Exhaust Decision - Magnaflow Overland or Borla Touring?

[scgt1]

We went with AWE OFG. Wasn't as simple of an install as the gen pop gets considering our Sierra is modified for a passenger side wheel chair lift by ATC. So the passenger floor is dropped 14" and naturally the stock exhaust is changed (routed under the cross bars not over like stock) so it wasn't a direct bolt in for us. With the modification it has a 3" body lift which I keep finding to be troublesome with aftermarket parts. So far CAI cold air intake (due to the motor sitting 3" lower then stock orientation to the air box), splash guards raise with the body so they weren't doing anything I had to add extenders. Which now leads me to the 3" body lift affecting the exhaust also. The bumper is raised with the truck body so it doesn't look stupid this naturally raises the hdmi port cut out area. Didn't even dawn on me this would be an issue until I got out from under the truck and walked over with the Y tips.

Cold start is loud, it tames down pretty quick to a nice rumble, no drone (don't pull a trailer so can't confirm in that condition but they guarantee with the 180 tech no drone). In cab conversation is just fine even when you get on it which is when it comes to life after cold start. Otherwise it's quiet but nothing like stock. It also has no backfire, pops, or raspiness like you hear in all the Borla ATAK videos. So that's a win win.

Price is right up there with Borla unless you get it from Tunersports and use the coupon code at the top. I also wasn't charged sales tax.
Total $1,580.81 Then I paid $19.48 to Summit for the 3.5" to 3" flange adapter and $30 to an exhaust shop twice (once to weld the flange adapter to the flex pipe and again to just weld the flange adapter/reducer to the ball flange on the truck because the clamp wouldn't seal the reducer to the ball flange. Still got it under the general retail after tax.

Thankfully the Y tips connect by ball flange and I was able to adjust them up to where they should be with the 3" body lift. It is what it is. Probably could have had custom exhaust done for less trouble, time, and money lol.

 

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[The BEAST]

FYI:

I have a 2022 AT4X STOCK exhaust (CAT Back) for a 6.2 L gas engine, FOR SAL…

It’s located in So. Cal. Shipping costs are on the BUYER.

One cut between the muffler and the rear “Y” an easy weld to complete a reinstall.

The rest of the exhaust is intact and are simple to reinstall. 14,000 miles of exhaust has passed through it.

Make me an offer.

 

[ShapeShifter]

Finally ordered the Borla Touring. Will be here today. After installing and test driving I will update y'all with my impressions. My objective is to sound like a V8 (stock 6.2 sounds like a sewing machine) without pissing off my neighbors at 5am.

 

[ShapeShifter]

Borla Touring first impressions:

Tone is remarkably better than stock. It finally sounds like a truck.

Volume, at least as perceived in the cab with windows up and windows down, it just a tiny bit louder than stock. Hardly a perceptible change in volume.

Cold start, I don't know yet. Truck was warm when I picked it up. Will confirm tomorrow morning.

For me personally, I think a tiny bit louder would be nice, but I'm worried S-Type would be too loud. Will give it a few weeks then might consider ordering the S-Type components (muffler and resonator) to do a comparison.

 

[ShapeShifter]

Update on cold start: sounds wayyyy more like a truck than stock, but only a bit louder than stock.

So, overall, if you want a system that is more pleasing to the ears than stock, sounds like a real V8, but doesn't increase the volume much, I can highly recommend the Borla Touring.

If you want to grab a bit more attention and enjoy some "bark", it will be too quiet for you.

 

[Pirgus]

Thank you @ShapeShifter for the updates! I still haven't decided what exhaust I want to get. I'm sure I do not want a Flowmaster, or a loud one from either Borla (like the ATAK) or Magnaflow. I had heard that the Magnaflow Street was not noticeably louder than stock, it just made the truck sound more like... an actual truck. Now that's exactly how you describe the Borla Touring so I may be more inclined to get that one instead.... I can't really trust YouTube videos for that (the recorded sound depends on the microphone, EQ, ...).

 

[jafo2358]

Borla S Type any day of the week. Purchased through GMC accessories website. Fully warranted through GMC, can't go wrong

 

[ShapeShifter]

Borla S Type any day of the week. Purchased through GMC accessories website. Fully warranted through GMC, can't go wrong

Yeah I'm two days in with my Touring and it's too quiet. Gonna be swapping out for S-Type for sure.

 

[roy826ex]

I was quoted by Borla last year to swap to S-Type from touring would be $894 I declined and after a year the Touring on my truck ain't so bad. Especially if you tow a trailer louder would drive me nuts and the touring sounds good towing.

 

[ShapeShifter]

I was quoted by Borla last year to swap to S-Type from touring would be $894 I declined and after a year the Touring on my truck ain't so bad. Especially if you tow a trailer louder would drive me nuts and the touring sounds good towing.

Yeah I feel you there. About $700 for me to do the conversion. Almost too expensive, but... I already paid over $1500 and I'm not happy. Sunk cost. Another $700 to be happy is worth it to me.

I don't tow so not worried about that. I'll hang on to my touring muffler and front pipe. If the S-Type is ever too much, I can swap back for free.

