realneal370z Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 After many months of wandering in cyberspace researching the many models of exhausts possible for the 370Z I finally decided... on the TANABE Touring Medalion. I could not see that anyone in UK had this system already on a 370 and so it was a big gamble especially given the cost and importing the system and the fact that Tanabe themselves won't commit to saying it will fit a RHD 370Z. With nobody having one I could listen to first I decided to base my decision on videos on youtube and the370z.com. The UK seems massively behind USA when it comes to UK-based people and companies offering good systems for the 370Z. I looked at Akrapovic, Stillen, Scorpion, Amuse, Fujimura, Fujitsubo, AAM, Fast Intentions etc etc and with so many systems available (albeit not that easily) it was a difficult choice. I narrowed it down to FI, Stillen and Tanabe and settled with the Tanabe after advice from lots of happy Americans on the370z.com. Most of the decision making came from videos of the TANABE Touring Medalion on Infiniti G37s which is a luxury saloon and so I decided I wanted that sound. I am totally over-the-moon with what I settled on (my girlfriend isn't, mind! ) and so I thought I'd run this thread to help people see what it's like. I wanted these things: 1) Mature sound that wasn't too loud for daily driving and no rasp; 2) no drone at cruising speeds; 3) an exhaust that would 'let rip' under open throttle 4) looked good from the back end - rolled stainless steel cut tips, bigger tailpipe tips than stock and not protruding past the bumper. 5) an exhaust that would took up under the car and be no more likely to hit speed bumps than the stock 6) at this stage I'm not bothered about performance improvement but want something that can be tweaked further by addition of more shiny bits of imported metal if needed in future! The Shiny bits... First of all the build quality of the system seems very good. The tailpipe tips are 4.5inch and round so appear bigger than the stock oval tips. The polish is better and they flare out to the same level as the bumper. From above, the tips seem to slightly exit towards the outside of the car very nicely. In general it has the appearance of a very well thought out bit of kit. Sound It sounds great IMO and totally tranforms the Z. It definitely turns heads - it's deep and certainly louder but not too loud. To me it sounds mature yet aggressive when you want to show it off. When starting from cold it's pretty loud but quietens within a few minutes. Between 2-3k rpm it's got a nice low down rumble and a bit burbly when letting off the revs. The quicker you go through the revs from 2-3k the more that deep growl turns to a louder howl. But it is never at all too loud! I drive with the windows open all the time now as I enjoy listening to my new toy, but with windows down it's not at all intrusive as the 370 has lots of sound deadening. If anything I'd have been happier it being louder still! My dad has a diesel mondeo estate and he laughed at me when i bought a RWD Z but when I let him drive it with the Tanabe he was grinning like a 17-year old joyrider. IMO the most notably tiring thing after a long journey in the Z is road noise from the tyres and at least now I hear a nice deep exhaust sound instead. There is no drone at 2k RPM but I think if it was any louder I could see that there might be. So again Tanabe have obviously put the time in getting it right for daily driving. There is no rasp at all. Once you hit 4k revs and start to go upwards the volume really increases but gives a deeper than stock whaling howl... sounds awful when i describe it but I think it's a beautiful sound! Just go through a tunnel and put your foot down and enjoy. I've tried recording it but it really doesn't do justice to the sound. As for the syncro-rev... well to be quite honest I love this sound and I now drop down into 1st at lights just to enjoy the sound and wake up other drivers Here are some pics: loaded into the boot and behind seats stock system The garage taking their own photos for their website Tanabe rear end Side view (first trip into the countryside to try to endear the girlfriend to it...no luck) side view close up Just washed I hope all this helps anyone who's interested. I have got a few vids but I don't know how to blur out the number plates and the camera really doesn't pick up the sound all that well. I did interior and exterior stock vs Tanabe sound comparisons, a warm start rev comparison and a couple of drive-bys. If anyone knows any good and preferably free video editing software I'll put the vids up too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richt Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 Looks good. Get the vids up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarmac@TarmacSportz Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 Great write up bud. I didnt realise there was either a 350 or 370z unit in the uk till Simon mentioned he had asked another member. I'm expecting these to be quite hot over the next few years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realneal370z Posted May 2, 2011 Author Share Posted May 2, 2011 I suspect that was me then. I've only had it a few weeks, just enough to break it in! I didn't mention that for the first few hundred miles is that there was a bit of smoke coming from the tailpipes and a chemical smell. it stopped pretty soon so i'm assuming it was just heat burning off cleaning or polishing chemicals or something. my car hasn't caught fire yet! oh and the sound has improved now too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarmac@TarmacSportz Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 I suspect that was me then. I've only had it a few weeks, just enough to break it in! I didn't mention that for the first few hundred miles is that there was a bit of smoke coming from the tailpipes and a chemical smell. it stopped pretty soon so i'm assuming it was just heat burning off cleaning or polishing chemicals or something. my car hasn't caught fire yet! oh and the sound has improved now too. it's just bedding in bud, nothing to worry about. Let