Quieter Exhaust

Wow I thought the off throttle burble in this car was amazing...tiresome? Man go get a Camry...
 
Wow I thought the off throttle burble in this car was amazing...tiresome? Man go get a Camry...

Well, wouldn't that non-burbly-off-throttle Camry probably keep up with you, with its 0-60 time of 5.8 sec / quarter mile 14.3...?

If you like the off-throttle drone, great. Personally, having heard different exhausts that sound more aggressive and have little to no drone, there are better options to the stock exhaust. Other than that, the car is near perfect for its price range (well, I would like AWD, but then you'll tell me to go get a Suburban or something...)
 
Yes it would keep up. That's exactly my point. It's a car with a little excitement, not a Camry. It's a car with a stiff ride too. It wasn't exactly built to be quiet like a Lexus.

I'm not saying don't get the quieter exhaust any way you can. I'm really not hating but I really have a hard time understanding your point of view if you bought a car like this. I guess I'm just being one of those forum guys too.

I personally wish my exhaust popped and burbled like an Alfa 8c even for daily drives so it's hard for me to understand that point of view especially in a performance vehicle. If the exhaust gets old (never "tiresome" for me) there's always the Bose anyway!
 
Performance cars don't need to have off-throttle drone inside the cabin. In fact, plenty of people who switch out the stock unit in the Speed with aftermarket catbacks report louder, throatier exhaust notes with a reduction in the cabin drone--so does that make them Lexus lovers? Of course not. Heck, if the off-throttle drone was better tuned, maybe I wouldn't be complaining, but it sounds more "cheap" than performance, imo.
 
I am in the same boat as Metro Gray. I am about to do some surgery on my stock exhaust to get rid of that drone. I like loud exhausts, but the stock has a terrible drone around 3k. I am removing the second resonator and replacing it with a larger one, Magnaflow 14616 model. It's a 6" diameter resonator. The stock one is 4.5" diameter. They are both the same length. The bigger diameter will quiet it down a bit.
 
a camry? a CAMRY??? no thanks.

florindi, i bet the magnaflow resonator will quiet it down, at least a bit, and not lose one bit of power... after all, you aren't knocking down the pipe diameter one bit... i'm kinda interested in how this will turn out..


i have a question. are these stainless steel exhaust systems on these cars?
 
Performance cars don't need to have off-throttle drone inside the cabin. In fact, plenty of people who switch out the stock unit in the Speed with aftermarket catbacks report louder, throatier exhaust notes with a reduction in the cabin drone--so does that make them Lexus lovers? Of course not. Heck, if the off-throttle drone was better tuned, maybe I wouldn't be complaining, but it sounds more "cheap" than performance, imo.

+eleventybillion

the drone is NOT performance. it is CHEAP.

i'm fine with loud, noise, snarl, burble from WOT and overruns. i'm not fine with the constant drone while cruising. it just screams cheapmobile.

i'd expect cheapness from a cobalt.

the mazda3 is a rattletrap, but at least most of the rattles have fixes. what we're looking for here is a solution to the drone.

the rest of you who keep making excuses for mazda, go ahead and enjoy your rattles and drone.
 
florindi I am also very interested in learning about your results, please post back as soon as you have tried the new exhaust.

I have to agree that there are some areas where Mazda spent less to keep the overall price down which is fine. In this instance I and it appears a few others are interested in spending some of our $$ to improve sound. The drone is a pain in the but, especially if you are trying to hold a conversation with your SO or the kids in the back. My 928 isn't nearly as loud as this car and it is not lacking in performance. Granted it costs a great deal more when new but it makes my point.

I wouldn't mind getting rid of the big round exhaust either, not as flattering as a dual tipped exhaust.

As far as the Camry comment, wow that is definitely a stretch.
 
Metro gray

Try the racing beat exhaust. I was think of this solution and if it was not quiet enough you could always add or change the resonator size.
 
You are missing the point We all like the sound. It's the cheap drone that's annoying. I have a 911 and it's way louder than the MS3. But it does not have that vacuum cleaner drone sound. Granted the flat six sounds better than a four.
 
You are missing the point We all like the sound. It's the cheap drone that's annoying. I have a 911 and it's way louder than the MS3. But it does not have that vacuum cleaner drone sound. Granted the flat six sounds better than a four.

Missing the point? I guess "drone" isn't "sound". How do you sense drone?

I suspect it's not even what people are attributing it to be.

From dictionary.com

drone
2 
 /droʊn/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [drohn] Show IPA verb, droned, dron⋅ing, noun
–verb (used without object)
1. to make a dull, continued, low, monotonous sound; hum; buzz.
2. to speak in a monotonous tone.
3. to proceed in a dull, monotonous manner (usually fol. by on): The meeting droned on for hours.
–verb (used with object)
4. to say in a dull, monotonous tone.
–noun
5. Music.
a. a continuous low tone produced by the bass pipes or bass strings of musical instruments.
b. the pipes (esp. of the bagpipe) or strings producing this tone.
c. a bagpipe equipped with such pipes.
6. a monotonous low tone; humming or buzzing sound.
7. a person who speaks in a monotonous tone.

So, if drone is bad, what is the sound we're looking for in place of it?
Anyway, to the point, the OP didn't say anything about "drone". My take on his post is to quiet it down.
 
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robbin your right, I didn't describe the drone specifically but it is a pain.

I would like an exhaust that is quiet all around except at WOT. Would be cool if there are some local S.Shore Boston guys that have aftermarket exhausts installed. That would allow me to listen before buying and experimenting.
 
nope, I enjoy it too -- 'drone' and all. 2008.5 MS3 GT MGM - 100% stock; stock intake, stock exhaust, stock motor mounts, stock wheels, stock tires, stock stereo, stock interior, stock paint, stock gas -- in case anyone wants to know

Whoa! How'd you make out with the stock tires this winter?

BTW I hail from Macoupin county and went to school at SIUE. I know it snows down there!
 
Whoa! How'd you make out with the stock tires this winter?

BTW I hail from Macoupin county and went to school at SIUE. I know it snows down there!

It's called a winter beater, I have one too. And I'll say it yet again in this thread. I LOVE the stock exhaust...wish it actually was louder.
 
Whoa! How'd you make out with the stock tires this winter?

BTW I hail from Macoupin county and went to school at SIUE. I know it snows down there!

nah -- stock tires are down in the basement. I ran Goodyear F1 Allseasons; fine in 2-4 inches, not good in 8+. Signature is in case those nosy people at Mazda USA are lurking to see who's got mods so they can void more warantees (just kidding...mostly).
 

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