You can reference the original thread here: https://my350z.com/forum/nismo-350z/...e-exhaust.html

To me, an exhaust is my favorite thing to get for a car and I deliberated for a long time on the right one. It seemed that every exhaust either looked how I wanted or sounded how I wanted...but never both. And the ones I thought looked the best were extremely expensive...namely the Amuse and MCR.

I decided that I didn't want a dual exhaust...I just don't care for the way it looks with the Nismo rear end. I wanted something that was positioned in a manner similar to the stock exhaust.

The S-tune exhaust has long been my favorite exhaust for the 350Z speaking strictly in terms of sound. Quite frankly, I think it's perfect. I was initially apprehensive about how it would look with our bumper though. But after months of thinking about exhausts, I said #&@$ this...I'm buying it.

Quality: The quality is top notch. It is built to OE standards.

Fitment: As for fitment, I encountered issues. I have Crawford HFC's and as some of you know, the Nismo exhaust and the Crawford cats don't always like to get along (it can crack them)...the Nismo y-pipe flex joints don't exactly put the "flex" in flexible. As a result, the exhaust had to be forced into place. Not wanting to put undue stress on the cats, I didn't force it too much. Consequently, when back on the ground, the midpipe made contact with the brace underneath the car. It vibrated horribly and resonated through the cabin. I was very disheartened and felt I had made a mistake.

Also, the muffler makes contact with a part of the diffuser. This is easily addressed by trimming the plastic ever so slightly. This is on my to-do list.

While I could live with the minimal contact on the bumper, I could NOT handle the vibrations. It was clear that something needed to be done ASAP.

The Solution: A local shop--Performance Autosports--suggested cutting the flanges on the y-pipe, flipping the pipe over and re-welding the flanges in the appropriate position. This provided perfect, stress-free fitment...not only did this fix the midpipe contact but it should also ensure that the HFC's don't crack.

This is where it originally made contact...



The flanges that were cut and re-welded...



Overall Impression: I'm in love. The sound is everything I'd hoped for...nothing but sweet VQ music. With the cats, it's perfect. The stock exhaust was just too muted for me. It reminded me of someone blowing air through a big straw. I wanted a richer, more authoritative sound...the S-tune delivers. I also love how it looks. It fills out the opening perfectly and the tips are spot on IMO...perfectly level with the bottom of the bumper and angle up in the same fashion as the bumper does.

Enough blabbing. Onto the pics. I took enough *** shots so that NOTHING is left to the imagination. I hate threads with 1 or 2 lousy pictures.

 

Very sexy.

 

is this the first time your car has ever been outside? haha... but it awsome and i want your car just lettin you know that..

 

Well done. Looks like the smaller tips work just fine with the Nismo rear bumper!

 

Glad this worked out for you. The S-Tune was never designed to fit the NISMO? Or was it?

 

No it was not.

 

Thanks Goose! That headlight's got me trippin.

Oh it gets out...from time to time. She lives a pampered life, but I promise...she gets driven.

I really appreciate it man!

Glad you like it, Brian! I really haven't been able to enjoy it until today...once that issue got fixed. I'm definitely pleased now.

Thanks David. It wasn't designed with the Nismo in mind, hence the contact with the rear bumper. But it technically shouldn't have any other fitment issues. I think my Crawford cats were the culprit for the midpipe contact/vibrations. It would have mated up fine to a car with stockers in place.

I know I'm certainly not the first to combine Crawford HFC's and a Nismo exhaust though. So I guess other people are really forcing the exhaust into place. Given the reputation for cracking cats, I wasn't about to chance it.