me know when you want to unleash the beast with some Berk HFCs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realneal370z Posted May 2, 2011 Author Share Posted May 2, 2011 Would i need a y-pipe first because the above is just backbox and centre pipes? I am seriously tempted by HFCs... listen to this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RisingPower Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 Could try videopad? That seems to let you draw rectangles over plates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The G Man Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 Tame Seriously nice sound I can't reccommend the Berk HFC's highly enough (is tame though ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarmac@TarmacSportz Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 Would i need a y-pipe first because the above is just backbox and centre pipes? I am seriously tempted by HFCs... listen to this! they will fit fine with your stock y-pipe bud. Did you not get the ypipe then ? Your sig says CBE which I assumed was cat back exhaust. Tanabe have some due early June but they will more than likely be gone pretty quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realneal370z Posted May 2, 2011 Author Share Posted May 2, 2011 Yeah, sorry it's y-pipe back. I didn't get the y-pipe at the moment because I wasn't bother about improving performance and it wasn't suppose to make much difference to the sound. I thought I would try it without and see how it goes. May get one soon though. I will change my signature to y-pipe back, thanks for pointing it out! N Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerxp Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Neal, thanks for all the info mate, I'm having your same thought process having had my roadster for a couple of weeks and wanting more sound, but not too much. Really interested in seeing the vids if you can get them up as some point. I need to do some proper digging myself. Stupidly, I hadn't realised the stock exhaust were oval , are all the aftermarket ones round (I've just checked and Stillen, Akraprovik & Blue Flame are round). Yours seem bigger, at a glance to the Stillen, is that true or just the photo?? Do you mind disclosing what you paid - for the exhaust, postage and import tax, etc??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realneal370z Posted May 3, 2011 Author Share Posted May 3, 2011 rogerxp, This is a pretty good resource. http://370zexhaust.com/ Stillen and Tanabe are both round 4.5 inch tips. I think most are 4 inch rounds which actually seem to look smaller than stock because the stock tips are oval... for me this wasn't a look I was interested in. Bigger is better right?! Off the top of my head I think Akra are actually bigger (125mm) but it's only because of the outer carbon fibre or titanium casing bit on the tips. I may be wrong on this though. I think if you went for Akrapovic with the titanium tips that would look cool IMO because you would get larger metal looking tips but most people seem to get the black CF tips design but it's all a matter of preference, mate. I'm not sure when I was researching that I came across any of the better known brands that do oval tips. You could get a specialist to make them or choose a company that has interchangeable tips designs - I think magnaflow, scorpion and possibly blueflame might do this. From what I've seen the Stillens stick out slightly more and are not cut to an angle which to me look a little more aftermarket but at the same time bloody nice... it was a close call between these two or Akra really. Tanabe would sound lovely on a roadster I will guarantee you that! Do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoff-r Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 Very nice I do need an exhaust. Get some spacers on that bad boy too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakseedaa Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 Neal, thanks for all the info mate, I'm having your same thought process having had my roadster for a couple of weeks and wanting more sound, but not too much. Really interested in seeing the vids if you can get them up as some point. I need to do some proper digging myself. Stupidly, I hadn't realised the stock exhaust were oval , are all the aftermarket ones round (I've just checked and Stillen, Akraprovik & Blue Flame are round). Yours seem bigger, at a glance to the Stillen, is that true or just the photo?? Do you mind disclosing what you paid - for the exhaust, postage and import tax, etc??? HKS SSM sound and look good too about £1700 and Abbey motorsport do next day delivery if in stock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realneal370z Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share Posted July 20, 2011 Sorry it's taken so long to get a vid up. I did a stock vs tanabe comparison video but my software ran out just as I finished the vid. Can't justify £50 on a bit of software I'll probably never use again. Anyhow below is the link to the recent quick video I did after the lakeZ meet. Enjoy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0y7Y3f6N4s&feature=youtube_gdata_player Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ioneabee Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 damn - that sounds nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebized Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 From what I've seen the Stillens stick out slightly more and are not cut to an angle which to me look a little more aftermarket but at the same time bloody nice... it was a close call between these two or Akra really. This shows the mine before and after. The fact the Stillen tips are vertical and about 1/2" bigger in overall diameter accentuates the size over OEM The three pics below show that the top of the Stillen tip is within a couple of 2mm of the position of top of the tip of the OEM system but the visual impact is completely different - especially from the rear UNMOLESTED OEM EXHAUST with wrap STILLEN EXHAUST with wrap THE VIEW MOST SEE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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