I am trying to slowly and relatively inexpensively build the HP on my '98 2.3CL- I have cold air intake, Eibach pro kit, KYB AGX. I want to beat a '02 Celica GTS (CAI, Injen exhaust, lowered, etc) so I am looking into exhaust/headers.

Does anybody have suggestions for relatively cheap cat-back exhaust systems, performance mufflers, headers?

Are headers necessary- big HP gain? Any brands better than others?

Is there a disadvantage to buying muffler and not cat-back system? A

You'll need turbo or nitrous to beat him...Modded, those fuckers give me a run for my money on the track. For a 2.2/2.3, don't think you can beat them n/a given they know how to drive.

from what i have read, headers don't give the v4's much horsepower, but they give the v6's a decent amount.

i just read an article on a 2003 accord 4 cyl -- cai added avg 7 hp, dc sports 421 head added 10!!! and catback addedd like 10 more!
i'm thinking of header/s b'c my stock had started with a crack and now the exhaust manifold is in two pieces 0-:

Where is that article? I wanna read it

hmm.. and don't forgot you people-- its not really "adding"--
ie. a CAI might give 7 by itself and headers might give 10 by themselves, but when put together they might only give 14

If you really want to beat him then go with a h22 a or turbo that is what i am saving my money for

The 2003 Accord has a different engine though, different vtec also

Not the same engine as the CL.

yeah i know it's not the same engine but it puts out realtively the same hp -- closest match probably to the f22 i think
anyway the article wasn't from the most reliable source, but dyno don't lie anyway................here da linky
http://www.importtuner.com/ -- under pwr pages

looks like i read it wrong too, my hp gains were a little the cup is half full
woops