I love how the car sounds with the exhaust unbolted, but its just way too damn loud and having the exhaust outlet right under the shifter makes it even louder inside the cabin. The muffler does a good job of taking away all that sound. I was wondering if anyone has unbolted it before the muffler with their resonator still on and if it still had the same growl as if the whole systm was unbolted.

 

i havent on my protege yet but i would imagine that it is still loud but not quite as loud with the whole system off. i rolled around with my tail section off my 01 civic and you couldnt even tell i didnt have a muffler... it really depends on how the resonators are made. but i bet it will still be a pleasant sound.

 

I went with a straight thru design axleback ractive muffler, and left the resonator on...coupled with my intake my exhaust sounds pretty good...low growl, nice even tone, not high raspy and rattling like a bumblebee...its louder than stock but not so loud its annoying...heard a guy with the same setup as me but the resonator was gone and it sounded like crap!! so i dont suggest removing the resonator

 

Hah, my resonator is already gone!
I have a fat exhaust leak and no resonator, so it sounds good when im cruising, but when im going low speed or im next to a wall, it sounds all rattly and nasty. I love the growliness when its unbolted!