I've run into a little delima. I have enough cash to get one or the other. My first thoughts were to pickup the Borla True Dual for $650, but I have been reading good results about aftermarket cats on the stock exhaust.

I am interested in the most HP and an improvement of stock sound. Which option would best serve both my needs?

 

I would go with CATS first.

 

It's a coin toss but I think I would go ahead and do the cats first so you can match up the new exhaust with the position of the new cats. I noticed my RT cats came down a little further than the stock cats and some readjustment of my Borla over the sway bar was necessary.

 

I have done both mods, and headers too.
Based on your stated objective at this time, I would definitely go with the high flow cats first.

 

High flow cats!! I agree

 

If you're going to both within a short amount of time, do cats first cuz people always have sales on exhausts. I went catback first cuz it was xmas time and they were more expensive

 

OK, new twist on it. Since I live in Arizona, and the police aren't to strict about modifications, would long tube headers be more beneficial than hi-flow cats?

 

Well, hard to say. There's a thread here regarding flow rates of stock CATS vs RT vs Test pipes. This was tested by Technosquare, and from what I've gathered, the RT flows almost as good as test pipes.

So, if hi-flow CATS flow almost as good as test pipes, and they're environmentally friendly, it's a no brainer which ones I would go with.

 

Pipes can get TOO long.

Per the XERDs making less torque than all the other headers.

Even then the NISMO + Test Pipe or the Crawford's + High-Flow Cats... are making more HP and torque than the XERDs.

 

From all the cars we've done around here, the cat's seem to be the best money spent.... There's a dyno graph here.. http://www.performancenissanparts.co...roducts_id=188

 

Go cats.

 

Between cats and catback I would go HF cats first. I will throw a thought out there only because of the experience I had. Have you considered the Crawford Plenum? Its not for everyone but if you want a good bang for the buck mod that should be on your list. The plenum, HF cats/test pipes and pulleys seem to be the best bang for the buck mods out there.

 

I'm getting the R-SR which isn't a catback, should i still get the RT cats first? I was about to order the exhuast but it seems everyone thinks its a good idea to go with the cats first.

 

I think you'll get more "Bang for the Buck" with the CATS and Plenum, for slightly more cost than the RS-R .

 

I like the sound of the R-SR and isn't the plenum more of a hassle to install?

 

I'm EXTREMELY interested in getting the cats and the exhaust, which was my original plan. But all this talk about running lean has me very worried, since my dad pays for the car and i'm worried about damaging the engine. I was thinking about getting the exhaust for now and then waiting a little on the cats until you guys figure out what is going on with them.

 

Hehehe, actually, it's not hard at all! Took me a total of 1.5 hrs to take off the stock and install the Crawford's. Instructions were extremely easy to follow.