zuku26

Anyone running the OBX resonated test pipes or any of other budget test pipes on the market for the G37x sedan? I know the whole buy from the big names ect. I would totally be down for that if I was going HFC, but I figure as long as I stick to stainless my only other real concerns are welds and fit.
I'm really looking to find some sound clips or videos so I can know how loud they really sound.

zuku26

Here are some links to ones Im considering
OBX Exhaust Cat Delete Test Pipe 03-06 Infiniti G35 ALL | eBay

MEGAN EXHAUST RESONATOR DOWN PIPE/DOWNPIPE TEST 09-UP NISSAN 370Z Z34 FAIRLADY Z | eBay

Stainless Steel Exhaust Test Pipe Infiniti G37 08 09 10 3.7L 6 Cylinder | eBay

NISSAN 370Z Z34 INFINITI G37 VQ37 08 09 10 11 Exhaust Down Test Pipes Catless | eBay

The only issue Im seeing is possible the angle and length of the o2 sensor port. Straight out will hit something wont it?

Black Betty

iTrader: (60)

Everything OBX has ever made for any car is complete garbage. If you put them on your car, you will end up regretting it. Guaranteed. I'm saying I told you so in advance.

zuku26

what about the others I posted

Black Betty

iTrader: (60)

I was speaking specifically to the OBX. I don't know anything about the others but from my experience I wouldn't put el cheapo parts eBay on my car that I love and hope for the best when it's not very much more expensive to buy a part from a reputable quality manufacturer. But that's just me.

I didn't even click the links but I can tell you what you'll get if you buy super cheap exhaust parts. Light gauge metal that is not actually made of stainless steel and that will rust very quickly. Questionable fit. Crappy welds.

Please save a few more dollars and buy your car the quality parts that it deserves.

6mtg37s

iTrader: (1)

I got the ebay "M2 performance" test pipes and have no problems with it. I've even driven the car in snow and all, they are keeping up very good. The fitment I had to align myself, the shop was too lazy to get it down right because I have a stock y pipe, but after fixing it it's completely fine.

Lt8Che

iTrader: (6)

I think it's hit or miss with "ebay" parts/brands. I rather pay a little more and know exactly what I'm getting.

j23a45m

iTrader: (11)

I agree with this 100%

nogoer

Ok i know this is really old, but i had to put in my 2 cents because i just saw the OBX HFC on ebay. I bought an OBX axel back for my old RX8 and i have to admit i was impressed with the quality. The welds were perfect and the metal was not thin or crap. Even the fitment was almost dead on. In the RX8 world exhausts basically add zero power so everyone buys on sound alone and the cheap ones sound almost as nice as the high end ones. For 200 i took a chance and was very happy and i would take a chance on OBX again. Exspecially for the 150 price its going for right now. Even if it was a total loss i could still wait out a used HFC and come out cheaper than new.

cecrops

iTrader: (4)

I don't get why you would willingly spend $150 while trying to save up for a quality HFC, you are now 150 further away! Now you'll have to waste time getting it installed and then uninstalled, then install the HFC. If that seems like a good plan to you and you don't mind putting junk on your car, then by all means take a total loss on it and have fun

BTW what do you consider "perfect welds"? I had a set of ebay test pipes and berk test pipes both in my hands side by side just recently the ebay parts were such low quality they are laughable at best (IMHO).

nogoer

Geez sorry for posting my opinion and specific experience with OBX.

To answer your question i would willingly spend it a) to save money and b) because i have seen firsthand what OBX stuff from ebay looks like. I also do the work DIY and have many, many years of experience with all sorts of exhaust parts so it's not like i have no idea what im looking at. So many people make the mistake of assuming that because you spend lots of money on something it has to mean it's quality. For the most part that is true, but it isn't always.

I never said i was trying to save up for a quality HFC, i was just giving my experience with the OBX parts. Sure i am shopping for them, but im not sure yet if i want to spend 500+ for new, 300ish for used, or try a cheaper alternative. Just because yours says Berk on it does not mean its the only valid HFC one can buy. Oh, and a perfect weld to me is one that is clean with no pin holes or inconsistencies from start to finish and thats what i saw on my OBX exhaust. Sure maybe the OBX guy sources his stuff from multiple places and there certainly could be major differences bewteen his parts for one make and parts for another, but maybe not. Also it's a simple fact these days that china can make stuff cheap and OBX may ship from Cali but its made in china. So the price also reflects chinas ability to reduce costs on labor and material and doesnt have to mean the lower cost is due to cheaper materials and slave labor.

