The Sound of Speed: How Loud is Tomei Exhaust?

A Tomei Exhaust kit is known in the performance car world as being loud and aggressive. Some car owners love them and use them on all their vehicles, while others avoid them. If you're considering getting a Tomei kit for your own vehicle you should know just how loud these products are, as well as what sort of exhaust tone they create once installed. When you understand those things you can make a more informed purchase decision.

Measuring the Loudness of an Exhaust System

Anyone interested in getting a Tomei exhaust kit should know the Tomei exhaust decibel level is approximately 100 to 110 dB at 5,000 RPM and some car owners report significantly higher volumes.

Exhaust kits are measured using a decibel meter placed approximately 20 inches away from a tailpipe and at a 45-degree angle. If you have access to a decibel meter you can use it to determine what your current exhaust system produces for noise and compare it with other louder exhaust kits.

Many exhaust experts have professionally measured Tomei exhaust kits and determined the kits produce between 100 and 120 dB usually depending on how they're installed, and whether all the components are used or not. These are loud exhaust kits and should be avoided in locations that have strict sound ordinances or you could face legal issues in the future.

The Sound Quality of a Tomei Exhaust

When shopping for exhaust system upgrades it's essential to consider the tone provided by the kit as well as the overall volume. An exhaust kit may be as loud as you want but could sound whiny or annoying. Tomei exhaust kits, especially the Tomei Expreme and Expreme Ti kits are known for being very loud, but with a deep resonating tone. They have a muscular aggressive sound and almost seem to be purring when you drive them. This is exactly the type of sound that many vehicle owners are searching for, and it makes Tomei kits popular.

You can influence how your vehicle sounds in the end based on the type of Tomei kit you purchase. Swap between different mufflers to change the tone, and test out silencer components to lower your exhaust volume slightly. Tomei offers a huge variety of components, giving you the ability to swap between manifolds, outlet pipes, joint pipes, and more to get the final sound you want.

Installation Options

When considering Tomei components for your car you should expect to purchase full kits for your ride. While you can purchase select single pipes and connectors, most Tomei products are sold in small or large kits.

The best way to choose your Tomei parts is to select your vehicle model and compare the different kits available to you. Your installation steps will vary based on the product you select, but typically you'll replace stock components with the carefully designed Tomei parts, clip, strap, and bolt the new components in and you're finished. Tomei exhaust kits are often sized to install well without significant modifications on your part.

If you're attempting to create a custom exhaust setup or blend Tomei and non-Tomei components together to create a kit of your own, you should expect to do some cutting and fabrication to get things working properly.

Many people could likely install a Tomei kit without too much difficulty if they don't make changes and get the proper kit for their vehicle. Most people opt to have the exhaust kits professionally installed by an exhaust shop for the best results.

Tomei Exhaust Systems are Loud

If you're shopping for a Tomei exhaust product you likely know they are loud and want your vehicle to be as loud as possible. After all, that's part of the Tomei appeal. If you aren't familiar with just how loud these kits are, you should expect your car to output between 100 and 110 dB at 5,000 RPM once a Tomei kit is installed. This is especially true for Tomei Expreme and Expreme Ti kits. If you aren't familiar with how this sounds, watch a video comparing stock exhaust to Tomei exhaust for a good idea of how different your ride will sound. If you love the different sounds Tomei parts produce you're likely a good fit for the product line. If you think it sounds too loud or aggressive, you can get quieter kits from other exhaust companies.

Customization Options

There are several different customization options for you to choose from when considering Tomei exhaust kits. Whether you want an affordable sound booster, or you're interested in getting the greatest performance gains for your vehicle, you can select a product that will meet your needs. The lowest-cost option that still delivers a sound upgrade is an exhaust-back system. These systems include a smaller number of exhaust components, but enough to increase your performance slightly while altering your exhaust note significantly.

When you want the highest level of performance from your exhaust kit you should consider cat-back, or header-back exhaust systems instead. These kits replace more of your stock exhaust system and deliver greater sound and performance gains. You'll spend more money on these more comprehensive kits, but when you want all that Tomei has to offer your vehicle these systems are the way to go.

Is Tomei Exhaust Legal?

Many states now have sound laws that limit how loud your vehicle's exhaust system can be. Whether or not the Tomei exhaust is too loud depends on where you live, and your setup. Tomei is known for being very loud and isn't an excellent choice if you live in a state that's concerned about noise. You will have to go to great lengths to keep the noise output low enough for the state officials in your area to be okay with the level of noise output. If you are willing to add silencers, increase your muffler size, and take other measures you may be able to legally make a Tomei system work in your area. Even if you achieve a low enough noise output to be legal in your state, you may still get stopped occasionally by officers who hear your loud exhaust system and think that it's too loud.

Summary

Tomei is a leading name in the aftermarket exhaust industry. Most people have heard of Tomei and know the company is excellent if you care about having a loud exhaust system. If you're interested in increasing the performance of your vehicle, you can use Tomei to achieve your goal. If you want a loud and aggressive exhaust note when you drive your performance car, Tomei products are excellent for that as well.

Tomei products are loud and should only be used by people who appreciate the extra volume. If you like your exhaust loud, you can get Tomei with confidence that you'll enjoy the system. You only need to decide whether you want a full header-back or cat-back system for optimal performance and sound gains, or if you want an axle-back kit for a lower cost with sound gains and some performance changes.