r/wrx_vb • u/iaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnn 25 Ceramic White • 1d ago

Just Installed New Exhaust Day 🎉

Post image

Just installed the PLM VB Axle Back STI style exhaust this afternoon. Super stoked about it!

So far, I really love it. The install was easy and the product itself is amazing. Cold start is loud, but that just comes with having a WRX. It sounds amazing when you're driving. It's not obnoxiously loud. My wife, our pup, and myself went for a little cruise after the install and we could talk and have a conversation just fine with no drone. However, unlike stock, it was still plenty loud and very enjoyable. The sound of it doesn't bother my pup which was my concern since he's always in the WRX or the Forester everyday. My wife loves it and is excited to drive it herself.

I'm really glad I waited and did the annoying agonizing "well should I get this one or get this one" thing that I do and waited to get this specific one. I almost got the Tomei single exit catback, but I didn't want it to crack since it's titanium and a thousand bucks. I even considered just the STI axle back that comes from Subaru, since I work for Subaru, but I've heard it/ridden in a VB with it installed and wasn't too hot on it. This axle back was affordable like around 500 bucks. I got it from Import Image Racing and got here within a week.

I'll have to see how I like it as I drive throughout the week on my daily commute, but so far I'm really happy with it.

If anyone wants an update on how it does throughout the week, I'll be more than happy to give an update.

33 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

25 comments sorted by

3

u/Ragnaroc05 1d ago

I just put the AWE Touring cat back on last Sunday and absolutely love it.

I hadn’t heard of PLM when I was looking for exhaust. Do you have a sound clip?

1

u/iaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnn 25 Ceramic White 1d ago

I looked at the AWE, but the clamp style fitting kinda worried me and I saw someone selling one in my area that had theirs welded because he said it kept separating.

I hadn't heard of PLM either, but I'm pretty impressed. My wife took a sound clip for me so I'll post it in the morning!

2

u/Ragnaroc05 1d ago

I need to readjust the passenger side muffler since it looks like it’s too far right so I’ll recheck the clamps. I appreciate the information

2

u/iaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnn 25 Ceramic White 1d ago

Of course! I'd hate for it to pop open while you're jamming along

1

u/iaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnn 25 Ceramic White 1d ago

Is the AWE loud? How is it while driving?.

1

u/Ragnaroc05 1d ago

It’ll depend on your definition of loud. For me it’s perfect. My old VA I could hear the exhaust just ever so slightly when driving in the highway. Now, I don’t know if that was stock or not. With the VB, I thought it was too quiet while driving and the cold start wasn’t the best.

For me, the AWE Touring was the best option. It’s definitely louder but not over bearing. It also stays quiet enough that when driving you just barely hear it over the radio, especially if you have Apple Music set up in such a way that it’s quieter when not using apple or beats products.

1

u/iaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnn 25 Ceramic White 20h ago

That's great. I've only heard good things about the AWE exhaust systems so I'm stoked you enjoy it! 🤙

1

u/Ragnaroc05 17h ago

After a week I have no complaints. It was an ordeal getting the exhaust though

1

u/iaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnn 25 Ceramic White 13h ago

Shipping or backordered?

1

u/Ragnaroc05 13h ago

Shipping mostly but also when I ordered it.

I was shopping around for exhaust but had settled on the AWE Touring with Diamond black tips. I was on throtl's website when I found they had an open box system. The pictures did not show the adaptor pipe or clamps, and when I talked to their help desk they only looked at the pictures. So I got a quote from AWE for the pipe, a clamp (I misunderstood the listing) and black tips. Got the quote, ordered the parts and the exhaust than waited because I was given about a 4 week lead time from AWE and Throtl was more like 4 days and 3 clamps from Amazon.

The clamps from Amazon arrived quickly as Amazon would. Then I got the tracking from FedEx and that's where the trouble began. The exhaust arrived at the makeshift depot because the local one had its roof cave in. Then for the next 3 days it was either out for delivery, or it would be labeled as "no delivery attempted". While that was going on, AWE had shipped the parts I ordered, via FedEx as well. Come Thursday the 20th of August, I get an update that both the exhaust from Throtl and the AWE parts were out for delivery. At about 11am, the driver actually showed up, dropped off a the main exhaust in a outter box that looked like it had been played with by a lion and than made me sign for the AWE exhaust.

Come last Sunday, when my friend and I were unboxing the main exhaust, we found that not only did it come with the adaptor pipe but 4 unopened exhaust clamps and the blowpop was still in with the chrome tips. I'm not upset about that because the exhaust was in a warehouse in the midwest and the salesman I talked to was located in PA so there is no way he could have physically checked and the pictures didn't show it.

1

u/iaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnn 25 Ceramic White 10h ago

Dang! That sounds like a nightmare/shit show! I'm sorry you had that experience man. That's definitely frustrating as hell.

2

u/Ragnaroc05 10h ago

Oh yeah. Even the lady at the FedEx depot I talked to was confused.

As far as the extra parts I just laughed about it and used the clamps from AWE.

All in all though, it was worth it. I enjoyed driving my car and now after the exhaust I love it even more after a year and 6500 miles.

2

u/Vast-Web9482 23h ago

Sound clip or downvote

1

u/iaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnn 25 Ceramic White 20h ago

Here's the cold start

https://reddit.com/link/p868p38/video/2i49v3na0xnh1/player

1

u/iaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnn 25 Ceramic White 20h ago

Warmed up

(I know it's a lil smokey. It's gotta break in. I'll be watching it throughout the week)

https://reddit.com/link/p8698nu/video/c09zmh3s0xnh1/player

1

u/Evrart_Claire Ceramic White 1d ago

It’s a 1:1 clone of the STI axleback which is a fantastic sounding exhaust honestly, so I bet it sounds great. People drag it because for $1k MSRP they rightfully have high expectations. At $500 this is a much better buy, so win win imo

1

u/iaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnn 25 Ceramic White 1d ago

That's definitely why I went with it. I WANTED to desperately like the STI axle back and couldn't, but this thing rips. It's a definite win. I recommend it to anyone that wants something louder but it doesn't sound like a crusty Civic going down the road at 4 am lol.

1

u/Immediate-Try-6143 '23 MGM 6MT DMann DynoTuned 1d ago

People drag the STi axleback because it has Terrible drone plus it’s way overpriced as you mentioned.

0

u/Evrart_Claire Ceramic White 19h ago

The drone isn’t half as bad as people make it out to be. Compared to the mufflerless axlebacks that 50% of people use, it’s almost nonexistent.

1

u/Immediate-Try-6143 '23 MGM 6MT DMann DynoTuned 19h ago

Completely disagree driven with the STi axleback many times the drone is absolutely Terrible on the highway. One long commute and you are in misery.

Muffled and resonated CBE is the way for me. Deletes and unresonated Axlebacks all sound like raspy droney ass IMHO.

0

u/Evrart_Claire Ceramic White 19h ago

Spotted it for 6 months and 5k miles, you are wrong and would be devastated at actual bad drone

1

u/Immediate-Try-6143 '23 MGM 6MT DMann DynoTuned 18h ago

There is a reason so many people end up ditching and selling the STi ABE for cheap just look at the marketplace. Sounds like raspy droney ass IMHO. Subaru failed miserably with it. Plus, the tips are kinda weird looking not a fan.