Not all car manufacturers have been successful in making cars that stand out from the crowd without being unreliable and complex. Only a handful have been able to do so and Mazda is one of them. Mazda vehicles may not immediately catch your eye but once you do get a glance you notice how simple yet modern they look.
Both the inside and outside are made to be easy on the eye without looking boring. Being a Japanese brand, Mazda makes reliable cars and while they may not be the most reliable, they do quite well in ratings. Mazda has done well when it comes to innovative technologies but as with every car, upgrades are inevitable.
Advantages of Adding an Aftermarket Exhaust
Performance
Replacing the current exhaust on your Mazda with a new one will most notably bring its performance to a different level. That’s especially the case if you go with a top-quality Mazda exhaust that will make every bit of exhaust gas pass through effortlessly and improve acceleration like a more expensive upgrade.
Sound
Something that not every exhaust will do is change how your Mazda sounds. Aftermarket exhausts and especially Mazda performance exhausts can change the rumble your car produces both when idling and when you rev the engine. You can make your Mazda sound more aggressive or quieter than before.
Looks
Another factor that not everyone seems to pay attention to with a new exhaust is how the back of your Mazda will look. Exhaust tailpipes have the ability to change how your Mazda looks from the back be it making it sportier or more toned down.
Efficiency
Since this is a new component we’re talking about adding it to your Mazda will make it work more efficiently. This won’t necessarily improve fuel economy but it will definitely make your engine work more conservatively than usual.
Types of Aftermarket Exhaust
Header-Back
The most comprehensive and customisable exhaust you can go for is a header-back exhaust. With it, you can expect to replace every single exhaust component from the headers to the tailpipes. A header-back exhaust may be the most expensive but it also provides the biggest boost in performance.
Cat-Back
If you aren’t ready to spend a fortune and go all in on a new Mazda exhaust, you can easily go for the most commonly sought-after exhaust upgrade. Cat-back exhausts are able to offer a decent amount of performance improvement without breaking the bank. This is mainly because you replace half of the exhaust components you do with a header-back system. These start from the catalytic converter and go to the tailpipes.
Axle-Back
You can replace even fewer exhaust parts if you go for an axle-back exhaust since all you’ll be removing from the current exhaust is the rear axle and tailpipes. You will spend the least amount of time under your Mazda and also the least amount of funds in order to purchase it but don’t expect a drastic difference in acceleration.
What to Look for in an Aftermarket Exhaust
Diameter
Although quite an underrated factor of exhausts, the diameter of the piping plays a crucial role in how well exhaust gasses will pass through. Simply put the larger the pipes are the more gases can flow through without resulting in exhaust back pressure. Keep in mind though that if the diameter of the pipes is too large this can easily cause back pressure.
Material
The material an exhaust is made of is going to determine two things, durability and strength. For example, mild steel exhausts are to be avoided at all costs since they are quite malleable, can’t resist corrosion whatsoever and thus last quite a short time.
Aluminised steel Mazda performance exhausts are much better since they can fend off corrosion quite well and are much stronger while being able to handle heat quite well.
A stainless steel exhaust is what you should aim for as it is extremely light and strong while being corrosion-resistant and able to withstand high heat levels.
Bends
The number of bends isn’t necessarily important in a new exhaust but what’s important is the type of bends said exhaust has. There are two types, mandrel and crush bends. To put it simply mandrel-bent exhausts are superior since the manufacturing process doesn’t allow for ribs to occur on the bend which is the case with crush bending. This way gases glow freely without any restrictions caused by the unevenness of the bends.
Valve
Your new Mazda exhaust system can either have a valve or be without one. What are the benefits of having a valve? A valved Mazda exhaust system means more control over the way the exhaust sounds. Open the valve and you have a more aggressive tone coming out of your exhaust, close the valve and your Mazda will sound muffled. All of this is done through a button on the dash.
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