Review on stillen exhaust

[Joe Harris]

Hey I’m looking for a review on the stillen exhaust. The video on there page is very convincing. Help please it’s either mbrp or stillen .. I also read good things about Magnaflow

 

[Mfed]

I like mine just fine. For me it's just right amount of added 'personality' without bugging the neighbors, and maybe just placebo effect but my butt dyno says at the very least it allows the motor to rev a bit quicker and use a bit more of the power otherwise choked off by the more restrictive stock system. Easy install, good fit, looks great, 304 stainless, more (perceived) power and no obnoxious noise levels - it checked all my boxes with no black marks.

There is one problem with it though...the SO. She's not thrilled with minor thrum during low-power acceleration conditions, like going up a slight incline on the highway, or up steeper hills at low speed (like every single street where we live in San Francisco...) so I've got exhaust tips on order to try to combat that issue, and if they don't do the trick I'll need to get rid of it so...you may be able to get your hands on one at a discount if things shake out that way. I can keep you posted if you're still in the market, just let me know.

 

[Joe Harris]

thanks. Do you feel any hp increase? Does the sound give off a aggressive sound or more of a sharp sound? Thanks for the reply

 

[Mfed]

thanks. Do you feel any hp increase?

Read "butt dyno" above

Does the sound give off a aggressive sound or more of a sharp sound? Thanks for the reply

Definitely not sharp or raspy in any way. It's deeper than stock, sort of mellow and growly and inside the cabin imagine Kia's "pumped in" exhaust note turned up about double of it's maximum volume, so not loud enough to overwhelm conversation or music but loud enough that you know where your shift points are. Outside the cabin I can't say I've heard it at speed, just at idle - I tried to get a video of it revving in the garage but it just didn't come out at all; I don't think the phone's microphone is built to handle that sort of noise, it just clipped or muted or something, totally silent except the idling bits. I'd really like to hear what it sounds like at speed so I might try to rig up some kind of bumper-cam or something someday but...yeah I'm way too lazy for that and I'm happy with what I hear at this point so it just sounds like it would be more trouble than it's worth.

Either way, all in all I'd say it's stealthy but definitely "there," kind of the exact opposite of the Borla and ARK Grip vids I've seen (heard?) on YouTube, but "more" than what the Stillen video illustrates. I think it's just really tough to get a good read on what an exhaust sounds like on video - I've seen people comment that the Magnaflow is quieter than stock, or they can't hear a difference between stock and Stillen, and so on, but I just think it's impossible to truly capture the actual sound, and especially the relative volume, on video. On cold starts there's no mistake you're running an aftermarket exhaust with the Stillen, but it doesn't wake the neighbors either, and at idle it definitely has a deep growl that the stocker doesn't but maybe if you weren't familiar with the car you wouldn't know it because it's not "loud."

I was looking for stealthy but slightly louder, and a power bump, and I think the Stillen fit the bill to a T. If I can knock down the low-rpm tone (honestly if that tone was a couple steps more reverby I'd call it drone but it's not at that level, and I'm not the one who it bothers) to keep the SO happy then it's definitely a keeper and AFAIC there are no other cat backs in the US market I'd even want to try to replace it with (there's one in Poland I'd cut someone for but they don't ship here...) so I'm hoping the tips do the trick, otherwise it's back to stock for me.

 

[Joe Harris]

It’s not to loud.. unless you put 93 octane and turn off the the exhaust system. I talked to someone at #stillen they said the tone gets deeper with there CAI. But from all my research it seem there exhaust has the most hp gains. That’s online, I’m glad to hear your happy with it.. have you installed downpipes? I’m into ark or jbl?

 

[G-250100]

I'm in California - downpipes and intakes are verboten.

 

[Mfed]

I'm in California so downpipes and intakes are verboten.

 

[Mfed]

Weird double post there, sorry about that. Apparently G-250100 Guest is me trying to reply without being logged in...

 

[Joe Harris]

There’s always this Hfc down pipes..Definitely more Expensive but it seems to get the same amount of horsepower from regular downpipe’s

 

[Mfed]

Not an option. In CA you straight up can't mess with any part of the emission system unless it's been CARB-approved, hence no intakes and no removing cats. Even hfc's are illegal. I'm good with the power anyway and not looking for more sound but yeah, from what I've read and seen downpipes do change the sound profile and generally increase the volume.

 

[Thorne]

I'm also in Cali, I for one wish we had a CARB Legal intake... I just live dangerouslly though I was nervous as hell when I got pulled over for window tint the other day that they were going to make me pop my hood...

 

[Daniel @ K8 Stinger Store]

Hey Joe,

I would be glad to discuss with you the variations in exhaust sounds and set ups. We have had the opportunity to work with a variety of different manufacturers for exhausts for the Stinger If you shoot me a message I could definitely help you narrow down your decision and hook you up with a discount at our store. I will link the K8 Stinger Store Stillen Exhaust product web page below in case you have not seen it yet.

Stillen Exhaust

 

[Joe Harris]

Thanks would love the info, I’ll pass on the discount I spoke with someone at your store they were not the nicest. But I do appreciate the help

 

[Daniel @ K8 Stinger Store]

Thanks would love the info, I’ll pass on the discount I spoke with someone at your store they were not the nicest. But I do appreciate the help

I am really sorry to hear you had a bad experience with us in the past. We have been working very hard to provide excellent service to the community and I really appreciate you bringing this to my attention. I will send you a message here shortly and hopefully, we can turn things around for the future.

