We have it on our HHR and I like it when it is quiet. I did not get it for any throaty sound, just for better aspiration. The Imco muffler is in the back waiting to be installed.
Anyway, Sally thinks it is too noisy as is, so I'm not sure changing the muffler too would be a good thing at this time. Will the midrange HP go up a bit and will we get better MPG with both the intake AND exhaust breathing better? I think so, from my experience with other cars, but I dunno about more noise. We really do not want any. Stock, the car is reasonably balanced between sound dampening, decent ride and handling.
I guess at this juncture I may put the stock setup back on.:confused: :red:

I'm not real impressed with the sound either, it sounds like someone screaming into a Maxwell house cofee can:eek: to me. Perhaps I need the muffler on to for all to work/sound well.:confused:

Just pondering aloud. What are your experiences? Have many of you done one mod and not the other, or which one first? and what were the results?

My main performance plan was/is to change the intake and muffler for a better breathing machine with (hopefully ) better MPG and horsepower. The I was going for a custom eprom tune that Ludicriss' company offers. I figure no one has done that yet, and custom tunes are common these days.

I don't figure on doing more than that on the engine, after all it is a simple Four banger.
A turbo will come in a coule of years, but I do not see that type of performance in our future. We need a family car that is reasonable on gas. A performance engine that takes only premium does not fit our bill. Been there. Not again for a while......Got to see where gas prices are headed. Performance may be a thing of the past for many of us:(

gas is only going up and up and up.

ill buy it :)

Ok...maybe I can help here a little since I'm a female and can relate to where Sally is coming from.

I've never done mods to a car...no less a new one, so at first I was very skeptical about changing anything that came from the factory. You must also keep in mind that my boyfriend has been even more skeptical than me when it came to changing things on my car. So...I not only had to convince myself that I was making a good decision, I also wanted to show him that I had not totally lost my marbles. :lol:

Well...once I heard all the hoopla about the IMCO T924, I figured what the hell and put it on and I haven't regretted that decision one bit. In fact, I noticed the change in performance and the nice sound and am pleased that I did it. I also did notice an increase in gas mileage...about 2mpg.

Then...there's been all the hoopla about the CGS. Again, I was skeptical about that as well and didn't do that until about 2 weeks ago. The final decision that I wanted to do that was made after I rode in CJ's 2.2L with the CGS...and I definitely felt the difference riding in that as well. Once again...boyfriend thinks I've gone crazy again...but once it was installed and he drove it...I got the thumbs up for yet another great mod to the car. Since it's new on the car, I can't really say much about how it affects gas mileage...but if it goes down, it's because I'm driving it differently than I did before the CGS because I'm so happy with its increased performance.

As far as noise...yes it's a little louder from the outside...but I don't really notice it much from the cabin with the windows rolled up. The HHR seems to me to be pretty well insulated from outside noise in my opinion.

Good luck with whatever decision the two of you make. It's a matter of preference and only the two of you can decide what is best for you. Just thought you would like to have a female point of view.

My :2cents: :

I live by the motto: "A happy wife means a happy life."

Do (or don't do!), whatever it takes to acheive that goal. :D

But basically, the intake & muffler together are an unbeatable combo.

And I've had several different exhausts on my HHR!

I live by the motto: "A happy wife means a happy life."


Mine is: "It's cheaper to keep her!" :nuts: :rof:

Been there......done that.

You're right - it is!

hey thier cheap, buy 1 for her too,,,,:nuts: :nuts: :nuts:

hey thier cheap, buy 1 for her too,,,,:nuts: :nuts: :nuts:

you're on to something there big jim :nuts:

hey thier cheap, buy 1 for her too,,,,:nuts: :nuts: :nuts:

:smile: Something to keep in mind though is, what's cheap for some isn't cheap for all!!:(

Ok...maybe I can help here a little since I'm a female and can relate to where Sally is coming from.

I've never done mods to a car...no less a new one, so at first I was very skeptical about changing anything that came from the factory. You must also keep in mind that my boyfriend has been even more skeptical than me when it came to changing things on my car. So...I not only had to convince myself that I was making a good decision, I also wanted to show him that I had not totally lost my marbles. :lol:

Well...once I heard all the hoopla about the IMCO T924, I figured what the hell and put it on and I haven't regretted that decision one bit. In fact, I noticed the change in performance and the nice sound and am pleased that I did it. I also did notice an increase in gas mileage...about 2mpg.

Then...there's been all the hoopla about the CGS. Again, I was skeptical about that as well and didn't do that until about 2 weeks ago. The final decision that I wanted to do that was made after I rode in CJ's 2.2L with the CGS...and I definitely felt the difference riding in that as well. Once again...boyfriend thinks I've gone crazy again...but once it was installed and he drove it...I got the thumbs up for yet another great mod to the car. Since it's new on the car, I can't really say much about how it affects gas mileage...but if it goes down, it's because I'm driving it differently than I did before the CGS because I'm so happy with its increased performance.

As far as noise...yes it's a little louder from the outside...but I don't really notice it much from the cabin with the windows rolled up. The HHR seems to me to be pretty well insulated from outside noise in my opinion.

Good luck with whatever decision the two of you make. It's a matter of preference and only the two of you can decide what is best for you. Just thought you would like to have a female point of view.

