2 Questions in one!
 

Hope this is the right thread, I am SOOO confused about which exhaust is right for me. I know everyone has a different ear about this, but I thought the best place to ask is here from the guys who have changed their exhaust. I see so many on Ebay with so many different prices. I really don't want a 'ricer' sound, but a deep mellow sound. I seem to like the Megan Racing as it replaces the stock one, but have NO idea about the sound, and the TRD is out of my price range. My ride is so quiet, I can't even hear it to shift. Second question, Is the TRD short shifter worth the money, and is it a 'Driveway' mod? Thanks for your time.

Please use the search function on the website or use google with "scionlife" included with the search to find what you're looking for. There are hundreds and hundreds of post that talk about this exact same thing you seek. Most are opinionated while some are actual real experiences.

Most of the exhaust setups for the 1st gen tC will make you lose low end torque because it frees up the flow of exhaust gases. Even if you put an axle back portion on you'll lose some of that low end. Some are quieter than others (especially the Tanabe Medallion Touring and Megan OE-RS). Also a lot of the good quality and quieter sounding are no longer made for this car. I had to buy my Tanabe Medallion Touring used from a member on here almost 5 years ago and even then at that time, it was still hard to find. If you decide to do a full catback setup I recommend keeping the midpipe stock or one that's 2.25" all the way because our car needs back pressure. The car is not being pushed with high HP output engine to need bigger piping diameters.

I just recently swapped out my stock secondary cat and resonator with an aftermarket one and I got my low end torque back on my stock midpipe. Don't spend too much money on this car since it cost a lot of money to get decent power out of it. So I recommend to keep it simple and fun. If you plan on keeping the car forever then do as you please. As for the short shifter they are not bad. Most do the same thing regardless of brand.