Exhaust: Gemballa or Porsche Sports?

What do you guys think? I love this place and I would trust your advice over anyone else's! I have been wanting to install an exhaust and can make up my mind. Which offers a better, deeper sound in your opinion? I believe the Gemballa may also offer a bit of a performance boost (slight). Porsche Sports or Gemballa? For a 2002 Targa. thanks, you guys are great!

I have heard raves over the new Porsche sport exhaust. They now come with a "mute" switch should you ever decide to mute them for a moment. I have not heard the Gemballa.

I think you can get the Gemballa a lot cheaper, they often sell directly off ebay. Someone on another board bought a set for something like $900, which is way cheaper than the Porsche Sport exhaust. To be honest, the stock '02 sound isn't bad at all. If you go aftermarket you can switch them back and forth when you feel like, as it only takes about 1.5 hrs once you get the hang of it.

Get the Porsche sport exhaust-Sounds very much like the aircool with motorsound package-maybe better : ). Heard it when getting my car serviced on a 02 model and it's delicious. Plus it won't hurt resale value and it's oem. Good luck. Mike

I wish I knew how to post a wav file for my 02 Cab w/fabspeed. It sounds better than the one on Joe Fab's website. I would recommend it. It's the cheapest, easiest to install, and saves weight. Just my .02 (no affiliation, but I've had 4 Fabspeeds on my assorted Pcars and never had a problem. If someone gives me the code for such a file (I have a sony Cybershot 3.3 meg. You'll get pic + sound, just don't know how to load to computer.

Thanks for all of your help. Actually, the Gemballa is on ebay for $899.00. I think I will go for the Porsche Sports only because I gather that people love it and it's FACTORY. I heard it at the dealership and I loved the sound. Regards, Dan

<img src="graemlins/soapbox.gif" border="0" alt="[soapbox]" /> I think it's interesting that we buy $90,000+ Porsches and then want to buy the cheapest exhaust system, rather than the best, for our cars. If you want cheap, buy a Mustang, put a Cherry Bomb glass pack on it and be done with it. Unless someone can provide hard, empirical, engineering data that says otherwise, I'll find it difficult to believe that someone can cob together a sport exhaust that works better on a Porsche engine than one from Porsche. My $.02, go for the Porsche Sport Exhaust. (OK, I feel better now )

Hey Mike, there's a difference between "cheap" and "inexpensive" Like I said my Fabspeeds sound every bit as good as sport exhause from what I've heard on the 'net. Only thing is I can't turn on and off...but a $3,000 exhaust option (or whatever it is) is too much. I'd rather waste the money on sensible thing like a $1500 carbon fiber steering wheel! <img src="graemlins/c.gif" border="0" alt="[ouch]" />

Actually, Gert at carnewal.com has PSE for under $1,700 delivered...

Mike-tell us how you really feel : ). More then likely I'm going for the GT3 seats like you said saves way more weight and keeps me glued to the car rather then sliding right and left. Thanks for the advice. Regards. Mike

[quote]Originally posted by Mike in CA: <strong>...Unless someone can provide hard, empirical, engineering data that says otherwise, I'll find it difficult to believe that someone can cob together a sport exhaust that works better on a Porsche engine than one from Porsche. My $.02, go for the Porsche Sport Exhaust. (OK, I feel better now )</strong><hr></blockquote> What's your opinion on OEM Porsche pedals?

I've had the Gemballa for about 2 mos. now in my '01 C2 cab and I could not be more pleased. Deep, throaty sound under acceleration (mild and hard) but it drops away under steady thottle with no droning whatsoever. I was able to use the stock Porsche tips as well.

[quote]Originally posted by Flying Finn: <strong> What's your opinion on OEM Porsche pedals? </strong><hr></blockquote> Well, they're rubber and they work well, but they aren't particularly attractive. OK, Flying Finn, you got me on that one. I guess my rigid little Porsche world isn't perfect (but it's close). Mike

[quote]Originally posted by Mike in CA: <strong> Well, they're rubber and they work well, but they aren't particularly attractive. OK, Flying Finn, you got me on that one. I guess my rigid little Porsche world isn't perfect (but it's close). Mike</strong><hr></blockquote> Sorry Mike but I just had to 'catch' you! And BTW, I think Porsche makes aluminum pedals too

Yep like Flying Finn said Porsche makes aluminum pedals too. Exactly like the rubber ones cept it's metal. Regards. Mike

Mike, do you have a price and part number on them? If it's over $200, I'll use my $100 certificate.

