My review of the borla off road exhaust
10-03-07, 11:27 AM
#1
My review of the borla off road exhaust
I plan on coming back to this thread as the exhaust gets older and keep adding more notes, but here it goes and I don't think most of you will like it.
Mind you that all my review is based on the fact that this exhaust is 1299.00 retail (i paid 650.00 for mine)
First and foremost lets talk about the build quality. I have helped put on many exhaust in the last 5 years and I must say this is the worst fitting one I have come across to date. I have helped install all sorts of exhaust from blitz (which is the nicest, magnaflow, borla, hks. 3 of these were on a wrx, and I must tell you that the magnaflow on it was the best in quality followed by a tie of the blitz and borla. The problems I had with the build
1. the flanges were not quiet lined up right and angled at the correct angle. You can however bolt them down tight enough to compensate for this
2. as seen in this thread https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=309600 the xpipe did not line up anywhere close to the resonator part requiring me to cut a bracket and have it re-welded
3. the welds on it are pure crap, even from an exhaust point of view. I know stainless is harder to weld, but damn these are horrible. I am not expecting bike quality welds on an exhaust, but i am expecting better than what I have with the borla.
next, lets talk about the fit of the exhaust (which could fall under quality, but whatever). we already know about the fit of the x-pipe and resonator sections, but that's just the tip of it. This is going to be hard to explain and most people are going to be like "you screwed up the install or you have it on wrong". Wrong. it only goes on one way and you know this because of the instructions that come with it/ location of the hangers/ and overall common sense. anyways, from the resonator back the fit is basically unacceptable. All of the pipes hang way to low for my comfort as you can see from this pic.
The pipes are on correctly and cannot be moved up because the suspension is right there. I think for this to truly fit correctly I am going to have to take it to an exhaust shop and see what they can do. I am also awaiting some pics from caymandive to confirm if another users pipes are this low). These pipes are either this way because I have some sort of test fit borla that was sold as new, or thats just the way it is. I have seen pics of the tanabe and it hangs semi low, but nothing like this. (updated 10/04/07 3pm: OK, I have now seen pics of another IS with the same exhaust and I can confirm that it's the fit of the borla that just hangs low. It's nothing I have done wrong, just is that way)
Performance:
This is going to have to be a section i come back and update. Remember I had already had an exhaust that was pretty much like this borla except the x-pipe and instead of 2 independent pipes into 2 different resonators mine came back to one. YOu can see it in this link ( i am not going to embed the photo just to save this from being a bunch of pics) Here: http://s125.photobucket.com/albums/p...t=IMG_4268.jpg
and here: http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...t/IMG_4269.jpg
that being said I am guessing I was already pretty close to the performance gains of the borla give or take 4-5hp. If you can feel 5hp on a 300+hp engine you have a special gift. I am not even going to try to say I can feel a difference.
Normally, I would go back and dyno where I did my last dyno's but my dyno shop went out of business. I think what I could do is go all the way out to where gernby does his and see if he can some how use my original data and the new data to compare dyno's or something. anyways, If you guys want me to dyno you can I guess start a dyno fund. I don't really care, because like I said I think my custom exhaust was close to this. Also, others have already dyno'd and i think the gains were about 10hp. I don't think you can feel 10hp either.
I am going to take my car out to the strip some more here as the weather gets cooler. This will be the true test. I am guessing i will be out at ennis by the end of this month. there's an 1/8th mile close to me to I can go out there maybe this friday.
Sound:
haha this is the funniest part. I bought the borla just on a whim after looking at what people were selling. This thing was 650, so I figured screw it, I'll buy it and see if it takes care of my current problem (which is drone at low rpms) if it doesn't, I could sell it for 650 or more. Here's the classic part of the story. I say it's seriously 90% if not 95% exactly like my magnaflow. Seriously, watch the below videos and you tell me. I know many of you on the fast take off video are going to say that the borla sounds a bit more raspy, but it's because i was giving the borla launch more gas then I did with my magnaflow. Don't doubt me on this guys, I have now had both exhaust and I am telling you the borla sound is the exact sound of my magnaflows. Listen to all the videos. I tried to take them from the same location, etc... It's so funny. Even at WOT where everyone likes the sound of the borla's, that is the SAME sound as the magnaflows without cats.
Which brings me to the final point. Removing the 2nd set of cats on our cars is the cause of drone. I am about 90% sure of this. Both my magnaflow and borla drone/resonate at the 1500-2000. I hate this part because if you don't listen to music and you just want to roll around chillin having a conversation with someone you hear that awful drone/lowend or whatever you guys are going to argue what its called.
OH yeah here's some side notes.
