I'm driving a 2016 IS350 F Sport AWD and I'm on the fence in getting headers for next summer so I can get that FBO status. I'm also torn between RR racing and M Force for the ECU tunes after installation. Currently I'm set up with the Ark GRiP catback exhaust and Takeda intake. No way I'm switching to another intake system since I'm loving the intake sound.

I've heard drawbacks towards headers in the long term (like O2 sensors needing frequent replacement or just too raspy). What do you guys think? Should I just stick to the ECU tune? Or try out both the headers and tune?

 

I daily drive mine with the PPE Headers + Ark Midpipe + F Sport Axle. Definitely Fun to drive and sounds amazing. I ran into some fitment issues with the PPE headers and Ark midpipe so had to go to exhaust shop so they could cut/weld and reangle the pipes to fit properly. Car is not as raspy everyone suspects. My Ark midpipe has no cats since I have blown the 2 sets of midpipe hi flow cats out of the exhaust. The force of the air will cause it to become lose and give you a CEL.

I currently have 123k on the car and honestly wish I never went this route because now cruising around with passengers or accelerating between 2-3k RPM the drone is bad and probably my experience to get everything to align was far from what I had imagined.

Another thing to consider is if you ever want to go back to stock headers its quite expensive to take the headers out and swap them versus an exhaust.

 

We just did a similar set up on an RC350. PPE headers, Ark Grip catback, and RR Racing Tune. I think the car sounded really good. It's not a deep muscle tone it's definitely more of a high end sound but I wouldn't say it's over raspy at all. The car just sounds much more alive and awake with the Headers. If you check out our Instagram you can hear it there.

 

any updates?
what did you go with?

 

2JZ Back end inspired (rear mounted turbo to come)

This is a single exit I just did, this will be a rear mount here soon.