Ok, ok. Since Steve let the cat out of the bag, I'll take credit.
I'M the one whose wife doesn't know about the muffler surgery on the Jetta. Mine is slightly different. I had it cut at the recommended point after the cat and before the rear axle. So, the job is a little bit more complex than what others are doing and my pipe length is longer and includes more bends and 3 flanges.
From an earlier post of mine:
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>I just had my Muffler modified this morning. I spent more time trying to figure out the "noise" and didn't have as much time to check out the performance changes, but my initial reaction is the same as Turbo Steve has described.
It is more rev happy. I can tell down low in the RPM range. And, it's like adding the Piperpanel or Cone and "feeling" the difference immediately.
Now, for the noise issue. I now understand what people have been trying to describe and thought I might give it a shot as well.
It is SLIGHTLY louder, but I'll try to give the new sound some reference point for all of you.
If you open the windows you can't hear the "noise". If you ride with the windows up, with no radio on, then you can hear the difference.
When you turn on your radio and listen at normal voumes, you can't hear the lack of a muffler.
If someone rides in your car, and has never heard your muffler before, they'd never know it unless you asked them to listen for it.
The first thing the guy said to me when he started the car after putting on the straight piece of pipe was " it's really quiet". That is a quote. I'm sure he was expecting it to be much louder.
They also welded a flange onto my OEM muffler in case I wanted to re-attach it.
These guys are in Glenn Burnie, on Ritchie Highway. It's a Meineke muffler shop 410-768-4500. Tom Campbell is the owner. Nice guy.
Lito
One more thing, he did 2"Diameter, not 2.5 and used Aluminized Steel and Not Stainless for $150.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I hid the OEM muffler in the basement and the next day, she had to take the car for the entire day. Not a word about the missing muffler or noise. Don't know when I'll tell her. Maybe when she finds the one in the basement.
[ July 17, 2001: Message edited by: tongsli ]