Just wondering what everyone's exhaust setup is right now. I am running full stock and was thinking of flowmasters or muffler delete. But don't know which mufflers.

 

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Anything but stock is too loud for me. It's a refined sedan, it's supposed to be quiet.

I figure Jaguar went to great lengths to design the most efficient system, why mess with it.

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Stock. I've considered getting some straight pipes made to replace the rearward mufflers - drove around a bit with those removed and it was pretty fun. Can't imagine leaving them off all the time though, so I doubt it would be a permanent thing. May be a while before I get to that just cause it won't be on all the time. Anything more would be too loud for a daily I would think, though it does sound cool with the mid and rear mufflers off...

 

ELECTRIC CUT-OUTS, fitted after the center box, before the mid + aft mufflers.
Best of both worlds, the indeed perfect Jaguar silence, or the above nice but not too loud V8 rumble for the naughty moments.

 

Partial to Hi-flo cats or cat delete, X-pipe, and Magnaflow 10415 mufflers out back. I've run 6 different setups and this was the only keeper for me. To each ear their own

 

I had the exhaust shop build a custom stainless x-pipe on site replacing the center resonator and the 2 silencers in front of the rear half shafts were removed and replaced with stainless pipe. Woke up the performance of the car and the sound. Not noticeable at cruising speeds unless I put my foot in it.

 

I've always disliked the stock system on the X308, it's stupid. I can't understand why Jaguar went to so much effort designing their V8 engine with power and performance capabilities then fitted an exhaust that makes it sound like a 2 litre 4 cylinder car. Even on the XK models it was too quiet, yet later on they began fitting proper exhausts to them to allow the sound to be heard. I can see both sides of peoples opinions on this matter however, and I agree with both to a certain extent.

However I'm still going to fit an exhaust system to my car that allows the engine to be heard a bit more. I've got the idea I just need to find the time to do it.

 

That's it right there. Not to loud and not quiet at all. By waking up the performance you mean it gave more power? and how is the cabin noise?

 

I'm 67 and loved corvettes for years. Fact is, I still own a '79 L82. I have the 2000 XJ8 and love this car. Until now I never thought about the exhaust. Watching this video is changing my mind. Wow,,,, It sounds GREAT.
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I'm getting together the parts I need for my exhaust modification, but it's slow going. I'm almost there, then I'll need to find time to fit it.

 

Well I finally got my exhaust system fitted, although it still needs some fine tuning to finish off. Basically I was on eBay a few months ago when I saw a guy advertising a Paramount Performance exhaust system for £150. I've seen and heard their system on Sean B's XJR and this system looked to be the same set up, albeit with different back boxes. The pipe was the correct shape and it was worth a punt. When it arrived, it was filthy with dirt and grime, as well as oil. I suspect the car it was on had been standing a while too, but it's stainless and it cleaned up well using a simple Brillo pad. The only bad part was the chrome exhaust tips were ruined where they'd been dropped on the floor and dragged around. Luckily I just so happened to have a pair of Urban slash cut exhaust tips intended for a Range Rover Vogue, these are beautiful things and are solid chrome.

There was a few months between me getting and fitting the system owing to time and needing to get hold of the right bits. As you can see in the photos the original tips actually formed part of the exhaust and were welded to the back box, when I cut into this, it turned out it was double layered and had some acoustic material inside. Once I had these removed, I measured the lip that was left and ordered some lengths of stainless pipe to match the rear box and the Vogue exhaust tips. I then had these bits of pipe welded onto the boxes, finally I was ready to fit.

I rented some time in a workshop and set about doing it, for once it all went to plan. Normally when I do something like this it turns into a nightmare, but I actually had time to spare at the end of my 4 hours. The old system was removed and I cleaned up around the area where it's sat for the last 16 years, then set about fitting the paramount system. What is good about it is the way they have made an expanded joint to allow you to maintain the centre box at 2.25in pipe and it then expands into 3in pipe. There is also a flange joint where the middle boxes used to live, it made fitting a bit easier. The way it's been shaped to go over the axle is a work of art, most aftermarket systems I've seen either hang under the axle inches above the road surface, or are welded to the original system and it's hoped it's not noticed by the purchaser. It was all looking good until the very last part where I hung the back boxes.

The problem with the back boxes is I've not used the correct type of hanging device, I will get this sorted ASAP. I bought a clamp which had an adjustable hanger welded to the side, and although it's a great design I need the hanger dead centre and not to the side. But there was no going back by time I noticed this, so I've got to make do with what I had until I can get it sorted. I can't use the Paramount hanger because it's a clamp designed for the original tips, not the way I've done it. But it's on and working, which is what matters.

Overall I'm very pleased with this system, it's spot on. The system is really intended for the XJR cars and not a weedy little 3.2, and there are probably some folk out there wondering what's the point. The system is not noisy though, it allows the V8 burble to be heard and when accelerating it can be aggressive depending on load, but when cruising it's quiet, it's like the stock system. Even at 70+ mph it's not screaming, it's quiet. It's worked out perfectly, just need to get the tips sorted. I might do that today if I have time.


This is the original Paramount pipe, although not really obvious in the photo, the tips are ruined.

This is the Range Rover tip I had, it's beautiful!

Original bits removed, the pipes are pretty flimsy so there probably wasn't much life left in them.

The Paramount system ready to go in, I've joined the pipe together just to check it would slide nicely together.

This is the first part of the system being fitted, where the Paramount system adapts to the stock system.

Here's the finished product. As I said I need to adjust the rear hangers.

 

Stu, that is wonderful. Can we get a video or two?

 

This sounds very tasteful. I will have to do this! Nice C4 btw!