Still waiting for my copy Bob ...and waiting...and waiting...

 

David --- I appreciate your frustration, but what would you have us do? Privatize the USPS would be a good start but I doubt you or I have the necessary funds to take on that nightmare. David, the Fall 2003 issue went to the postal gods on August 29th, that's only 8 business days. We have seen the mail take 3-4 weeks and there is nothing we can do about it. Alsolutely nothing.

I sense your frustration, but for one minute put yourself in our shoes. We're dealing with thousands of magazines, you're dealing with one. I take the time to respond to your post because that's what I do and that's what I should do. Art, Dave, Lita and I respond to this "waiting and waiting" issue with every mailing and despite my never-ending pleadings, the USPS turns a deaf ear. I'm not ragging on anyone David and please don't take this in a personal way, but what more can we do?

I know you don't want to hear this now, but the feedback we're getting this issue is 98% positive regarding delivery. Wish we could do better, but that's about as good as it will ever get.

BTW, if an issue of Sport Z is "lost" for four weeks, we send out a new issue.

We don't offer Fed Ex service and I doubt anybody on a budget would even consider it but that is what it would take to bypass the USPS.

We offer first class mailing at a premium price but it's still delived by the USPS. It's certainlyly faster than Periodical Rate, but the mailing costs are higher.

If you have some constructive ideas on how we can expedite the process please contact me at publisher@sportzmagazine.com.

David, it will be worth the wait, trust me.

Bob

 

Bob:

I'm still waiting too...

I assume they were mailed 3rd class hence the long delay, yes?

Thanks,
another David

 

Bob, question on the decibel readings in the issue. Where was the sound level meter? Was the 3000RPM reading taken at full throttle?
Thanks in advance for the info.

 

TCL,

The decibel reader was placed behind the car between the 2 exhaust tips in the same location for every car.

The 3000rpm reading was taken at 3000rpm, the car was not under load at 3k rpm. Just revving the car to that rpm level.

For everyone else I have not received their mag either yet. Have patience, if Bob and the rest of the staff at SportZ could have it their way it would be there in less then a day I know its especially hard since we are all enthusiasts, but so is all the staff at SportZ!

Can't wait to see the article on the 700hp Z32 and article on the supercharged stillen car.

 

Yuichi, thanks for info. I'm finding the NISMO unit to be a little louder than I expected when it's under load. Just wondering how many decibels I was getting inside the cabin. Maybe I'll use a little Radio Shack meter to find out. I've read that sounds over 90db cause hearing loss.

 

Can somebody please post the dbA readings. I'm interested in a Nismo exhaust and am looking for not too much noise.

 

Yes! Please post the db readings!!

 

TCL,

I would really not worry about hearing loss. I think you'll be happy in terms of sound from the NISMO unit. I know several people with one and if it was really bad we would definetly have pointed it out. I have also heard the NISMO exhaust with the NISMO headers and it is only a bit louder.

I have had a couple loud exhausts in the past and I can say the NISMO one is definetly tasteful.

hope that helps!

 

Yuichi, I've had the NISMO unit on for about 900 miles. The tone is great. At idle, you can hardly hear it and when cruising, it sounds much like the stock system. Recently however, I'm finding it slightly louder than I prefer when under load between 2000 and 3000 rpms. Not sure if my hearing is becoming more sensitive to it or if the exhaust is getting louder than when it was installed.

When I saw the decibel rating in the magazine, I thought that it was high if it was measured in the cabin. Fortunately you noted that it was measured right next to exhaust outlets. Just out of curiosity I plan to measure it from the cabin.

 

Got my copy today...its a little beaten up but glad its finally here.
You guys should shrink wrap 'em.

Anyone got pictures of the Injen exhaust ? Is it still angled ?

 

TCL,

Cool let me know what you get. I think it might be hard to get decibel levels inside the cabin. Windows up and windows down, but yah that would be a fun experiment. Like you can get a simple DB meter from radio shack for 40 bucks I think.

