Review Fast Intentions Carbon Fiber Cat Back
02-04-2013, 04:53 AM
#1
Fast Intentions Carbon Fiber Cat Back
Preface: I loved the look of the ark exhaust with the burnt tip, but i had another agenda: i want the stock infiniti/nissan growl. After doing research on which catback exhaust is closest sounding to stock, i decided to go for FI.
I went with Carbon Fiber with 18inch res. I order in the beginning of Nov. Tony is a great guy to deal with, he told me everything I needed to know and gave me recommendations. He told me my exhaust was most likely going to be here for Christmas, I was a happy man but he did put estimated ship date to 1/28.
Disappointingly, Christmas came and left. I just got my exhaust a few days ago. Took nearly 3 months, just a word of warning to those who are looking to order. 3 months is a LONG time.
The Finish: The quality is amazing. Package was really well done and it reminds me of the high end japanese exhausts. You can tell they took the manufacturing of this exhaust very serious.
Installation: It was a breeze if you have a lift and air tools. If you dont, just pay someone else to do it and its a really straight forward job with no chance of ****ing up. But if you enjoy all the pain and suffering, more props to you. So all in all, on the scale of 1-10, its a 3 for installation.
Fitment: No problems at all, fitment was utterly perfect. If you have a Diffuser, then it will be a problem since the tips will touch it.
Sound: Not trying to offend others with FI exhaust but I immediately hated the sound... It reminded me of the fart cans I had when I was a kid
The famous infiniti/nissan growl is COMPLETELY gone. The sound is very inconsistent as well. from 1- 1. 5k rpm its barely noticeble then when it hits 2k it gets freaking loud which will slightly vibrate/rattle the interior. At 3k the loudness is alot less then 2k, also it sounds generic. 3K+ it just screams. The thing I hate the most is the inconsistency of the sound. I would be at 2k~ screaming then when it shifts gear I would be at 1k which is completely silent. Sometimes I think my car stalled. The metaphor would be like someone who doesnt know how to play the trumpet is playing it hitting random notes at different octaves. Overall I think the sound lower the luxuriousness of the car. Just my opinion.
Chart:
1k quiet
1.5k loud
2k super loud + vibrations
2.5k quiet
3k loudish
4k super loud
5-redline screams
note: the exhaust is still very new to me and not completely broken in yet but i doubt the sound is going to change much.
Butt Dyno: Every exhaust I installed on my previous/present cars or bikes renders the vehicle to lose low end torque. This exhaust included. It feels like I lost power for street driving, the car has low torque from 1-3k rpm already, now i have to push it even hard to get it to go. When i do spirited driving however (i.e get into higher rpms/smashing throttle), I do feel like there is a gain but it is nothing major.
note: going to get a uprev tune soon, hopefully the power will be realized then.
will post vids/pics soon.
I went with Carbon Fiber with 18inch res. I order in the beginning of Nov. Tony is a great guy to deal with, he told me everything I needed to know and gave me recommendations. He told me my exhaust was most likely going to be here for Christmas, I was a happy man but he did put estimated ship date to 1/28.
Disappointingly, Christmas came and left. I just got my exhaust a few days ago. Took nearly 3 months, just a word of warning to those who are looking to order. 3 months is a LONG time.
The Finish: The quality is amazing. Package was really well done and it reminds me of the high end japanese exhausts. You can tell they took the manufacturing of this exhaust very serious.
Installation: It was a breeze if you have a lift and air tools. If you dont, just pay someone else to do it and its a really straight forward job with no chance of ****ing up. But if you enjoy all the pain and suffering, more props to you. So all in all, on the scale of 1-10, its a 3 for installation.
Fitment: No problems at all, fitment was utterly perfect. If you have a Diffuser, then it will be a problem since the tips will touch it.
Sound: Not trying to offend others with FI exhaust but I immediately hated the sound... It reminded me of the fart cans I had when I was a kid
The famous infiniti/nissan growl is COMPLETELY gone. The sound is very inconsistent as well. from 1- 1. 5k rpm its barely noticeble then when it hits 2k it gets freaking loud which will slightly vibrate/rattle the interior. At 3k the loudness is alot less then 2k, also it sounds generic. 3K+ it just screams. The thing I hate the most is the inconsistency of the sound. I would be at 2k~ screaming then when it shifts gear I would be at 1k which is completely silent. Sometimes I think my car stalled. The metaphor would be like someone who doesnt know how to play the trumpet is playing it hitting random notes at different octaves. Overall I think the sound lower the luxuriousness of the car. Just my opinion. Chart:
1k quiet
1.5k loud
2k super loud + vibrations
2.5k quiet
3k loudish
4k super loud
5-redline screams
note: the exhaust is still very new to me and not completely broken in yet but i doubt the sound is going to change much.
