was never the leader making exhaust systems with good exhaust notes. They are okay for the money, quality is pretty good, but not super popular in Japan.

At the end of the day, every person has different needs and criteria when searching for an exhaust. It's kind of a personal preference thing after all

Husni08

KI_GSE21 put it best. One man might think something completely different in their own point of view.