You seem to assume im some random 18yr old twerp who barely knows how to drive let alone what parts to buy or how to deal with cars. I'm not, im a 40yr old car guy who's poured years of blood, sweat, and tears into more cars than i care to admit to. I paid my dues, do my own work and if i see a part and it looks good to me then i dont care if it cost 150 or 1500. Im old enough to know how to compromise between cost and quality as well as old enough to have many other responsibilities biting into my car fund. So if i need to budget myself to 150 and accept that the sound isn't as cool or the part might last 5 yrs instead of 10 then thats what i do so the other 400 can pay for my kids health care or other important things.

Sorry that turned into more of a rant then i intended

warped ideas

Okay..... You certainly won me over to OBX...... Please don't shoot.

nogoer

Hey man just trying to make a point that buying budget parts doesnt automatically make you a ricer teenager.

Back in the 60s and 70s buying a japanese import car got you this kind of tongue lashing now look at how we treat them. At some point chinese stuff will move from cheap knockoffs to quality alternatives and i think a lot of times people just jump to the conclusion that it's always crap without even taking a minute to make thier own conclusions.

Look im sure Berk HFCs are awsome, but you dont go to a five star restaurant for dinner everynight sometimes you stop at McDs. It may be ****ty food but it still gets the job done.

cecrops

iTrader: (4)

Wall of text warning:

Dear sir, I apologize if you felt that I was attacking you in any way as it was not my intention. I respect everyone's opinion even if I don't agree with it and I honestly feel I wasn't being rude.

OK, point taken. If you feel the quality of OBX is good enough for you and you have seen it first hand and you don't mind doing the labor, then I still stand by what I said. By all means buy it and put it on your car, that is all I was saying. One last note is when you look at ebay test pipes they dont have a gusseted flange to accommodate for the OEM brace that ties the suspension together.

On that note, I never said I had Berk HFC, I said I had a Berk test pipe and an OBX test pipe side by side, that is all I could comment on since that's what I physically had in my hand. A new test pipe from Berk would be ~$250 shipped. I sold the used Berk test pipes for $160 shipped with defoulers included, so that right there is the price of some OBX test pipes. I know Berk isn't the only "valid HFC", I never said that either it's just a Berk is what I had in my hand at the time.

You seem to assume that I am assuming you are "some random 18yr old twerp who barely knows how to drive let alone what parts to buy or how to deal with cars." I never said any of those things but if you feel I came across that way then again, I apologize, but you are the one making those assumptions. I personally know only two people from the forum and when I post I understand it could be anyone behind the computer so please don't get offended. I have also owned many a vehicle and have done 90% of the work on those cars myself, I almost killed myself trying to change an entire rear end on my 98 cobra by myself.

I'm going to have to stand by what I said in regards to saving up for parts. If you can only come up with, for example $150 for a performance part, I would still recommend saving that money for what I would consider a quality part. I can understand if say your catalytic converters broke and you had no choice in a pinch but in this instance, we are comparing aftermarket performance parts that _maybe_ we can agree are not "necessary". Like you said, if you don't mind having parts last half as long and sound 'not as cool' then OBX seems the way to go for you. I would never say screw your kids healthcare, I agree that is 100% a priority!


tl;dr - I agree to disagree. If you feel OBX is good enough for you, by all means put it on your car

warped ideas

I don't disagree with you. I bought the "cheap" Kinetix HFCs and have been more than pleased with them. The funny thing about those cats are that they have the exact same stamp on the side of them as the Fast Intentions HFCs that a lot swoon over. I didnt realize that the actual catalytic converters were produced by the same company until a forum buddy posted pics of his FI HFCs and I saw the same F-ing stamp marks that are on my "cheap" HFC's... I kinda laughed my way to the bank on that one, as the saying goes.