996 Sports Exhaust and Induction Kit

Bought my '00 C4 Cab 5 months ago (without a Sports Exhaust fitted). Having heard a switchable system fitted to a 99 C2 Coupe, I decided I needed one. Problem: OPC price £2000ish fitted. Had a look at aftermarket systems: Remus, Cargraphic, etc, but I had a bad experience with a Cargraphic system on a previous 2.7 Boxster. I had heard lots of good things about Fabspeed so looked at their website (http://www.fabspeed.com) - they've got excellent videos of the system in action. Ended up buying the 996 Maxflo Muffler system (with Fabspeed tips) and Cold Air Induction Kit (with BMC F1 air filter). Joe Fabiani (Fabspeed sales guy) was really helpful. All parts arrived by TNT within 4 days of ordering. The system is top notch quality and fit. I fitted the exhaust myself in an afternoon (only problem was rusty bolts on the system I was taking off). Cold air kit was a doddle to fit (30 mins max). With the exchange rate at $1.9=£1, the whole shooting match cost me just over £800. Not only that, on the rolling road, the car produced 318 bhp and 275 lbsft of torque (7% increase over standard). Incidentally, import duty was £18. Car sounds spectacular now. Cant wait for roof down weather and tunnels!! Only problem is the system isn't switchable so slightly noisy in towns etc (but not overly so). If anyone wants more info, let me know. Cheers for now, Adrian Tillin.

Adrian Had exactly the same on my '99 C4 and I agree totally. The car sounded fantastic over 4000rpm but too loud in town. There was also a noticeable increase in performance - not massive but enough to make a difference. Have now sold the C4 and got myself an '02 C2. (What a difference, but that's for another thread sometime). Just fitted the Fabspeed induction kit this morning together with a K&N filter panel. I have to say that on the 3.6 engine I'm disappointed. On the 3.4, the intake kit gave the car a superb induction howl at higher revs whereas on this one, the effect is much less noticeable. I'm having the switchable PSE's fitted next month and I'm really hoping this will make the car sound more alive. Compared to my old 3.4 C4 + Fabs, the standard 3.6 C2, whilst substantially quicker, sounds like a hoover! [ ] Ian W

If you go the PSE route, IMO, the switch is not necessary. It is an expensive after-fit.

Oliver, The switch will be useful for me as I often leave home quite early and don't want to wake the entire street - the PSEs have a formidable bark when cold! I agree that it is normally expensive to have done, but part of the deal I did when buying the car was to secure a heavily-discounted price from the supplying OPC (bought the car from Nottingham) for fitment. They were even good enough to offer to hold the price for a couple of months until I can afford to get the job done. Ian W

Hi all, as you can see i'm new to this forum having brought a C2 Cab just 3 weeks ago. Have been looking at uprating the stock exhaust and this thread couldnt of come at a better time. I take it when you all refer to PSE you mean the Porsche Sports Exhaust? I've been looking on the web for exhaust suppliers and have come across someone in Essex, the name escapes me, who seem to do the same kit as on the Fabspeed website, has anyone had any experience/recommendations preferably around the Hertfordshire or stretching to Essex area? E

Hi, Any chance of making an mpg or similar recording of your new exhaust note. Thinking of doing the same with my standard exhaust and would love to hear yours. If you can't upload it to the forum, perhaps you could email it straight to me, if, of course, you manage to record the growl!!!. Ta, Jon

Jon, If you try www.rennlist.com and www.renntech.org, you will find a lot of links to sound clips of various exhaust options. Fabspeed (www.fabspeed.com) have sound clips on their web site and Design 911 in Essex (www.design911.co.uk) also have Fabspeed clips. IIRC there is also a sound clip of the PSE on Porsche's web site too. Ian W

Link to Viideo Clips Try the above. They are of an '03 C2 with PSE. In the tunnels the windows were down....

