Descendant Exhaust initial review
Thanks, peeweezio. Two questions come to mind though... 1. What's the car/engine setup? It's obviously not a stock tC with 333+ whp. And what's with the reduced whp below 3500 rpm. Intakes and exhausts both seem to have this problem and I still don't really understand why.
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From: Paramount, CA
Thanks, peeweezio. Two questions come to mind though... 1. What's the car/engine setup? It's obviously not a stock tC with 333+ whp. And what's with the reduced whp below 3500 rpm. Intakes and exhausts both seem to have this problem and I still don't really understand why.
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From: Canada
Another Review!
I think this thread is worthy of a bump...but one for good cause.
After reviewing this thread in early December I made the decision to purchase this exhaust for my own tC2 and it has been one of the best decisions I have made since buying the car itself!
All in all, the exhaust is extremely well made. It's comprised of heavy gauge stainless steel, 1/2" thick machined flanges, and is beautifully welded all around with machine like precision. The resonator, tip, and muffler body are mirror polished for a nice clean look from the back of the car...when it's clean at least! Personally, the look of the exhaust is one of my favourite things and despite the attempts at showing it in these reviews, it truly is something you have to see in person to appreciate.
Now, when I started exhaust shopping for this car, I was between the TRD and the Descendant Racing, or sit back and wait on the Greddy. I ruled the TRD out, not because of sound, but because I wanted an exhaust which was more of an "N1" style then traditional. The Greddy, from what I've seen is going to be N1 style. For those wondering, the N1 style is where the muffler and tip exit the car on an angle. The Descendant Racing exhaust combines both of these themes into one. The muffler jets out from under the rear subframe with the look of an N1 exhaust, but it becomes very traditional with the tip exiting centred and rear facing on the car. Very simple and very clean.
For sound...well, here's a quick clip. Sorry, just got my GoPro 960 and I'm new to this whole video editing thing!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaGxbmlop5k
The closest thing I can compare it to is that of a Subaru 2.5L.
At startup, the car quickly gurgles it's way to life before calmly and deeply idleing down. When at idle, the sound is almost non-existant, very similar to the stock system before it. At take off it announces it's presence again with it's deep throaty gurgle. My favourite part is loading the exhaust up by running a gear up near redline and then quickly unloading it, unleashing the back-pressure of the engine through the exhaust. Doing so, your rewarded with a low deep hum and the occasional light backfire. Golden!
But, I can't say anything wrong about the sound when run to redline under load. Not only is the car quicker to respond when run through it's paces, but it also gains an extremely pronounced bark when in the mid to high RPM range. Upwards of 5k RPM, the car screams with such force, it's hard to believe what your driving is actually a little Scion and not something with a little more displacement. Hammering the gear lever to the next available gear continues the excitement once again and you feel yourself compelled to run the car to redline once again with no thought of the fuel being needlessly wasted. Really, its not until you realize your speeding that you begin to lift off the throttle and calm the car and yourself back to a normal pace. The good thing is that the exhaust calms as well at this point. When calmly cruising on the highway, the exhaust is gentle on the ears, allowing you to better enjoy the sweet sound system we were provided by the boys and girls at Scion. I'd honestly say that the Descendant exhaust minimizes or eliminates all drones that were once present with the original stock system.
So in the end, from installation to final cruising and all the fun tones in between, the Descendant Racing exhaust should not only be on your list of mods, but it should be at or near the top. Definitely puts a smile on my face everyday!
Oh, and I can't forget, but the customer service I've received from the guys at Descendant is world class. The guys are genuine enthusiasts to the core and are always there to help, no matter the time of day. Huge thumbs up for that alone!
I hope this review helps someone in their potential purchase. I know the original helped me, so just paying it forward!
After reviewing this thread in early December I made the decision to purchase this exhaust for my own tC2 and it has been one of the best decisions I have made since buying the car itself!
All in all, the exhaust is extremely well made. It's comprised of heavy gauge stainless steel, 1/2" thick machined flanges, and is beautifully welded all around with machine like precision. The resonator, tip, and muffler body are mirror polished for a nice clean look from the back of the car...when it's clean at least! Personally, the look of the exhaust is one of my favourite things and despite the attempts at showing it in these reviews, it truly is something you have to see in person to appreciate.
