A Brief Guide on Quad Exhaust Pipes

Have you ever seen a car with four exhaust tips sticking out of its rear instead of the typical one? It has a quad exhaust, a unique-looking arrangement of the exhaust system. However, not all quad exhaust pipes are the same. Before you commit to installing quad exhaust pipes, it’s a good idea to learn about them.

What Are Quad Exhaust Pipes?

The term refers to a setup with four exhaust tips at the rear of the vehicle. They’re also called quadruple exhausts or quad exhausts.

In many quad exhausts, all four exhaust tips release exhaust gases. However, there are also quadruple exhausts with only two functional tips. The other tips aren’t connected to the exhaust system and don’t expel exhaust gases.

Many American muscle cars sport quad exhaust pipes. These cars underwent heavy modification to customize their external appearance and boost their performance on the road. One of the most popular modifications is replacing the stock exhaust tips with a setup containing two, three, or four pipes.

Some stock vehicles roll out of the factory with quad exhaust pipes as stock parts. One of the most popular car models with four exhaust tips is the Ford Mustang. The 2013 and 2014 Shelby GT500 Corvette feature quad exhausts.

In 2023, BMW began adding quad exhaust pipes to its M Performance line. The exhaust tips of

BMW M Performance cars have rectangular shapes to distinguish them from the round tips of full-blown M cars.

Benefits of Quad Exhaust Pipes

A quad exhaust isn’t a massive game-changer for your vehicle. It offers relatively minor benefits when compared to body and engine modifications, such as spoilers that streamline the car’s aerodynamic profile and turbochargers that massively boost engine power. Still, even minor enhancements contribute to the overall performance of your car or truck. Furthermore, quad exhaust pipes bring a couple of unique benefits to the table that might appeal to car drivers.

Here are the advantages of quad exhaust pipes:

Improved Exhaust Flow

A quad exhaust can improve exhaust flow through the exhaust system. It increases the amount of exhaust expelled from your vehicle.

Engine Boost

Quad exhausts can also increase the horsepower generated by the engine.

Generally, a quad exhaust kit that’s part of a cat-back system will yield the biggest improvement in terms of power. Cat-back means you’re replacing all of the exhaust parts after the catalytic converter. In a cat-back exhaust system, a quad exhaust kit replaces a large portion of stock piping with performance pipes that improve the exhaust flow.

In comparison, installing quad exhaust pipes in an axle-back exhaust system will barely add any power. As its name implies, axle-back refers to exhaust parts located behind the rear axle. A quad exhaust pipe designed for such an exhaust system generally leaves much of the stock piping alone.

Louder Exhaust Sounds

A quad exhaust also makes the exhaust system louder. Some people want a louder exhaust system because it makes their vehicle sound more powerful.

Relatively Easy Installation and Removal

Do you want to try out quad exhaust pipes but want an out if you don’t like the result? Installing and removing a quad exhaust is actually easy. While you might have to bring your vehicle to an auto repair shop, replacing the exhaust tips is straightforward. With the right equipment and sufficient knowledge in car repair, you can even try installing a quad exhaust kit and removing it if you’re dissatisfied with its appearance or performance.

Quad Exhaust Looks Good

One of the ways to make a vehicle look good is to give it a quad exhaust. More is usually better, so having four exhaust tips instead of two might give the impression of a more powerful vehicle.

Drawbacks of Quad Exhausts

Quad exhausts aren’t perfect. They have issues that might dissuade you from installing one in your vehicle or purchasing a car with quadruple exhaust tips.

Here are the disadvantages of quad exhaust pipes:

Excessively Loud Exhaust

Some drivers might not appreciate the loudness of a quad exhaust system. They might drive in areas with strict regulations on noise levels. Or they might personally dislike the loud noises made by exhaust gases flowing through the exhaust system faster than usual.

If you prefer a quiet ride, quad exhaust pipes aren’t for you.

May Not Be That Effective

There’s a vocal group of people deriding quad exhaust systems as useless. They believe that quadruple exhausts don’t give sufficient benefits to pay for the cost of a kit and the labor required to replace the stock exhaust tips. According to them, even the most powerful four-cylinder engine cannot generate enough horsepower to require a quad exhaust system. They especially hate decorative exhaust tips that exist only to give the appearance of four tips.

Ultimately, you decide whether or not you want quad exhaust pipes on your car. You might like the minor performance boosts and the cool appearance of a quadruple exhaust enough to tolerate issues like louder noise.

How to Get Exhaust Pipes That Fit Your Vehicle

Whether you’re replacing damaged exhaust pipes or simply looking for an upgrade, make sure to get ones that last. Exhaust pipes are an integral part of your vehicle, and driving without one can cause dangerous amounts of carbon monoxide to leak into your cabin. In extreme cases, long-term exposure to this toxic gas can cause death. For your own sake, it’s best to invest in high-quality exhaust pipes now instead of having to replace them again later on. Thankfully, getting high-quality exhaust pipes is fast and easy with CarParts.com.

CarParts.com offers a wide selection of exhaust pipes for all kinds of vehicles. Easily browse through our catalog with the help of our built-in vehicle selector and search filters. If you’re itching to get back on the road, you’ll be pleased to know that we also offer fast shipping. We have several warehouses strategically located around the US, so we can efficiently process and ship your orders. If you order by 12 PM ET, you can even expect your new exhaust pipes to arrive in as fast as two business days.

Don’t hesitate to replace your old exhaust pipes with new ones. Check out our catalog of high-quality exhaust pipes at CarParts.com and order today!