Quick question, for those of you with a SEDAN and the Borla or Stillen exhaust, how loud is it compared to the coupe's stock exhaust? I've heard sound clips of all, but clips only show tone and not sound levels.

Thanks.

 

You can check my SPL measurements on the Nor. Cal. forum dyno-day results. In short, at WOT, under dyno-load (not full street load), the Borla and Stillen mesured about the same outside the car (109-110dB vs. 100dB stock). Although I initially was concerned about the Stillen being too loud INSIDE the car, as many have posted, it indeed did quiet down (2dB lower inside, driver's ear-level, 70mph in 6th) after about 200 miles. This seems to happen on all the exhausts which use steel-wool packing. Expect a 2-3dB increase in interior exhaust noise with the Stillen (I have no experience with the Borla inside the car), at freeway cruise speeds. I thought the stock exhaust was a bit too quiet (road noise easily drowns it at at cruise). With the Stillen, the exhaust is always noticeable. Under acceleration, say 70 to 90mph, you will hear it with the windows up. Subjectively I would say the sound/noise level is acceptable in the front seat. It may be a bit loud for rear seat passengers. I plan on doing a layer of dynamat sound dampener in the trunk, which should take care of that.

2004.5 G35 Sedan | Garnet Fire + Willow | 6MT | Z-Tube, K&N panel | Stillen Cat-Back

 

Yea with my Borla and test pipes, its a lot meatier and deeper than a coupe with no rasp from the test pipe's, it made the borla even deeper and mean sounding! When in D though, i hate the droning sound so i alwasy drive in MM mode, its pretty loud from the sinside at low rpm's but once above 3k its nice, sounds way better than a stock coupe, its more of a v8 rumble and sound with a mean engine but my intake has an effect too!!


Martin
2003.5 BS G35
Nismo Aero/Sport Package
0-60 5.4 - 1/4 Mile 14.16 *GTech* and on 19's!!

 

The Borla on my sedan is a little louder then the stock coupe exhaust.

 

its much deeper. the coupe has a unique sound but the after market exhaust does not sound like that its better!

04 G35 Sedan Blk/Blk
Nissan Badges
Tein S Tech
Injen CAI
Borla TD Exhaust
Helix Race Pipes

 

On the sedan, the Borla is MUCH louder than OEM. The difference is obvious the second the car is started. Idle is a low rumble that sounds authoritative, but not obnoxious.

But the Borla has a very annoying drone below 2500 rpm, so much so that I usually drive in lower gears around town to reduce it. Almost evey non-car-enthusiast who has ridden in the car has complained about it. I know of another member that removed his Borla and reinstalled the stock exhaust because he couldn't stand it any more.

Under WOT, it is as good as it is bad driving around town. The exhaust note is superlative, one might say even addicting.

But most folks drive around at under 60 mph much more than at WOT.

I called Borla and asked their tech support people for help in reducing the drone. They said "this is the first time we have heard any complaints about it!" (Maybe their phones were out.)

Reports are that the Stillen is even louder. So unless you are a young male with overactive glands, you might want to hear one in person before you lay down your cash!

 

I managed to mostly break in my Stillen before my wife ever saw the car (she was out of the country). To my amazement, it passed the wife test with flying colors. She would definitely let me know if it was too noisy. I also had 3 of her friends in the back seat last weekend and everyone loved the car with no complaints.

So while I would say the Stillen is a lot louder than stock, so far it's passed all the passenger-comfort tests I've put it through.

 

It's the first time I've heard any complaints about it too. Usually the "drone" complaint comes from the Stillen exhaust folks.

 

there is a bit of drone with the stillen. i dont really mind it, but its there. just blast the music a bit and its gone. =)

ive gotten lots and lots of compliments on the sound of my exhaust from all different people. Evo drivers, M3 drivers, S4 drivers, and some bystanders. old people really hate my car though...and my damn neighbor who thinks that something is wrong with my car. dumb ***.

G35s6mt/TSecu/350Z Springs&Struts/K&Nfilter+Z-tube/StillenDualExhaust /6WireGroundKit/KinetixHighFlow

 

Yea i get numerous coments fromt he same line up of people about my car sounding crazy not like a coupe , 350z or even a sedan and they thought it had turbo in it LOL, and that was from more than one person. The intake does make a whistle that is loud or the Injen at least and when all together it sounds good, but like i said i dont know about the droning of the exhuast with factory cats, mine is much more free flowing so there isnt a lot of backpressure causing a loud drone!


Martin
2003.5 BS G35
Nismo Aero/Sport Package
0-60 5.4 - 1/4 Mile 14.16 *GTech* and on 19's!!

 

is there a drone w/ the full catback system? or is it just from the muffler alone?

 

The drone is from the full catback system.

Another member tried installing sound absorbing materials without success.

If you never drove under 65 mph and never gave rides to anyone who was not into performance cars, it would be a non-issue! Or you could drive only down hill. The drone really subsides when the load diminishes.

If you've got a wife, chances are that you will have a lot more than the drone to listen to!

 

I just installed the Stillen on my g35 sedan. I was disapointed in it. Was hoping it would sound like the Nismo Exhaust on my 350z. On the Nimso it sounded like stock at idle and cruising (normal throttle), only when you were medium to full throttle would the exhuast get loud. Now on the stillen, its pretty loud at full throttle and even when your cruising. I was hoping it would be closer to stock when cruising. If it doesnt get quiter after the break in period i'm definatly going to remove it. I might go aheadn and spend the $1400 to get the Nismo Exhaust for the sedan. If its anything like the 350z one i'll be stylin

2003.5 G35 Sedan White/6MT - 2004 350z Roadster Black/6MT

 

Stillen exhaust is louder alright. Enough for to become an issue for this 35 year old fogie.

2004 G35 6MT Blk/Blk Sedan Stillen Air, Stillen Exhaust

 

Actually after driving around with it for a few days, i'm starting to like it I think its just the shock of putting it on after driving with the stock one for so long. The stock exhuast is so quite that when you put the stillen on your like whoah this loud.... But when I let my brother drive it and i listened to it from the outside, it sounded pretty cool, not as loud as i kept thinking it was when I drove it. Either im getitng used to the sound or the last day or so its actually gotten little quieter.


2003.5 G35 Sedan White/6MT - 2004 350z Roadster Black/6MT