The Nissan 350Z is one of the most popular tuner cars on the market, and as they continue to fall in price, they only become more popular with enthusiasts looking for a platform to build on. Like any tuner car, one of the first modifications many enthusiasts choose to install is an aftermarket exhaust system.
There are quite a few 350Z exhaust systems out there, and all of them have different build quality, sound, and looks. Finding the perfect exhaust for your build can be stressful, so we created a list of our favorite 350Z exhaust systems to make it easier for you to decide.
#1 Agency Power Single Exit Catback
Some people like single exit exhausts and some people don’t. There aren’t any real performance gains or losses, it’s all about the look. Many older JDM cars use a single exit system, and this Agency Power exhaust is somewhat of a tribute to that. This exhaust system uses a big 4.5” blued titanium tip which makes for a killer look.
- Ti Tip
- T304 main piping
- $850
It’s constructed from high-quality T304 stainless steel with 3” piping and 0.5” thick flanges and the entire system is TIG welded. This results in a very strong design that is sure to last for many years of daily driving, canyon runs, autocross events, and track days. Coming in at $850, this exhaust system from Agency Power is pretty hard to beat.
Get your Agency Power 350Z exhaust here
#2 HKS Hi-Power Dual Exit
For those of you who prefer a dual exit design, but still want something high quality, the HKS Hi-Power system is a great option. HKS is a really big name in the JDM market, and how a reputation for their high quality, although expensive, exhaust systems. The Hi-Power system uses 60mm piping, which is quite a bit smaller than the 3” piping on the Agency Power exhaust.
- Dual exit blue tip
- SUS304 main piping
- $1450
The Hi-Power exhaust system uses SUS304 stainless steel with 120mm blued titanium tips. What’s nice about this exhaust system is the included H-pipe which improve sound and helps increase exhaust flow. Unfortunately, this exhaust is relatively expensive at $1,450.
Get your HKS 350Z exhaust here
#3 Borla Dual Exit
Although Borla is best known for their muscle car and truck exhaust system, their 350Z exhaust system is pretty popular. Their exhaust system for the 350Z uses a dual exit design like the HKS system listed above. It uses 2.25” tubing which is on the small size, especially if you plan on using any kind of forced induction in the future.
- Dual exit slash cut
- SUS304 main piping
- $1300
This exhaust system from Borla uses SUS304 series tubing with a mandrel bent design for the best flow possible. The tips use a 4.5” angle cut rolled design which fills up the stock tip cutouts on the bumper perfectly. If you don’t like the look of blued exhaust tips, then this exhaust is perfect for you. Coming in around $1,300, it’s less expensive than the HKS exhaust, but still way more expensive than the Agency Power exhaust.
Get your Borla 350Z exhaust here
#4 Invidia N1 Dual Exit
What’s unique about this exhaust system is the placement of the mufflers, which are much further back and more exposed than any of the other dual exit system we listed. Just like the HKS Hi-Power system, the Invidia N1 uses 60mm SUS304 stainless steel piping with a mandrel bent design for maximum flow.
- Dual exit
- SUS304 main piping
- $930
Although the tips are on the small size at 101mm, the large muffler right behind the tips helps make up for it. Just like Borla exhaust, the Invidia N1 does not use a blued tip design, so if that’s something you’re looking for then the Agency Power or HKS exhaust is probably a better option. The Invidia N1 exhaust comes in around $930 making it a pretty good deal, but still more expensive than the Agency Power exhaust.
Get your Invidia 350Z exhaust here
#5 Tanabe Medalion Touring
For Z owners who want the performance of an aftermarket exhaust without the loud sound of one, the Tanabe Medalion is the perfect exhaust. This exhaust is just slightly louder than stock thanks to its very large muffler. With 70mm piping, it flows significantly more air than stock, offering you a big bump in power without a big bump in sound.
- Very quiet
- Stainless steel main piping
- $890
Like the other exhaust systems on this list, the Medalion Touring exhaust is built from high-quality stainless steel. The tips are simple double walled 115mm dual tips with a polished finish. They don’t have the fancy burnt titanium finish of the other exhausts, however, the simple design will draw less attention to your Z which may be a good thing.
Get your Tanabe 350Z exhaust here
#6 Amuse R1 Titanium
Next on the list is the Amuse R1 Titanium exhaust. This exhaust is perfect for any 350Z owners who love the dual tip look, but want a super lightweight exhaust system. Most aftermarket exhaust systems are significantly lighter than the OEM exhaust system, however, some are lighter than others. As you probably already know, titanium is much lighter than standard stainless steel.
- Dual exit blue tip
- Titanium main piping
- $3,990
There are multiple versions of the Amuse R1 available, including some specifically designed for Nismo models. Unfortunately, the high-quality titanium comes at a significantly higher price than most 350Z exhaust systems, however, you get what you pay for.
Get your Amuse 350Z exhaust here
#7 Megan Racing
While the Amuse exhaust listed above is great it you want a lightweight dual exit system, it comes at a pretty steep price. If you want the same dual exit titanium look without breaking the bank, we recommend the Megan Racing cat-back.