- i've tinkered with the tanabe the other day under a friends car and I am not impressed with it either.. The flanges that connect the back half of the axle back were paper thin. I felt like I could seriously bend them with my fingers
- I bet money the meagan and the lms are on par if not better fitting than the borla
- yes i need to call borla and some how track down my exhaust and see if it was some sort of test fit
- I do not mean this comment towards anyone that currently has the borla off road, but if you pay 1300 for this exhaust after reading this, you are crazy. It is not worth it.
- personally i think the best 10hp you can gain out there is to build your own. . I bet you could buy a burns xpipe/remove your cats/get some good resonators/and put some magnaflow high flow mufflers (which we know are the same sound) cheaper then you could if you bought the borla. I really do. What would be nice about this method is that you know you would have a perfect fit.
so this review just sounds like i am this super bitter guy at borla. I don't want to come of that way because I know they do make good exhaust (just not for our cars). I am going to run this thing for awhile and see how it goes. Who knows, maybe if i run 13.0x-13.1x I will be coming back in here going "omg i love this exhaust blahblahblah".
Here's what i like about it:
- The tips are awesome to me. I am not a big fan of oval usually and I thought they were going to look all rice style like the HKS high output, but i really like them
- I loved the sound of my magnaflows at WOT and this means I obviously love the sound of my borla at WOT.
- I think I have a weight savings of about 20lbs from stock. Maybe more. if you browse my pics you can see where I tried to weigh it. I just couldn't. I have my old exhaust in 2 pieces and will try to figure out a way to weigh it (before I let someone borrow a section of it
)
Here's the videos. You guys tell me if you can hear a true difference.
Hope this helps all you others on the borla fence.
Videos:
standing rev with magnaflows -
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...60601504&hl=en
standing rev with borla
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...37680406&hl=en
fast take off magnaflow
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...71959684&hl=en
fast take off with borla (gunned even harder than magnaflow)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...67076354&hl=en
regular launch magnaflow
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...54277963&hl=en
regular launch borla
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...90150869&hl=en
inside the car magnaflow
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...79429371&hl=en
inside the car borla
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...29041191&hl=en
I tried my best to get the videos from the same location and angle. I also went through a lot of work to at least document and describe this whole install. it was a pain, so don't ***** about anything. Just take it for what it's worth.
If you guys want me to dyno, start a fund. I don't feel that it really needs to be done since others have dyno'd their borla.
Thanks waynetech2 for confirming some of the install difficulties.
p.s. don't do this install on ramps. You will be cussing like a sailor.
Mind you that all my review is based on the fact that this exhaust is 1299.00 retail (i paid 650.00 for mine)
First and foremost lets talk about the build quality. I have helped put on many exhaust in the last 5 years and I must say this is the worst fitting one I have come across to date. I have helped install all sorts of exhaust from blitz (which is the nicest, magnaflow, borla, hks. 3 of these were on a wrx, and I must tell you that the magnaflow on it was the best in quality followed by a tie of the blitz and borla. The problems I had with the build
1. the flanges were not quiet lined up right and angled at the correct angle. You can however bolt them down tight enough to compensate for this
2. as seen in this thread https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=309600 the xpipe did not line up anywhere close to the resonator part requiring me to cut a bracket and have it re-welded
3. the welds on it are pure crap, even from an exhaust point of view. I know stainless is harder to weld, but damn these are horrible. I am not expecting bike quality welds on an exhaust, but i am expecting better than what I have with the borla.
next, lets talk about the fit of the exhaust (which could fall under quality, but whatever). we already know about the fit of the x-pipe and resonator sections, but that's just the tip of it. This is going to be hard to explain and most people are going to be like "you screwed up the install or you have it on wrong". Wrong. it only goes on one way and you know this because of the instructions that come with it/ location of the hangers/ and overall common sense. anyways, from the resonator back the fit is basically unacceptable. All of the pipes hang way to low for my comfort as you can see from this pic.
The pipes are on correctly and cannot be moved up because the suspension is right there. I think for this to truly fit correctly I am going to have to take it to an exhaust shop and see what they can do. I am also awaiting some pics from caymandive to confirm if another users pipes are this low). These pipes are either this way because I have some sort of test fit borla that was sold as new, or thats just the way it is. I have seen pics of the tanabe and it hangs semi low, but nothing like this. (updated 10/04/07 3pm: OK, I have now seen pics of another IS with the same exhaust and I can confirm that it's the fit of the borla that just hangs low. It's nothing I have done wrong, just is that way)
Performance:
This is going to have to be a section i come back and update. Remember I had already had an exhaust that was pretty much like this borla except the x-pipe and instead of 2 independent pipes into 2 different resonators mine came back to one. YOu can see it in this link ( i am not going to embed the photo just to save this from being a bunch of pics) Here: http://s125.photobucket.com/albums/p...t=IMG_4268.jpg
and here: http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...t/IMG_4269.jpg
that being said I am guessing I was already pretty close to the performance gains of the borla give or take 4-5hp. If you can feel 5hp on a 300+hp engine you have a special gift. I am not even going to try to say I can feel a difference.
