Question: Billy Boat PRT

[rch105]

My brother-in-law recently purchased a '99 and the previous owner installed a Billy Boat PRT on it about 1500 miles ago. His wife, my sister-in-law, does not care for the loud exhaust. So he's selling it. He offered to sell it to me for $500.

Should I "Deal", or "No Deal"?

Help me decide!

;help

 

[65-to-00]

First, if your sister married your brother that would make them your ....... :ugh

How far back in them Pennsyltucky hills are you?

 

[Toms007]

Actually I'm guessing it is his wifes' brother and his wife...... so it would be his brother in law and sister in law.

Billy Boats have a tradition of loud and full of resonance, personally I would not do it, but you need to ride in the car before he removes them and judge for yourself.

 

[rch105]

First, if your sister married your brother that would make them your ....... :ugh

How far back in them Pennsyltucky hills are you?

Now that's just what I might have expected coming from someone in the "Garden State"!

Toms01 from Southwest Kansas has it right! They are my wife's brother and his wife. But actually, I hold NJ in the highest regard...some wonderful people from that state literally saved my life three years ago! But that's for another forum!

So, having written that, 65-to-00, what are your thoughts? I'll consider them, too.

 

[65-to-00]

Is this the part where I confess to being a ski instructor in the Pocono "Mountains" ...

Well, as of recent .... a former ... instructor anyway.

Here in NJ .... I'd just be dragging the car around with the exhaust making noise. At least up there you can let the car "get it's legs" on 80 or Rt. 6 ..... Too crowded in these parts.

Main thing ..... heck .... take it out and see if you like it .... kin should let you drive the car right? At least you'd see what you would be getting into.

 

[rch105]

Your confession has been accepted. Now...what do you think? Is that price realistic? Good deal?

 

[KANE]

Your confession has been accepted. Now...what do you think? Is that price realistic? Good deal?

Price is relative to the condition of the exhaust system. How many miles were on the car it came from?

If the exhaust system is in great to really good shape- then yes- it may be a really good deal. Decent to rough shape may be a little high.

You are buying a used part so it should be priced accordingly.

I'd seriously consider it though.

 

[rch105]

According to my brother-in-law, the car had 1500 miles on the system when he bought it a little over 3 weeks ago. All we can go on is the honesty of the previous owner. The Vette has just over 40k miles and looks like it just came off the assembly line. The previous owner also installed Brembo's all the way around. By looking (visually) at the system, it looks just about brand new.

 

[KANE]

... By looking (visually) at the system, it looks just about brand new.

Go for it! What could it hurt? Have you heard it or ridden in the car with the exhaust on it? If you like it... there isn't much else I could say. $500 is a deal when those systems sell between $800-$1k dollars.

 

[Toms007]

Well, again price wise that is a deal...but the sound might be a deal breaker...for me. I like the sound but I couldn't take the resonance, if there is any. A stainless steel exhaust isn't going to wear out, if the thing hasn't been beat up it's a good price.

Please let us know what you end up doing.

 

[rch105]

Well, again price wise that is a deal...but the sound might be a deal breaker...for me. I like the sound but I couldn't take the resonance, if there is any. A stainless steel exhaust isn't going to wear out, if the thing hasn't been beat up it's a good price.

Please let us know what you end up doing.

First off, thanks to all who responded. Your input was greatly appreciated! My wife and I had the opportunity today to take the car for a roadtest. We both noticed a very pronounced rumble inside the car with the windows up and A/C on, from 48 to 60 mph. It actually seemed less with the windows down. We then went out to the four lane and at 70 it was quite tolerable. We only went to 85 for a brief time and all appeared ok at that speed.

My wife and I decided to explore and examine some other manufacturers products and not purchase this. For me, however, I could live with the rumble (harmonics) but I'm OK with it.

 

[Fullback32]

My wife and I decided to explore and examine some other manufacturers products and not purchase this. For me, however, I could live with the rumble (harmonics) but I'm OK with it.

Live with it...hmmm. For what it's worth, when you are talking about a Corvette, "living with it" is something you do when you first buy one. Unless you buy new and get exactly what you want, there are things you may have to live with until you can get what you want. But to buy something that you can live with because the price is good doesn't make sense to me. I would think this would be very true in the case of an exhaust. My '89 had a very loud aftermarket ZR-1 style exhaust on it (was already there when I purchased it). Impressive, but really loud inside as well. Massive resonance and quite frankly I hated it. But I could live with it until I could replace it. I was going to replce it with a Corsa, but sold that car and bought the 2004 instead. It has a Corsa exhaust and I love it. For me, this has just the right amount of growl, yet is very quiet at cruise.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that for your baby (the car that is! ), wait and get the one you want! If it is too loud in the interior for you, why put it in? Eventually, it may start really bugging you and then you end up replacing it with something else anyway costing you more money. If this isn't what you really want, I'd say don't get it.


(Ok, I just saw where you said you weren't going to get it.....nevermind )

 

[Toms007]

That resonance from 48-60 is just what I was talking about, and yes it would be a little better with the windows open. I think that you may have made a wise decision, especially if your wife rides with you much. Go with Corsa, no resonance and nice sound.

 

[Best Vette Yet]

That resonance from 48-60 is just what I was talking about, and yes it would be a little better with the windows open. I think that you may have made a wise decision, especially if your wife rides with you much. Go with Corsa, no resonance and nice sound.

Corsa is the way to go. If you fit a corsa, change out the H pipe for a X pipe. It will take away most of the burble under deceleration. I have the Indy, quiet inside, pleasant outside with the windows down or the top off. Spend the extra $$$, it is a lifetime investment so choose wisely.

 

[rch105]

Corsa is the way to go. If you fit a corsa, change out the H pipe for a X pipe. It will take away most of the burble under deceleration. I have the Indy, quiet inside, pleasant outside with the windows down or the top off. Spend the extra $$$, it is a lifetime investment so choose wisely.

Ironically, the B&B PRT exhaust he has on it, has the Corsa X pipe , too! Perhaps the previous owner thought that was a wise choice. I don't know if I should ask my brother-in-law if he'd just sell me the X pipe. Or for that matter, even if that's something i should consider. So there's another question. :cool

 

[LaMagred'02]

Well, again price wise that is a deal...but the sound might be a deal breaker...for me. I like the sound but I couldn't take the resonance, if there is any. A stainless steel exhaust isn't going to wear out, if the thing hasn't been beat up it's a good price.

Please let us know what you end up doing.

I have that system on my car and there is no resonance and it sounds awesome.

 

[gofastlarry]

i am interested in that system......so if u dont go with it lemme know

 

[SleekStreak]

My '99 roadster had a Billy Boat PRT setup installed by the previous owner when I purchased it. True, it does have some resonance associated with it within a certain narrow (relatively low) rpm range, but the performance otherwise is very good, in my opinion, and it sounds great when you get on it! Add to that, being made of stainless steel, they should last forever, as they can't rust and also have no internal baffles to wear out, working "purely on physics without mechanical devices to direct exhaust flow" as their website states. I have no experience with the Corsa, but I am happy with the Billy Boat.

 

[ernestD]

Whats this trans-am guy doing here?Don't they have their own forum somewhere?Just asking?

 

[Toms007]

He's one of your Moderators... Just because he's showing a Trans Am doesn't mean he's not a Corvette guy. Sometimes situations don't allow us to have a Corvette. Kane is no "poser".