35ounces,

Then INJEN we tested was the angled tip exhaust they currently sell. I really doubt there would be any difference with the new straight version exhaust that is not angled at the bumper From what I hear it will be a little quieter then the exisiting INJEN as well

 

My impression with the Borla exhaust is that there is definitely more rumble at idle. It's subtle but you can tell. It's really not that much louder when cruising casually, but you definitely here it when you stomp on the throttle. It's not ricey, in fact it's anti-rice. Very nice refined sporty sound, reminiscent of true sports cars.

I don't know, but I imagine the Nismo is similar.
It's definitely not quieter, but it won't get you a noise violation ticket.

 

1. 5Zigen 87db idle; 105db @3k rpm
2. Borla 88db idle; 92db @3k rpm
3. Injen 83db idle; 99db @3k rpm
4. Nismo 84db idle; 95db @3k rpm
5. Stillen 84db idle; 93db @3k rpm

 

Does anyone know the specs in DB's for the stock Exhaust? I need a referenece point to gauge these DB's listed above.

When I rode in Greg's 350Z with Borla headers and exhaust, it did not sound too loud, it just sounded mean.

 

Note that a 10 decibel increase in sound equates to a sound that's 10 times more intense.

 

The stock exhaust put out 81db at idle, 89db at 3K.

Dave Bexfield
Editor, Sport Z Magazine
www.sportzmagazine.com

 

Dave Bexfield, Editor, Sport Z Magazine:

I just recieved my first issue of your magazine. It is nice to have a magazine focused on our cars. I hope that in the future you will keep doing articles such as the shoot out of exhaust systems. My350z.com is a great source of information but it is your magazine that do comparison of products such as cams, brakes, spuerchargers etc... This is why i subscribed to the magazine and I am sure others feel the same as I do. As you can see, the shoot out of exhaust sysytems article created a lot of interest.

We are just entering the real phase of after market parts to hit the market for the 350Z. This is a great opportunity for your magazine to fit a unique yet large nitch. The 350Z is the largest selling sports car in America. Add the G35 series and other related cars using the VQ motor and their is a good amount of people intersted in comparison of after market parts.

I know we cannot count on magazines such as Motor Trend to focus on this thus Sport Z Magazine has a responsibilty to the Z community to clairify which products are producing what they claim.

I can think of so many topics that interest me for future shoot outs of parts comparisons such as best suspension, sway bars, flywheels, Superchargers, soon to test TT, air intakes ......

May I suggest something that I think would be really benificial to use all? Please create a thread on my350Z.com that allows us suggest future articles/shoot outs. Maybe you can even take the best suggestions and then make a poll for us to vote on which topic will be done next?

Let me know if there is anyway I can assist you in making this magazine the #1 sorce of info for Z's.

Jeff

 

I just wanted to add another complexity...I know this has been discussed before.

You can run 10 pulls on one car and get 10 different results. Dynos are not totally consistent as there are 1000s (if not more) of dynamics that affect the results. Pull #1 could be started at 1900rpm and pull #2 could be started at 2000rpm and so on...

Example:
I dyno'd my car when the JWT Pop chargers were first released. I ran 10 pulls. They were all different with a range of 8hp and in no particular order. So when we are talking about a mod that results in an 8hp gain, a consistent improvement is what should count...not one pull.

This is not to say that the SportZ information is incorrect. My point is that these exhausts were mostly within a few hp of each other and, I assume, each on a different car so your results will vary on your car. You might get the Stillen and gain 5hp or the NISMO and gain 9hp.

 

But if you test all the products at one time under the same conditions like SportZ did, you get as close a picture of which product performs better. It is like drag racing, if they are running together, it is the same temp etc...pls dont throw in the differnece in lanes, you know what I mean!

Information is power. Comparisons rock and make me more comfortable in being ready to buy a specific product. Butt dynos are too subjective and of course if you ask a person who bought a specific product such as a Stillen Exhaust which product is the best, they will most likely be biased toward the product they purchased.