Normally, I would go back and dyno where I did my last dyno's but my dyno shop went out of business. I think what I could do is go all the way out to where gernby does his and see if he can some how use my original data and the new data to compare dyno's or something. anyways, If you guys want me to dyno you can I guess start a dyno fund. I don't really care, because like I said I think my custom exhaust was close to this. Also, others have already dyno'd and i think the gains were about 10hp. I don't think you can feel 10hp either.
I am going to take my car out to the strip some more here as the weather gets cooler. This will be the true test. I am guessing i will be out at ennis by the end of this month. there's an 1/8th mile close to me to I can go out there maybe this friday.
Sound:
haha this is the funniest part. I bought the borla just on a whim after looking at what people were selling. This thing was 650, so I figured screw it, I'll buy it and see if it takes care of my current problem (which is drone at low rpms) if it doesn't, I could sell it for 650 or more. Here's the classic part of the story. I say it's seriously 90% if not 95% exactly like my magnaflow. Seriously, watch the below videos and you tell me. I know many of you on the fast take off video are going to say that the borla sounds a bit more raspy, but it's because i was giving the borla launch more gas then I did with my magnaflow. Don't doubt me on this guys, I have now had both exhaust and I am telling you the borla sound is the exact sound of my magnaflows. Listen to all the videos. I tried to take them from the same location, etc... It's so funny. Even at WOT where everyone likes the sound of the borla's, that is the SAME sound as the magnaflows without cats.
Which brings me to the final point. Removing the 2nd set of cats on our cars is the cause of drone. I am about 90% sure of this. Both my magnaflow and borla drone/resonate at the 1500-2000. I hate this part because if you don't listen to music and you just want to roll around chillin having a conversation with someone you hear that awful drone/lowend or whatever you guys are going to argue what its called.
OH yeah here's some side notes.
- i've tinkered with the tanabe the other day under a friends car and I am not impressed with it either.. The flanges that connect the back half of the axle back were paper thin. I felt like I could seriously bend them with my fingers
- I bet money the meagan and the lms are on par if not better fitting than the borla
- yes i need to call borla and some how track down my exhaust and see if it was some sort of test fit
- I do not mean this comment towards anyone that currently has the borla off road, but if you pay 1300 for this exhaust after reading this, you are crazy. It is not worth it.
- personally i think the best 10hp you can gain out there is to build your own. . I bet you could buy a burns xpipe/remove your cats/get some good resonators/and put some magnaflow high flow mufflers (which we know are the same sound) cheaper then you could if you bought the borla. I really do. What would be nice about this method is that you know you would have a perfect fit.
so this review just sounds like i am this super bitter guy at borla. I don't want to come of that way because I know they do make good exhaust (just not for our cars). I am going to run this thing for awhile and see how it goes. Who knows, maybe if i run 13.0x-13.1x I will be coming back in here going "omg i love this exhaust blahblahblah".
Here's what i like about it:
- The tips are awesome to me. I am not a big fan of oval usually and I thought they were going to look all rice style like the HKS high output, but i really like them
- I loved the sound of my magnaflows at WOT and this means I obviously love the sound of my borla at WOT.
- I think I have a weight savings of about 20lbs from stock. Maybe more. if you browse my pics you can see where I tried to weigh it. I just couldn't. I have my old exhaust in 2 pieces and will try to figure out a way to weigh it (before I let someone borrow a section of it
)Here's the videos. You guys tell me if you can hear a true difference.
Hope this helps all you others on the borla fence.
Videos:
standing rev with magnaflows -
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...60601504&hl=en
standing rev with borla
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...37680406&hl=en
fast take off magnaflow
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...71959684&hl=en
fast take off with borla (gunned even harder than magnaflow)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...67076354&hl=en
regular launch magnaflow
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...54277963&hl=en
regular launch borla
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...90150869&hl=en
inside the car magnaflow
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...79429371&hl=en
inside the car borla
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...29041191&hl=en
I tried my best to get the videos from the same location and angle. I also went through a lot of work to at least document and describe this whole install. it was a pain, so don't ***** about anything. Just take it for what it's worth.