 

[mandasol]

She's not thrilled with minor thrum during low-power acceleration conditions, like going up a slight incline on the highway, or up steeper hills at low speed (like every single street where we live in San Francisco...) so I've got exhaust tips on order to try to combat that issue, and if they don't do the trick I'll need to get rid of it so...

Exhaust tips are a must with aftermarket exhaust in the stinger IMHO. Even with my 2.0 aftermarket exhaust drone was a problem. It's really more like a reverberation than drone, the hatchback design seems to really intensify any noise by the exhaust that's not able to escape past the bumper trim of the car back into the cabin and it reverberates like a tuba. My exhaust shop tried Vibrant Resonators saying it works 90% of the time to reduce drone, but it actually made it worse. He ended up cutting off the exhaust tail pipe at the Y joint and welding in longer tail pipes to extend close to the edge of the factory tips and the difference in interior noise is day and night. Previously my daughter said her head felt like it was going to explode, and now she says it's perfectly fine.

 

[mandasol]

Thanks would love the info, I’ll pass on the discount I spoke with someone at your store they were not the nicest. But I do appreciate the help

I'll plus this, I would never order from this company again. They wouldn't cancel an order that was listed in stock on the webite but turns out it was on back order. Called me on the phone fairly late in the evening and was very rude. I told them to cancel my order and they can keep my money so that I wouldn't have to talk or communicate with them again. They did cancel my order and kept my $258, but I can live with it so that I don't have to deal with them ever again.

 

[Joe Harris]

This post wasn’t made to down talk there store. Sorry for your experience thoo

 

[Joe Harris]

I noticed exhaust tips can range anywhere from $200 to $1200. I’ve also read some muffler deletes like ssr extend out a little and actually kill the drone noise. Haven’t seen any video yet just research

 

[Mfed]

Exhaust tips are a must with aftermarket exhaust in the stinger IMHO. Even with my 2.0 aftermarket exhaust drone was a problem. It's really more like a reverberation than drone, the hatchback design seems to really intensify any noise by the exhaust that's not able to escape past the bumper trim of the car back into the cabin and it reverberates like a tuba. My exhaust shop tried Vibrant Resonators saying it works 90% of the time to reduce drone, but it actually made it worse. He ended up cutting off the exhaust tail pipe at the Y joint and welding in longer tail pipes to extend close to the edge of the factory tips and the difference in interior noise is day and night. Previously my daughter said her head felt like it was going to explode, and now she says it's perfectly fine.

If the 'thrum' the from the Stillen under those specific circumstances was about 2 steps "more" I'd call it drone, so it is in the same family but not nearly at that level. It's very mildly reverby and can create extremely slight vibes in the cabin, but it's not even close to intolerable and it's actually getting better as the miles pass so I'm completely happy with it, though I do have more exhaust tips on order (see my "I ordered the wrong exhaust tips, so..." thread in the for sale section ). I can't verify the dyno claims made by Stillen but I'm standing by my butt dyno assessment, so I'd still say if someone's looking for a stealthy but noticeable exhaust upgrade without the need for tips to tamp down drone the Stillen is the ticket. That said, when my new tips get here in a few weeks I'll follow up with the results of their effect on the minor, and frankly disappearing, low-rpm...erm...presence? Is that the right word? Maybe...whatever... 'thrum' in the cabin.

EDIT: And just as a quick follow-up...since I installed the exhaust I've been driving without tunes playing or any other background noise to cover up any natural "car noises." Since I bought the car new I've been trying to track down and identify various creaks and rattles that I wouldn't be able to hear if the radio was on, etc. for the purposes of bringing it in for warranty fixes. Turns out I have the dreaded 'sunroof rattle.' Long story short, last week I finally decided to put my Sirius XM trial to use and just having some tunes playing was enough to completely mask any and all of the 'thrum' I've been referring to under all driving conditions, so I'd say if you're not literally listening for odd car noises anyway the Stillen will still make it's presence known but is not going to intrude at all.

 

[Mfed]

Finally installed the replacement tips and they had 3 distinct affects that I've noticed on the sound and feel:

- completely eliminated the low-rpm low-load 'thrum' and minor reverb, gone
- sounds much better from outside the car - definitely more personality without being loud, but still can't capture it on video
- essentially equalized the in-cabin volume from idle to highway cruising speeds, and sounds great under hard acceleration (IMO) - there are no wildly louder or quieter spots or rpm ranges throughout the entire range.

That last bit is sort of where my problem lies, and why I'm more than likely getting rid of the exhaust. Before the tips the in-cab low-load volume was the problem with the SO - once past those areas the exhaust quieted down to just above stock levels. The tips have now equalized the volume from low to high rpm and cruising, so while it's not as loud or "intrusive" as the prior no-tip low-load sound it's now essentially the same volume during any driving situation (except hard accel), and most importantly it's louder now while cruising on the highway than without the tips, and she's...noticing. I think this exhaust with tips is good enough to leave the radio off and just enjoy it (I mean, it's no V8, but...) but in this case there's not going to be a workable compromise to the in-cab volume issue for her so...

Final thoughts - if you're looking for personality and punch without waking the neighbors the Stillen with tips is absolutely the ticket, no question. It's got a deeper, growlier tone than stock and the tips release it from hiding under the car with just the right amount of volume so there's no question you're running an aftermarket exhaust, but you're not bragging about it. If you're looking for borderline (or more) street racer or attention-getting sound this is not your huckleberry, but if you prefer to walk softly and carry a big stick grab yourself this setup and you won't need to sneak into those fancy parties anymore, you'll be invited.