Looking for opinions on Exhaust + Down-pipe combos

Hello all! I was wondering if anyone else here was running a CP-E Exhaust(the one im looking to get) with a custom down-pipe?

Is there much of a sound difference between the brands of catless downpipes?
The brands i was looking into would be:
2JR Cat-less Down-pipe $200
Whoosh Motorsports Cat-less Down-pipe $175 [MENTION=5976]ron@whoosh[/MENTION]
CP-E Cat-less Down-pipe $502

As you can see the CP-E downpipe is much more expensive, anyone have experiences with these?

I could be WAY wrong but for parts that are just pieces of metal, meant to be a direct fit, I don't honestly see why one would pay $500 when you can get basically the same thing for $175/200. I'd personally buy the cheaper one... same goes with Catback exhausts... why spend $800 on a COBB when you can get basically the same thing from from MBRP for $400 unless you really like the way it sounds and/or the brand... When it comes to parts with moving internals like a turbo or something like that, I'd definitely spend more $$ for a better product hands down

If I were you, I would but the cheaper ($175) DP AND get a FMIC from Ron @ Whoosh ($350) for basically the same price as the CPE you're thinking about OR get the MBRP Exhaust AND the DP

Yeah, at the $500 price point I feel you're just paying for the brand at that point. Like how BMW has the "BMW tax" etc.

Except in the case of say a Thermal RD exhaust where the company actually researched the hell out of the design and developed a Hemholz device for the exhaust to eliminate drone. In this case you’re actually paying for what you get, a quality well designed exhaust.

Whatever one wants to beleive,copies of certain things are fine, except when it involves ripping off intellectual property.
Yet paying for true quality inovation is sometimes well worth and your statement above is a bit of a generalization.

I have the CP-e exhaust and I love it because I am currently running without a tune and it still crackles and burbles on decel. If the Thermal exhaust came out at the same time I think I would go for that because it is (or has the ability to be) a true 3" exhaust for future proofing and it is cheaper. The biggest reason I would get Thermal is that I hear there is NO DRONE! The CP-e exhaust drones quite a bit in my case and for a few others that have posted about it, but I have learned to live with it.

I plan on getting the Whoosh catted DP in the future to finish off the exhaust since I can't stand the smell of exhaust fumes inside or outside my car with the catless ones. I had an R32 Skyline when I lived in Japan with a catless and the fumes would be too much for me as it was my only car so it was dual purpose DD and track/gymkhana. Plus, I don't think the catted will take anything away from the car with a hybrid turbo which I plan to do. I dunno about big turbo though.

I can confirm the Thermal has no drone and its great. Even paired with the Whoosh catless DP it has no drone. I have both and paired with each other its a great combo.

A note on the exhaust fume smell. It's definitely there but its not that prominent IMHO. Then again, I'm used to the smell since my bike doesn't have cats so it doesn't bother me much, even still, its not THAT prominent.

Thermal exhaust and mountune downpipe here. Very happy with it. Lots of burbles and some loud pops occasionally when down shifting. I daily commute on the highway and back roads. No drone at all, wife and kid friendly. I had the cpe exhaust prior, I'm sure you can search my posts and read about my personal experience. I personally couldn't handle the drone but everyone is different. The guy that bought it from me loves it.

I am still a huge fan of cpe, I have their intercooler and intake. I was going to get their catted downpipe but I got a steal on a barely used mountune downpipe. Hope this is helpful.

I 100% agree with Dangermouse: If you want to go with a cat the Mountune DP + Thermal R&D Exhaust is a great combo.

Same here!
I am almost afraid to install ANY 'pops and crackles' tune with this exhaust, since I fear they will be ridiculously loud, and draw EVERY LEO within' 15 miles to my car! (Besides having the neighbors run me out of town! )
Mine even pops occasionally between hard shifts at higher revs as well as during decel/throttle closure from high revs.

This is the resonated CP-E Nexus system, with a FACTORY stock down pipe.

I do not notice quite the 'drone' (whatever that IS exactly??) that others do with this system, as it DOES have a 'branched Helmholtz device near the tail pipe.
But yes, there is some what I would call 'boominess' at certain rev ranges, at certain times, but NOT constantly like others complain about (and which supposedly, the Thermal system does NOT have).

I also most likely would have bought the Thermal from Ron at Whoosh as well (easier to change out tail pipes/tips, and use the big Ultimate Racing turn down tip I have on it now, without that big Helmholtz chamber right there above it) had it been out when I got the Nexus system, but still love the sound of this one enough to NOT actually sell it to get anything else.

So what I gather so far is that the cp-e downpipe isn't the way to go 😁
I am interested in hearing this thermal exhaust though! Time to YouTube ..

Check out Ron's video on the whoosh website and there are also some YouTube videos! I have the Thermal just chilling in box in my basement. I'm getting itchy to install everything soon...ive put it off for too long! FML!

This video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnT1jj6HR_0
Really sells me on the CP-E exhaust, im not worried about a bit of drone but this exhaust just has the sound i like

I have a 2J catless DP and a MBRP stainless exhaust. I really like the sound, it's rowdy but not overbearing. Lots of popping and pretty loud backfires.

If I were to do it it would be the whoosh downpipe with one of the 3 following setups
Greddy(probably my favorite)
Thermal (haven’t heard in person yet)
CPE Nexus(have heard and love but it’s quite loud and I don’t know if I’m ready to have another loud AF DD)

does anyone have a video of the greddy exhaust paired with a catless downpipe? i cannot find a video online...

I would use a Whoosh brand downpipe. It's 3" in diameter and would go well with the cpe exhaust, which is also 3". Ron's downpipes are a lot cheaper, retain the motormount support and have three O2 bungs installed. The third bung is very useful for being able to add a AFR gauge in the future.

The 3" 2J Racing catless DP is really nice. I'm running this with my MBRP stainless catback and I have zero complaints. I assume all catless DPs perform similar.

https://www.2j-racing.com/fiesta-st-full-race-street-downpipe-314.html

There’s a video of the greddy paired with a catted downpipe. It’s in the greddy thread.

Probably the route i am going to go! Trying to hold off for any kind of sale