I'm stuck between the Greddy Spectrum Elite for my GE8 or the HKS Hi-Power. I know they are both Axle back and thats fine. What do you guys have to say about them? And i know Greddy is way more so thats also a deciding factor.

 

really nothing?? lol cmon guys, help a guy out

 

Hks is dead sexy

 

so did u pick Greddy Spectrum Elite or the HKS Hi-Power ?? i just wonder cause im about to get my muffler .... and send me the link for the best deals

 

I actually havent picked up either yet, i kind of went on a shopping spree for everything but the muffler(door visors, tail lights, in dash nav) so now i need to wait till i save some more for the muffler. BUT i am going with the hks hi-power its cheaper and it sounds way better than the greddy. Its just that damn cool titanium heat treated tip i love on the S.E. lol looks on a muffler arent worth an extra 100+ if it doesnt sound any better lol

 

yeah... where did u check the prices? PM the link ty

 

The SE would get my vote if the tailpipe weren't so large and it didn't whatever the hell coating they put on it to look like titanium. I'd prefer something more subtle than just about any of them. The Mugen one looks okay, I guess.

 

im trying to decide the same thing as well

 

i know hks is a reputable tuning company but i'm down with greddy se... just cuz it looks very similar to stock yet sounds better and, like u mentioned, looks great with the beautiful tip!!! that's compared to stock.... i'm waiting till spring to get the SE.... or maybe somebody will gimme for xmas gift!!!

 

i think its crazy that these companies are even charging as much as they are for a damn muffler! I could get it if it were cat back, mmk 400-500 is reasonablt but a muffler shouldnt be over 200 sheesh! dang upselling companies!

 

i have the hks hi power, it is annoying at highway speeds; but is was cheaper than the greddy. greddy was my first choice, but it was much more than i was willing to pay. if you can budget it, you'll be happier with the se greddy.

 

idk , u tell me

YouTube - Honda Fit with PRM intake and HKS muffler

 

I personally like the HKS over the Greddy exhaust systems. I have owned both Greddy and HKS and I would say HKS has better exhaust note over Greddy.

By reputation and tuning expertise, HKS is far superior than Greddy in their home country (Japan). The HKS would also complement your other mods, like header and test pipe and still be able to keep a nice exhaust tone. The only nice feature on the Greddy SE is the titanium exhaust tip. But other than aesthetics, I would take HKS over Greddy any day.
Just my 2 cents =)

 

Thanks for the input...im probably going hks but im deciding what i wanna do for a b-pipe...either make my own or t1r...its just so much dough for something so simple...lol

 

double post...see below

 

I didn't know that. Thanks for the info!

edit: on that topic, how do the other companies stack up, such as T1R, Js racing, skunk, spoon, etc.?

I'm dying to ask the same about suspension companies, but don't want to hijack the thread.

 

Each company has its own area of expertise imo.
T1R is excellent with a wide array of products and their focus is mainly on suspension and performance parts. They have a new line-up AJRC for their aero parts, which have great fitment and build quality. Overall a company that is customer-focused and strives to create value for customers in a good way.

J's Racing is a decent company, although its brand image has been affected due to its titanium exhaust products (60rs, 70rr, 50rr, etc) experiencing problems with quality control. Such products include exhaust canister rattles and bad welds that have resulted in the pipe/flange issues. I am not sure if they have improved their quality management, but from multiple sources, J's racing parts are mostly made in China (exhaust products for sure, not sure about suspension and aero parts). Decent products and good buy if you have the extra money.

Spoon is probably one of the best companies specialized in Honda tuning for many years in Japan. Their focus very much on power extraction and driveability of a car's setup. They make very high quality parts that are purposeful and functional, definitely no marketing ploy or anything. They are highly respected in Japan for quality and tuning experience with Honda. A search on Youtube will give you a Spoon Japan showroom tour.

Skunk2 is a US based company that is really into custom builds and project cars. They tend to go forced induction custom setups and offers aggressive/race-minded products, like loud exhausts with bigger pipping diameter, bigger throttle bodies, cams, and stiff suspensions.

For suspension choice, it boils down to what your suspension setup do you prefer and ultimately the usage. For bang for the buck and value, I would go with companies like Megan Racing, BC Racing, D2 Sports, etc. They have adjustability for hardness/softness and ride height. TEIN, HKS, Cusco and T1R offers very nice suspensions (coilovers) but you would be paying a premium for these coilovers mainly based on their popularity and brand equity. These brands are backed with a racing pedigree and incorporate their tracking experiences and feedback into their products. This is not to say that BC Racing and Megan Racing is inferior or bad, yet BC Racing has been around for at least 10 years in the suspension manufacturing business and have proven their products on the track. Because BC Racing is not advertising heavily and spending advertising dollars, their price point is therefore reflected lower than others. In fact, Megan Racing coilovers are made by BC Racing (Taiwan-based company) but to Megan Racing's specs. I know many people who run BC Racing on different vehicles and time has proven that there are very good products (with long-term reviews and writeups). Again, it really boils down to your personal preference, if brand matters, and your budget as well.