Butt Dyno: Every exhaust I installed on my previous/present cars or bikes renders the vehicle to lose low end torque. This exhaust included. It feels like I lost power for street driving, the car has low torque from 1-3k rpm already, now i have to push it even hard to get it to go. When i do spirited driving however (i.e get into higher rpms/smashing throttle), I do feel like there is a gain but it is nothing major.
note: going to get a uprev tune soon, hopefully the power will be realized then.
will post vids/pics soon.
Last edited by venzz; 03-15-2013 at 09:33 PM.
02-04-2013, 10:03 PM
#4
Tone will change. Not sure how much, but mine (q300/sedan) sounds different now than it did when first installed. It's been a good 2500 miles or more now.
If you got a 7AT, apparently aftermarket exhausts seem to be prone to this drone issue.
Can't say I noticed much difference in low end loss. Feels the same to me. Might either be the driving style or the 6mt..
If you got a 7AT, apparently aftermarket exhausts seem to be prone to this drone issue.
Can't say I noticed much difference in low end loss. Feels the same to me. Might either be the driving style or the 6mt..
02-05-2013, 11:28 AM
#6
I must say this thread puts a little damper in my mood as I am/was anxiously awaiting the arrival of my FI 18" RES CF catback. Do you have auto or manual? From my experience CBE's on auto's don't sound as good. I have 6MT so I hope I don't have the same experience. I've heard this exhaust in person and online so I am expecting a great sounding exhaust. I'm coming from the Tanabe CBE so I have high expectations for the FI. I ordered mine right after Thanksgiving and I was told from the beginning to expect a mid Feb delivery so I think it's interesting that you were given a December completion date. Someone with the FI setup that this guy is referring to chime in.
02-05-2013, 12:25 PM
#7
OP!
Let me first start off by saying I love my F.I very deep sounding and very G tone sounding!
I am running stock cats with 25K miles on them, with F.I Fully polished cat-back 18inch resonators with X pipe and CF mufflers.
It took the car about 2 weeks of driving for the ECM and the 7AT to adjust it self to the new air flow. After that lots of low end and high end.
Sound has gotten deeper! now that I have about 3K miles on the system.
To the OP
What model car do you have? remember the coupe will not sound the same as the saloon car. Also are you running the x pipe? with stock cats? did you rest your ECM? did you check to make sure the there are no air leaks?
Let me first start off by saying I love my F.I very deep sounding and very G tone sounding!
I am running stock cats with 25K miles on them, with F.I Fully polished cat-back 18inch resonators with X pipe and CF mufflers.
It took the car about 2 weeks of driving for the ECM and the 7AT to adjust it self to the new air flow. After that lots of low end and high end.
Sound has gotten deeper! now that I have about 3K miles on the system.
To the OP
What model car do you have? remember the coupe will not sound the same as the saloon car. Also are you running the x pipe? with stock cats? did you rest your ECM? did you check to make sure the there are no air leaks?
Last edited by GTLAW; 02-05-2013 at 12:37 PM.
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02-05-2013, 02:25 PM
#11
I also have the FI on my coupe with x pipe, 18" res and CF mufflers but unlike GTLAW, I'm running with Berks HFCs.
No way does this setup sound like one of those Honda fartcans you can buy in eBay for 50 bucks. Not sure why or how you're experiencing the fluctuations in sound. It should go from a deep gargle to screaming loud (redline). If you're driving an auto the car will want to upshift for you so naturally you'll be in a higher gear most of the time. Drive it in manual mode, go through the gears, and see if you still experience the the inconsistencies with the sound.
I do however agree with your comment regarding loss of low end tq. Because of the wider pipe diameter, you'll lose a lot of the back pressure, therefore causing you to feel a loss in tq.
No way does this setup sound like one of those Honda fartcans you can buy in eBay for 50 bucks. Not sure why or how you're experiencing the fluctuations in sound. It should go from a deep gargle to screaming loud (redline). If you're driving an auto the car will want to upshift for you so naturally you'll be in a higher gear most of the time. Drive it in manual mode, go through the gears, and see if you still experience the the inconsistencies with the sound.
I do however agree with your comment regarding loss of low end tq. Because of the wider pipe diameter, you'll lose a lot of the back pressure, therefore causing you to feel a loss in tq.
