how should i go about installing a modified exhaust system on my car?

[Ravemnowt]

I drive a volvo 850 T-5 2.3L, Should I get a new high performance ECU first or work with my exhaust? how should I go about in modifying my entire exhaust? I like the ferrita cat-back exhaust IPD offers, but I also want to get a 3" downpipe. I will eventually get both, I just dont have enough money to get them at the same time. So should i get the downpipe first or the cat-back exhaust?

 

[Gabriel]

Absolutely the cat back first. That'll give you the biggest gain and you'll actually be able to tell where your money went when you rev it up.

That being said, the last year that car was sold was '97. KBB is between $4,000 - $5,000 depending on condition. The cat back is going to be about $1,500 installed and you'll go from 222 hp (which is what the car had 11 years ago) to about 232 - 240 (making the big assumption that it's still getting the same hp it used to have), half of that will actually make it to the wheels. So you've spent over 30% of the cars value on just this exhaust to get the 0 - 100 km/h from 7 seconds (again 11 years ago) down to what 6.8? You'll still get blown away by stock 11 year old Mustangs that cost a lot less than the six grand you've got into your car with the mod.

Instead of dumping thousands of dollars into a base model 11 year old Volvo maybe you should consider saving up for something that starts out a little faster. (I know the t-5 is the next to the top of the line t-5R trim level, but the 850 is the bottom of the line model for volvo.)

Just some food for thought, don't take it the wrong way, I'm not trying to be mean. I'm just saying think about how your spending your money. With all the mod's you've got planned you're looking at what could be an $8,000 car. How about eight grand down on a twenty thousand dollar car, you could swing $350 a month, right?