I have a 2009 non-s Vantage. I used to have a 2007 vantage. I always thought my car was incredibly quiet compared to the one I used to have. But it's been a few years so I thought maybe that was my imagination. Well I just took a ride in a friends 2008 vantage, non-s and wow what a difference that sound makes! I had not realized that Aston Martin had neutered the sound so much, and now I yearn for the same kind of sound prior to the 2009 model. Does anybody know what my options are to keep the variable exhaust and without being too loud to disturb the neighbors or bust the bank account?

 

Well I do happen to have an almost-new genuine AM Sport Exhaust that needs a new home—but I don't know what your bank account's "bust limit" is. It is, however, one of the few options that will allow you to retain the factory variable exhaust and it sounds truly glorious. PM me for details if you're interested.

 

Low miles , bright as a button, makes noises that will instill new joy in your driving experience.

PM me for price and delivery arrangements.

Further, it will be tens of pounds lighter than anything AM has branded.

 

Is it the one from your GT? I heard one lay into leaving the dealership last time I was there and was amazed at how good it sounded for being from the factory.

 

No. It is an AM Sport Exhaust I bought new from my dealer for my 07MY but only had on for about 350 miles before I took it off to sell the car. The one I'm selling is the same one that comes with the N420 and the V12V. The one on the GT is same one that is on the V8VS. Those have a different part number than the Sport Exhaust but I don't know why since they look and sound the same. I do agree, they sound fantastic with its deeper, more muscular tone. The aftermarket exhausts sound too raspy to me and don't come with exhaust bypass valves.

 

True, Quicksilver (and all other aftermarket backboxes I am aware of) have no valves. But the Quicksilver hardware weighs just 36#, about 24# less than the AM Vantage original equipment. Further, while I do not know the retail price of the Aston Sport Exhaust, I will bet the QS cost is less than half as much as anything from Aston Martin.

Sound to me is personal preference.

Deeper, described above, is V8 Muscle Car. The more displacement, the deeper the sound. Nothing wrong with that, I have a 1995 Mustang OHV 5.0L in my collection. It has a Nascar X in the pipes and glass packed mufflers in the side exhausts...rolling thunder. You learn to "featherfoot" around town.

Quicksilver is a higher pitch. There are many short, online videos, defining the Vantage V8 Supersport sound. It is wonderful in its own way. Pull fuse #22 and imagine 10% more volume. To me, that is the Quicksilver Supersport.

My Quicksilver Supersport model is for sale. PM me for price.

 

Earlier today I made some observations to someone who queried about my Sport Exhaust. Here's basically what I said regarding the difference between the two:


Quicksilver Exhaust

• Raspier sounding than AM exhausts.
• Looks prettier because it is polished on all seams
• Dramatically lighter than the AM exhausts.
• Lighter weight does diminish rear wheel traction a bit
• Does not include exhaust bypass valves (the only aftermarket exhaust I know that has these is the $8,300 Kreissieg shown in the video attached below)
• Usually cost around $3,000-$3,400 plus installation charges

AM Sport Exhaust

• Deeper, more muscular tone but not like an American V8 which tend to sound more like a truck
• Has the exhaust valves to control volume. This allows you to install a remote relay to keep things quiet when you don't want to annoy the neighbors.
• Shape is designed to complement underbody aerodynamics.
• Shape is also designed to redirect the airflow through the transmission oil radiator for better gearbox cooling. None of the aftermarket exhausts pay attention to this detail.
• Can be used as a boat anchor when not on the car.
• Weld joints on the AM are usually rusty—so much so that , at first, I thought they accidentally sent me a used one. But that is just how they look. The sport exhaust on my brand new GT4 also looks the same.
• Usually lists for around $4,700-5,000 (including installation) from your AM dealer.

Just for fun, here is what the $8,300 Kreissieg sounds like:

and here is a Kreissieg on a DB9:

 

If you are looking to keep the Valves we do have V8 Race cats which replace the standard cats and can be used with either our exhaust or original. http://www.quicksilverexhausts.com/A...ctbulletin.htm
These are lighter and will improve gas flow and therefore increase sound, other benefits include improved throttle response and power.

 

I don't care for the snap, crackle and pop sound of aftermarket cats (or the sound of the Jag F-type for that matter), plus they are less environmentally friendly. Comparing the sound of all the different exhausts, my preference is Aston's own Sport Exhaust.

 

I'm thinking to wait till spring, as I have just a week or so till the car gets stored for winter... I also might trade for a newer S model rather than spend too much.

 

The cats if anything are probably more environmentally friendly, you will still pass emissions whilst saving weight and improving efficiency. As for sound we appreciate everyone has their own individual preference. The race cats will just add some volume and a bit more crackle to the existing system for the owner wishing to keep valves.

 

Stupid question maybe, have you pulled fuse 22?

 

I realize that not everyone will have the same choice in sound (it's the crackle that I don't care for myself). I'm sure that there would be no problems getting a high-flow cat to pass emissions tests. But your claims that they are probably more environmentally friendly are a bit suspect without some corroborating evidence.

 

High flow catalysts (not just ours) improve the engines efficiency whilst keeping emissions low so in that regard I was claiming it was probably more environmentally friendly. It can also be argued that producing the cat and sending it abroad would be a carbon intense process.

 

This from the guy who wrapped his car in a product that is difficult to recycle & will likely end up in a landfill someday. Any Aston isn't exactly environmentally friendly in terms of mpg.