Flyer,
You are correct. My company makes electronics for cars so I am very familiar with the act and use it often to fight warranty denials. The dealership techs are never able to really put their money where their mouth is. But that doesn't mean they won't inconvenience the hell out of you trying.
I read posts in which changing to an aftermarket exhaust can trigger check engine lights because of the less effective cat converters. Do this, and though your dealership may not void your warranty, I'd be damn surprised if they will keep clearing that error code for free when they know it's caused by an aftermarket cat converter. Maybe once or twice. After that it's going to start costing you.
Also, when messing with the exhaust there are many other legalities that you are flirting with. From an EPA standpoint you are altering the noise control and emissions devices of the car.
I know everyone says that the
PSE adds no power (because Porsche doesn't claim an increase). I find that hard to believe. If you took the best engineers Porsche has and asked them to make an exhaust system that's louder but adds no power, I think they would struggle. To achieve more sound you need to reduce aerodynamic resistance inside the system. It's hard to do this without gaining power at higher RPMs.
Why do you suppose these aftermarket cat back systems add power? Is it because the engineers in these little back town companies are more intelligent than those employed by Porsche? Or is it because they can deliver a system that is louder than the EPA mandates Porsche make theirs, and therefore can reduce that resistance which adds power?
If you look at the article that K-Man S posted on the exhaust system install, I can certainly see why the headers produce more power.
Many people who have the
PSE on 997s, 996s, and Boxsters swear to god that they can feel an increase. Nay sayers say that it's all in their head because of the added sound. I say, slap it on a dyno and answer the question once and for all.....!
