So in my 3 years of owning my beloved Stratus RT, I have seen everything anyone has to offer along the lines of exhaust systems and cold air intakes. During my time on this site, and others, I have seen, or fielded these two questions more than anything else:

1. What kind of CAI should i get

2. What kind of exhaust should i get that will be loud, and not sound "ricey".

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1. Companies like AEM charge something like 350+ dollars for a cold air intake for our car, at least they did when i looked into getting one. AEM boasts a few things:
-their piping is mandrel bent (so is everyone elses)
-it comes with a K&N filter (mine didnt, but i bought mine elsewhere)
-it comes in powder coated in customized colors (i think that mine looks fine in silver)
-theirs comes with a metal MAFS adapter (this is a big deal, but if you check with the no name CAIs, some, like mine, also come with a metal adapter)

That being said, i bought mine on ebay for about 100 bucks..i dont remember the exact price, but it was 100-120. It came with a cheap0 paper filter, which i removed and bought a K&N filter for like 50 bucks. my CAI didnt come with directions, but unless youre a complete moron, it isnt very hard. So, for 150-170 bucks, i got a CAI in silver that performs just as well as AEMs for 200 dollars less. so the big question, what is more important, having your CAI powder coated red, or having an extra 200 bucks to spend on your car? Those of you who do buy the no name CAI and need any help, I will be more than happy to help. here is a picture of mine:

If you REALLY want an AEM but want to save the money, just go out and buy a yellow AEM sticker, and youre golden. My CAI connection hoses say "greddy" on them because they came from a greddy TT supra..


2. If youre reading this for your own use, that means that you very likely either have a 3.0, 2.7, or 2.4. ANY aftermarket exhaust, no matter who makes it, will sound "ricey", when compared to a V8. My exhaust is completely custom made, and a few of the members on this site who have heard it will tell you that it is very loud, and has a very unique sound to it. My exhaust maintains a low tone throughout the power band, but does get a bit high at high RPMs. If you run 2.5 inch pipe all the way to the back of the car into a tip, with no muffler, it will sound a bit "tinty", like the hondas with no mufflers do, but when you have a small cube engine, there is no way to make it sound like a V8, and no matter what you do, V8 people will always say that it sounds "ricey". the one tip that i can give you...removing the resonators will give you a bit more sound, but i still have my large resonator near the CAT. As your exhaust works its way to the back of the car, increasing the size will change the pitch.
the bottom line, find an exhaust system that YOU like.

Here is a picture of mine, and that isnt a tip, that is what size the rear section of my exhaust it is...

 

i have a question! im new here and wanted to know if theres a cold iar intake that will fit my 04 stratus sxt 4cyl.its been a pain in the butt for me! i couldnt find one at all! thanx

 

umm...pvr02 has one on his 4 cylinder...try PMing him and ask him where he got it.

 

So your telling me the Borla Cat-back for the stratus' will still sound ricey? I don't think I have yet to hear any sound ricey that comes from Borla.

 

i installed a borla system on an NA 3000gt a while back, and for the price, i REALLY was not impressed...he wasnt either.

 

I was actually looking into a borla muffler for my R/T.... i've been told it would sound good... is there any chance i can hear your exhaust?? since we live 10 minutes apart.... i just got my crossover/manifold replaced from the dealer becuase of the big crack... now it doesnt sound ricey, but its too quite. I want a little bit more of a growl from the engine, basically how it sounds when it starts up... just a little louder, im not looking for performance because... well, i cant afford it. haha....

[IMG]local://upfiles/28429/28A52E711E60428BAA67F19C040607D0.jpg[/IMG]

 

my car is covered, and tied down, and wont be uncovered until spring..however, i do have an exhaust video...

http://truckville.dodgeforum.com/Str...o/DSCN0020.MOV

 

would i be able to check it out when you uncover it?? im not looking to do any work until spring anyhow... that and your video isnt working

 

sorry..right moue click and "Save as"...

once its out for the spring, youre welcome to check it out...im having another system made, as this one has been on there for 4 years now, and it getting rusty around the brackets...and before it gets too bad, i want to have a new one made, since it is fully custom.

 

lol, I like the video, don't know what he was recording at the end though, ahaha. I like the exhaust, just muffler or all pipes? I was interested in seeing about getting a different muffler, something to help performance/efficiency/mpg, hahah, and yet sound good, not like ricer, but if it does, they never sound as horrible, as horrible as Fast and furious, ahahaha.

Something like that sounds good if not deeper, I'm interested.

you need to do welds? ugh, i could go on, i'm in car heaven right now!!!



P.S. ok, now i realized what he was recording at the end [:@]