FlagonFly
Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2026
- Threads
- 7
- Messages
- 39
- Reaction score
- 33
- Location
- Memphis, TN
- Car(s)
- 2025 Z Perf 6MT
- Occupation
- IT
- Thread starter
- #1
I have the 2025 Z Performance 6MT and at some point am looking for an exhaust and other changes that help me hear the engine/exhaust better inside the car, especially during calmer driving. I couldn't care much less how it sounds to other people outside; not that I'm against improving their lives just mentioning because the goal is purely about improving what I hear on the inside while driving. In fact I want to avoid the outside sounds being overly loud just for the sake of what someone behind me hears.
With a stock config, when you're getting on it you can hear things well enough to know when you're approaching the shift points you want. But when you even moderately drop the aggression level the engine sounds are quickly eclipsed by general road noise, and I find myself checking the tach more often than I like to know what's going on. To be fair, I had the ASE disabled because I want to hear the car itself.
For exhaust, I've been listening to several videos and like how the Stillen Street series sounds and based on the X pipe design I think also helps more with the inside sounds. Also considering a variable valve setup, more expensive and more to break, but maybe. The Borla Atak sounds good but how much of it is what's behind me hears vs what I hear? For those of you who have done cat back exhaust swaps, how do you like the inside sounds, especially if you have the 6MT?
For intakes, I don't want anything that pulls hot air from the engine bay. I would probably do something like the AMS intakes that pull from the front bumper, but I see mixed reviews on what improvements you can hear. It does look like the stock on the Performance trim has a lot of sound deadening and restrictive filters and if changing these helps enough I will probably do at some point.
For sound deadening I'm considering something better in the doors and floors, and maybe some kind of felt liners inside the wheel wells. Trying to minimize drilling where the benefit is negligible but I want to doing something about the well noise; even a small amount of typical city street debris sounds like throwing gravel against a garden shed a few feet from my head, so is distractingly loud.
I don't want to mess with the downpipes although I know that would probably help a lot, but for now I'm keeping things more OEM+. Any tips much appreciated!
With a stock config, when you're getting on it you can hear things well enough to know when you're approaching the shift points you want. But when you even moderately drop the aggression level the engine sounds are quickly eclipsed by general road noise, and I find myself checking the tach more often than I like to know what's going on. To be fair, I had the ASE disabled because I want to hear the car itself.
For exhaust, I've been listening to several videos and like how the Stillen Street series sounds and based on the X pipe design I think also helps more with the inside sounds. Also considering a variable valve setup, more expensive and more to break, but maybe. The Borla Atak sounds good but how much of it is what's behind me hears vs what I hear? For those of you who have done cat back exhaust swaps, how do you like the inside sounds, especially if you have the 6MT?
For intakes, I don't want anything that pulls hot air from the engine bay. I would probably do something like the AMS intakes that pull from the front bumper, but I see mixed reviews on what improvements you can hear. It does look like the stock on the Performance trim has a lot of sound deadening and restrictive filters and if changing these helps enough I will probably do at some point.
For sound deadening I'm considering something better in the doors and floors, and maybe some kind of felt liners inside the wheel wells. Trying to minimize drilling where the benefit is negligible but I want to doing something about the well noise; even a small amount of typical city street debris sounds like throwing gravel against a garden shed a few feet from my head, so is distractingly loud.
I don't want to mess with the downpipes although I know that would probably help a lot, but for now I'm keeping things more OEM+. Any tips much appreciated!
