I have a 1995 Dodge Intrepid ES with the 3.5l engine. About a year ago, I had the stock muffler sawwed off. It gave the car a little throatier sound, no real performance boost. I then had the resonator (located beneath the rear seat area) removed. I drove like that for about a year, car was loud as hell, but I noticed that it didn't quite have the umph it did previously. Now, I got no check-engine light whatsoever, nor did I get pulled over for it, which is why I stuck with that setup for so long. About 2 weeks ago I ordered a Thrush California Boss Turbo muffler off WrenchHead.Com, it only cost $17 so I figured I didn't have much to lose. I had the local Meineke do the work, and for $30 they installed the muffler (2.5" inlet/outlet) on the car. I also had a $29.95 chrome tip installed on the end so the exhaust didn't melt the bumper off. Anyhow, when the car was first started, it was now QUIETER than it had been when I first got the car (stock). I've actually had a few times where I had to put my hand beneath the tailpipe to see if it was running. I felt an IMMEDIATE increase in power/torque, apparently the 3.5l benefits from some backpressure. I had the muffler mounted with the center opening as the inlet, and the off-center opening as the outlet. It fit perfectly in where the stock muffler had been. At high-revs the car has a very throaty sound, and after 50,000 miles the car feels as good as the '97 Intrepid I considered buying. Right now the car has 112,000 and is still going strong. So if anybody wants to play with their exhaust for very little money, have the stock resonator (below the rear bench seat) and the stock muffler removed, then get a Thrush California Boss Turbo muffler and have it installed. The car will be QUIET (unless you have a fart-tip installed...) and you will get a noticeable increase in power.
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