do exhaust systems make your car any faster? or is it just for show
It's possible to engineer an exhaust system that will make your car faster. But 1) You can't buy one off the shelf. Most aftermarket systems are cat back, and produce little or no improvement, and a lot more noise. Anyone who's ever built a serious performance car will tell you that it's the first thirty inches of the exhaust system that makes the most difference. 2) You can't install a set of high performance headers without doing other work on the car. The car has to be thought through as a system.intake, motor, exhaust, etc in order to get any improvment. The very last thing you monkey with is the exhaust.
First of all you didnt mention what kind of car you have.This is very important because some vehicles will not show much, if any improvement by adding a cold air intake.Also,if its a vehicle that will respond well to a cold air intake,then chances are that putting headers and a performance exhaust will also give you more power.As far as the noise level of the exhaust you can choose how loud you want it to be.But you may also have to do something with the pcm so that it can manage the fuel requirements that will change as a result of your modifications.
Yes the can increase horsepower depending on what you mean by exhaust system. Just throwing on a fart can resonator at the end of your tailpipe wont do anything except get you a ticket and annoy everyone around you. But if done properly, a complete performance exhaust system can increase power, and fuel economy. When you put a performance exhaust system on your car, it is decreasing the amount of restriction. Hence, the engine can work more efficiently when it doesnt need to waste its power trying to shove old exhaust fumes down a bottle neck exhaust. More exhaust flow means more intake flow, which equals more power, and better gas mileage because it doesnt need to work as hard to breathe and exhale.
