How to best quiet MS3 exhaust?

[sweetpickles]

Hi all Just picked up my MS3 yesterday and the main thing that stood out to me that I'd like to change is the exhaust note/noise. Any advice on the best way to go about quieting down the MS3 exhaust?

I've listened to clips of a few of the catback solutions, but they all seem to be headed in the opposite direction of what I'm looking for. Ideally, the more undetectable the sound the better (think normal Mazda 3 or the "sleeper" mentality), although if it that meant definitively worse performance, obviously that'd be a big turnoff

Insight appreciated!

 

[SharkDiver]

I like your fork truck photo...Check out mine...LOL

 

[SharkDiver]

Hi all Just picked up my MS3 yesterday and the main thing that stood out to me that I'd like to change is the exhaust note/noise. Any advice on the best way to go about quieting down the MS3 exhaust?

I've listened to clips of a few of the catback solutions, but they all seem to be headed in the opposite direction of what I'm looking for. Ideally, the more undetectable the sound the better (think normal Mazda 3 or the "sleeper" mentality), although if it that meant definitively worse performance, obviously that'd be a big turnoff

Insight appreciated!

I guess you could remove the muffler by the tail pipe and add a magnaflow or something different that is not a straight thru design like ours.You will loose power I would guess.

 

[sweetpickles]

I like your fork truck photo...Check out mine...LOL

Link not working for me My pic is straight from one of the forum choices though. Unfortunately I'm not quite that original haha

I'm not all that familiar with what does what in an exhaust to be honest :/ The "muffle" part of muffler makes sense - I'm not always fast on the uptake Is that what generates/masks the majority of sound you hear in "an exhaust"? If that's the case, I'll definitely start looking around for new mufflers.

Any other ideas where I'd look to reduce exhaust sound?

 

[desperado-c]

Link not working for me My pic is straight from one of the forum choices though. Unfortunately I'm not quite that original haha

I'm not all that familiar with what does what in an exhaust to be honest :/ The "muffle" part of muffler makes sense - I'm not always fast on the uptake Is that what generates/masks the majority of sound you hear in "an exhaust"? If that's the case, I'll definitely start looking around for new mufflers.

Any other ideas where I'd look to reduce exhaust sound?

Yup, buy an MS6 instead. Nice and quiet. I think you'd have to replace the whole exhaust back to the turbo to make the Wild Child sound like an M3, ie., quiet with no rumble. Good luck!

 

[meha11]

i would go to a local exhaust shop and have them add a resonator, should be out the door with less than $100 spent. Dont let them sell you stainless steel one, the stock exhaust is carbon steel and thats all you need.

 

[ottawaP5]

Yup, buy an MS6 instead. Nice and quiet.

lol, that's an expensive option!

I've ridden in the MS3 and noticed it was definetly louder at startup and idle, but cruising around, it is only a tad louder than my MS6.

I think you'll get used to it in a week or two, I find the MS3 sounds really good

 

[Rainman]

The MS3 is certainly louder than our MS6, but it is much quieter cruising around than my MSP was with a custom 3" turbo-back exhaust. ON the highway it is very tolerable whereas the MSP exhaust started to grate on your nerves on long trips.

R

 

[SharkDiver]

Try this link.....

 

[desperado-c]

lol, that's an expensive option!

...
I think you'll get used to it in a week or two, I find the MS3 sounds really good

Expensive? Apparently, in the right place at the right time you can get an MS6 GT with everything but nav for $24k!

forum. mazda 6 club.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=79659&view=findpost&p=1092651

[remove the spaces to follow the link]

I agree about the getting used to it part. In fact, I enjoy the sound of my car a lot. I disagree about the characterization of it being just a tad louder above idle than the MS6. To me they are night and day. As different as a WRX and a 325i are. Wild Child vs. the Sophisticate, just as Mazda intended. I really notice this when, every once in a while, my wife will borrow it and you can really hear it going down the road. The 6 is pretty much indistinguishable from the rest of the traffic.

 

[ottawaP5]

Expensive? Apparently, in the right place at the right time you can get an MS6 GT with everything but nav for $24k!

forum. mazda 6 club.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=79659&view=findpost&p=1092651

[remove the spaces to follow the link]

I agree about the getting used to it part. In fact, I enjoy the sound of my car a lot. I disagree about the characterization of it being just a tad louder above idle than the MS6. To me they are night and day. As different as a WRX and a 325i are. Wild Child vs. the Sophisticate, just as Mazda intended. I really notice this when, every once in a while, my wife will borrow it and you can really hear it going down the road. The 6 is pretty much indistinguishable from the rest of the traffic.

haha, I know an MS6 can be gotten for the same price as an MS3, I just meant it would be expensive to take the hit on the MS3's depreciation so soon.

You are right about the sound difference between the two now that I think of it. The MS3 had more vibrations through the chassis from the engine then the MS6 as well. The MS3 sounded "boomier" if that makes any sense.

 

[sweetpickles]

The MS3 sounded "boomier" if that makes any sense.

Yah, that's exactly what I'm trying to get rid of :/ Much prefer the Speed6/BMW sounds where you fit in and nobody notices anything special from your sound.

I'll look into adding a resonator.

Do you guys know of any aftermarket cat-backs that specialize in quieting exhaust rather than trying to create their own "signature sound"?

 

[ottawaP5]

You can also add 200lbs of sound deadening

 

[SwampAss]

Borrow my car for a week. Once you get back into yours, you'll be amazed at just how quiet it really is!

 

[Ryz]

Quieter and Performance do not go hand in hand, you should have bought a regular 3.

 

[79_Limited]

Keep it in 6th gear.

 

[desperado-c]

Yah, that's exactly what I'm trying to get rid of :/ Much prefer the Speed6/BMW sounds where you fit in and nobody notices anything special from your sound.

I'll look into adding a resonator.

Do you guys know of any aftermarket cat-backs that specialize in quieting exhaust rather than trying to create their own "signature sound"?

I heard Borla makes them, but not for the MS3, FWIW.

 

[Donas64]

Quieter and Performance do not go hand in hand, you should have bought a regular 3.

Tell that to this :

0-6 in 4 seconds

248hp

13,500 RPM redline

and you'll never hear it coming!

 

[Rainman]

Tell that to this :

0-6 in 4 seconds

248hp

13,500 RPM redline

and you'll never hear it coming!

Yeah, but that costs well over $100K D! With $100K, I'm sure that you could make an MS3 real fast and real quiet to boot......Or at least buy big-ass earplugs so that it seemed to be quiet.

R

 

[Donas64]

Yeah, but that costs well over $100K D! With $100K, I'm sure that you could make an MS3 real fast and real quiet to boot......Or at least buy big-ass earplugs so that it seemed to be quiet.

R

I'm liking the earplugs idea.