Picking the Best Aftermarket Muffler for You
The average person thinks the best muffler is the quietest muffler, which obviously makes sense because the purpose of a muffler is to reduce the noise coming from the engine. But not everyone is actually looking for the quietest one. Mufflers come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and yes, noise levels for those people who are looking for the exact, if not the loudest, sound. Many companies, such as Flowmaster and Magnaflow, specialize in getting the right tone, whether its for the everyday commuter, the custom car maker, or the race car driver. Finding the one that is best for you depends mostly on the level of noise you want to experience.
A Quiet Commute
Most people on the road use their cars for everyday uses: the commute to work or the run to the grocery store. If youre one of those people, then you are probably looking for a quiet muffler. High end exhaust systems often have both a muffler and something called a resonator. The resonator provides additional noise reduction and will having your car purring as quietly as a kitten. To find out if this set up works for your car and its exhaust system, check with companies, like Magnaflow and Flowmaster, which specialize in mufflers and exhaust systems.
The Rumble of Custom Cars
Whether you realize it or not, everyone does associate certain engine sounds with certain cars: the burst of sound coming from a muscle car or the growl of a classic car. For many people who like to customize cars or restore classic cars, hearing the rumble of the engine is a part of the satisfaction of altering the car.
• Specialty Mufflers
The number of mufflers and the various sounds they make can be staggering, but many companies specialize in mufflers made specifically for a type of car or sound. For instance, Flowmaster has several series of mufflers. They include the Flowmaster 80 Series for a muscle car sound, the Flowmaster 50 Series designed for SUVs, and the Flowmaster 50 Series HD designed specifically for high horsepower trucks. Getting the appropriate one for your car can complete whatever custom sound youre going for.
• Custom Exhaust Accessories
When it comes to custom cars, the look of the car is of utmost importance and that includes the look of the exhaust system and the muffler. Choices range from a single rear exit system for a more subtle look to a muscle truck exhaust system that matches the aggressive look of a muscle car. You can even switch it up with products like the Flowmaster Dual Rear Exit system, which will change your cars current single rear exit system to a more customized dual rear look. But the customizing doesnt end there. Check out a shiny, new stainless steel muffler or stainless steel exhaust tips to really add some character to your custom car.
The Race Car Roar
Out on the racetrack, a big part of the excitement is the roar of the race car engine, and mufflers created for race cars are not the same as mufflers created for everyday cars. With maximum decibel requirements on many racetracks out there today, the challenge of getting the best race car muffler is reducing the noise of the engine while still getting the best performance possible out of it. Obviously, buying a muffler for a race car means going to a company that has these technologically advanced mufflers. Magnaflow offers a race series, while Flowmaster has an entire research & development department dedicated to these kinds of exhaust systems.
Find a Muffler
Once you know exactly what kind of sound and look youre going for in a muffler, you have to go out and find one. There are plenty of auto parts stores and websites out there, but the choices can get overwhelming. Hopping onto a website focused solely on exhaust systems can help you narrow down the options. A site like Magnaflow allows you to sort by year, make, and model of your car, while the Flowmaster site lists mufflers by their Flowmaster Series name or by the make of the car.
