i'd love to buy an off-road use only version. wonder if they could be convinced to sell it as so

 

I pleaded with the sales guy to sell me one of them as an "off-road only" part, but he said he couldn't do it.

 

this blows.

 

UPDATE:
Thank you for contacting BORLA PERFORMANCE. Yes we are remaking the system you saw on the web site. If you have additional questions regarding Borla exhaust check out our web site www.Borla.com you may contact me Direct anytime Mon-Fri 8:30-5:00 PST with questions or concerns
Regarding our products.

so, if they end up making another, i'm buying one asap and everyone should keep their mouths shut.

 

I'll be surprised if their new version isn't just an axle-back.

 

yea, unfortunately, thats probably what it will be. poop

 

you guys should have just kept quiet about it...way to go.

 

Thank you for contacting BORLA PERFORMANCE. This is still going to be a cat back system. If you have additional questions regarding Borla exhaust check out our web site www.Borla.com you may contact me Direct anytime Mon-Fri 8:30-5:00 PST with questions or concerns
Regarding our products.

Thanks

Tim Youmans
Email Timy@borla.com
Toll Free 877-462-6752 X-241
Fax 805-986-8940

so...maybe borla is giving us a second chance and telling us to **** about it this time

 

That would not have changed the EPA busting the chops on any shop installing it to the tune of ~$2k per install.

Sorry, Borla is doing the right thing. If you want to ditch the secondary cats, get some tubing and weld up replacement pipes. Should take all of about 2 hours total, and a lot less if you just cut the cats out and weld in a short stretch of straight pipe. Just don't expect any reputable shop to do this because they know they're being watched.

If it were my shop, you'd have to trailer the car in, sign a waiver indicating you realise this car cannot be legally operated on any public road, and you would trailer it out. Otherwise, I'd be on the hook for the fines.

 

I was kinda thinking the same thing. I bet that system had a fat power band and ripped at red line.

 

but if you're in an area that is extremely lenient on such laws and install it yourself its not a problem, for some. which is why this sucks.

 

No, it only "sucks" because now you have to break out the MIG and sort it out yourself, where it originally appeared to a simple bolt on. Breaking out the MIG would not slow me in the least. Failing smog, getting a ticket and fine for not having a cat, and unnecessarily adding photochemicals to the atmosphere for 2 - 3 hp is what doesn't appeal to me.

Fat powerband and ripped at red line? I seriously doubt it. We need proper equal length primary tube headers to see any significant improvements from exhaust modifications. Anything behind that will only yield small percentage gains. Toyota really does a pretty good job of maximising power and minimising emissions with their cats.

 

I just don't see anyone selling an aftermarket exhaust or header for a Lexus that isn't just a bolt-on unit. That leaves us with just "Axle Back" exhausts and "Off Road Use Only" headers and exhausts from low end companies. I'm considering the custom route very seriously, but I don't know how comfortable I am about hacking up my stock unit.

 

www.car-parts.com. There have already been some IS350s totalled. Find one in a junkyard and buy the exhaust...They'll cut out the cats for you because they can't legally sell the cats.

 

I wonder if there would be a justifiable difference in performance by simply replacing the OEM Y-pipe and resonator with a better Y-pipe and resonator or a quality X-pipe with dual resonators, then adding performance mufflers. I'm just thinking out loud at this point. Any thoughts?

I realize a well designed header might make more of a difference, but I don't see a street legal header (OBDII friendly) ever being produced.