[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/sports-performance-prestige-cars\/the-price-of-performance\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/sports-performance-prestige-cars\/the-price-of-performance\/","headline":"The price of performance?","name":"The price of performance?","description":"This is my Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R. There is none other like it. It\u2019s modified to the hilt with some very fine and very rare Japanese aftermarket parts, and with nearly 400bhp, it goes like a wild-rocket. But there is a problem. It has a super-rare VeilSide aftermarket exhaust on it. This is a good thing as its 3-inch bore from the turbos back really lets the engine breathe; it\u2019s extremely well-made, looks great and is much lighter than the […]","datePublished":"2013-07-22","dateModified":"2013-07-22","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/20130608_131926.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/20130608_131926.jpg","height":"347","width":"577"},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/sports-performance-prestige-cars\/the-price-of-performance\/","about":["Cars","Modified Cars","Sports \/ Performance & Prestige cars"],"wordCount":719,"keywords":["nissan","Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R","tuning"],"articleBody":"This is my Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R. There is none other like it. It\u2019s modified to the hilt with some very fine and very rare Japanese aftermarket parts, and with nearly 400bhp, it goes like a wild-rocket. But there is a problem.  It has a super-rare VeilSide aftermarket exhaust on it. This is a good thing as its 3-inch bore from the turbos back really lets the engine breathe; it\u2019s extremely well-made, looks great and is much lighter than the original factory system. Most of the time the noise that comes out of its 5-inch, mini-dustbin tailpipe is pure automotive-soundtrack-poetry. Unless you\u2019re at 3,000rpm, in 5th gear, at 70mph. Motorway cruising speed, basically. At this regularly used engine performance-point the exhaust noise reverberates through the cabin like there\u2019s a jackhammer revving hard in the boot!This didn\u2019t majorly bother me initially \u2013 I\u2019ve owned plenty of \u2018tuner car\u2019; cars tuned for power and performance and usually Japanese and turbocharged \u2013 during my years of being a writer for the famous Max Power tuning magazine. But, one night while relaxing in bed, I heard a problem. Like a swarm of particularly miffed gnats dive-bombing my bonce, there was a rather loud, high-pitched \u2018zing\u2019 in my ears. The kind of ringing you get after a night at a rock gig with loud music and mates shouting in your ears.Firstly, I put it down to all the nightclubs I used to go to as a young buck. But that was 15 years ago \u2013 why is it only starting to bite me back now? So, as the gnats continued to swarm, I tried to work out what was going on. I\u2019d just got back from a very long drive in the Skyline and I remembered thinking that the exhaust was about the most droning and reverberating I\u2019ve ever heard, and I\u2019ve hard a few.Could it be that the car had given me tinnitus? I\u2019d not stuck my head in any speaker stacks for years, so the answer to that question had to be, yes. Great. My new car, that I love so much, is trying to make me deaf. This is pretty serious, as along with the GT-R\u2019s searing four-wheel drive performance and stunning wide arch (Yanaka wide arches from Japan) and deeply delicious body kit (Do-Luck lightweight fibreglass from Japan), it\u2019s the noise of the thing that I love. It\u2019s a menacing burble at tickover that turns to a growl and them a banshee-like howl as the revs near the heady 8,000rpm redline. It\u2019s what makes the car what it is \u2013 that unmistakable RB26DETT, straight-6 engine\u2019s incredible sound.So, what are my options at this point? Well, I could have a new, full exhaust system fitted from another manufacturer, at a probable cost of around \u00a31,000, for the kind of quality kit to match the VeilSide deaf-making system. It has to be good gear to match the rest of the quality kit on the car and handle the super-heated gases rushing back from the turbos. But, at all other revs the VeilSide system sounds amazing; it\u2019s only at motorway cruise when it\u2019s destroying eardrums. And, this VeilSide system is very rare and suits my GT-R perfectly. Do I really want to break up this dream team of rare Japanese tuning parts?I could chop the 5-inch bore VeilSide back box off and weld on a quieter box from another maker, but that\u2019s like chopping the spoiler off to let the car fit into an automatic car wash. I\u2019d rather toil and sweat and wash the car myself. And so, I\u2019ve come to a decision, and I think it\u2019s a bit of a blinder. I\u2019m going to wear earplugs! The type you see motorcycle racers cramming into their ears to defend against screaming engines and rushing wind. I\u2019ve bought a pack and every time I hit the motorway I\u2019ll have a pair of them in place. Is this normal behaviour? I think so, but everyone else I\u2019ve told about my problem and solution has looked back at me like I\u2019m speaking tongues and wearing a Man-kini! I guess they\u2019re just not petrol-heads! By Dan Anslow "},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Sports Performance Prestige Cars","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/sports-performance-prestige-cars\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The price of performance?","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/sports-performance-prestige-cars\/the-price-of-performance\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]