Lth + hks
 

Does anyone have this combination? Im really interested In hearing what it sounds like. I think I heard a video of TP + HKS, but TPs arent quite LTH sound.

You already have FI's catback and you want to switch to HKS's? That seems like a poor idea. the HKS HI-POWER is a similar design to FI's, but: tiny H-crossover instead of a full-width X-crossover, sharper bends in some areas, they use flex sections up front, and have side-mounted resonators on the mufflers. It's gotta be weaker performance-wise, and heavier I suspect. It's definitely way more expensive.

In any case, a single-vendor exhaust from engine block to tailpipe is worth a lot in terms of knowing the fitment, performance, and sound has definitely been tested and tuned together as well.

Few things there I'd like to correct and address. The FI tdx is not a full width x pipe. The mixing area is quite small, maybe .75-1" x 1.5-2". The power difference between H and X pipes is negligeable, with a x pipe edging out an h pipe in peak hp, but an h pipe edging out the x in torque. Typically, X pipes are raspier, h's deeper. As for the angles and amount of bends, they are virtually identical. Flex pipe, got me there. However so long as the inner diameter is 2.5" there should be little to no impact. Further, hks offers better ground clearance, as well as a different decel 'hiss'; It's more muffled. I didn't say I wanted to buy anything, but that I wanted to hear it.

You're right, the X-crossover isn't the full width of the pipes, that was poor wording while typing fast on my part. It flows a hell of a lot more effectively than that little H-pipe does though.

If you swap in the HKS for the FI and see gains in a fair before/after dyno, I'd be insanely surprised. I'd bet anyone that wants to try that experiment $100 you'd lose power actually. That just based on intuition and staring at pictures of the two :)

If they were priced similarly I'd say who cares, but given the insane markup on the HKS unit, I just can't see any reason why it would be sane for anyone to buy it :(

Well maybe to you its not sane, however to other people who value judge an exhaust as a whole not just small HP gains it makes a lot of sense to buy the HKS.

1: The HKS has an gorgeous design
2: It doesn't hang so low that it scrapes
3: The tips are adjustable, allowing the exhaust to grow with the car as you mod it
4: It's designed by a company that has a reputation for quality for ages
5: I didnt have to wait 6-8 weeks for one
6: It doesnt sound all whiney, raspy or loud. It's quiet when you want it quiet and loud when you get on it.

I've been in the game of tuning cars long enough to know that you get what you pay for, and I'm a do it once do it right kinda guy. I make zero compramises when it comes to tuning my cars. For me the HKS gives me everything I wanted in an exhaust with no compramise.


I'm considering running the LTH on my HKS and so I'll be following this thread closely. I want to wait till the market comes up with some competitive designs first as I refuse to give someone money for a product and then wait 8 weeks for it to be given to me. It's just how I am, I'll buy one used to allievate that before I'll go that road.

I agree with you here :) I too would buy a used one before a new one if I were going with this exhaust. But again, I just want to hear it. Tbox, if you do get some lth, please post a video! In the meantime, unless I find someone locally with hks to swap for a week with, I suspect this thread will vanish :p if I am able to swap with someone, or decide I want hks, I'll be sure to put a video here. Thanks guys.

My thoughts EXACTLY!

It is my opinion that the HKS looks better, it's not obnoxious, no waiting period, much better clearance, and from a forum sponsor it costs the same amount as FI. Several people here on the forum are still getting approx the same HP as the FI exhaust. 98 intrigue and a few others have gotten good results with this exhaust. I'm willing to bet the HP difference between the two is negligible. Our admin, AK, didnt see much but perhaps there was a glitch or flaw in the dyno perhaps. Several people getting 330whp with full bolt ons, using this HKS exhaust....

I have the HKS exhaust and I am currently getting the LTH's installed along with alot of other goodies... I will post a video/sound clips/ photos in my journal thread. It should be done some time next week.




