Garfunkle_W124

I read on here that a guy removed his resonator to give a louder sound to the car. Will this make it sound like a ricer? I was thinking of doing this and just welding a connector in place of it, but I wanted to know if anyone has heard a car w/o one or done this "modification" if you can call it that. I am honestly clueless about this one

Federic0W124

i did it on my 500e and it didnt do **** about sound.
so i spent some money to get an exhaust system made.

neanderthal

on a long trip a long time ago i suffered a hole in the reasonator that i didnt notice until the next day ( i was driving freeway speeds and blasting my stereo.

since it gave my car a nice burble, i ignored the hole and it got worse. i repaired it several times, especially opnce my stereo got stolen a few months ago, but since im a consistent long distance driver the repairs only held up till the next long drive. im guessing the long drive excacerbated the exhaust temperatures enuogh to melt the repairs. i even used JBweld one last time. one drive to colorado unfixed that.

so i started looking at replacing my reasonator. "$400. for a muffler with some tubing sticking out of it. youre kidding right?" i know ive seen flowmasters and other exhaust mufflers for less than $100 and i certainly was not going to be the one who paid 8 times a products actual value. i coulda done 100, 200 even, but no way was i going to fall for $400.

so i started looking around at mercedes recyclers. "$175? for USED reasonator? and no installation in that price"

so i started looking at just bypassing it. called a coupla shops, meineken, midas et al. and all refused to do so, categorically stating that in times past customers came back and complained that it was too loud. try listening to my muffler which has a hole the size of a large fist through it for two years and tell me your straight pipe is loud. and they all quoted me that same $400 price i'd run away from earlier.

so i found a little mexican joint, told her what i needed, she called her dad who gave me a $75 quote. i was told to come back a couple of hours later as they still had some cars ahead of me. so i went to costco, bought em a case of corona, and came back at the requisite time and got my reasonator replaced with a straight pipe.

the only complication is that the inlet is two pipes, the outlet is one. that required some creative "engineering" aka reusing some old parts lying around

bottom line. i couldnt be happier. my car is now a lot quieter than it has been in two years. and since my stereo was stolen about six months ago id been hearing that noise for a good 6 months. and the repairs id effected didnt work.

go for it if its a noise thing. but dont expect it to make your car sound better. it does not. sounds the same to me.

Garfunkle_W124

Ok, thanks guys. I guess I will just stick to old faithful for a while, AKA standard exhaust.

myfirstbenz

I had a magnaflow put on my TE and had the resonator removed, sounds sweet. Do it. Not at all ricer.

oneill_1

^what engine do you have?

-OG

Garfunkle_W124

I am for sure, just not until I get the suspension out of the way.

rooney2006

i have a flowmaster system with the resonator removed and it sounds sweet. not ricer, just pretty. the resonator is pointless anyway. it weighs like 25 pounds and is just overkill.

Garfunkle_W124

Thats what I heard. How much was the Flow setup if you dont mind me asking?

rooney2006

i had a midas do mine just by necessity. i had holes throughout my entire exhaust system. i had them take it all down, add a flowmaster and tips, and remove the resonator, and add new pipes. Mine was like $400. Not bad for a totally custom installation

rooney2006

408 including tax out the door. I had it done on Roswell Road. Good people i thought.

Garfunkle_W124

Holy ****!!! I never realized you were from Atlanta too!!!! I might see you sometime. Sweet. I may ride by there tomorrow to get a quote.

Garfunkle_W124

this is what I want mine to sound like. I think these are magnaflows.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK50twWV_4M

myfirstbenz

3.0 L6

I had the center resonator removed, and then as you know the TE's have a horizontally mounted rear muffler, so I had a single in dual out(one on each end) magnaflow installed. Sounds awesome. I'd go magnaflow with the 6cyl rather than flowmaster, my $.02. Magnaflows have sound deadening material in them, flowmasters are hollow, hence you have more chances for rasp or "bark" which I dont like.

My system was right about $400.

rooney2006

the w124 doesn't need that much sound deadening material.. it isn't that loud. I personally like some of the bark. it's just preference. and the flowmaster was on hand in the shop, and they would've had to order me a magnaflow. i was sort of in a hurry before i left for school.

Garfunkle_W124

I want to hear it! Where are you going to school? My brother goes to Kenn. St.

rooney2006

i go to the university of richmond, so i'm up there now. i won't be back until early june. the baseball team has to stay like a full month after school gets out. but we can meet up this summer some time.

CaliE320

This has been covered a million times do a search. Removing the resonator actually loses HP on the 124. I've dynoed it with and without the resonator as well as some other OG 124 owners. You're going to sacrifice HP for sound? That's the gayest sh*t I've heard do it right and shell out the $$$ for an exhaust.
~Cali

Sorry for the gay comment didn't mean to offend you Chris ..hahahahaha

CDP

wait... What Benard? LOL

rooney2006

well it was either that or pay close to a grand for an entirely new mercedes oem exhaust, which i didn't have because i'm 19. i definitely feel a difference in the pedal, but in a positive way. sorry to offend you, ***. way to be angry for no reason.

CaliE320

Who's angry? Don't read in between the lines my friend it's all good. For all the noobies out there who think they got a deal rolling in what used to be a $50k luxury car , they were $50 k + for a reason so don't expect to cut corners and expect support Just do your research and save up your money and do it right. Also a stock exhaust will not run you $1k, unless you're going to the dealer. Try Ebay, but if you want more HP performance after market exhaust is the way to go.

~Cali

Garfunkle_W124

sounds good.

bjay51d

alot of cat fights going on around here

Garfunkle_W124

at least its not me anymore

rooney2006

i took it to a generic exhaust place, and they have suggested retail value for certain parts, meaning dealer prices. i had holes through the entire exhaust system.. none of it had been touched since it was put on at the factory. so a flowmaster just made the most economic sense.

no worries, though. liking the flowmaster is just my opinion, many people here do not like flowmaster, and many others, including yourself, aren't huge fans of aftermarket, especially generic american companies. but i respect that and understand where you're coming from.