Now, when I started exhaust shopping for this car, I was between the TRD and the Descendant Racing, or sit back and wait on the Greddy. I ruled the TRD out, not because of sound, but because I wanted an exhaust which was more of an "N1" style then traditional. The Greddy, from what I've seen is going to be N1 style. For those wondering, the N1 style is where the muffler and tip exit the car on an angle. The Descendant Racing exhaust combines both of these themes into one. The muffler jets out from under the rear subframe with the look of an N1 exhaust, but it becomes very traditional with the tip exiting centred and rear facing on the car. Very simple and very clean.
For sound...well, here's a quick clip. Sorry, just got my GoPro 960 and I'm new to this whole video editing thing!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaGxbmlop5k
The closest thing I can compare it to is that of a Subaru 2.5L.
At startup, the car quickly gurgles it's way to life before calmly and deeply idleing down. When at idle, the sound is almost non-existant, very similar to the stock system before it. At take off it announces it's presence again with it's deep throaty gurgle. My favourite part is loading the exhaust up by running a gear up near redline and then quickly unloading it, unleashing the back-pressure of the engine through the exhaust. Doing so, your rewarded with a low deep hum and the occasional light backfire. Golden!
But, I can't say anything wrong about the sound when run to redline under load. Not only is the car quicker to respond when run through it's paces, but it also gains an extremely pronounced bark when in the mid to high RPM range. Upwards of 5k RPM, the car screams with such force, it's hard to believe what your driving is actually a little Scion and not something with a little more displacement. Hammering the gear lever to the next available gear continues the excitement once again and you feel yourself compelled to run the car to redline once again with no thought of the fuel being needlessly wasted. Really, its not until you realize your speeding that you begin to lift off the throttle and calm the car and yourself back to a normal pace. The good thing is that the exhaust calms as well at this point. When calmly cruising on the highway, the exhaust is gentle on the ears, allowing you to better enjoy the sweet sound system we were provided by the boys and girls at Scion. I'd honestly say that the Descendant exhaust minimizes or eliminates all drones that were once present with the original stock system.
So in the end, from installation to final cruising and all the fun tones in between, the Descendant Racing exhaust should not only be on your list of mods, but it should be at or near the top. Definitely puts a smile on my face everyday!
Oh, and I can't forget, but the customer service I've received from the guys at Descendant is world class. The guys are genuine enthusiasts to the core and are always there to help, no matter the time of day. Huge thumbs up for that alone!
I hope this review helps someone in their potential purchase. I know the original helped me, so just paying it forward!
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 272
From: South Florida
my dad installed my descendant exhaust yesterday and it sounds great, i'll make a review too when i get a chance, but im swamped in school work at the moment, and i doubt my review will be as epic 1stOne's xD
Many have tried. All have failed. 
Seriously though, we'd love to know what you think of it.And I agree. Jeremy Clarkson should definitey narrate 1stOne's review.
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 779
From: Canada
Love that this review is helping. Its a killer exhaust and the team at Descendant Racing deserves a solid pat on the back for this one. Top notch all the way!
When my car gets fixed up, I'll take the GoPro out for another rip and this time I'll run it through it's paces on an on-ramp.
When my car gets fixed up, I'll take the GoPro out for another rip and this time I'll run it through it's paces on an on-ramp.
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 588
From: Houston, TX
I'm thinking about getting the descendant exhaust with my next paycheck, so a couple questions:
What would be the rated difficulty of install if I were to try and do it myself?
If I were to ask a shop to do it, what should I expect as an install cost?
Would it be helpful to get an aftermarket exhaust mount kit in addition to the exhaust: http://www.torquesolution.com/Scion-.../ts-eh-200.htm ?
Are there any advantages to getting a custom exhaust done as opposed to a production exhaust? (I ask this because I am located close to PTuning which I believe is a reputable shop for Scions)
Sorry I have so many questions, but better be safe than sorry on purchases costing me several hundred dollars.
What would be the rated difficulty of install if I were to try and do it myself?
If I were to ask a shop to do it, what should I expect as an install cost?
Would it be helpful to get an aftermarket exhaust mount kit in addition to the exhaust: http://www.torquesolution.com/Scion-.../ts-eh-200.htm ?
Are there any advantages to getting a custom exhaust done as opposed to a production exhaust? (I ask this because I am located close to PTuning which I believe is a reputable shop for Scions)
Sorry I have so many questions, but better be safe than sorry on purchases costing me several hundred dollars.