I was in the market for a coupe midpipe for a while, but I just couldn't find one for my budget(read CHEAP)(sorry JBX). This weekend, however, a local z guy sold me his middy for $25, and I got it installed at a local muffler shop at lunch today for roughly $90.

I gotta say that I have mixed feelings. After reading all the hoopla about the coupe midpipe, I was expecting much more. However, there is still plenty there. The greatest difference is under 2500 rpms or so; after that, the engine noise takes over. Additionally, when I push in the clutch to change gears, and the engine winds down, there's an awesome low-end gurgle issuing from the rear.

After I got it installed, I stood outside the car, directly behind/next to the exhaust, bent over so there would be less bleed-over from the front engine compartment, as a buddy slowly revved the engine up to 6500. From that vantage point, it sounded much different. Again, as the engine spun down, it was great.

Overall, I'm pleased. It was a cheap mod, though it's effects aren't what I would consider significant. All things considered, I would still recommend this mod to anyone interested. One thing, however, that might explain the lack of change, would be the fact that I have an 05, which has a distinctly different note from my 04.

Now the next thing I want to do is find a cheap, nice sounding replacement muffler. Any recommendations?

On that note, if I replace the muffler with the fuji legalis for example, and then maybe also change out the y pipe in the future, would I effectively have a complete aftermarket cat-back exhaust? I mean, just how different can the 350z middy be from other aftermarket midpipes?

 

Don't know if it quallifies as cheep, but...
I have the middy in combo with a HKS muffler & it sounds amazing.
(also have a Y-pipe)

 

Curious, where did you purchase your hks mufler? Also, what was the price? Did this include shipping?

Overall, how much of a difference did the y-pipe make? As a percentage of the overall change between your current setup and stock?

 

Got the HKS HERE
It's hard to quantify results, but.....
I had a Borla TD system that I removed due to drone at a certain RPM range.
The current setup gets very close to the same performace improvement (butt dyno only)
The Y-pipe was added last & completed the performance part of the mod.
The HKS is what made the great music.

Nice growl in low revs, peaceful when cruising, & more agressive at WOT
& absolutely no drone

What's amazing is to stand curb side while someone else drive your car by.

 

isn't the Z midpipe too short? what did you guys do about the brace in the middle? my mid pipe keeps banging into it

 

you're right the Z pipe is about 6" short, but
if you're going to install a Y-pipe then the 6" becomes an adapter.
Most (if not all) Y-pipes are larger DIA than the exhaust pipe.

RE the cross brace, this seems to be hit & miss depending on the car.
I had the problem with mine.
I removed it and reshaped it so as not to interfere.

Basically I flattened the curve.
To do that you need to make two offset bends at each end & flatten the middle.
You can do this easily in a vice.
!! make sure you make a template of the mounting holes first before bending.

 

Got any sounds clips?

 

No sound clip, sorry...

 

I don't have a decent means with which to record it, other than my pda. I might give that a try. Unfortunately, I don't have a recording of it before the mod, for reference.