Exhaust Mufflers are a Killer Upgrade and That’s a Fact
Your car comes from the manufacturer with a stock engine and an exhaust system. Eventually, parts of the exhaust system will deteriorate and rust and you’ll need to replace them. Your options won’t be limited when this happens – you can most certainly get new stock exhaust parts from your dealer or buy aftermarket parts that will offer visual and sound improvements, like an exhaust muffler that will change how your vehicle sounds and ultimately, performs.
When the topic of the exhaust muffler is brought up, many questions and concerns arise. Probably one of the most commonly asked one is what the muffler adds to a car – whether aesthetic appearance, performance, sound or weight? Well, here is your answer.
Aesthetics
For starters, you have to understand that changing the exhaust muffler alone will have minimum performance effects on the vehicle but will do a lot for the way your car looks. Most mufflers and muffler tips aren’t designed to increase performance but to change the way your ride appears as mufflers can be oval, square, coffee can and even octagonal-shaped.
Performance
As aforementioned, you might not notice a significant performance boost just by having a new muffler, however, if you go with an aftermarket exhaust system as a whole, the difference might be noticeable. It will be minimal, but still present. However, you have to understand that replacing a stock muffler with a bigger muffler without changing the pipe will only harm your engine. If you’re buying a large diameter muffler you should match it with large diameter pipes.
Sound
It is a common thing for drivers to buy mufflers in order to change the way their car sounds. Different mufflers can do different things. For instance, a coffee can shaped one can make a small, four-cylinder engine sound bigger and much more powerful. It doesn’t do much for the performance, but it will make your car stand out in the streets.
Weight
Many drivers opt for aftermarket mufflers due to the fact that they reduce the weight. They include fewer interior baffles, or they can be made from exotic metals that generally weigh less. The reduced weight enables more power and a better fuel economy.
These are some of the reasons why there are so many different exhaust mufflers on the market. At the end, it all really comes down to personal preferences. You will certainly find the type that suits your needs as luckily there are definitely more than enough options to choose from.