DAN

I'm seeing the list price at $2595 on HKS's site. FI varies by feature set: the cheapest version is $1,100, the most expensive is $1,535. You're saying forum sponsors are giving you somewhere between $1K and $1.5K off of the list price? That's a heck of a deal.

Also the FI is clocking in at 10-16 lbs lighter than stock (depending on CF vs SS mufflers), what does the HKS weigh? I haven't managed to google up any data on that.

The rest of the points above (skipping the first and last since they're entirely subjective):

I live in Houston, with the car at stock height I routinely destroy the little front under-spoiler on my car from all the insane parking lot entrances around here, and the FI has never hit anything once. HKS may offer more ground clearance for a very lowered car, but FI doesn't have a scraping problem at all at stock height.
I really don't get this point? I see that the little rainbow-color tips are screw-on with some length adjustment possible, but what does this have to do with anything else? You mean extending it to match the length of some beefy replacement rear bumper? Or are you claiming some performance tune-ability out of this?

I'll give you that point, they do have a good reputation for quality. My beef is they also have a reputation for overpricing things and getting people to pay extra just for the brand. Their exhaust is not worth $2600, IMHO, given the other options on the market.

Fair point, FI is obviously going through some growing pains scaling up their operation to their popularity. Personally I could care less about waiting 6-8 weeks for their exhaust, it's a small timeframe in the life of the car, and far less time and effort than I spent, for instance, ******* around with Stillen's first-gen exhaust fitment problems (long story, still bitter).

I went with HKS for the reasons you are arguing about, I picked mine up for 1500 and yes it has better clearance than FI, I like the Tips better than FI's and I think the HKS sound is second to none. But then again that is all personal preference, I also had great gains with the HKS, +22whp when combined with Berk Test Pipes.


As I said earlier, I will post videos/sound clips of my car when its done with the installs.




DAN

NICE! I know I can tell a difference with the GTM Res test pipes and HKS exhaust. Wish I had a before/after dyno.

Yes. I got mine for LESS than the 18" carbon fiber version FI exhaust, with free shipping.

It's nice to drive around with no drone and no attention from the cops because it has the extra resonators on the mufflers. :tup: I know exactly how the FI 18" carbon fiber with resonated test pipes sound too. It is also music to my ears, but it's a lot louder than my setup and I don't like all that attention.

Can't wait for some videos...
I love the HKS exhaust. Had it on my S2K, on my 350z and now on my 370. Besides the quality that the company brings, I enjoy the way it sounds. Many feel that for the price they can get a better or similar type of quality exhaust, then I respect that. It the end we all choose what makes us happy.

Exhaust is all a matter of preference, I don't see the point arguing over it in this thread. Some people think HKS tips look too flashy and that F.I. drones too much but really it's all up to which one you like best and what you can afford. Everyone's going to argue for the exhaust they like best... it's pointless to argue over it here.

Back on thread topic though, LTHs plus any aftermarket exhaust is going to be loud. I'd be interested to hear it with HKS.

No one will ever be able to convience me that a 370z is a loud car (Unless you have open test pipes or headers). With any cat-back I have heard they are pretty much a good tone with a moderate WOT sound level. From reading this thread though it seems like the HKS is the same as a Borla system on a high performance V8 engine. Quiet when it needs to be, but opens up when you need it to! I'd go with HKS imhxo (in my honest experienced and opinion)

I dunno but F.I. exhaust with 12" res is pretty quiet to me until around 3k RPM... I'm not sure where people are getting that the F.I. is even that loud. Maybe with no resonators or on cold start but I'm sure HKS would be similar.

Even with the 18" res option, my FI's annoyingly loud on cold start, but that initial burst goes away after 30 seconds or so, and the volume keeps ramping down as the car warms up. Driving or idling, I'd say it's pretty tame when you're not on the gas hard.

Loud/quiet is just an opinion. However, I know thru experience that the HKS is a lot quieter than the FI 18" CF exhaust..... A LOT quieter. But both sound like pure sex.