General Car Conversation 2025 - Part 1
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 35,426
Likes: 370
From: ON/NY
nah....I got scammed by those drive clean tests for far too long.... payback time to the environmentalists
Last edited by Toys4RJill; Mar 4, 2025 at 11:58 AM.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 19,677
Likes: 3,757
From: California
No, I don't like drone at all. It's a verrrry quiet vehicle. (You can't hear the engine/exhaust enough while driving...but I get it, it's a luxury vehicle.)
That's just the cheap way, if I go Borla it'll be a couple grand. The thing is the stock quads look so good it'll be a shame to ax them.
That's just the cheap way, if I go Borla it'll be a couple grand. The thing is the stock quads look so good it'll be a shame to ax them.
. But I've actually found that stock is always the best. If you decide to, don't get rid of the old exhaust, like I did and regretted it 
Lexus Champion
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 17,075
Likes: 511
From: Knoxville, TN
Lol on the old 2003 5.3 Yukon I had the muffler chopped off and straight piped, I still miss that old junker. I wish I had all this space for cars bc I never would have donated it.
It was loud but sounded reallllly good. No drone. Crackles and pops. You'd think I spent a fortune on some exhaust on it when it just cost $100 at the muffler shop down the street.
It was loud but sounded reallllly good. No drone. Crackles and pops. You'd think I spent a fortune on some exhaust on it when it just cost $100 at the muffler shop down the street.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 17,075
Likes: 511
From: Knoxville, TN
But then again there are a million other things I could spend $2,500 on right now. Fixing something that's already quite good isn't at the top of the list, I do hear ya.
Lead Lap
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 3,958
Likes: 409
If you remove the resonator, you are going to get droning at highway speeds. I put a performance CAT-Back on one of my cars, and it was cool at first, but the droning became totally annoying, and everybody would comment how loud it was. My wife hated riding in it, and I ended up spending a bunch of time and money installing several aftermarket resonators because I had disposed of the original exhaust. But hey, if you like drone at 70 mph, than go for it
Drone sucks especially when towing. Keep exhaust stock.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 17,075
Likes: 511
From: Knoxville, TN
Speaking of exhausts I saw this LS430 with a loud modded exhaust, it was dreadful in every way imaginable. That is one car you DO NOT touch mechanically. They even designed them to be practically silent from the outside. And they are, there's a bad hill near my neighborhood that's crowded... this LS430 once was crawling up it (passing me) and I heard practically nothing compared to all the other cars ascending this pretty steep hill.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 19,677
Likes: 3,757
From: California
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 18,191
Likes: 1,763
From: Ohio
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 18,191
Likes: 1,763
From: Ohio
It absolutely is, look up the definition of a strawman fallacy.
If they hadn't focused on vehicle emissions as much as they have over the last 40 years cars wouldn't be as efficient as they are today. Just because something doesn't entirely solve the issue doesn't mean its not worth doing.
You're totally right that the average person would pollute more and spend less. That's why regulatory bodies have to make that decision for them.
If they hadn't focused on vehicle emissions as much as they have over the last 40 years cars wouldn't be as efficient as they are today. Just because something doesn't entirely solve the issue doesn't mean its not worth doing.
You're totally right that the average person would pollute more and spend less. That's why regulatory bodies have to make that decision for them.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 18,191
Likes: 1,763
From: Ohio
Lol on the old 2003 5.3 Yukon I had the muffler chopped off and straight piped, I still miss that old junker. I wish I had all this space for cars bc I never would have donated it.
It was loud but sounded reallllly good. No drone. Crackles and pops. You'd think I spent a fortune on some exhaust on it when it just cost $100 at the muffler shop down the street.
It was loud but sounded reallllly good. No drone. Crackles and pops. You'd think I spent a fortune on some exhaust on it when it just cost $100 at the muffler shop down the street.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 68,624
Likes: 4,044
From: Maryland
We live in a society. Your desire to have a car with no emissions regulations for your own enjoyment doesn't trump my right to be able to breathe clean air. Its all a balance. Vehicle emission regulations have been a great thing for our society, they have dramatically improved the air quality in cities etc.
Last edited by SW17LS; Mar 4, 2025 at 12:38 PM.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 17,075
Likes: 511
From: Knoxville, TN
I mean it wasn't TERRRRRRIBLE around town... 5.3 was decently powered and 46L0E was lightning fast but yeah... Acceleration was decent enough up to about 50 or so. About 8.5 seconds 0-60. Because it sounded so good (even without exhaust) it felt faster than it was, too. The engines in the old ones like my GMT800 were LOUDDDD, stock. But no, you're not gonna take first at the drag strip, ever, or especially win any highway races lmao. I wish the '22 were loud like that, but again, it's a luxury car so I get it.
It did sound great, I won't lie. I'd NEVER do this to any of the cars now though.
It did sound great, I won't lie. I'd NEVER do this to any of the cars now though.