[Umbriel]

So I finally got my AWE catback and got everything put in. The headers are TSP 2 inch headers and the catback is the AWE Touring with resonators.

My first thought is it is way louder on a cold start than I was expecting, like my neighbors are going to be pissed at 7 am loud. I thought it would be a little tamer than it is but it is ruthless.

Second thought is it is way quieter at idle after it is warm than I thought it would be. I was expecting it to be kind of rowdy at idle but not overbearing. It is really tame at idle to the point I can't even hear it inside the car and outside the car it just has a nice tone to it but not loud at all.

Driving it sounds great, pretty loud and nasty on acceleration with a slight hint of rasp in the upper RPMs or right when it shifts but not enough to sound bad. Cruising you can't even hear it really and there is not even a hint of drone in the car.

It is very surprising to me how it goes from being so loud and nasty on a cold start or while accelerating to so tame at cruising or at idle. Very nice set up and good quality, really impressed with the AWE system.

[oldman]

do you have cats and is this a M6?

[oneredry]

nice!
follow up question.
when you installed your headers, did the headers hit the steering shaft like others are experiencing? and did you install this whole thing your self?
I've flirted with the idea of doing headers like you have, and doing a cat back AWE exhaust

[Umbriel]

Originally Posted by oldman

do you have cats and is this a M6?

Sorry should have put this information in there, it has no cats which is why I got the resonated version and it is an A8.

[Umbriel]

Originally Posted by oneredry

nice!
follow up question.
when you installed your headers, did the headers hit the steering shaft like others are experiencing? and did you install this whole thing your self?
I've flirted with the idea of doing headers like you have, and doing a cat back AWE exhaust

Mine doesn't hit the steering shaft but on the bottom of the shaft where it screws together the piece that sticks up to hold the nut to the shaft barely nicks the header if you are in the right position while driving, it does it so little I can't remember but I think it is on right turns. We used a dremel and smoothed out the corners and it isn't an issue anymore.

[Alanarchy]

Nice! I really like that exaust! I`ve had that cat back for about a month 1/2 now and really love the aggressive sound at rev. I feel exactly the same at cold start in the mornings. It was unexpectedly loud and amplifies more from inside the garage.
Enjoy!!

[Umbriel]

Originally Posted by Alanarchy

Nice! I really like that exaust! I`ve had that cat back for about a month 1/2 now and really love the aggressive sound at rev. I feel exactly the same at cold start in the mornings. It was unexpectedly loud and amplifies more from inside the garage.
Enjoy!!

Thanks. I am worried about that first cold start inside the garage early in the morning because it is super loud on a cold start.

[USAFS197]

Yeah. I don't have cats nor the resonators on my setup. It's really, really loud. I'm going to have to quiet this down. As good as it sounds, there's no way I won't have a cop on my ass eventually.

[dmcmahan60]

All I did was the Touring axel back and yes it is a bit loud at cold start up but really quiets down after about 1 minute. Love the way this exhaust sounds! Glad you like your set up!

[Umbriel]

Yeah I really like the way it sounds just wasn't expecting it to be so loud on a cold start up or so quiet at idle when warm.

[Agent K]

Originally Posted by Umbriel

So I finally got my AWE catback and got everything put in. The headers are TSP 2 inch headers and the catback is the AWE Touring with resonators.

My first thought is it is way louder on a cold start than I was expecting, like my neighbors are going to be pissed at 7 am loud. I thought it would be a little tamer than it is but it is ruthless.

Second thought is it is way quieter at idle after it is warm than I thought it would be. I was expecting it to be kind of rowdy at idle but not overbearing. It is really tame at idle to the point I can't even hear it inside the car and outside the car it just has a nice tone to it but not loud at all.

Driving it sounds great, pretty loud and nasty on acceleration with a slight hint of rasp in the upper RPMs or right when it shifts but not enough to sound bad. Cruising you can't even hear it really and there is not even a hint of drone in the car.

It is very surprising to me how it goes from being so loud and nasty on a cold start or while accelerating to so tame at cruising or at idle. Very nice set up and good quality, really impressed with the AWE system.

Glad to hear you're liking your setup so far. It sounds like to me you're looking for more noise at idle.

I'm hoping to bring the noise with my setup. ARH 1-7/8" ceramic coated catless headers, x-pipe, Flowmaster Outlaws. I've already installed the headers...which by the way wasn't too bad of an install. Now I'm waiting on the rest of the system to arrive.

[Umbriel]

Originally Posted by Agent K

Glad to hear you're liking your setup so far. It sounds like to me you're looking for more noise at idle.

I'm hoping to bring the noise with my setup. ARH 1-7/8" ceramic coated catless headers, x-pipe, Flowmaster Outlaws. I've already installed the headers...which by the way wasn't too bad of an install. Now I'm waiting on the rest of the system to arrive.

Yeah if it were slightly louder at idle it would be perfect but I have only had it on the car for a day and haven't really driven it yet so it might be great and I just don't know yet. I do love the sound of the AWE system though.

[JaxChris]

Thanks for the feedback. Haven't seen members talking about their AWE installs yet. It is disappointing that cold starts are louder, because that is my biggest complaint with the stock NPP exhaust because it opens the valves for the first 30 seconds. Getting into the car to put it into Stealth before cranking is annoying because I usually fire it up from inside the house and let it warm for a few minutes before I'm ready to leave. Using Stealth starts also wear out your AFM and NPP valves and get you that rattle sooner.

Would like an exhaust that isn't loud on start, stays tame until you hit 2500rpm and gets progressively angrier as it climbs. It's like someone lost the plans on how to build a street car exhaust and they are all some variant of a track, DB-limited exhaust instead now.

[Agent K]

Originally Posted by Umbriel

Yeah if it were slightly louder at idle it would be perfect but I have only had it on the car for a day and haven't really driven it yet so it might be great and I just don't know yet. I do love the sound of the AWE system though.

Maybe we can compare systems at a Thursday night Bartlett car meet once the weather turns warm again. I've been invited a couple of times but haven't due to my schedule and also I mainly drive the ZL1 on the weekends.