- Dual exit blue tip
- Stainless steel main piping
- $586
Unlike the majority of aftermarket exhaust systems for the 350Z, the OE-RS catback is designed to be slightly louder than stock. With 3″ piping throughout and large 4″ tips, plus a very affordable price tag, this exhaust is a great choice for anyone who wants something great looking and cheap.
Get your Megan Racing 350Z exhuast here
#8 Tomei Expreme Ti
One of the most iconic 350z exhaust systems to ever hit the aftermarket comes from Tomei. If you want a super lightweight, loud, and wild sounding single exit exhaust, this one is for you. With 1mm thick piping and a full titanium construction, this exhaust is incredibly lightweight compared to the your stock exhaust system.
- Single exit design
- Titanium main piping
- $1,090
To say this exhaust is loud would be understatement. By itself, this is likely the loudest exhaust on this list, and when compared with an aftermarket Y-pipe, expect to become the loudest car on the road.
Get your Tomei 350Z exhaust here
#9 Greddy Revolution RS
If you love the single exit design of the Agency Power or Tomei exhaust, but want to spend under $500, we recommend the Greddy Revolution RS exhaust. With a full stainless steel construction, this exhaust is incredibly cheap, but you won’t get that awesome titanium blue look on the tip or any other part of the system.
- Single exit design
- Stainless steel main piping
- $730
Aside from the more affordable price, this exhaust uses a 76mm diameter with a 115mm tip, and the system includes an optional.
Get your GReddy 350Z exhaust here
#10 Motordyne
Last on our list is the Motordyne True Dual X Pipe exhaust system. Motordyne is one of the best-known names in the VQ aftermarket and their exhaust systems are best known for delivering great sound without the typical raspiness you’ll hear on most exhausts.
- True dual design
- 304L stainless steel main piping
- $1,781
This system is constructed from 304L stainless steel with TIG welding throughout. It features progressively expanded dual 2.5″ primary tubes and dual 3.0″ exhaust tubing for the best overall power curve.
Get your Motordyne 350Z exhaust here
Best Y-Pipe Upgrades
Because the 350z uses the VQ35 V6 engine, two headers eventually converge into one tube, which is typically where most cat-back exhaust systems start. If you want the most performance possible from the 350Z, you’ll need to upgrade your full exhaust system. The first step in this process is upgrading the Y-pipe.
Your Z exhaust goes from headers, catalytic converters, Y-pipe, then cat-back. Upgrading your Y-pipe is a pretty easy process and the logical next step after installing a cat-back exhaust. Here are some of our favorite options:
#1 Motordyne
When it comes to Y-pipes for the VQ platform, Motordyne is one of the most popular options because they offer multiple versions of their Y-pipe. One of the problems with the VQ engine is that it can get very raspy with an aftermarket exhaust. This is mostly solvable with the Motordyna XYZ resonated Y-pipe.
This is different from most Y-pipes which aren’t resonated at all. If you want to get rid of that VQ raspiness, this is the best solution on the market.
#2 Tomei
If you want the lightest Y-pipe possible, Tomei is the best option because their Y-pipe is constructed from titanium rather than stainless steel. When paired with a Tomei catback, you can expect an extremely lightweight and very loud exhaust system. Tomei doesn’t offer any alternative Y-pipe variants, so if you need a resonator this isn’t the system for you.
#3 Megan Racing
If you’re looking for a very affordable Y-pipe, Megan Racing is a great choice. There isn’t much of anything special about their Y-pipe. It’s simple in its design, it’s constructed from high-quality T-304 stainless steel, and it uses high-flow flex pipes to improve resonance and allow for a bit of wiggle in the exhaust.
#4 aFe Power
The last option on the list is the aFe Power Twisted Steel, which is unique from all the other options on the list because it combines the cat section with the y-pipe section. This means you can upgrade both sections of your exhaust at the same time, making life much easier. Aside from the unique design, this system is constructed very similarly to the Megan Racing Y-pipe above.
How Does an Exhaust Add Power to your 350Z?
After your VQ35DE does through the intake, compression, and ignition cycles, it has to expel the exhaust gases to continue the cycle. The first point of contact for the exhaust gases is the exhaust ports and the exhaust headers.
Swapping out your heavy OEM headers for a set of aftermarket tubular headers is a great way to increase power, however, you’ll still find a significant restriction in the rest of the system.
The whole idea with a larger diameter is increasing the flow. With increased flow, the piston has to do less work when pushing the exhaust gases out of the cylinder which ultimately leads to more power.
A good exhaust system will increase flow, possibly increase velocity, optimize exhaust scavenging, and use heat to its advantage. For the most part, aftermarket exhausts are all fairly similar as far as performance, however, some outperform others.
Summary
Out of all the exhausts listed above, the Agency Power unit has the largest size and the cheapest price. If you want the most performance and sound possible, the Agency Power single exit is pretty hard to beat.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We can be reached by phone at 1.480.966.3040 or via email at sales@vividracing.com.
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Hi I have a 2011 nissan skyline 3 7 ltre v6 gt sedan. Iwanto increase the h. Power an breathing right now its stock standard a. Mi want it loud
And. With. Duel pipes im new zealand what your suggestion eay
How’s it going! Go ahead and shoot an email over to sales@vividracing.com and our sales team can hook you up with tons of different options!