On the subject of PSE...has anyone done any back-to-back dyno testing with PSE on / off to see if it makes a difference? I know that Porsche claim no advantage from it, power wise...but... I was having a play at a local RR Day in Aberdeen on Sunday... Back to back runs...with cooling down time between runs... The PSE made more power everywhere (well, from 2500 RPM upwards...below that 'quiet' PSE was fractionally up) to the tune of 5 to 15 BHP. Torque was up by between 5 and 10 lb-ft everywhere (except again, below 2500 RPM). The car has only 1200 miles on it...and it made spot on Porsche's quoted power at peak power. Interesting... Of course the accuracy of testing like this can be called into question...but in my view, the fact remains that PSE adds power and torque....and as importantly, a proper sound!

hi, i'm interested in the fabspeed maxflow and induction kit, how come there is only£18 import duty?? looking to order it direct from fabspeed.com it works out a couple of hundred quid cheaper than uk supplier! (depending on import duty!) chillo

Chillo, Give me a call on 07796 695231 or email [email removed]

Adrian, you got mail!

just wondering, but will a non factory (i.e. Fabspeed back box and induction kit) affect the warranty?

Yes. Which is why owners of newer cars are more likely to go the PSE route. Of course it does depend on whether any future warranty claim can be directly attributed to the non-authorised fitment of an after-market exhaust system. Best to seek clarification.

just recieved a maxflow exhaust and induction kit from fabspeed, delivered in 3 working days! nice gear! Just wondering with the induction kit and air filter giving 25% more airflow will the ecu need re-mapping? Or does it have enough of a range of self adjustment to not need it? ps. never came any instructions, does anyone have a copy they can email me?

Simon, ECU does not need remapping. Fabspeed suggest that disconnecting the battery and reconnecting after installation of the Cold Air kit will make the transformation instantaneous (rather than a 'learning process' over 50-100 miles). I didn't bother with battery disconnection and rolling road showed 7% gain a week after installation of Cold Air kit and exhaust. Everything fine 4000 miles later (and the car's been through 48000 miles service at OPC Swindon). Been ill all weekend so still waiting for first roof down tunnel experience!!! You will not be disappointed Cheers for now, Adrian

Has anyone come across these guys before, http://www.anewdigital.com , they have two variants of the sports exhaust one for £850 and one for £650. It seems too good to be true for the price! Call me cynical!!! regards Khuram

Khuram, Importing one from Fabspeed in the US is only around the £650 mark and they are spot on (not too good to be true for once). Cheers for now, Adrian Tillin

yeah i second that, got mine in 3 days $1600 all up!!! for exhaust/induction kit/bmc filter got induction kit on in 15mins and sounds a lot better, fitting exhausts on friday! cant wait

Had mine on for nearly 3 years. Brilliant sound. They get better with age. The only thing is that they come nice and shiny but after a few months on British roads they soon turn brown and rusty. But I highly recommend them.

been taking it out for a couple of blasts after putting induction kit on, noticed that the temp gauge has varied a little, initially dropping by ten deg C then coming back up to 80 and a couple of times going a couple of deg C high then back to normal. Nothing bad, but is this just the ECU learning the different airflow?? and compensating/over compensating as it does?

Simon, Very attentive - cant say I noticed any difference when I swopped mine over but I did mine all in one go. Weather looks good for tomorrow so no excuses!! Did you get hold of any instructions? Cheers for now, Adrian

Simon, How does the exhaust sound? Cheers for now, Adrian

Bought exactly the same for my 3.4l around 18 months ago. Agree that sounds great (and a little loud in town!). Interested to see the power output quoted by ano - a few mates have commented that the car "goes well" - well worth the money in my view.

Adrian, Fitted the exhaust with help a friend on Friday morning, no problems fitting at all, bolts were not rusted up so easy taking off the stock ones!! Bit of WD and they 'cracked' open easy. Maxflow fitted a lot easier as you said! (quite a bit smaller and lighter) The tips are nice. Sounds excellent, nice low throaty rumble with a real nice 'thrum' higher up! very pleased with it. Went to the lakes with it over the weekend and have done about 400 miles with them on, temp was up a little at around 85 deg C but seems to have dropped back to just over 80 by yesterday (Monday) The missus hasn't even noticed![ ] Can't say i've noticed much gain in performance with everything on (Induction/bmc air filter/back boxes) but its worth it for the noise and for £830 all up thats a bargain! Will just be keeping my eye on the temp (if its possibly running leaning whilst the ecu adjusts) even though it should have sorted itself by now. Simon