Do I install a freeflow exhaust on my 15-year-old Maruti Alto

The car has done 85,000 km to date and will have its RC renewed in a couple of months.

BHPian jomson13 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

A wine-red Alto LX was our first car. We got it in 2007, used it for 10 years / 53,000 km and sold it to a fellow BHPian in 2017.

Now that the car is completing 15 years, I plan to buy it back from him (dad wants his first car back)

The car has done close to 85,000 km and is in good condition. I'm told that the only work it needs is a suspension overhaul.

I'll be getting the RC renewed in a couple of months. Once that is done, I am considering getting a free flow air filter and exhaust system fitted on the car.

A few questions:

1. Does it make sense to do this on a 15-year-old car?
2. Can I expect a decent bump in performance?
3. What kind of cost am I looking at?

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

I'd go for the freeflow exhaust as it will make driving the car a lot more fun. Having owned a free-flow City Vtec & Civic, I don't think I'll ever be able to own a Petrol MT car without a free flow. Forget the marginal performance gains, that aural pleasure alone will make it worth it.

Am all for giving makeovers & improvements to existing cars, just to keep the spice alive.

Avoid the air filter though. Nothing there for an Alto.

I love the team over @AutoMech. Used them for both my freeflow exhausts.

Here's what BHPian Indian2003 had to say on the matter:

Waste of money. Not on a 15-year-old car but on an Alto. What kind of performance do you expect with an 800 cc engine? Your gains if any will not be noticeable. With the wind in the back, your car will be faster than with the mods you mention.

You might be better off removing the rear silencer and putting on a few racing stripes. Your gains will still be zero.

Here's what BHPian mayankk had to say on the matter:

Get it done. There is nothing to lose here.

Moreover, the MHP gains will be way more than any actual BHP gains, but it's so much fun to hear the exhaust on a tiny engine revving away at 3k plus!! But get the whole shebang, headers downward.

The filter will not add much either, but the intake noise will also be worth it in gold, at least when you will be able to hear it at the beginning before the exhaust drowns it out. Does the intake of the alto end inside the engine bay, just pointing to the front, or is there an actual inlet on the grill? Either way, you can get a conical filter housing fashioned.

I can sort of guarantee that you won't get anything noticeable in terms of power advantage out of the whole setup, but it will be so much fun doing this on an analogue car.

I had the header down on my Zipdrive ages ago, and it was my daily driver. So much fun ripping it inside the city. Not so much on the highways when it used to become tiringly droning on the ears! The filter I had on my fiesta, and that was the best noise ever!! Again, no gains as such, but the intake growl became so much more pronounced!

Here's what BHPian Mr.Boss had to say on the matter:

The perfect person to judge will be your Dad. If he has any sentimental attachments towards this particular car, he may love to keep it stock.

1. Yes, if the car is mechanically fit enough to perform rather than making the only noise
2. Definition of 'decent' varies with individuals. I found a little fun to drive the puny M800 with FFE & performance filters
3. Depends on the brand, quality and workmanship. Take anything between 20-35k

Here's what BHPian sumeethaldankar had to say on the matter:

I had the free-flow exhaust on my 800. I used it for several years till a cop noticed me and tried to challan me for it. It did impact the car in the sense it would foul up the plugs etc. I would suggest if you have sentimental values for the car and want it to last long then keep her stock condition. Use the car way it was made rather than tinker and make modifications which really do not help much. Yes, it may bump a few characteristics of the car like torque etc. If you decide to go for the free flow try not to have the fancy end can as it will become a cop magnet. Keep the factory tail extension or have something subtle. You could also get a cat-back system which will leave the catalytic converter intact. Also, the air filter is pretty much useless and will only add to the sound.

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