bqLS430

Hey peeps-

So Im wondering, how do we feel about LS430's (any year) with dual tip or quad tip exhaust rumble? does it go completely against what Lexus is all about? quiet car that whispers as it drives and whisks you away? or would a little AMG treatment work?
Imagine this; LS430 with quad Eisemann tips from an E60 M5 or AMG tips? proportionately put as if it came from the factory with a hint of beefy vocals from the exhaust. Is it blasphemy to think about? I am not crazy about the sound from the white 430 in one of the vids below, I think it should be toned down substantially...plus I think he might have an exhaust leak? I could be wrong. Anyway, lets comment about this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbFgbTytN8U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kPzT...eature=related

MY FAV:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je0roKsz-EM

SteveM

Very interesting topic. I would say it all depends on what you want from your car. How you want it to feel/look/sound is about what the image of the car is to you.

The LS430 came from the factory with a smooth ride, reduced road feel, quiet cabin, engine and exhaust with a comfortable and spacious interior. It's large body size and suspension also lean towards a luxury cruiser.

That being said I've seen some great examples of sportier and more aggressive mods to the car which can look great. The sportier feeling ones (for example Tee's and Ay-Nako's which come to mind as I've recently viewed them) can look amazing as those two examples I mentioned show. But they look great because they are not overdone. I think you're on point when you alluded to some degree of subtle rather than overt.

Quite a coincidence that the link you posted as your fave shows a 5 series as that was one of the "distractor cars" I needed to dodge to stay on track and get an LS430. That decision was governed by do I want sportier or luxury cruiser? And I always wanted an LS! Maybe Tee and Ay Nako have the best of both worlds??

It's a very subjective choice you'll have to make!

TJW98LS

iTrader: (1)

Very subjective. I like mine to be quiet, but want to hear a distinctive sound. My AMG makes the perfect noise... I had to alter the LS430 to make it the way I wanted it without it being too loud and furious.

bqLS430

STEVEM - I should have elaborated more, what I meant by it's my fav is that I like the look of the muffler tip (Eisemann)....not necessarily that exhaust note on a lexus. I believe something very subtle could be acceptable, a mild, clean rumble past 3K RPM?

TJW98LS - Do you have a quality sound clip we can hear? even on the AMG
I got the idea of this after watching this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24RR4rqS5Bc

Just thinking out-loud but here is another interesting one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCGrp9EPrtw

caddyowner

It certainly is a matter of personal taste. I saw and heard a 4-hole Buick (Lucerne CXS with the Northstar V8) with a custom exhaust that sounded great. The stock Cadillac DTS Performance has a bit of rumble at startup and idle that I miss with the Lexus. However, for me, the nearly silent exhaust note of the Lexus seems to fit the car.

kg19989

I must side with the conservatives on this one... I think the quite exhaust is what Lexus is all about but then again I am a factory person. Don't get me wrong, I have seen some pretty killer mods on this thread but for my daily driver quiet is best. You never get tired of silence.

freestyle5

There should be a button on the center console, next to the other 500 switches (labeled "DD" for "Demolition Derby"), that sends the exhaust straight out the headers... Then when you get sick of the engine drone on the interstate, and you've successfully made everyone around you roll up their windows, you can hit DD again and route the exhaust back through the mufflers.

Jabberwock

I like the DD button on the console idea a lot!

Seriously, I vote for quiet stock exhaust on the LS430. I can say the car makes a very nice engine and exhaust sound on the many 70-95mph passes I made on the two lane roads we were cruising this weekend in Hill Country Texas. Lots of fun to have this big boat of a car accelerate like a lightly loaded 757 when necessary.

In terms of loud exhaust, I always have to laugh when some guy in a 115hp econo-box rice mobile with a big header on it goes zooming by at 72 mph sounding like the space shuttle taking off.

caddyowner

"Honey, could you please raise the rear sunshade?"

ROOOOOAR

"Oh, sorry dear, wrong button."

TJW98LS

iTrader: (1)

I'll see what I can do. I have the Injen intake which is almost too loud IMHO. But the exhaust note is nice.

TJW98LS

iTrader: (1)

Anyone interested in the Injen Intake, this is what it sounds like in-Cabin - Recorded with Iphone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbxeJeAbmUo

I'll be taking the intake off within the next few days, and will also get sounds of the exhaust from the rear.

V8_Fan

The only sound I want to hear when driving is the Mark Levinson audio. I had a performance header/cat/catback on my old Toyota 4runner. It was so loud, you had to crank the audio. The only choice was rock, 'cause with any other music, you couldn't hear it! I finally had it with the overly firm (some say "sporty") suspension and loud exhaust. Other dd is the prelude...fun to drive, but suspension is a tad too firm for the rough pavement here (getting worse by the year since the state/local gov't is broke), too much road noise compared to the LS.

BIGGZ

Me I like a little noise coming from the car.thats why I like my exhaust setup right now.Its not loud at all,just a nice subtle tone.

airtime

I want a little of both worlds too. I like a little deep rumble when I press on the gas then goes quiet when cruising as I don't want that long highway droning sound.

I once sat in a Dodge SRT-8 with aftermarket exhaust. First 5 minute was cool, then the droning gets bothersome.

SteveM

This description is hilarious! The boy racers are a funny bunch... until they save up and get a 350Z... That can be scary sometimes