i am thinking of doing very very mild mods like aftermarket full exhaust system, body kit, break, suspension, etc. my questions: would there be much diff replacing the whole exhaust system from header to muffler on performance wise? or should i just change the muffler? do i need to upgrade anything else if i do change header/muffler or muffler only, like reprogram fuel map or??? where (internet stores) should i look to get a good deal? which brands do you think are good? i don't really want big noise cans but something more free flowing. any inputs would be very much appreciated.
happy holidays

 

There are very minimal increases to be seen from a cat back alone and some exhausts actually cost power. Few that give hp/torque gains are quiet. So be careful what you buy. The Mugen exhaust is about the only "safe" choice for sound and power (which is not much), but it is $1500.

The greatest gain you can see from a cat back is weight savings. Stock exhausts weigh around 50lb...the Mugen weighs about half that. Some of the single outlet titanium exhausts weigh under 10lb, but they are very loud.

Adding a header can help...but again ther is not much gain considering the cost.

Here is a link to a dyno chart from Mugen comparing stock to header+exhaust.

http://www.kingmotorsports.com/images/dyno/f20c.gif