Hope this helps and sorry for the long post, haha. =)

 

I would just go with the T1R b-pipe for 3 reasons.

First the T1R b-pipe is made to perfectly fit the GE8.

Second the T1R performance products are proven for their performance gains and driveability enhancements, not just peak power. Alot of usable power is in the low and mid range and they have consistently implemented such concept in all their performance parts.

Lastly, you probably will find it easier for resell if you went with the T1R b-pipe as opposed to making a custom one. I am not sure if you plan to sell it in the near future, but I have seen many people having a hard time selling their custom application (exhaust systems, etc) because prospective buyers often do not know what they are exactly buying (quality of parts and welds, longetivity, etc). This is not to say that custom parts are all cheap parts, but it's just that buyer's perception that may make it hard to sell it later on down the road.

Good luck with your choice

 

I figured Spoon was king of the roost. Skunk always fools me with thinking they are a Japanese company, but I actually did know that. I think I meant to say buddy club. Always get those two confused.

I am a marketing and brand professional, so all this info is more than fascinating to me. I go on minkara carview and look for trends and new mods, but started noticing certain product loyalties that surely indicated quality. RS-R seems to be really popular with suspension.

I'm most a euro car guy, but when I showed up on here I thought T1R looked like a cheap company that sells stuff at Pep Boys here in the states, so it is taking me a long time to see them as a quality Japanese company.

I've heard good things about BC, Largus, and Megans as well. I think quality really plays into that stuff beyond rates and dampening. People like them until something breaks.

Thanks for the great info, and please feel free to offer any other hints you've gathered from the tuning crowd over there, specifically, how to make power with the ge8!!

PS - are you native to Japan?

edit: two more; Tanabe and Fujitsubo. What's the deal with them?

 

Hayden:

Nice to hear that you are in the marketing and branding sector.
I think with T1R, consumer's perception is one of the areas for improvement. T1R is actually not a Japan company. To clarify, it is an in-house brand of AJ Racing (one of our vendors). Most of their parts are either made in Japan, Taiwan or China. However, their quality expectations are very high and will only source them to reputable manufacturers overseas. Perhaps T1R has to build a stronger brand image in the minds of consumers because T1R offers very good products that many are unaware of.

For Tanabe, they were very popular many years ago. They are still quite popular in Norh America now but not in Japan. In the tuning arena in Japan, Tanabe is not very highly sought after. This is mainly their lack of involvement in racing and heavy tuning. Their success in North America is mainly due to popularity of their products, such as suspension and exhaust systems. Their products aren't very aggressive in nature, unlike T1R, HKS, etc who care about performance and sound for exhaust systems. For Tanabe, they advertise based on their db levels and again conservative setups. Definitely not a tuner's choice, but probably for those who just wants to go aftermarket. Their suspension (coilovers) aren't the best either. They have softer spring rates and twin tube setups where comfort is emphasized. This is same for their springs, which has the softest spring rates among other competing offerings like Espelir, Eibach, etc.
I personally won't buy any Tanabe products because they do not have the involvement on the track and engineering in their products. I would say their products are just mediocre.

For Fujitsubo, they are very dominant in Japan and have relatively strong bargaining power. Their offer sport exhaust upgrades to dealerships and are highly recognized for their quality and wide product line-up. They have both conservative exhaust upgrades to more aggressive ones with larger piping diameter. Given their many years of experience and focus on exhaust tuning, they are one of the most experienced companies in Japan when it comes to exhaust systems. Very high quality and they actually dyno most of ther systems, post it online with a graph and sometimes accompanied with a soundclip. However, Fujitsubo is not very popular in North America and many think their products are priced at a premium. However, you are really getting a quality product from a reputable company. In the recent years, Fujitsubo products are offered by TEIN USA and they are entering into the North American market and distributed by TEIN USA, who has quote strong distribution channels already established.

For BuddyClub, their products are mainly made in Taiwan now. They used to be quite involved in racing and what not. However, they are not as popular right now because they have fallen behind and are not offering as many new products as before. Their products, however, tend to be one the slightly cheaper side in terms of quality. Owners using their race headers have experiencing cracks and poor welding. Therefore, BuddyClub is an "okay" company but it is not very forward moving.

For Honda tuning, I would look at Spoon, HondaTwinCam, Mugen, Noblesse, Toda Racing, Maxim Works (header applications) who are all very well known in Japan.

PS.
I am actually Chinese and I am in Canada. My location is Japan because I really admire Japanese automobiles.