Thanks Deb. Well put and welcome.
I suppose since We are half way there, I should put the muffler on and see just what the hoopla is about.;)
Sally did get a surprise when she hit the cruise control and it downshifted:eek: The CGS came into play big time:D She sometimes commutes a hundred miles each day, so the whole package come into play.

The nice ride, reasonable gas mileage, and decent handling combine to give both of us something we like. Still I have to respect her decision to allow us to get the HHR. She REALLY liked our Vibe which I never warmed up to and allowed us to trade it for the HHR. Though she would have been happy staying with the Pontiac, Sally likes the HHR .
The HHR doesn't quite get the MPG that the Vibe did, so I'm trying to get some better MPG out of it, hence the mods. The Vibe was much noisier though , but I do not want to make the HHR as noisy trying to make it "better".
I figure a bit more in the stereo dept could not hurt here. :D

My priorities are first handling, then MPG, then performance.
As others in the thread have said though, my wife is the real first priority;) :bow:

Try it with the 924, it pairs up really well with the CGS. If you try it and don't like it you can always convert it back to stock. Be sure to tell your muffler shop you intend to keep the stock muffler so they don't hack it up, dent it, etc. while it's being removed. :thumb:

Sick.

Sick.

Uh, Hi Welcome to the club:smile:
"Sick?"

Huh? :confused:

Try it with the 924, it pairs up really well with the CGS. If you try it and don't like it you can always convert it back to stock. Be sure to tell your muffler shop you intend to keep the stock muffler so they don't hack it up, dent it, etc. while it's being removed. :thumb:


Good idea. I'm wondering what to do about the tail Chrome. I may as well move it onto the new muffler as I have no other. I suppose I could look for chrome tips.........

A nice chrome tip will run you more than the muffler.

Expect to spend $60-80 just for a well-made stainless tip.

Many owners simply swap the stock tip over to save $$$ (or for personal preference!)

A nice chrome tip will run you more than the muffler.

Expect to spend $60-80 just for a well-made stainless tip.

Many owners simply swap the stock tip over to save $$$ (or for personal preference!)


Thanks. I'll do that. :one: A champion idea:thumb:
The last mufflers I changed were on my SHO and they were around $300.00 each ( duals ) installed where ever I went.:eek: That car ate mufflers every two years:roll: SO it was twelve muflfers in twelve years of ownership:eek:
Onto the experiment; add the muffler to the intake and see how we like it. Might as well, all the folks here are excited about the combo, and we have both.....

The wife is always right, just ask mine! Instead of a Maxwell House can, perhaps you should switch to Folger's. :lol:

If she says it's noisy, change something out.

Anyway, Sally thinks it is too noisy as is, so I'm not sure changing the muffler too would be a good thing at this time.

Hi All
I just got my HHR 2LT 13 days ago. And I knew the first things I wanted to add to the HHR was an Intake and muffer. I ordered the CGS from Mike last Friday and installed it on Monday (great shipping Mike!!!:D ), and I heard the sound increase, and not the GOOD sounds like my Harley-Davidson with stage 1 and nice pipes. It was screaming more then I liked :( . I ordered the Imco muffler T924 from Full Line Exhaust and had it indtalled today, and man what a difference :cool: . It sounds more deeper - closer to my bike. The T924 made the difference. My HHR can breathe :thumb: :one: :nuts:

Later

Anyway, Sally thinks it is too noisy as is, so I'm not sure changing the muffler too would be a good thing at this time.

Hi All
I just got my HHR 2LT 13 days ago. And I knew the first things I wanted to add to the HHR was an Intake and muffer. I ordered the CGS from Mike last Friday and installed it on Monday (great shipping Mike!!!:D ), and I heard the sound increase, and not the GOOD sounds like my Harley-Davidson with stage 1 and nice pipes. It was screaming more then I liked :( . I ordered the Imco muffler T924 from Full Line Exhaust and had it indtalled today, and man what a difference :cool: . It sounds more deeper - closer to my bike. The T924 made the difference. My HHR can breathe :thumb: :one: :nuts:

Later

How did I post my message two times? weird!

How did I post my message two times? weird!

That's OK!:lol:
You said the thing I wanted to hear!;) :bow:
I am hoping the intake/muffler combo makes a better sound, and you confirmed it as you did the same thing as me; first the intake then the muffler.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks the coffee can sound is not something to be happy about. You say adding the muffler lowers the tone and brings balance to the force, Then I'll go there too.
After all, a number of others have been happy with the combo. Going half way is perhaps not the best way to be. The engine needs to breathe, so we should let it!
At least until my wife complians for real:lol: So far it is " I'm not convinced...."
Thanks all for the repilies. Keep'em coming if anyone wants to chime in.............

Here's my http://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/images/smilies/2cents.gif
I installed the muffler first. The sound was like others discribe, a deeper sound. I dident really notice a performance increase.
The big difference was after Mike at SoCalHHR's installed the Intake. The combined sound of muffler and intake is great. It's not as the hyped up Hondas I hear around town. I don't care for the wing-ding high pitch I hear out of them.
I noticed a big difference in my HHR after the intake installed. Very noticable difference in acceleration. You can also hear the air being sucked into the intake when you get the REV's up on the manual transmission.

As far as the MPG, well, as Mike put it, once you get over the wanting to put your foot into the gas peddle because you just dig the way it sounds and feels, your MPG will go back up!