Animal

I tried, but my iPhone only goes up to 105db. However, Blitz state that it's 91db and also that it passes JASMA regs (93db max??).

Decats will make it quite a lot louder. I noticed a significant difference in sound + volume with just HFCs.

It'll only be a rough measure (iPhone app), but will try and do this tomorrow evening after work.

Andrew, I bought my car from the dealer you mentioned and I personally don't like them. If you do go to them I'd ask for Peter on the service desk. However, I've been using Japex in Kings Langley (I was there today) and Ross is a good guy - good prices too.

Had the above fitted to my car today and thought I'd share my initial thoughts (I'd noticed that there weren't really that many topics devoted to exhausts on this forum My car has Berk HFCs fitted, but apart from that is completely standard. Build quality looks very good (nice tidy welding) and it was a cinch to fit (according to Japex). Sound: With the HFCs and standard exhaust my car was about 81db from a cold start; with the Blitz it's now c.85db. On start-up it's noticably louder inside with the windows up and a fair bit louder from outside. However, once warmed up the car barely sounds any louder at idle from inside (windows open). The tone is predictably a fair bit bassier and a little more aggressive, especially at anything approaching WOT, but it doesn't change the character of the car - it's more of an enhancement. I got back to work at lunch time and my boss insisted on hearing it close-up (he'd heard me arriving!). As I said above, it's quite a bit louder on start-up from outside, and with plenty of revs it fairly roars and is much louder than standard - but without being offensive. It's actually a very nice and cultured sound; I wish the car sounded like that as standard! Plenty of popping and banging on the overrun too. Driving: From just over idle to around 3,000rpm the car sounds like standard but with a little more bass and a little more volume. Above 3,000rpm it's much better! Unfortunately my Y-pipe is a bit worn out, so I'm getting a fair bit of rasp when accelerating hard and an annoying rattle between 2,000 and 3,000rpm when I lift off. A shame because I haven't been able to have an honest listen yet, but it'll be fixed in the near future. Will try and post a vid or two soon. Cheers, Alex

Will see what I can do

I don't! My boss heard me arrive and insisted on coming out to the car park to hear it. Lots of popping and banging when it's warm and not half as loud as I was expecting. Now just got to flog the std. mid-pipe and backbox to fund a new Y-pipe because mine's starting to blow Cheers, Alex

Blitz Nur Spec T (as is being fitted to my car right now! )

If you've got a dealer warranty then isn't it invalidated if you deviate from OEM spec for items like tyres? If so, wouldn't the dealer be invalidating your warranty by their own error?! Sounds like a really tight-fisted dealer though: what was the saving they made - £30 a corner?

Looks like an epic trip! Great photos too, some really fantastic pics there... I'm itching to do a road trip now

Very good, well done you for not being afraid to show your ghey side... Have you managed to persuade any young ladies to take advantage of your pole yet?

Just ordered a new exhaust for mine. Hopefully I'll be smiling a lot tomorrow!

What do you mean 'She'?

RideDrive will use the nearest instructor to you.

Me too - I can't discern any difference with the HKS but it's green!

I've got a HKS Super Hybrid panel filter, which was recommended to me (by Abbey M/S actually) - it's also a very cool green colour!

Sarah (Chilli Red) sorted me out with a set of Berks recently at a reasonable price and with her usual excellent service - maybe give her a shout?

A few years back Evo did an article about the Aston Martin Vanquish S finishing production. They had the car for 24 hours and drove from Newport Pagnell to Mallaig via Fort William to watch the sunset before driving to St Andrews for sunrise. Maybe an idea for one of your days?

More advice: email them the changes. That way they have written proof of exactly what's been done and you have proof that you've notified them. You'd think that a car insurer would employ people who knew something about cars though, wouldn't you. I remember talking to the overseas call centre of a previous insurer and they couldn't understand why I'd fitted a performance air freshener to my car...

You could get a Milltek cat back system (centre and backbox) for £430. CATS wouldn't be more than that so you could probably have the lot put on the car for £1,000. However, there's probably very little wrong with the exhaust... Has she checked the cabin for loose change?!

Not really: if it should be paid under the policy then it should be paid under the policy (although you're obviously going to have to fight with the call centre muppet in their claims department every step of the way!). My point was this: If you buy something (such as an air filter) off the internet or over the phone (i.e. without seeing it first), and pay for it in good faith, you'd be pi**ed off if you got something different through the post. Likewise, you'd be angry if you bought insurance and later found out that you weren't covered for accidents that happened in the rain or whatever. From your insurers point of view it's the same thing: they're not getting what they signed up to. This is why insurers make it a condition under the policy that you notify them as soon as possible of any material changes - if you don't you could be in breach of contract. I'm with Adrian Flux and they've said before that for each mod that increases power they will charge an additional premium of 10%. My last car had an aftermarket exhaust and different brakes: I was charged for the exhaust but not for the brakes.

Your insurers are basing their quote (and therefore their invitation to buy cover) on the facts that you present (X). If you then have to make a claim and during their investigations they find out that your car is actually something else (Y), then you could run into trouble. It's no different than you buying something which turns out not to fit the description that you based your decision on. HTH, Animal

S03PM - Advanced driving with limit handling session. Will do the same course again. Basically a whole day (8hrs) including an hour at Bruntingthorpe. Was great fun and Bruntingthorpe is so wide and benign that it was pretty easy to find the limits in my Subaru. I suspect that it'll be much tougher in a Zed...

I did a Ride Drive course a couple of years ago. Best money I've ever spent on cars/driving. Going again next year.