If you guys want me to dyno, start a fund. I don't feel that it really needs to be done since others have dyno'd their borla.
Thanks waynetech2 for confirming some of the install difficulties.
p.s. don't do this install on ramps. You will be cussing like a sailor.
Last edited by combfilter; 10-04-07 at 01:07 PM. Reason: i typed the first one fast and lots of small errors (also updated it)
10-03-07, 11:49 AM
#2
Nice honest write up Troy. I'll get those pictures for you tonight.
BTW.. your statement about the Tanabe flanges. I think Tanabe did things that way to reduce weight.
Good luck at the track..I'm sure you'll be able to hit 13.2's with good weather. You going to pull your front seat for a possible 13.1x?
BTW.. your statement about the Tanabe flanges. I think Tanabe did things that way to reduce weight.
Good luck at the track..I'm sure you'll be able to hit 13.2's with good weather. You going to pull your front seat for a possible 13.1x?
Last edited by caymandive; 10-03-07 at 11:59 AM.
10-03-07, 02:34 PM
#4
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: CA
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Thank you for putting so much time, effort and money into this, but like you said I dont think its worth paying $1300 for it and both sounds really close to the same. Only way to really tell if you gained any power is at the 1/4 mile strip.
10-03-07, 08:38 PM
#6
Thanks for the review Troy,
But! The finish on the Megan exhaust is very decent. Just when you install the hangers, the mufflers hang off and don't really align with the bumper. Zip-Ties fixed that though.
But! The finish on the Megan exhaust is very decent. Just when you install the hangers, the mufflers hang off and don't really align with the bumper. Zip-Ties fixed that though.
10-03-07, 09:03 PM
#7
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Dude. Your are the "KING" of exhausts! I love the sound of the magna flow! Do you think the awesome sound is due the the fact that you removed the resonator in both exhaust systems?
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10-04-07, 01:26 PM
#10
Forum Administrator
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Great writeup and comparo 
Does the 2IS Borla offroad carry the same lifetime warranty their street exhausts do?
Got any pics of the tips (daytime)?
Does the 2IS Borla offroad carry the same lifetime warranty their street exhausts do?
Got any pics of the tips (daytime)?
Last edited by DaveGS4; 10-04-07 at 01:30 PM.
10-04-07, 08:25 PM
#11
well damn just tell us how you really feel.
hehe. trust me you will grow to like it. when mine was so hard to get on and gave me chck engine lights, I was def sour. but when all that passed it was all good. as I'm sure you know the sound changes over time
as for the drone if you take off/put on an intake it changes where the drone comes in..
didnt get your pm till today srry i guess james got you a pic, however he also received a summons for car stalking
hehe. trust me you will grow to like it. when mine was so hard to get on and gave me chck engine lights, I was def sour. but when all that passed it was all good. as I'm sure you know the sound changes over time
as for the drone if you take off/put on an intake it changes where the drone comes in..
didnt get your pm till today srry i guess james got you a pic, however he also received a summons for car stalking
10-04-07, 08:38 PM
#12
I'll shoot some pics this weekend. I need to do caymandives zip tie trick on the left side that doesn't line up right, and clean them. They have (don't laugh) KY jelly and other stuff on them from me lubbing up the rubber hangers to poke them thru.
10-04-07, 08:42 PM
#13
well damn just tell us how you really feel.
hehe. trust me you will grow to like it. when mine was so hard to get on and gave me chck engine lights, I was def sour. but when all that passed it was all good. as I'm sure you know the sound changes over time
as for the drone if you take off/put on an intake it changes where the drone comes in..
didnt get your pm till today srry i guess james got you a pic, however he also received a summons for car stalking
hehe. trust me you will grow to like it. when mine was so hard to get on and gave me chck engine lights, I was def sour. but when all that passed it was all good. as I'm sure you know the sound changes over time
as for the drone if you take off/put on an intake it changes where the drone comes in..
didnt get your pm till today srry i guess james got you a pic, however he also received a summons for car stalking
again i love the wot sound, but I am already used to it because my previous setup
The looks of the tips might even be better then the previous ones I thought were so cool. there are some plus things. I mentioned them. btw, thanks for letting james shoot those pics. It helped out.
was your check engine light from one of your 02 sensors not being screwed down all the way?
10-05-07, 02:29 AM
#14
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Join Date: May 2007
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i currently have the tanabe installed and was thinking of changing to the borla because of the hp gains and sound at WOT. thanks to your honest review i think i'll stick with my tanabe for a lil longer .
also, i wasn't aware of the borla drone at low rpms, how's it sound around 2500?
.also, i wasn't aware of the borla drone at low rpms, how's it sound around 2500?