I saw them at Sonnen dealership for $249. It includes dead pedal as well. Ask the dealership(parts department)in your area and they will get you the info. Regards. Mike

Well, I am actually "the guy on the other board" that installed the $900 Gemballa exhaust. Like the other poster on the thread, I couldn't be happier. It has a very distnictive note. Very throaty rumbling. Sounds great during acceleration. But too loud and no droning during cruising. You can check out the web page which contains sound clips we recorded of different sport exhausts during a recent local Porsche outing. Due to the seat-of-the-pants recording method, this may not be the most representative of all the exhaust sound. (You should never buy based on sound clips anyway.) But the recording on the Gemballa here is quite accurate. <a href="http://www.paulto.com/porsche-exhaust-sounds.html" target="_blank">Web page comparing Porsche Sport Exhaust, Gemball, Fabspeed, and MY02</a> After the first person comparison, here are my bottom line suggestions for sport exhaust choice... 1. If you want traditional Porsche sound and you want loud, go for the Porsche Sport Exhaust. 2. If you want traditional sound but not too loud, go for the Gemballa. 3. If money is no objective, go for the Porsche Sport Exhaust and hard wire a "mood switch" to control the valve manually. 4. If you want a racy exhaust note and don't like the "traditional" rapsy sound, then go for the Fabspeed. 5. If you have a MY02 stock exhaust, the only upgrade that might make sense is the Porsce Sport Exhaust since there is not a huge difference between MY02 stock and other aftermarket exhausts.

just cruising all of the web sites for p cars in Excellence and hit on Crescent City Porsche. Seems they have the factory sport exhaust for $1295. Check out <a href="http://www.crescentporsche.com" target="_blank">www.crescentporsche.com</a>

Any guidence for a DIY installation of the Sport Exhaust "mood" switch

C4FDR of this board posted some messages in the past. Here is what I could find. Hey C4FDR, care to post a DIY note? Oh shoot, I might be tempted to swap my Gemballa now... ===C4FDR's Post=================== I had the Porsche Sport Exhaust installed with some modifications. The wiring was installed as designed, however the control was unplugged and a switch and relay was wired in that allows me to control the exhaust. The switch is a PSM switch in the panel where the heated seat switches go. I turn on the ignition switch and if the orange light in the switch is illuminated I'm in the Sport Exhaust mode, hit the switch and I'm in the quiet mode. In the sport mode the car roars specially when driving aggressively past 90 mph. At 140 mph it really roars. I'm very happy with the sound improvement. I'm considering headers next. I plan to Dyno it soon in both modes.

Thanks, I have all the stuff from porsche that came with the sports exhaust system which I got from carnewal, I installed the system exhaust myself with no problem, but without the quiet mode. I'm thinking I'd like an on/off switch. if anyone has info on past threads on the subject let me know, or have happen to have schematic diagram for a DIY. <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

Thanks for all the information on the exhausts options. How much of a power boost does the Porsche Sport provide vs. the Gemballa?

I don't think there is much power to be gained from an exhaust alone, maybe on the order of 3-10 hp increase over stock -max. If you did the complete exhaust system with headers, cats and mufflers you would see more power, but you will most likely need a chip to optimize things. The main benefit in an exhaust is the improvement in sound quality on the 996.

No HP gain on Porsche Sport Exhaust. May be even a slight disadvantage because it is heavier than stock? But I am not sure. May be Loren can comment. The Gemballa is much lighter although I neglected to weight them. I notices slight loss of torgue during the first 4-5 days after install Gemballa. After the "break-in" period, I do feel that the engine is breathing and accelerating more smoothly. I seems to be getting to the red line faster but that might be just becuase I am now addicted to the sound. Something strange and probably a conincident... my gears are shifting MUCH smoother. The notchiness between 1st and 2nd is completely gone. Don't know why.

[quote]Originally posted by Paul in CA: <strong>No HP gain on Porsche Sport Exhaust. May be even a slight disadvantage because it is heavier than stock? But I am not sure.</strong><hr></blockquote> The difference in weight between the PSE and the stock system is slightly more than 1 pound.... 22 pounds vs. 20.5 pounds when I weighed them. In other words, negligible. The Ruf exhausts I had for a while were 19 pounds. We're not talking about big differences here, especially when you consider that, unlike the PSE, some aftermarket exhausts can actually reduce HP and torque. There is anectodatal evidence I've read in the form of comments from the Porsche Driving Experience instructors that the PSE equipped cars are running faster at the end of the straights than the stock exhaust cars they used previously. But you're right....Porsche claims no HP increase from the PSE.

I agree with Mike on this one, the weight difference is not significant IMO. The main benefit from the exhaust upgrade is sound improvement. Any hp increase is gravy. Having said that, anecdotally my car with Rufs carries a lot more MPH on the straights at TWS. Then again, I'm also improving my driving skills each time out as well.

[quote]Originally posted by DJ 996: <strong>Any hp increase is gravy.</strong><hr></blockquote> The real gain may acutally not actual but psychological HP. I found myself accelerating harder and driving faster because of the joyful notes of the exhaust. I used to drive with sunroof open all the time. Now I drive with sunroof AND all windows open 90% of the time. Had to put a comb in my brief case now too.