COBRASPORT 3" TURBO BACK EXHAUST, NON RESONATED, NON BAFFLED WITH 200 CELL CAT
Ok, its no secret on here that ive wanted an exhaust for a while but was so unsure of which brand to go for, it took like a million years. I disappeared off the forum for a while and when i came back there was a new kid on the block...CobraSport. Needless to say, i liked the
reviews, so purchased the above spec.
The actual exhaust arrived a while ago at AKS Tuning, but was in no rush to fit it lol. Ok, anyway i promised potential owners and other readers a proper
review. With regards to droning, idling, boost roar. I will be as unbiased as possible but 100% truthful in all areas.
I will even include (for now) 2 very very boring, but (to potential owners) important-ish videos to show the car doing its 'everyday thing'. One is the car sat at 75-80, and the other at 30mph in a built up area. You will be quite suprised if you think the car drones....
Anyway, the
review. Went to AKS Tuning as been said above at 9am and alex finished around 1pm. Looking at the old exhaust it definately needed changing due to massive rust etc. I looked over the new exhaust and smiled at the size of the tailpipe. Its quite big. Welds etc looked great. Lifted it up, and whilst its quite heavy, its still lighter than standard. Alex also noticed that the Catback is 3" too!. Now, i was under the impression it was a 3"downpipe and CAT but mating to a 2.5 Catback...even the Blueflame and Milltek is 2.75.
FITMENT.
Well after the nightmare that was getting the old exhaust off, Alex had pre-warned me i may need to take the subframe out due to how the CobraSport was made. But worry not, it went in fairly good from my observations. However i think something didnt marry up properly by the turbo area when Alex was nearly finished, but a he sorted it quite quickly. The CAT and CATback bolted together nicely too. The tailpipe i think neeeded a spacer? Not too sure, but i was getting rubbing from the exhaust on the rear beam (which i imagine is down to the car being very very low). Alex said there may be some knocking, but thankfully after the drive home there were no knocks at all. Chuffed to bits with the fitting.
FIRST START.
Alex started the car up and WWHOOOM a lovely new harder sound errupted. A few blips of the throttle made me smile as the sound was spot on. Was reversed off the ramp and parked up. Straight away i thought it sounded like Decat loud. Just manoevuring in the car park made me ralise i had made a wise choice. Car sounded fantastic. Just a little bit of throttle and it barked. Great.
FIRST DRIVE.
Left AKS Tuning smiling as just on tick over car sounded good. Not intrusive AT ALL. Drove off with the windows all up, but didnt boot it cos it was still warming up. At one point i kinda touched on 3k revs before changing gear and got a loud WWAMMM, similar to the VXR sound as you come off throttle. I have noticed that cos the exhaust likes to sing, instead of the loudish TTTSH from the 007p im now getting this WWWAMM sound. Its great. The car once fully warmed up allowed me to boot it, which i did. You still hear all the boost whistle but its more in the background (not playing second fiddle) more emphasising the current sound. The sound goes from idle thrum, to a bassy note, turbo whistle up to about 2k revs the the loud bark, then the VXR sound once you back off. This was intoxicating to say the least. Tried it again with the windows down and i was suprised just how LOUD the exhaust is. The Leon is equiped with great sound insulating.
Im being 100% honest here. Driving normally around town with the windows up you can hardly hear the exhaust. You will see on one of my videos. I mean, even at one point you can hear birds chirping haha. The other video is me sitting at 70-80 on a motorway in 6th. No sound really at all except when on throttle and even then, all you hear is whoosh and a bit of a bark. NO DRONE AT ALL. I did notice actually around town if you for any example go into 5th doing 40 ish it does sound bassy. But the funny thing is once the revs rise it goes more quieter. Strange.
Under full boost it barks like hell. There is an awful lot of bass in the car if im honest. Once the car goes past 75% throttle you can 'feel' the bass of the exhaust in your seat. Its not a terrible sensation at all. Just be ready for it, because as you are boosting it sounds loud, but it gets even bassier and louder with no real warning with that WWAMM noise. As another forum member said, just pottering about on the motorway it sounds just like standard. This is with non resonated and non baffled, so resonated will be just fine for most people i would guess.
DOWNSIDES.
Ok, not many. But there are some so i should write them, if i havent already.
1. When i arrived home after a spirited drive i noticed the tailpipe had gone yellowy gold already, and that was after it being on 2 hours. Unsure if i should pursue a different tailpipe from Piranaha?
2. The exhaust on the rear beam
problem with lowered cars. Alex noticed it and said if any problems he will modify it, but as yet i have no knocking yet.
3. No initial power gains as such. Well im intending to go stage 2 soon, but whereas i was getting lots of boost bark and turbo whistle i never felt i was 'getting anywhere any faster than the standard exhaust'. Looking at the boost gauge it says im peaking at 1.5 bar in 4th and holding 1.35 bar which is 0.5 bar more than normal, but doesnt really 'feel' it.
4. As i mentioned earlier with regards to parking in a carpark. Me personally liked the gruff deep bass, but if im honest YOU will turn heads absolutely no question about it. I parked in Homebase on the way back and just reversing in, people were looking from 10s of feet away. It will draw attention. If this isnt you, then dont buy.
Thats about it really. Tbh im hoping i will get some good power from having 3" from front to back when going to stage 2, but im imagining it will get even more bassy once its coked up a bit. Maybe it will be even better or maybe i will need a silencer, but atm i love it. NOT loving the brown tip though. Oh and the most important answer, the car does not drone unless you floor it in 4th to 5k revs and back off the accelerator and let the revs come down itself. But tbh not many folks do that do they?
Here are the 2 interior videos of the sound inside the car, apologies but it was all i had, i will post up the car on full boost inside/outside videos tommorrow. Just wanna say thanks to Alex, very professional and helpful as always.
Cheers for reading
This is me doing 30mph, windows up, but not closed. Its very quiet as i think you can a bird chirping?? Sat nav annoying but the volume is on 30%
This one is me on the motorway sitting imbetween 70-80 ish.
This is idling indoors.
well worth it though in the long run... even if the missus gives you the evils!