02-05-2013, 02:27 PM
#12
I guess because I am on stock intakes and stock cats, I did not lose any of my lowend.
I also have the FI on my coupe with x pipe, 18" res and CF mufflers but unlike GTLAW, I'm running with Berks HFCs.
No way does this setup sound like one of those Honda fartcans you can buy in eBay for 50 bucks. Not sure why or how you're experiencing the fluctuations in sound. It should go from a deep gargle to screaming loud (redline). If you're driving an auto the car will want to upshift for you so naturally you'll be in a higher gear most of the time. Drive it in manual mode, go through the gears, and see if you still experience the the inconsistencies with the sound.
I do however agree with your comment regarding loss of low end tq. Because of the wider pipe diameter, you'll lose a lot of the back pressure, therefore causing you to feel a loss in tq.
No way does this setup sound like one of those Honda fartcans you can buy in eBay for 50 bucks. Not sure why or how you're experiencing the fluctuations in sound. It should go from a deep gargle to screaming loud (redline). If you're driving an auto the car will want to upshift for you so naturally you'll be in a higher gear most of the time. Drive it in manual mode, go through the gears, and see if you still experience the the inconsistencies with the sound.
I do however agree with your comment regarding loss of low end tq. Because of the wider pipe diameter, you'll lose a lot of the back pressure, therefore causing you to feel a loss in tq.
02-05-2013, 02:56 PM
#13
I lost low end tq with my Tanabe as well. I hear from many people with aftermarket CBE's. A tune can fix that.
I also have the FI on my coupe with x pipe, 18" res and CF mufflers but unlike GTLAW, I'm running with Berks HFCs.
No way does this setup sound like one of those Honda fartcans you can buy in eBay for 50 bucks. Not sure why or how you're experiencing the fluctuations in sound. It should go from a deep gargle to screaming loud (redline). If you're driving an auto the car will want to upshift for you so naturally you'll be in a higher gear most of the time. Drive it in manual mode, go through the gears, and see if you still experience the the inconsistencies with the sound.
I do however agree with your comment regarding loss of low end tq. Because of the wider pipe diameter, you'll lose a lot of the back pressure, therefore causing you to feel a loss in tq.
No way does this setup sound like one of those Honda fartcans you can buy in eBay for 50 bucks. Not sure why or how you're experiencing the fluctuations in sound. It should go from a deep gargle to screaming loud (redline). If you're driving an auto the car will want to upshift for you so naturally you'll be in a higher gear most of the time. Drive it in manual mode, go through the gears, and see if you still experience the the inconsistencies with the sound.
I do however agree with your comment regarding loss of low end tq. Because of the wider pipe diameter, you'll lose a lot of the back pressure, therefore causing you to feel a loss in tq.
02-06-2013, 01:52 AM
#14
I must say this thread puts a little damper in my mood as I am/was anxiously awaiting the arrival of my FI 18" RES CF catback. Do you have auto or manual? From my experience CBE's on auto's don't sound as good. I have 6MT so I hope I don't have the same experience. I've heard this exhaust in person and online so I am expecting a great sounding exhaust. I'm coming from the Tanabe CBE so I have high expectations for the FI. I ordered mine right after Thanksgiving and I was told from the beginning to expect a mid Feb delivery so I think it's interesting that you were given a December completion date. Someone with the FI setup that this guy is referring to chime in.
02-06-2013, 02:40 AM
#15
OP!
Let me first start off by saying I love my F.I very deep sounding and very G tone sounding!
I am running stock cats with 25K miles on them, with F.I Fully polished cat-back 18inch resonators with X pipe and CF mufflers.
It took the car about 2 weeks of driving for the ECM and the 7AT to adjust it self to the new air flow. After that lots of low end and high end.
Sound has gotten deeper! now that I have about 3K miles on the system.
To the OP
What model car do you have? remember the coupe will not sound the same as the saloon car. Also are you running the x pipe? with stock cats? did you rest your ECM? did you check to make sure the there are no air leaks?
Let me first start off by saying I love my F.I very deep sounding and very G tone sounding!
I am running stock cats with 25K miles on them, with F.I Fully polished cat-back 18inch resonators with X pipe and CF mufflers.
It took the car about 2 weeks of driving for the ECM and the 7AT to adjust it self to the new air flow. After that lots of low end and high end.
Sound has gotten deeper! now that I have about 3K miles on the system.
To the OP
What model car do you have? remember the coupe will not sound the same as the saloon car. Also are you running the x pipe? with stock cats? did you rest your ECM? did you check to make sure the there are no air leaks?