e55dallas

new-ish to the forum with a recent '02 S500 purchase. so far, i'm really enjoying the car, but i am looking for a bit more rumble from the exhaust. i have read as many exhaust threads as i could find on the W220 or S500 and the consensus seems to be to either go high-end aftermarket - Eisenmann and the like - or simply upgrade to a take-off S55 AMG catback.

my question is this - is the S55 and the S65 system identical and is it a direct bolt-on on an S500? it appears from the posts i have read, that it is a direct bolt-on. the videos i have listened to so far sound very nice and it appears to be the sound i'm looking for.

any thought/advice would be greatly appreciated.

VMAX7

Gotta get them welded on and cut the resonators and the secondary cats.

Should be good enough.

cybertronicify

You should not touch any of the cats. As it affects the emissions system. But the resonator and muffler can be cut and replaced.

forcedawd

I recently picked up an S55 cat back take-off and even though I haven't installed it yet, I can tell you that it is not a bolt on system since the S55 system is 3" diameter and the s500, 430 system has a smaller diameter.

e55dallas

thanks forcedawd, i'm trying to determine how i'd like to build my system now and then buy the components. shipping makes this more difficult, but i would actually like to use most of the S55/S65 system back to the flange joints. i'd prefer to have the dual pipes all the way back instead of combining both into the singular pipe after the joints. this way, you run the maximum amount of wide diameter (3") of tubing and eliminate the resonators without having to replace the tubing. i'm thinking it would be best to step up in diameter right after the flange, but the stock pipes connect shortly after that point making things difficult. maybe it is easier to simply attach the AMG mufflers in the back and replace the resonators with straight tubing.

what do most people do? is there a thread on design suggestions and/or thoughts?

Speedriven1

Is the goal sound or performance? Performance-wise, you probably won't pick up much (if anything). As for sound, I'd go with an aftermarket muffler/shop since the factory units tend to demand more money. I also wouldn't skip the resonators- for every guy that requests we leave them out of our systems maybe half come back and ask for resonators after the fact.

e55dallas

thanks for the feedback, Speed. the goal here is simply sound and i don't want this one over the top. i realize very little would be gained by this mod alone for performance. some of my other cars are quite loud and i love it, but i don't need it in this one. thanks too for the insight on the resonators - i was definitely going to skip them, but it might be best to keep them initially (instead of removing initially).

e55dallas

assuming i decide against the AMG mufflers (borderline ridiculously expensive considering age and being a 'stock' component) and possible options like eisenmann and others, what aftermarket mufflers are you suggesting? i know some have fitted flowmasters, but i've yet to hear a sound clip i thought sounded really good. what other options are there?

tusabes

Some people like magneflow

VMAX7

I had magnaflow 2.5" muffler on my 850 Turbo...drone central. Hated it.

e55dallas

one of the complaints i have read on the magnaflow/flowmaster installs is the drone. that's something i definitely want to avoid on this car. i just wish 'used' AMG mufflers were more reasonably priced and that you didn't have to step them up from the smaller diameter S500 exhaust tubing. although not cheap (for used stock mufflers), the AMGs still might be my best option.

e55dallas

hoping someone can answer this for me - i noticed that the earlier S55 (NA) AMG mufflers can be had for less money, but they do not have the integrated dual tips. i'm curious about the internals of these versus the later S55/S65 (SC/boosted) AMG mufflers. anyone know if the sound would be comparable between the 2 different mufflers? thanks.

forcedawd

I believe the pre 2003 s55's had 2.5" piping compared to the 3" found on the supercharged 55's.

e55dallas

thanks, forced. that's helpful and certainly makes the install a bit easier - without having to 'neck down' the tubing. i'm now wondering about the internals - if they are as free flowing and similar in design to the '03+ S55/S65 mufflers. if so, they're potentially a good alternative to the later ones selling in the $800+ range.