 

[Agent 409]

Hope I can help here with some personal experience.

I have exhaust on every GM vehicle I've ever owned. All with GM small block V8's. My friends and family on their GM vehicles as well.

Borla Touring is mild and likely the sound + volume level of the old GM SUV's.....think 2007 gen Escalades and Denali's and the gen prior where you can actually hear the OEM exhaust at idle showing it's definitely a V8 under the hood........that volume. I have a 2020 Escalade with the Borla Cadillac Accessory exhaust and it basically sounds like a 2007 Escalade did from the factory. I'm going to assume the Sierra trucks with the 6.2L V8 are very very similar if you go with Borla Touring. It's a lot of money to spend on aftermarket exhaust for Borla Touring (mild volume) so not sure if I recommend that but to each their own. Exhaust noise and volume is a subjective game in a lot of cases.

GM accessory exhaust/Borla S type similar, which I have on my 2022 AT4X (part # 19433388), is VERY LOUD at start up and then quiets way down quickly once it warms up. You hear the exhaust tone and volume at ALL RPM bands but it is generally zero drone however I will say you do have some drone at 2k RPM so I think the drone free claim here isn't entirely accurate. I have also had Corsa on other GM V8's as well so I have comparison experience. I have gone on plenty of long trips with my AT4X. In my eyes, this is how a TRUCK should sound but I would classify this exhaust as on the louder side. That being said, Borla ATAK would be extremely loud. This guy on YouTube has great videos (multiple of them) and is why I bought what I did. It sounds exactly like his videos -

Hope this helps.

 

[ShapeShifter]

Hope I can help here with some personal experience.

I have exhaust on every GM vehicle I've ever owned. All with GM small block V8's. My friends and family on their GM vehicles as well.

Borla Touring is mild and likely the sound + volume level of the old GM SUV's.....think 2007 gen Escalades and Denali's and the gen prior where you can actually hear the OEM exhaust at idle showing it's definitely a V8 under the hood........that volume. I have a 2020 Escalade with the Borla Cadillac Accessory exhaust and it basically sounds like a 2007 Escalade did from the factory. I'm going to assume the Sierra trucks with the 6.2L V8 are very very similar if you go with Borla Touring.

Borla S Type (from official GM accessory site), which I have on my 2022 AT4X, is VERY LOUD at start up and then quiets way down quickly once it warms up. You hear the exhaust tone and volume at ALL RPM bands but it is generally zero drone however I will say you do have some drone at 2k RPM so I think the drone free claim here isn't entirely accurate. I have also had Corsa on other GM V8's as well so I have comparison experience. I have gone on plenty of long trips with my AT4X. In my eyes, this is how a TRUCK should sound. This guy on YouTube has great videos (multiple of them) and is why I bought what I did. It sounds exactly like his videos -

Hope this helps.

I can confirm the Borla Touring on the 6.2L sounds like old trucks used to sound stock. In other words, sounds decent at cold start, sounds decent when you put your foot into it, and at idle you can tell it's a V8 but it isn't making much noise. But regular driving, you still don't hear the exhaust at all. Just a bunch of whirring and ticking noises from the engine bay.

I swapped out to the S-Type and couldn't be happier. Cold start is a tad louder than I'd like (quite loud...), but everything else is perfect. Rumble at idle, purrs when driving normally, and gets nice and throaty when you step on it, but without being obnoxious.

Agent 409, the GM Borla exhaust isn't quite the S-Type. They are piss poor at explaining where it sits in the line up, but reports have said anything from Touring, to S-Type, to somewhere in between. But if you look at the components, it is definitely not the S-Type. Maybe it accomplishes a similar sound profile though.

 

[Pingbling23]

My buddy just got a 24 at4 x. The active exhaust is louder then I expected but sounds good.

 

[Agent 409]

I can confirm the Borla Touring on the 6.2L sounds like old trucks used to sound stock. In other words, sounds decent at cold start, sounds decent when you put your foot into it, and at idle you can tell it's a V8 but it isn't making much noise. But regular driving, you still don't hear the exhaust at all. Just a bunch of whirring and ticking noises from the engine bay.

I swapped out to the S-Type and couldn't be happier. Cold start is a tad louder than I'd like (quite loud...), but everything else is perfect. Rumble at idle, purrs when driving normally, and gets nice and throaty when you step on it, but without being obnoxious.

Agent 409, the GM Borla exhaust isn't quite the S-Type. They are piss poor at explaining where it sits in the line up, but reports have said anything from Touring, to S-Type, to somewhere in between. But if you look at the components, it is definitely not the S-Type. Maybe it accomplishes a similar sound profile though.

Agreed - the exhaust game has always not been great at explaining volume and tone levels. On the GM accessory side of things, It's not explained at all which is a miss. I wasn't discussing components.....purely sound.

 

[Agent 409]

My buddy just got a 24 at4 x. The active exhaust is louder then I expected but sounds good.

I have heard videos and certainly think it will make purchasing aftermarket exhaust an even more challenging proposition as to whether you actually do it or not. Sounds very good stock!