I never had issues with emissions or any CEL problems.

 

That's good to hear. Looking forward to the installation next week!

 

I just picked up the car. It sounds great! It is just loud enough to sound like a Porsche, and the pops and gurgles in Sport Mode are definitely enhanced. It doesn't appear to have any drone, and I think it will be "wife approved" for top down cruising.

I'll report back after driving it for a few weeks.

 

I've had a chance to drive with the new "muffler only" exhaust for about a week now, so I thought I'd post my impressions. First of all, I'll say that I'm very pleased with this purchase. The sound quality of the muffler is great, and it has really made the driving experience more enjoyable. Here are the pros and cons of the sound version muffler, in my opinion:

Pros:

- The car sounds great. It reminds me of my naturally aspirated 996 C4S with Fister sport mufflers. It definitely growls more at startup and at idle, and it sounds great at higher RPMs. My car is a cabriolet, so I didn't want anything too loud. This muffler fits the bill. In normal mode, it's only a little bit louder than the OE muffler. In sport mode, it's a shade louder, and the overrun pops and gurgles are accentuated over the OE muffler. When using the paddles to up and down shift in sport mode, there's even more overrun chatter. Downshifting often produces pops that are quite loud when using the paddles. Overall, the sound is a great improvement for somebody who wants the car to sound like a Porsche, without being too loud.
- I kept my OE cats in place. For me, this means no stress when I have to go to the emissions testing station each year. It also means no concerns over "check engine" lights, or warranty.
- The system is modular. If I ever decide that I want more, then I can always add sport cats.
- There's no drone when cruising. The car is obviously a little bit louder, but I wouldn't call it drone.
- This is a reversible modification. I can always go back to the OE muffler if I choose.
- As a muffler-only system, the price was reasonable.

Cons:

- The OE exhaust tips fit, but they don't sit correctly in the rear bumper cover openings. They are recessed into the opening (essentially flush with the opening), as opposed to protruding ~10mm as they do on the stock mufflers. This isn't a huge deal, but i don't like the way it looks. I've ordered the FVD tips and will install them when they arrive (something I was considering anyway).
- Because the OE cats were left in place, there is no additional turbo whistle to be heard over the OE muffler. This isn't an issue for me at all; I don't care about hearing turbo whistle. For some people, it's an issue.
- I'm kicking myself for not doing this sooner.

Anyone considering an aftermarket exhaust system should give FVD a look. I'm happy with it.

 

Isnt it odd how everyone has different taste..when I got my car back after Kline exhaust install the tech (Porsche dealer) left the tips proud of the bumper cover by an inch or so...it irked me to the point that I loosened the tip nuts and forcefully hammered the tips back toward the motor until they flushed up with the exit openings

 

That is funny. I agree that they were protruding too far before you hammered them flush!

 

Quick update on the FVD Brombacher exhaust tips. I finally got the proprietary tips from FVD Brombacher, made specifically for their muffler. They are very well made, and they look very nice. Unfortunately, I can't recommend buying them if you are using the FVD muffler with your OE cats. The OE cats are quite large, and they block the tips from being aligned properly. This results in the tips pointing slightly inboard, towards the license plate. It's subtle, but it really bothered me. The car looked a little bit "cross-eyed" from behind. It's pretty obvious to me that the tips were really designed to work with the FVD cats, as they are smaller and they allow more space for adjusting the tips.

Rhonda has been very helpful as I have been trying to get this right. I've gone back to my OE tips, and I've managed to adjust them to the point that they do protrude from the bumper openings more than before, but not as much as they did with the OE muffler.

Overall, I'm very happy with the muffler quality and sound. My recommendation is that you avoid the FVD tips if you leave your OE cats in place.